The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-07

D
disastrous mine explosion ever known In
the New River district occurred at the
Red Ash mine shortly after the miners
went to work early this morning. AL
though the most heroic efforts of the res
cuers has been going on necessarily all
day II is impossible tonight TO estimate
tho full loss OF life and property. More
than fifty dead bodies have already been
taken out, and tho number of dead may
reach seventy-fve or more. II is thought
tonight at least forty-five miners are
entombcd in the wrecked mine.
The Red Ash mine is large drift and
the explosion occurred near the entrance,
which was closed by falling slate, en-
tomhing large number of miners. The
scene OF the district is between here and
Thurmond on the south branch of tho
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad and
every assistance possible was rem
dered by the railroad company and the
adjoining mining towns. Relief parties
from great distances arrived as soon as
possible. State Mine Inspector Pinckney
with corps OF experts and many work
men has been on the ground during the
day rendering all assistance possible and
devoting his attention more TO relief than
an official investigation as to the cause
OF the disaster.
j. Alfred EfhnRer of stpunton, Va. the
principal owner OF she mines, spared no
effort in the work OF rescue and relief.
and his manager, Ferdinand Howell, had
all the men available at work trying to
clear away the debris and rescue the en-
tombed men. The managers and bosses
OF all the mines in this district came to
the scene as soon as possible and Joined
in the work Of rescue. Tho work was
greatly impeded because Of the extent OF
Ahe enormous blockade at the entrance
to the drift The large. heavy side tiers
OF the entrance we're blown out some dis
lance. together with lot of heavy TIM
bers Even mules were blown out some
distance. The force of such an explosion
caused an immediate falling of the slate
and other debris so that the entrance was
hlled up for a great distance and difficult
ties in digging through 1t caused delay in
the work Of rescue. As many men as
could worl, at one time were digging away
with all their might and relieved in short
relays by other men so as to expedite the
work as much as possible.
Tho first successful strike Of the res
ouers was about 10 a. M. when ten bodies
were recovered. II was found that seven
were already dead and the other three
were dying. AS the miners were located
al different places in the drift and tho
explosion caused the falling slate TO block
aae the rooms in different parts OF tho
mine. the workers net with ore great OBJ
struction after another The men rescued
about 10 O'Clock were not far from the
entrance. while others we're at much
greater distances within the drift
The exciting scenes around the entrance
working extended throughout the entire
region and the miners OF other camps came
In with their families and with greatly ex-
aggorated reports concerning the calam-
fly. At the mouth Of the mine the scene
was beyond description. the wives and
children and the neighbors OF those who
were known TO be eDtombed were there In
fun force and their anxiety and distress
were most intense While they were all
IN hall hn
and TO get the mine reopened yet these
bereayed people were for the most part
in the way OF the rescuers and had to be
held back from the entrance,
The mine Is one of the largest In Wesi
Virginia and Is very heavily timhered in
the different drifts, II was for this rea-
son it was feared that there would be
more killed by falling debris Air was
forced into the mine by engines on the
surface. which were kept working after
the explosion, but II was found that air
had been pumped into tho drift only fol-
a short distance as the coal. stone and
earth shut off all possibility OF pumping
into the mines. The pumps and other ma
chinery In the mines were demolished so
that everything had TO be done through
temporary arrangements on the surface.
kilograms were sent to Montgomery.
Charleston and other places for physicians,
nurses and baskets, hit during the greater
part of the day there was use only for
caskets The people within a radius OF
many miles assembled on the grounds OF
the Red Ash company
Had the accident occurred an hour
later many more would have been en-
tombed in the mines. The estimates OF
the number in the mine when the eS-
ploslon occurred Is bassd on the num-
her entering at o'clock. The manager
stated that by O'clock there would have
been twice as many mea in the mines.
AS victims were brought to the surface
and carried away upon the hastily coa-
structed stretchers, 1t was frequently
noticed that many met thfir husbands.
fathers. brothers and sons among tho
rescuers when they thought those men
we're 10 the mines These meetings be-
tween the men who had not yet entered