The suburban citizen., 1900-03-10
90 PERISH IN MINE.
TRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION AT FIRE
GREEK, WEST VIRGINIA.
BODIES BADLY MANGLED.
The wives and Children OF the Victims
Crowd About the Mines, and Many oi
tho Women arc Held Back by the he-
lief Parties From RiSking Their Lives
to Find Their Loved Ones.

Fire Creek, W. Va, Especial. )--The hrst
explosion Of gas that has ever occurred IN
the New River Valley happened at Red Ash
Tuesday morning at 1870. The force OF the
explosion was so great that cars standing
200 feet in one Of the entries were blown out
10 the mouth Of the mine, and hole II feet
In diameter was blown in the mountain side
2nofourth OF a mile from the mouth of the
mine and was clearly felt in the Rush Run
mine, one mile distant
Nearly so 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
cluding those Of Quarrels, Hackney, Jack
son and Washington. These were close to
the mouth of the mine. The rest cannot he
gotten, as the flredamp overcomes the men
before they are hardly inside and they can
work but a few minutes at a time. The ex-
element Is great, but not nearly 80 great as
might be imagined.
Experience Of Eye-Witncsses.
NJ @. Spix coke boss. said he saw tho
cloud Of dust, wreckage, cars and other de-
bris come out OF the mine, and knew what it
was.
George Tucker said he was standing at the
mouth Of the mine and heard a loud explo-
sion and saw fire, and when he came TO he
was under pile OF wreckage, severely To-
iured.
State Mine Inspector Edward g. Plnekney,
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 heholes caused
| by them the gas might have accumulated in
the mine. In time sufficient was gathered
to produce the explosion. Further than this
Mr.. Pinckney would say nothing, as he said
he could not make his report public until
filed In the Inspectors Office.
What the Superintendent Says.
John Laing, mine superintendent OF the
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 a
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 It 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 it was to see
that no ono carrying an exposed light went
in where the gas was known 70 be; that
wherever gas in the slightest was they had
signboards, and the men were cautioned
never to 20 into these places until the Are
boss had written on these boards tnat
he had examined the places in question md
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 the face
OF the coal when the men were working. He
SAYS the explosion occurred about A. NJ,
and therc we're between 80 and 60 men in at
the time. Had II occurred 30 minutes later
there would have been $50 men in the mine.
The sight of the poor backened bodies
that have been taken from the mines is aw.
ful. They we're burnt almost beyond recog-
ntion. and a white man can hardly be dis
tInguished from black man.
Rescuers at Work.
The resculng party Is working in 1O-min-
utes shifts. but can do little, although they
are working herolcally. The alter-damp is
holding them back, and a man goes in
walks out in few minutes, or is brought
qasplng TO the light A mine doctor grabs
the man, cold water "a applied to his face
and then a little whisky is given him and he
staggers on to fresh air. In the course OF an
hour he goes back to the work Of rescue.