The San Francisco call., 1899-12-10

cued can give the slightest possible ex-
planation. Only safety lamps-the Eng
lish Clanney and the Davie patterns-are
used when at work. Should however,
one of the men haplessly open his lamp
in an accumulation of coal gas, the gas
would suddenly ignite and explode. The
only open light known was that from the
small locomotive used to haul the cars
in from and out to the canyon on the
main level. 1t is merely theorizing to say
that this was the cause, although mule
driver. James Conway, now lying wrap
ped in oil silk and fairly covered with
mixture Of boiled linseed oil and lime
Juice says he was caught in the shock
on the main gangway. Conway was the
first man to come out of the mine. Said
he:
II was Just about ready when Watt
Jones called out: Let her go, jim, and
all of a sudden l thought a ton of dyna-
mite had burst. The force of the shock
threw me down and flame of fire seemed
to surround me. 1 crawled out through
it on my hands and knees as well as 1
could until l reached the engine. For
Gods sake, pull out quickly 1 begged,
for | felt as though l was burning to
death. AMI l could hardly breathe. 1t
did not take much urging, for the black
damp was already beginning to smother
us. and 1 was hauled out on the engine,
as nearly as / can remember"
Thomas Conway, brother of the suf-
ferer, was patiently tending him at the
hospital. In this institution four unfor-
tunates are stretched out on the beds,
soaked with the mixture Of oil and lime
Juice An old miner, George c. Taylor,
who has had plenty of experience of this
kind, is giving his best services as nurse.
Two of the injured men there besides
Conway are recognized as Kachiuga,
pole. and Abraham Carlunt Another is
n Hungarian who cannot speak English.
II would not matter if he could. as his
face is covered. with just hole left Tor
him to breathe through.
Dan Meredith. Dave Lewis, Samuel
I.angwen and Daniel Hockyard were
hauled out of the mine. more or less
burned or partly suffocated. Meredith, as
soon as he heard his father. Howell Me-
redith. had gone down after him. re-
turned TO the lower cross-cuts, accompa-
MED by Dave Lewis, in search of his
father. but had TO abandon the search
temporarily because of his condition.
William Thomas, the outside foreman, is
active in sending down and hauling back
relief parties on the tramcars which run
up and down the incline at intervals,
which seem tediously hong ones. but the
condition of the mine is such that the
work must needs be slow.
The old timber chute. through which
the Finlanders escaped at first, is about
two and a half miles from town.
There are several air shafts or chutes
leading up to the summit and slope of
Wingate Hill, and these have afforded
outlets for the damp and at the same time
furnished ventilation as the damp was
driven out.
At the morgue an old man, the father of
Richard Dare. tottered in and anxiously
inquired for his son. A rough, but kindly
disposed young miner, busy with the care
of the bodies. being eager to save the old
man a sight before which any strong man
might quail, told him he did not think his
son was there. The aged father left the
building sobbing but still hoping. He was
spared vision of shapeless mass of
charred flesh and rags.
All this evening the rain has been driz-
zling down and the town is in a mass of
mud.
In this rain and through this mud the
silent professions. bearing upon stretchers
the corpses and the injured, have been
slowly treading their way to the Morgue
and the hospital. handling with tender So
licitude their grewsome burdens.
The last estimate Superintendent Da-