The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-05-11
Miners IN UTAH killed.
Terrific Explosion, the Worst in
Western History, Takes Place
in Mines in Scofield.
OVER TWO HUNDRED LIVES IRE LOST.
One Hundred and Thirty-Seven
Bodies Have been Recovered
Heartrending Scenes Work of
Rescue Going On-Every Effort he
ing Made for Relief.

Salt Lake City, Utah, May 2.-The
mining camp at Scofield, on the line of
the Rio Grande Western road, near Col
ton, Utah, is the scene of great excite
ment on account of terrific explosion
which occurred Tuesday in the winter
quarters of the coal mine owned by
the Pleasant Valley Coal company.
The cause of the explosion is attributed
to the blowing up of a number of kegs
of blasting powder. The scene at the
mine beggars description. The work
of rescue is going on, and everything
possible is being done to relieve the suf-
fering and ascertain the number of
dead. Superintendent Sharp, of the
coal company, and Superintendent
Welby, of the railroad company, have
gone to the scene on special train.
Bodies Recovered.
Salt Lake City, Utah, May "A spe-
cial to the Tribune from Scofeld, Utah,
says: The English language cannot
describe the appalling disaster which
occurred here at 1925 Tuesday fore
noon by an explosion in mine No. 4 Of
the Pleasant Valley Coal company, and
by which certainly 200 men and up
wards have lost their lives. At this
hour 1877 bodies have been recovered,
and the work of rescue is still proceed
ing and will continue until all the bod
les are brought to the surface. There
are willing hands at work, and as fast
as bodies are reached they are brought
down to the boarding houses and other
company buildings, where they are
dressed and prepared for the coroner's
inquest. These buildings are numer-
Gus. and in each are from ten to thirty
five bodies.
List Grows Longer.
Salt Lake City, May 3.-The reports
from Scofeld up to II o'clock Wednes-
day night say that it is now known
that 17S are dead from the explosion,
and that the estimate of loss will in
crease rather than decrease. The SUI
perintendent of the mine says there is
no record of the number of men that go
in the mine from day to day, and that
the exact loss cannot be known until
all the dead bodies are taken out. One
estimate is that there were 39S men in
the mine, and on that basis there must
have been at least $50 or 300 lives lost.
Later Estimate.
Salt Lake City, May 4.-The latest
dispatches from Scofeld say that the
extreme estimate of dead is now con-
ceded to have been too large, and that
it is numerically impossible to place
the loss of life at 800, as there were not
that many men in the mines. The prob
abilities are that $50 will be about the
total number of dead. There are not
enough collins in the camp to bury the
dead, and, to add to horror to the stu
alton, the bodies are rapidly decompos-
ing, and it has been suggested that Gre
nation may have to be resorted to-.
President Sends Sympathy.
Washington. May 4.-The president
Thursday sent the following telegram
to the governor of Utah:
Executive Mansion. Washington. May
3, 19O0.-Gov. Wells, Salt Lake City. Utah:
desire to express my intense sorrow upon
has occurred at Scofield. and my deep
sympathy with the wives, children and
friends of the unfortunate victims of the
explosion.
(Signed) WILLIAM M'KINLEY"