The age-herald., 1900-03-07
OCCURRED IN WEST VIRGINIA Red Ash Mine Scene of inc
 Horrible Disaster. THE EXACT CAUSE. IS NOT KNOWN It is Supposed That Lights Game in ".a Contact With Dust, Causing :. the Explosion Suffering
 is Heartrending
THE EXACT CAUSE IS NOT KNOWN

Fire Creek, w Va, March 6.-The most disastrous mine explosion ever known in the New River district occurred at the Red Ash mine shortly after the miners went ito work early this morning. Although the most heroic work of the rescuing party has been going on necessarily all day, it is impossible tonight to estimate the full ex- tent of the loss of life and property. More than 50 dead bodies have already been taken out, and the number of dead may reach 75 or more. It is thought tonight that at least 45 miners are yet entombed in the wrecked mine.
 The Red Ash mine is large drift, and the explosion occurred near the entrance, which was thus closed by falling slate, en- tombing large number of miners.
 The scene of the disaster Is between here and Thurmond, on the south branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad and every as- sdstance possible was rendered by the rail- way company and by the adjoining mining towns Relief parties from great distances arrived as soon as possible. State Mine h. spector Pinckney, with a corps of experts and many workmen has been on the ground during the day, rendering all assistance possible and devoting his attention more toward reldef than to an official investiga- tion as to the causes of the disaster.
 No Efforts Spared
 F. Frederick Effnger of Staunton, Va, arn6 effort in the work of rescue and relief, and his manager, Ferdinand Howell, had all the men available at work in 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. The work was greatly im- peded because of the extent of the enor- nous blockade at the entrance to the drift. The large heavy side tiers of the entrance were blown out to some distance together with a lot of heavy timber. Even mules were blown out some distance. The force of such an explosion caused an immense falling of slate and other debris, so that the entrance was filled up for great dis tance, and the difficulty of digging through it caused delay in the work of reseuing. As many men as 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 of rescu- ing as much as possible. The first success full strike of the rescuers was about 10 D. m., when ten bodies were recovered It was found that seven of them were al- ready dead and the other three were dy- ing.
 As the miners were located at different the falling slate to blockade the rooms in different parts of the mine, the work of rescung the men met with one great ob- struction after another. The men rescued about 10 a. m. were not far from the en- trance. while others were at much great CT distance within the drift.
 Exciting Scenes Around Entrance
 The exciting scenes around the entrance to the mines, where all these men were working extended throughout the entire re- zion, and the miners of the other camps came in with their families, and with great ly exaggerated reports concerning the ca- lamity. At the mouth of the mine the scene was beyond description, the wives and chill dren and the neighbors of those who were known to be entombed were there in full force and their anxiety and distress was most intense.
 While they were all seeking to help those who were rescued and to get the mine re- opened, yet these bereaved people were for the most part fin the way of the rescuers, and had to be held back from the entrance. The mine Is one of the largest in West Vir- ginia and was very heavily timbered in the different drifts. It was for this reason feared that those that had not been killed by falling debris at the time of the explos- ion would be pinioned by these timbers and suffer death from suffocation. Air was forced into the mine by engines on the sur face, which was kept working after the ex- plosion, but 1t was found that air could be pumped into the drift for only short dis tance. as the coal, stone and earth shut off all possibility of pumping into the mines. The pumps and all other machinery in the mines were demolished 80 that everything had to be done through temporary arrange ments on the surface.
 After the men got under headway in the work of rescue, they reached the first party