The Forrest City times., 1900-03-09
'AGA1Y MINERS SHUT IN.
Frightful Accident at the Red Ash Mines Near Thurmond,
 West Virginia.
RESULT OF AN EXPLOSION OF MINE GAS.
wsrds of Fifty Bodice Had f8ssn Taksn Ost-Onlv Three of tho lsen Were Res. sued Alive, and They Arc Not Expected to Live.


 Fire Creek, w. Va, March s.--The most disastrous mine explosion ever known in the New River district oc- cured at the Red Ash mine shortly after the miners went to work early Tuesday morning. Although the most heroic work of the rescning party had been going on necessarily allday,it was impossible Tuesday night to estimate the full extent of the loss of life and property.
 and tha explosion occurred near the entrance, which was thus closed by the falling slate, entombing large number of miners.
 The scene of the disaster is between this place and Thurmond, on the South branch of the Chesapeake x Ohio rail- way, and every assistance possible was rendered by the railway company and by the adjoining mining towns.
 Relief Parties Soon Arrived.
 Relief parties from great distances arrived as soon as possible. State Mine Inspector Pinckney, with a corps of experts and many workmen, was on the ground during the day, render ing all assistance possible and devot- ing his attention more toward relief than to an official investigation as to the cause of the disaster.
 J. Fred Effinger, of Staunton, va., the principal owner of the mines, and relief, and his manager, Ferdinand Howell, had pll the men available at work trying to clear away the debris and rescue the entombed men.
 Joined In the Work of Rescue.
 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. 1t is impossible to describe the amount of work done by this concentrated army of men, but they were greatly impedcd because of the extent of the enormous blockade at the entrance to the drift. The large heavy side tires of the entrance were blown out to some distance, to- gether with lot of heavy timbers. Even mules were blown out some dis tance.
 Delay In the Work of Rescue. The force ofsuch m explosion caused an immense falling of the slate and other debris so that the entrance was filled up for great distance, and. the difficulties in digging through it caused delay in the work of rescue. As many men us could work at one time were digging away with all their might, and were relieved in short relays by other men so as to expedite the work as much as possible.
 Ten Bodies Recovered. The first successful strike of the rescuers was about 10 a. m., when ten bodies were recovered. 1t was found that seven of them were already dead and the other three were dying. As the victims were brought to the surface and carried away on the hasti- ly-constructed stretchers, it was ire quently noticed that nany anxious watchers met their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons among the rescucrs, when they thought these men were in the mines. These meetings between the men who had not yet entered the mines and their families were very touching. All those who could not find their friends in the crowd assumed that they were in the closed mine. Were All Neixhbors and Friends.
 The population of the village is only 800. All are miners, and they ull know each other. There was great distress all day among those who could not find their friends or hear from any ore that they had been seen since the explosion.
 As ThurE.ond is only three miles from the scene of the disaster, there were some few in the mine who lived at that place, but for the most part the victims resided here, and the calamity will reach almost every little house in the mining town.
 Refused to Eat or Go Home. None of the people here had been at their homes during the day, but re- mained around the Red Ash mine. Some had not eaten during the day. Food was literally supplied to the re lays ot workmen in the rescuing party. but many of the women who could get no word of comfort refused to eat or go to their homes.
 The Horror Grows. | After 12 hours work at the wrecked mine more than fifty dead bodies had already been taken out. and the num- Der of dead may reach IS or more. 1t was thought, Tuesday night, that at least 45 miners were yet entombed in J the wrecked mine.