Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-03
SW ALLOWED
BY A MINE
Terrific Explosion in a Utah
Colliery Kills Over Two
Hundred Men.
DISASTER is TERRIBLE
Story OF the Explosion as Told by Miner
Who Escaped-Dead Lie Piled In
Groups In the Passages--
Grief IL Rampant

Grief IL Rampant.
Salt Lake City, Utah, May s.-(By
Associated Press. 1.-Two hundred or
more lives were lost in an explosion
in mine No. 4, Of the Pleasant Valley
Coal company, at Scofeld, Utah. One
hundred and thirty-seven bodies have
already been recovered. The work of
rescue is still progressing, altho there
is no hope that any of the men who
are unaccounted for escaped death.
The scene of the disaster is just out
side of, this place on the line Of the
Rio Grande and Western railway.
; The explosion, which occurred in the
winter quarters of the mine, is attri5-
uted by some to the blowing up of a
number of kegs of blasting powder.
The company has two mines, which
are known as Nos. and 4. The eN-
plosion occurred in No. 4. The first
news of the disaster received in Salt
Lake gave the list of killed at about
twenty-five, but not until evening was
the full extent of the calamity UNDER
stood. Many people in this city have
friends and relatives at the mines, and
the newspaper Offices and coal COM
panies' Offices are being visited by
numbers of anxious people, who fear
some of their friends or relatives
might be numbered among the vic
Tins. The Pleasant Valley Coal COM
pany dates back sixteen years. Its
mines are at Scofeld, where three are
located; at Castle Gate. Sunnyside and
Clear Creek, the latter being but sew
en- miles from Scofeld. 1t appears TO
have been one of those accidents com
! mon to the very best regulated
!, mines, and against the best. endeav-
ors OF the most competent superin-
tendents.
STORY OF THE EXPLOSION.
w. c. Wilson was one of those for
tunate ones on the lower level of No.
J / who estaped. He tells his story as
follows:
There was low, rumbling noise
heard in the distance, followed by a
i sort of wave that can hardly be de-
scribed, but which is known to all
who have been in explosions, and I
have been in several. I said to my
partner that if gas was known to
exist in the mine 1 should say an ex-
plosion had occurred. [ advised that
4 we run to the tunnel. and with me
came six men working in that
section. In the main tunnel we met a
s driver and asked him if he had no
tfoo1 a ct ooorrroroo Z
that he almost had been knocked off
I his car by rush Of air. I was then
: convinced that it was indeed an ex-
plosion and advised my comrades 10
hasten with me to the mouth. We
met two others further on and thew
proceeded with us. We were not too
soon for afterdamp reached us some
three or four minutes before we
reached the open air, almost suffocat-
ing u.s.
AFTER-DAAIP DELAYS RESCUE.
The afterdamp delayed 5he work of
the rescuing party, but the magnitude
OF the disaster soon became apparent.
All the men found on the raise
known as Pixies Peak. were living il,
clusters. John James, county commits
sioner, was found with his son George,
entwined in loving embrace in eacn
others arms. All these men had APP
{ parently realized that death was com
ing for all were found as tho in at
titudes of defense. Some had their
eloaks about them; Others had tried
: to protect themselves by burying
their faces in the ground floor of the
I mine, hoping thus to escape the dead
ly gas that was fast enveloping them.
Il They must have lived some time III
prayerful expectation of rescue reach
ing them. Bernard Dougall, a prom
Using and entertising young engineer
from Springville, Utah. who had Just
entered the mine a few minutes be-
fore with his assistants, was found
with his instrument set, while he
and his men lay dead around it.
BRINGING OUT THE BODIES.
AS fast as the bodies were removed
they were carried to the company
barns across the canyon, where they
were washed and identified. The
scene was CHASTITY, yet most pathetic.
Between the blackened and stalwart
men lay little lads who were engaged
as couplers and trappers. Some lay
alongside their fathers and elder
brothers. 1t was a scene that made
many strong men turn away in
tears. sfs
After the foul air had cleared away
from No. 1, the work of rescue began
there and it was soon found that a
!. great many miners of No. 1 had suffo-
Gated. The men Of the lower levels
had been warned of the explosion and
made their escape before the gaseous
air reached them. The cars We're "a
ken in and the bodies loaded into
them and brought to the mouth. Here