Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-17
MINERS DIE SAVING MATES
Rescue Party Lost While Searching for
Comrades in the Pit
EXPLOSIONS AND FIRE CUT OFF ESCAPE
six Men Chol<cd by Fircdnmp while
Trying to Escape and second
Concussion Kills Those Conn
ing to Their Aid.

HALIFAX, n. s., June 1G--According to
an official account of this mornings dis
aster in the Caledonian mine of the Domln-
ion Coal company at Glace Bay Cape Bre-
ton, there were two explosions the first
killing six men and the second five men.
The fire started near the deep pump, the
cause being unknown. The six men who
were on their way out were overcome by n
explosion of firedamp and were sufrocatei
where they fell
Three quarters of an hour later party
of men were on their way to the scene of
the fire, headed by Thomas Johnson the
underground manager, when an explosion Of
gas occurred by which they were killed In
stantly The bodies of the victims save
one, were recovered by a rescuns party,
in which was John Johnston, assistant
manager of the Dominion Coal company,
and a brother of one of the dead.
After considerable difficulty the position
of the fire was located and a body OF volun-
teers attacked the flames with water. This
work was carried on vigorously for several
hours when it was found that the extent
of the fire and the difficulties Of lighting it
rendered the efforts useless Up to this
evening the efforts of the fire fighters had
not been effectual in eXtinguishing the
flames.
The men who lost their lives in the dis
aster are:
THOMAS JOHNSTON, underground man
ager.
JOHN DOYLE, sr.
JOHN DOYLE, jr., leaving a widow and
three children.
ARTHUR GRANT. leaving widow and
three children.
ALEXANDER M'DONALD, leaving widow
and eight children.
STEPHEN MCCORMICK, leaving widow
and six children.
RORY d. MDOUGAL, leaving widow and
three children.
NEIL M'DONALD.
MALCOM MCAULEY.
WILLIAM THOMPSON.
DONALD MARTIN, leaving widow and
two children.
All the bodies have been recovered except
that of Martin.
1t was about o'clock that the whistle an
nouncing something wrong in the mine was
blown. In very short time the streets
were crowded with frantic people.
Johnston when found was near one of the
cross-cut doors. He was undoubtedly killed
by the force of the explosion. The others
who were with him were choked with fire.
damp.
wild Scene in the Pit.
The scene in the pit was of a most weird
character. The dead men were thrown pro-
msouously into the box cars and rushed to
the cage. Darkness was only broken by the
Pickering lights of the lamps in the hands OF
the rescuers. The rescuing party was stag
gering under the influence of the gas and al
most blinded with the smoke that was pour
ing down in volumes upon them.
One of the men was found with his hands
round post. Mccormick was found with a
handkerchief across his mouth and a waist
coat over his head. He probably went into
one of the rooms to save a mate, but the
damp had become dense that he sue
cumbed. The others were found in different
attitudes and positions.
The coal in the west deep as well as the
timber is on fire. The air currents changed
several times while the volunteers were in
the pit. This would indicate that an eX-
plosion had taken place in the west deep.
Thomas Brown manager Of Caledonia, went
down with the rescue volunteers and was
knocked senseless by the second explosion.
He was carried from the pit unconscious,
but will recover
The Caledonia colliery averages $500 tons
per day.