The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-11-07

PhiiIlppi. W. Va. Nov. 2.-one Of the
greatest calamlties in the history Oh BAR
hour County occurred this morning A.
o'clock, az The mines Of the southern Goat
and Transportation Company. al beTrys-
burg. six miles from this place. As re-
suit these are dead;
OLLIE Marks Dit boss
ANDREW BIaACkH Ella
ALBERT BROWN.
LAWRENCE DUNCAN.
PACK ADAMS.
Ans twelve othsrs approximately. whose han-s
ere zot obtalasbIe ana sAOas bodies are stu n
fhe minea.
The injured:
win Marks sad James Jackson. both Of whom
viii die.
The explosion was 70 great that mules
ver. killed al the mouth Of the mine and
cars we're blown forty feet from the track
One man was blown IN TWO at the IONS
and his body thrown against PIE OF
lumber az the mouth Of The mine.
The night shift went on duty at Z
O'Clock Everything went on smoothly un-
II about midnight when the explosion
occurred. The dead we're mutilated beyond
description. and the scene was calculated
20 make the strongest heart faint.
AAE explosion MdE UAUbAbl1 NAF tN7NAN
OF an accidental discharge Of dynamite,
caused. perhaps, by the ccncusslon OF
blast The property loss is light No blame
IL attached u the officials OF the COM
Pany.
Mrn Blown sixty Peet by Explosion.
The effect OF the explosion was so great
that two men were found sixty feet from
the mouth OF the mine. An hour after
the explosion hundreds had visited the
mine The call for relief brought every
physician in Philippi to the scene.
The sight was a most horrible one.
StreWn along the main channel and about
the opening were the arms. legs, hands.
and other portions Of the bodies Of the
dead miners. Fathers and mothers were
frantically hunting for sons, and as fast
as a body was recovered they would
glance at II, and recognizing H. would
give hysterical screams. The hotel has
been turned into a hospital and those
still alive when brought out were taken
there.
There is a great deal of comment about
the cause of the explosion. The authOri-
ties refused 10 discuss the matter further
than 10 say II was caused by an excessive
charge Of powder being used The mi
ners insist that IL was caused by fire
damp. The mine was recently inspected
and pronounced in good condition
John w. Green, who was in the mine at
the time OF the explosion and escaped in
jury, gives the following account OF il:
y went into the mine at 7:30, and went
10 Room No. !. / had been at work an
hour OF so when i smelled black damp. /
noticed my lamp would flicker went to
the mine boss and told him about IL. He
laughed and said il was all right. / went
back 10 work, and about midnight heard
terrific noise which knocked me down
and put out my lamp. i was stunned for
moment, aud then realized what had
happened l was close 10 the entrance,
and crawled over the bodies of two men,"
Appalling scene of Death.
The work of removing the dead is now
going on, and as IL progresses things
look worse. -Four men have been brought
out during the last hour, and the search
ers report that a dozen are vet in the
mine. Most Of those brought out are
mutilated beyond description. A most
pathetic incident was that of the death
OF james Smith. He ran away from
his home In Preston County last week,
and after tramping il for a few days,
applied for work at the mine yesterday
evening Last night was his first trip.
He was about twenty years of age, we'll
educated, and highly connected.
The mines of Berrysburg have only
been operated a short time. They have
had a great deal OF trouble. First the
mines were flooded and then. later. the
hen struck. Last week the stables were
set on fire. and twenty-six horses burn
ed. Now comes the explosion.
Col B. F. Berry, the millionaire mine
owner, arrived here this morning, but re-
fused 10 discuss the affair. Most Of the
miners have been here but a few weeks,
and as they were almost unknown TO each
other, IL IS hard TO recognize a man when
he Is found Most of the men came from
North Carolina and the District of CO.
lumbia.
Fans Were Turned on
So far no explanation has been made of
the turning of Of the fan at 9 O'Clock.
The engineer in charge was seen, but was
very reticent. He said that at o'clock a
man came out Of the mines and told him
the electrician had drilled all the holes
needed for the night. and told him TO
shut of the fan.
Miners say that was the very time the
fans were needed, as when the charges
were fred, II would cause all the smoke
and dust 10 rise, which if not swept out
by the fans. would cause an explosion
The engineer in charge refuses TO state
Who this man was. Ugly rumors have
been aiioat all day long about the cause
o. the disaster. The most charitable con-
strucuon 10 place on the matter is that
IL was due 10 the ineXperience OF the mine
boss ollie Marks, who now lies at deaths
door.
The damage done 10 the mines will
amount 10 considerable, the entire room.
No. G. being blown into one solid mass OF
debris.
a messenger just returned from the
mines states that the bodies OF twelve
men have been brought out, eight OF
whom were recognized. -Four men are in
the hospital not expected 10 live I'LL morn
ing Twenty men are unaccOunted for
The men were mostly negroes ana Slavs.
Fhiupps, W. Va, Nov. T. The work Of
Clearing tEe rhine at Berrysburg pro-
crossed 20 well to-day that operations Will
be- resumed tomorrow. IL mas been as
certained now that there were only four
teen men in the mine, and that the ex-
plosion Was caused by dynamite, and not
Is gas.
The fourteen men in the repair gang
were all white and they were working
during The night. Tie list Of victims, as
given LAST night. was correct, Mine Boss
ollie Marks s. also dead, and his brother.
William Marks, viii not recover. James
Jackson is not expected 90 survive the
night. The miners are all negroes. Had
the explosion occurred during the day
there would have been many lives lost
Three mules ard six cars we're blown out
q the entry tunnel with the fourteen
men Some OF the bodies were torn 10
pieces
Harsh Pate &C LndV Missionary.
London. Nov 5.-Dr Morrison, wiring