The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-03-15
so PERISH IN MINE.
ERIGHTFUL EXPLOSION AT FIRE
CREEK, WEST VIRGINIA.
BODIES BADLY MANGLED.
The Wives and Children of the victims
Crowd About tho Mines, and Many OF
the Women are Held Back by the he-
lief PARTIES From Risking Their Lives
to Find Their Loved Ones.

Fire Creek, W. Va. Especial The first
explosion OF gas that has ever occurred In
the New River Valley happened at Red Ash
Tuesday morning at 7.30 The force OF the
explosion was so great that cars standing
200 feet In one OF tho entries were blown out
to the mouth OF the mine, and hole ~ feet
In diameter was blown In the mountain side
ono fourth of mile from the mouth OF tho
mine and wns clearly felt in the Rush Run
mine one mile distant.
Nearly 80 men are killed and Manager
Shirley has ordered that number OF collins.
The mine is completely wrecked, and the
scene OF the explosion cannot be reached
Nine Bodies Recovered.
Only nine bodies have been recovered, in
Guiding those OF Quarrels, Hackney, Jack
son and Washington These we're close to
the mouth of the mine. The rest cannot DO
gotten, as the flredamp overcomcs tho men
before they are hardly inside and they can
work but few minutes at time. The ex-
element is great, but not nearly so great as
might be imagined.
Experience of Witnesses.
NJ. c. Splx, coke boss, said he saw the
cloud OF dust, wreekage, cars and other de-
brls come out OF the mine, and knew what II
was.
George Tucker said he was standing at the
mouth OF the mine and heard n loud explo-
sion and saw fire, and when he came to he
was under a pile OF wreckage, severely In
| iured.
State Mine Inspector Edward G. Plnckney,
OF Montgomery, W. Va, says the mine had
good ventilation, no holes or pockets In the
roof, and that every precaution was used to
prevent accidents, but that they might have
been drawing pillars. and in the holes caused
by them the gas might have accumulated In
the mine. In time sufficient was gathered
to produce the explosion. Further than this
Mr.. Plnckney would say nothing. rs he said
he could not make his report public until
filed In the Inspectors office.
What the Superintendent Says.
John Lalng, mine superintendent OF tho
mines. was seen by correspondent. He
| had been working all day In the mine and
was suffering from the gas. When ques-
toned In regard to the explosion, he said
that he had been mine superintendent for
| long time and that he had never known OF
so serious an explosion before. He had
never thought such IN explosion possible In
| this mine; that while he had noticed some
little gas In the mine, 1t was not considered
dangerous; that they had seen some little
| fire on the COAL but that every precaution
known had been taken; that they had a
competent boss, whose duty 1t was to see
that no one carrying an exposed light went
| in where the gas was known to be; that
wherever gas In the slightest was they had
| signboards. and the men were cautioned
never to so into these places until the fire
boss had written on these boards that
he had examined the places in question and
they were safe. Mr.. Laing said that their
system OF ventilation was perfect, as they
had two good fans and their courses were
double and drove the pure air up to tho face
| OF the coal when the men were working. He
| says the explosion occurred about A. NJ,
and there we're between so and GO men in at
the time. Had 1t occurred so minutes later
there would have been 150 men in the mine.
The sight of the poor blackened bodies
| that have been taken from the mines is aw-
ful. They were burnt almost beyond recog.
| milton. and white man can hardly be dis
tinguished from black man.
Rescuers at Work.
The rescuing party is working in 10-min-
utes shifts, but can do little, although they
are working heroically. The after-damp is
holding them back, and man goes IN,
walks out in a few minutes, or is brought
gasplng to the light. A mine doctor grabs
the man. cold water is applied to his face
and then little whisky is given him and lie
staggers on to fresh air. In the course OF an
hour he goes back to the work OF rescue