Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-02

nearly all heads Of families, We're laid
out in the cold embrace Of death.
Bishop Thomas Parmley, superintend-
ent of the operations here, gives it as
his opinion that the explosion was
brought about by giant powder which
was taken into the mine by some Of the
miners that exploded in some unaccount-
able way, ignting the dust and thereby
causing an explosion.
This mine has been worked for over
twenty years and has the reputation, ac-
cording to State Mine Inspector Thomas,
OF being one of the best ventilated and
protected in the west. He states that he
inspected it less than five weeks ago and
believed it entirely safe at that time. 1t
has never had bad air and has always
been free from gas, and as the coal is all
loaded with shovels there has not been
a large accumulat. IN of dust.
Nine-tenths Of the men killed are
Americans and Welsh. The former come
mostly from Utah. with a small number
from Tennessee and Colorado.
Several experienced undertakers We're
sent down this morning and the collins
will go down as soon as they can be
shipped.
The special train bearing four of the
injured men arrived at the Rio Grande
Western depot this morning.
Harry Taylor one of the injured men,
said he remembers the moment Of the
awful explosion, and he told of it, few
not utilized in bearing up under the at
tacks of pain.
L was repairing some track out on the
dump said he, when l started toward
the mouth of the tunnel to get some
tools. l got about so feet away from the
tunnel mouth when all of a sudden there
was an awful report and at the same
time black cloud, filled with rocks,
bore down on me like a streak of creased
lightning. l felt several small rocks
strike me: then, quick as a wink. l felt
jolt on my side, and then--then l came
away, said the injured man, with a
ghastly attempt at smiling.
Next thing l knew l woke up with a
man pouring some brandy down my
throat, and | saw the boys lying all
around me moaning for help. We We're
fixed up and put on the train.
j. NJ Beattie of Scofield, who is the
company's storekeeper. said on his ar
rival this morning that no tongue could
tell of the horror. the sadness and the ap-
palling extent of the disaster When he
left no one could tell how many had been
killed. but it was thought that the Shift
in No. had been wiped out, and many
were killed in No. l. Whether a powder
explosion or dust explosion, or both,
had not been decided: in fact, no one
had any thought but to rescue the in
jured, recover the dead and relieve the
suffering. The scene around the mine
was beyond all attempts at description,
women, children and friends crowding
around, crying and feverishly excited,
waiting to see if the next body brought
out was their loved one.
The financial loss to the company can
not be estimated. but it will be very
great, what with the various claims ex-
penses, loss of daily output and reduced
tonnage on the railroad by the shipments
being stopped. In every way it is re-
n,1aH ha Cta
ring in this part of the country. The
nearest approach to it was the Southern
Pacific Almy. Wyo., explosion, five years
ago, when over one hundred men were
killed.
Superintendent w. G. Sharp. of the
Pleasant Valley Coal company resumed
the work with rescuing party of sixteen
at o'clock this morning directed by
State Mine Inspector Thomas.
The first body taken out today was that
of Walter Clark, young man who forced
his way into the mine yesterday to rescue
| his two brothers. In the interim, the pro-
cession of little bearers was seen coming
down the hill from No 4 mine. Amid
sobs and groans. the ghastly procession
moved to the railroad track where their
burdens were placed in boxes. The bodies
were all frghtfully mutilated. Within
a short time thirteen bodies had been
placed in an Impoverished morgue. is
| SAID lIidl tHe IeSCuInS party mas 1OflV
| bodies piled up in tunnel which will be
| brought out at one trip Seventy-five
bodies have already been prepared for
| burial. r. G. Western will call force of
gra ders from Clear Creek to dig graves.
Lottie Clarq, is years old. sister of
Walter Clark, fell dead at her mothers
| feet this morning when she heard of the
| death of her three brothers.
| At Salt Lake the. supply of coffns has
been exhausted. Additional collins have
been ordered from Provo and Ogden and
an order for seyenty-five more has been
placed in Denver. Active measures of
relief are being taken here by state and
county officials and severai subscription
lists have been started. Armour e. G.
through their local agent has donated a
shipment of beef, bacon and canned
goods.