The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-05-04
OYER 200 SURHOCATED
FrightfuI Mining Disaster Occurs
in Utah.
EXPLOSION CAUSES AFTERDAMp
CHASTITY, Yet Pathetic Scenes Wit
messed by Those Who Were at
Rescue Work.

One Hundred and Thirty-seven Bodies
| Already Taken from the Mine, and Hop
for the Remaining Men Has Been AbaD
| doned-Scene at the Mouth of the Mine
as the Bodies Are Brought Out Beggars
All Description.
Scofeld. Utah, May 1.-Two hun
dred and fifty men were killed by an
explosion in the Pleasant Valley Coal
cOmpany's mines Nos. and 4, at Win
terquarters camp, two miles above this
city. One hundred and thirty-seven
bodies have already been taken out and
hope for the remaining men has been
abandoned
The afterdamp delayed the work Of
the rescuing party, but the magnitude
Of the disaster soon became apparent.
All men on the raise known as Pixies
Peak, were lying in clusters. John
James, a county commissioner, was
found with his son, George, entwined
In loving embrace in each others
arms.
Realized Death Was Coming.
All these men had apparently real.
lied that death was coming, for all
were found as though in attitudes of
defense. Some had their cloaks about
them, others had tried to protect them
selves by burying their faces in the
ground floor of the mine, hoping thus
to escape the deadly gas that was fast
enveloping them. They must have
lived for some time in prayerful ex-
nj to Of
Bernard Dougall, a promising and
enterprising young engineer from
Springfield, Utah, who had just en-
tered the mine a few minutes before
with his assistants, was found with
his instrument set, while he and hS
men lay dead around it. AS fast as tn
bodies were removed they were cal
ried to the company's barn across the
canyon, where they were washed and
identified.
CHASTITY, Yet Pathetic Scene.
The scene was CHASTITY, yet most pa
thetic. Between the blackened and
stalwart lay about a dozen little lads
who had been engaged as couplers and
trappers. Some lay alongside of their
fathers and elder brothers. 1t was
a scene that made many strong ma
rurn away in tears.
After the foul air cleared away from
No. 1 the work Of rescue began here
anG it was soon found that a great
many of the miners of No. had been
suffocated. The men of the lower lev
els had been warned of the explosion
and had made their escape before the
gaseous air had reached them. Cars
were taken in and the dead were load
ed into them and brought to the mouth.
Heart-Rending Lamentations.
Here the scene beggars all descrip-
ton. for the men, women and children,
relatives of the dead miners, had be-
gun to gather, and as the bodies were
brought out and recognized by their
respective families, the lamentations
were most heart-rending. The dead
were all carried into the boarding
house directly opposite the mine and at
midnight 1877 stalwart men. nearly all
heads of families, were laid out in the
cold embrace of death.
Bishop Thomas Parmley, superin-
tendent Of the operations here, gives
it as his opinion that the explosion was
brought about by giant powder which
was taken into the mine by some of
the miners, that exploded in some un-
accountable way, igniting the dust and
thereby causing an explosion.
Mine Considered Safe.
This mine has been worked for over
twenty years and has the reputation,
according to State Mine Inspector
Thomas. Of being one Of the best ven
tilated and protected in the west. He
states that he he inspected it less than
five week ago, and believed it entirely
safe at that time. 1t has never had
bad air, and has always been free
from gas, and as the coal is all loaded
with shovels, there has not been a
large accumulation of dust.
Nine-tenths of the men killed are
Americans and Welsh. The former
come mostly from Utah. with a small
number from Tennessee and Colorado.