The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-02
FOUR MINE VICTIMS
BROUGHT TO SALT LAKE
+
Arrived Here Last Night on Special Train From
SCOfieId.
All Are Badly Hurt and Some Will Probably Die-Great
Excitement in the City over the Accident.

Half an hour before No on the
Rio Grande Western was scheduled to
arrive in Salt Lake last night. there
was a sorrow-stricken little knot of
anxious men and women collected upon
the platform Of the depot. Despite the
fact that the connecting train left SEQ
field twenty minutes before the mine
horror occurred. the anxious watchers
hoped against hope that there per
chance might be some one upon the
train who could bring udings Of their
loved ones. Upon the arrival Of the
train forty-fiye minutes overdue. the
hope was shattered, roundup Of
the passengers failing to produce any
one from the scene.
Then as it was announced that a spe-
eial had left Cotton bearing the wound
ed, and would arrive at 1880 a. m. the
crowd melted away to besiege the Of
hces and Paymaster Z. L. Carpenter
and the newspapers uptown for fur
Their particulars. with the oft-repeated
query, Have no lists Of killed come
in yet?"
Among the numerous callers at The
Herald was one pathetic case in par
ticular in the person Of T. P. Williams
Of 617 South Fifth West, who. having
just heard the news at p. m. drove
up to the Office in a light cart which
conveyed his wife and three little
mites Of children. Williams said that
he had two brothers and a like num-
Der of brothers-in-law employed in No.
4 mine. At 1880 Williams and his
family were upon the depot platform
awaiting with that silent knot of people
for the advent of the special with its
gr0ascIIse lo4d
Depot in Darkness.
Owing to the failure Of the electric
lights in the vicinity Of the depot, the
place was practically in total dark
ness, lighted up with the occasional
lantern Of the switchmen and the
lamps Of the St Marks ambulance and
the patrol wagon, which had been sum
moned to transport the living victims
Of the disaster 10 the hospital
As soon as the whistle Of the special
was heard the crowd Of some hundred
people sUrged down to the track, and
before the engine with its two cars
had come to a standstill, the train was
boarded by as many as could grasp
the hand rails
Despite the firm attitude of the po-
lice officers who were present, several
men had entered the car before the
doors could be locked against them,
while women stood wringing their
hands upon the platform, asking in
fearful voices whether Tom or VIII
was among the injured
| Inside the car an appalling sight was
in evidence There stretched upon has
tily prepared pallets lay four coal dust
/ begrimed FORMS attired in their rough
/ shoes and clothing, which they wore
at the time they were stricken down by
| the fatal blast. Over in the northeast
corner lay William Boyter, jr., with
| his head and face, save for a hole cut
through which to breathe, swathed in
| bandages and oiled silk. He was badly
burned and suffering from bruises all
over his body.
Next to him lay Harry Tavlor in
nearly as bad condition. Across TIE
aisle lay father and son in the persons
of Alex and John L. Wilson. The for
/ mer at the time of the explosion was
standing thirty feet distant from the
mouth of the shaft. The elder seemed
TO be the only man who was conscious
of his surroundings, although suffer
| ing from broken leg, severe Commissions
and possible internal Injuries.
/ John L. Wilson. the young man, was
the most seriously injured Of the quar-
tette having borne the full brunt of the
explosion at the mouth of the tunnel.
and being blown zoo feet down the can
yon, with the result that the back Of
! his skull was crushed like an eggshell.
so much SO that Drs. A J. Holnquist Of
Helper and Bascom. who accompanied
the injured men to town from the scene
of the catastrophe, entertained grave
doubts as to his recovery.
Owing to the limited ambulance ser
| vice at the command Of the doctors but
two men were taken to the hospital in
/ INC ctilDuAdtACt anu the DdlEGi wagon.
under the direction of Dr.. Bascom.
while his colleague remained in the car
with Boyter ard the senior Wilson for
the space of seventy MINUTES until the
return Of the eonvevances.
Robert Beasie Talks.
My Cod" said Rob Beatie. the man
ager of the Winter Quarters mercau-
tile establishment. as he stepped eff
/ the special. Il cannot bear even 10
/ think about it. It is an awful thing.
/ and affects everybody at Scoheld. Not
/ only arc fathers taken away. but whole
families. for the boys. as soon as they
| are old enough to work. earn a living
in the mine. I, can't say just how it
happened. 1 heard the roar distinctly
down at the store, and knew at once
what had taken place. When I left
Scofield they had just started to take
out the dead, and it was an awful
| sight
Mr.. Beatie. after a pause. proceeded
to give his opinion as TO the cause of
the accident. He said. As far as I
can make out. It was caused By an ex-
! plOsicn of coal dust which had become