The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-06-23
SERIOUS NINE DISASTER.
the old Dominica CoIiiery ct Gisce
Hay, Cape Brston.

SoBTu SIDNEY, 2. X, June 1.-THE
most appalling disaster In the Cape
Breton coal mining regions occurred
It the Caledonia mine at Glaze Bay,
he colliery of the Dominion Coal Co,
Friday when two explosions oc-
,urred, causing the death of eleven
men, including Thomas johnson.
he underground manager of the
FORKS, and brother of the assistant
manager of the Dominion Coal Co. Up
. noon Friday all the bodies had been
Ncovercd.
The explosions occurred in the west
It, at a depth of about three-quartera
4 a mile, and were caused by gas
thich had accumulated in the old
rorkings. The full force OF men EN-.
nployed in the inc at night is abou.
GO, but the night shift had jus,
,opped work and all but about 80 had
n the mine. There was scarcely an
rermission between the conclusions
he first was a dull boom. Tnen there
us a rumbling noise like an earth.
cake, succeeded by a deafening, pro-
.uged and awful roar, which reverber.
sed among the hills for miles, and the
sock of which shattered glass In
Gerry direction, in the immediate vi.
atty Of the disaster. The meaning Of
ue sound was well understood
uroughout the mining district aud
uNious people flocsed TO the mine en-.
tance. Before they arrived sufocat.
hg volumes OF coal smoke began to
pur out showing that fire hal fol.
lived the explosion.
The officials OF the mine were amons
ne first TO reach the shaft. A tally %
ne men showed that some three score
we're missing, but later a number OF
b, miners appeared, having escaped
BY slope. There were about IS In
he company who were able TO repor,
aeir presence TO the anxious friend,
y the shaft, but several others who
sd managed TO sc, out OF the slope
I'D fallen, overcome by the exhaustion
the fumes which they had inhaled.
! hen these had been reached it was
Tident that at least 90 men. and posi-.
ly 80. had been cut of by the explo
on and persisted. ANY who survived
ne explosion would quickly have rer
he'd from suffocatiou.
OF the incidents attending the ex
.o.ion, the survivors were for a long
me too confused To give an intelli
emit account. There was no apparcn,
anger al midnight nor up TO o'clock,
hen the underground manager.
homas Johnson, now missing. last
ported.
shortly after O'Clock the Waterman
I0,llsd ras and nurnlng wood. aud
,..s.ter TtS3nss Brown was notified.
esed tne'shsfs just as the explo-
b occurred. The work of rescue
j. promptly undertaken by Assistant
suerai Manager johnson ana Daniel
nrlin. underground manager OF the
Inb eolliery, with a large number OF
fners-
iThe party were confronted with
iany difficulties Men, women and
hildren hung about the opening OF
be slope, weeping and distracted
own below a pitehy darkness pre-
allied, lighted by occasional brilliant
ursts OF the conhagration raging
trough the pit The lamps
I the rescuing party shed fee
le CLEANS and the volunteers
roped their way down into the mine.
ne poisonous gases almost choking
hem. After brief time body wa,
rought up, then another. and anoth.
r. until II had been brought 20 the
lrface. None OF them were mangled,
ut all were blackened. The bodies
'ere la side by side in the large room
] the Office Building.
In the midst OF the excitement At
he mouth OF the shaft, the unconscious
orm of Manager Brown was brought
D the surface. The opening OF door
, one OF the passages was followed by
a explosion, and Mr.. Brown fell
own, having been made senseless by
he shock.
In spite Of the efforts OF the rescu.
ig party, the proportions of the fire
4 the pit soon forced them TO give all
ttention TO that The work had 70
e stopped at frequent Intervals owing
, danger from fire damp. and with
lch retreat of the men the fire travel.
4 with double fury.
NORTH SYDNEY. C. b., June lT-At
so Friday afternoon all the miners
ad been accounted for except IL. The
ody OF Donald Martin was the only
ne missing.