The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-17
TWENTY DEAD FROM
MINE EXPLOSION
Most Appalling Disaster in the History
Of Cape Breton.
EXPLOSION IN THE SHAFT
Night Force Had Just Stopped Work and
Nearly All Had Lett.
SIXTY SLOW IN COMING UP
Half This Number Escaped But Fully
Score Were Left Lifeless in
the Depths of the
Mines.
IN THE SHAFT
SIXTY SLOW IN COMING UP

North Sydney, c. B., June 16.-The most
appalling disaster in the history of Cape
Breton coal mining occurred in the Gale
donia mine at Glace Bay, the principal COL
liery of the Dominion Coal company, today,
when two explosions occurred, causing the
death of more than score of men, includ-
ing Thomas Johnson, the underground man.
ager of the works. and brother of assis-
tant manager of the Dominion Coal COM
pany. Up to noon eleven bodies had been
recovered. The names of the victims found
up to the hour follow: L.a
Some of the Dead
THOMAS JOHNSON, underground man.
ager.
NEIL MCDONALD, of Pictony
JOHN DOYLE. SIR.
JOHN DOYLE, JR.
STEPHEN MCCORMICK, of Sydney.
ALEX MCDONALD, Cape North.
DONALD MARTIN.
WILLIAM SIMPSON.
MALCOLM MAULAY
TWO MEN NAMED GILLIS, father and
son.
ROY G. MDOUGALL.
ARTHUR GRANT
4ne explosion occurred IN the west pit,
at depth of about three-quarters of a
mile, and was caused by gas which had
accumulated in the old workings.
The full force of men employed in the
mine at night Is about $50, but the night
shift had just stopped work and all but
about sixty hal left the NINE There was
scarcely any intermission between con-
cussions. The first was a dull boom. Then
there was a rumbling noise like an earth
quake, succeeded by deafening, proong
ed and awful roar. which reverberated
among the hills for miles and the shock
of which shattered glass in every direction
in the immediate vicinity of the disaster.
The meaning of the sound was we'll under
stood about the mining district, and many
anxious people hocked to the mine en-
trance. Before they arrived suffocating
volumes of coal smoke began to pour out,
showing that fire had followed the explo-
sion.
Rush to the Shaft
The officials of the mine were among the
first to reach the shaft. tally of the
men showed that some three score were
missing but later number of the miners
appeared, having escaped by q slope.
There were about 20 in the company who
were dDle " report their presence TO the
anxious friends at the shaft, but several
others who had managed to get out the
slope had fallen, overcome by exhaustion
or the fumes which they had inhaled.
When these had been reached it was evil
dent at least twenty men and possibly
thirty had been cut off by the explosion
and persisted. Any who survived the ex-
ploson would quickly have persisted from
suffocation.
OF the incidents attending the explosion,
the survivors were for long time too con-
fused to give an intelligent account. There
was no apparent danger at the midnight
hour nor up to 2 o'clock when the UNDER
ground manager, Thomas Johnson now
missing, last reported.
Shortly after o'clock the Waterman
smeled gas and burning wood and Mana
ger Thomas Brown was notified. He
opened the shaft just as the explosion oc-
Cured. The work of rescue was promptly
undertaken by Assistant General Manager
Johnson and Daniel Merlin, underground
manager of the Hub collery, with a large
number of miners
Great Heroism In the Rescue
The party was confronted with many diff
ficultes. Men, women and children hung
about the opening of the slope weeping and
distracted. Down below a pitchy darkness
prevailed, lighted by occasional brilliant
bursts of the conflagration raging through
shed feeble CLEANS and the volunteers
CROPPED their way down into the mine, the
poisonous gases almost choking them.
After a brief time a body was brought,
then another and another, until thirteen
had come to the surface. None of them
were mangled, but all were blackened
The bodies were laid side by side in the
large room in the office building. Men and
women crowded into the place and the
identifcations We're accompanied by most
pitiful scenes.
In the midst of the excitement at the
top of the shaft the unconscious form of
Manager Brown was brought to the sur
face. The opening of a door in one of the
passages was followed by an explosion, and
Mr. Brown fell down, having been made
senseless by the shock.
Braved Every Danger
In spite of the efforts of the rescuing
party. the proportions of fire in the pit
soon forced the men to give all their atten-
ton to that. The work had to be stopped
at frequent intervals owing to danger from
fire damp and with each retreat of the men
the fire Travelled with doubled fury. The
wreck of the mine seemed beyond ques-
ton, but later the atmosphere cleared
somewhat and the work of fighting the fire
was more effective
At noon news was sent to the surface that
| II was believed the fire was under control
and further search for the bodies soon
would be taken up, although at that time
| the rescuers were 500 feet from scene of the
| explosion. Tt will be nearly night before
| the fire will be subdued sufficiently to per-
init of a further advance in the mine.