Evening star., 1900-05-02
OVER 200 LIVES LOST
Appalling Disaster in a Mine at
Sco6eld, Utah.
MEN SMOTHERED BY FIRE DAMP
Accident Thought to Be Due to
Explosion Of Dynamite.
LISTS OF DEAD AND INJURED

SALT LAKE, Utah, May 1.-TWO hun
dred or more lives were lost in an explosion
in Mine No. 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 pro-
crossing. although there is no hope that
any of the men who are unaccounted for
have escaped death.
List of the Dead.
The list of known dead recovered up to
this morning follows: John Hunter. sr.; Dan
Muir, boy; Peter Cocklett, Jas Wilson,
Robert Ferrish, Will wilstead, Robert
Willstead R. T. Evans, Llewelyn Evans,
boy; Jas. Wallace, sr.; Ben Lloyd, John
Lloyd, Robert Hunter Jas. C. Hunter, Dick
Thomas, David Padfield, VIM. Jones, VIM
Howe, boy; Valentine LoXon, VIM. Reese
Geo. James, John James, Samuel Livesay,
r. Dixon, Anselmo Jachetta Ferari Jachet-
ia. j. May, Sol Lappi, Matt Kroski Harry
Miller, K ". Miller, Isaac Miller, VIM Da-
Wis, A. Langstaff and son, Davis and
son, VIM. Samuels and son, Andrew Adam
son, L. j. Reilley, VIM. Parmley, John
Thomas, Jas. Webber, Anderson,
Ihos. Padield, Henry Wilson, Chas Ed
wards, Bernard Dougall, Andrew Hunter
and son, Thos. Williams and son, Jas Gath
erman, VIM. Gatherman, John Burns John
Price, Alex. Wilson. jr.; Geo. Coulthard
The difference between this list and the
the unidentified
Several Of the injured will not survive
the trip to the hospital at Salt Lake City.
Among the injured are: Thos. Livesay.
Sandy Wilson, John Wilson, John Kirton.
VIM. Boweter, John Beddoe Thomas Sell
lers, VIM. Livesay.
Scene of the Dfsaster
The scene of the disaster is just outside
this place, on the line of the Rio Grande
Western railroad. The explosion, which
occurred in the winter quarters of the
mine, is attributed by some to the blowing
up of a number of kegs of blasting powder
The company has two mines, known as
Nos. and 4. The explosion occurred in
No 4.
A special train was sent from Salt Lake
bearing Superintendent Sharp of the coal
company. Superintendent Welby of the
railroad company and some doctors.
AS fast as bodies are reached they are
taken to the boarding houses and other
company buildings. where they are dressed
and prepared for the coroners inquest.
These buildings are numerous and in
each are from ten to thirty-tve bodies,
which are laid in long rows. To those
which have been identified are attached
tags with name and address. These await
the coming of relatives friends.
Two hundred collins have been ordered
through local undertakers to be sent at
once to the scene of the disaster. spe-
cial train bearing the seriously wounded
has started from Scofield for Salt Lake.
Many people of this city have friends
and relatives at the mines. and the news
paper offices and the coal companies Of
fees were visited by numbers of anxious
people who feared some of their friends or
relatives might be numbered among the
victims.
Cause of the Accident.
1t appears to have been one of those ac
cidents that are common TO the very best
regulated mines and against the best en-
deavors of the most competent superintend-
ents
The state mine inspector is still without
the data to lay blame on any one. Of course.
an inquest will have to determine just
where the blame rests, and perhaps it never
can be fully determined.
w. c. Wilson was one of those fortunate
ones on the lower level of No / who
capped. He gives this account of the dis
aSter:
There was a low rumblng noise heard
in THE distance, followed by sort of wave
that can hardly be described, but that is
known to all who have been in explosions,
and l have been in several. l said to my
partner that if the gas was known to exist
in the mine l should say that an explosion
had occurred. l advised that we run to
the tunnel and with me came six men work
ing in that section. In the main tunnel we
met the driver and asked him If he had
noticed the strange occurrence. He replied
that he had almost been knocked off the
bar by the rush of air. l was then con-
vinced that it was indeed an explosion and
advised my comrades to hasten with me to
the mouth. We met two others further on
and they proceeded with us. We were none
too soon, for the afterdamp reached US
some three or four minutes before we
reached the open air, almost suffocaung
u.s."
The afterdamp delayed the work of the
rescuing party, but the magnitude of the
disaster soon became apparent
All the men on the raise known as pixies
Peak were lying in clusters. John Jones.
a county commissioner, was found with his
son George, entwined in loving embrace in
each others arms
The Men Realized Their Peril.
All these men apparently had realized
that death was coming, for all We're found
as though in attitudes of defense Some
had their cloaks about them, others had
tried to protect themselves by burying their
faces in the ground floor of the mine hop
ing thus to escape the deadly gas that was
FAST enveloping them. They must have
lived for some time in prayerful expecta-
ton of rescue reaching them.
Bernard Douga!l, a young engineer from
Springville, Utah. who had just entered the
mines a few minutes before with his as
sistants, was found with his instrument
set, while he and his men lay dead around
1t. AS fast as the bodies were removed they
were carried to The company barn across
the canyon, where they were prepared fer
identification.
The scene was ghastly, yet most pathetic
Between the blackened and sta,wart men
lay about dozen lads who had been en-
gagged as couplers and trappers. Some lay
alongside of their fathers and elder broth
ers. 1t was a scene that made strong men
turn away in tears.
After the foul air cleared away from No.
/, the work of rescue began and
soon found that great many of the miners
of No. 1 had been suffocated. The men of
the lower levels had been warned of the ex-
plosion, and had made their escape before
the gaseous air had reached them.
Cars were taken III and the dead We're
brought to the mouth of the mine.
Here the scene beggared all description
for the men. women and children, relatives
of the dead miners, had begun to gather.
and as the bodies were brought out and .ec-
ognized by their families, their lamenta-