The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-07
Heavy Loss OF Life in a West Vir-
ginia Mine.
AN EXPLOSION NEAR THE ENTRANCE
Blocked the Opening and Entombed All Workers.
Relatives Gathered About the Place Seeking
Loved Ones--The Work of Rescue.

1 the mines and their families were very
| touching. All those who could not find
their friends In the crowd assumed that
they were enclosed in the mines.
The population OF this mining village
is only 500. All are miners and very
many OF them arc related and they all
knew each other. There was great dis
tress all day among those who could not
find their friends or hear from anyone
that had seen them since the explosion.
As Thurmond is only thirteen miles from
the scene Of the disaster there were some
few in the mine that lived at that place
but for the most part the victims resided
here and the calamity Will reach almost
every house in tho community The peo-
pie have remained around the Red Ash
mine all day. Some have not eaten dur
ing the day. Food was literally supplied
to the relays OF worlSmen in the rescuns
party. but many who could get no word
OF comfort refused to eat or to go to
their homes.
CHIEF Mine Inspector ]. w. Paul, Gov
ernor Atkinson and his private secretary,
Colonel Blggs. and others left Charleston
tonight for the scene OF the disaster to
make an investigation. Mr.. Paul stated
that the mine had been In excellent con-
dltion and II the explosion was caused
by fire damp, as reported. he was at
as the news reached him he wir a TO
District Mine Inspector Edward Pinckney
Of Montgomery TO begin an Investigation.
The mine was last inspected on octo-
her "a 1899. when 1t WAS found to be
, perfectly safe.
At late hour tonight the most re-
liable obtainable information put the
number of victims at 49, The capacity
OF the nine is 175, but there were 1870
| it is said nearly all OF these were in
the mine al tho time OF the explosion.
The manager, superintendent, bosses.
bookkeepers and others are very busy
! with the force of rescuers but at the same
time they are all very reticent as TO
the extent OF the casualties and any other
information regarding the disaster
So far as could be learned there are
| thirty seven dead bodies in the village
that have been taken out of the mine
during the day, and there are also parts
OF human bodies at different places. These
/ bodies as a rule are so mangled as to be
beyong recognition and the following arc
the only names OF the dead that are OBJ
tainable late tonight: b. y. Long. fire
boss; Bert Long, workman; Tom Long
| trapper; Dodo Long, two bays named
Long; James Sanders Charles Fouch. ma
chine runner; Novelle Dewes, Sam Shuup.
| Charles Downey Carl Downey. Andrew
| j, Pratt, John Claire. two Hambrick
brothers, n. @. Ramsey. Crict Stuart.
John Day, Berry Tucker, William Day
dying, Thomas Day, Matt Quarrels,
Grcnvile Holiness James Hackney, Sam
jackson, Matt Call Bill Sledge Vsllis
Edges. Joe Elliott, Berry Wright. Daw-
son. John Cane. Ed, Harper, Bat Jones.
Rawson Holmes. Ernest 10y. Hames
! Washington, Charles Herfater.
The scone around the homes where
these dead bodies are lying havs drawn
some OF the Immense crowd away from
the workmen at the entrance TO the
mines. Those working on the rescue
relays say that tho scene becomes more
terrible as they get further into the
mine. The men have become almost faint
Cd heart when they strike place flled
with dead bodies and in case the bodies
are recognizable they are confronted with
tho remains OF an old frisud Most Of
the bodies that can not be identified or
recognized have been placed ir..the large
blacksmith shop OF the Red Ash Coal
company and that place presents the APP
pearance of horrible morgue. All the
bodies are mangled beyond recognition,
yet they are surrounded by those who are
In distress and hunting their lost friends,
The general belief Is that the explosion
occurred by contact with dust when the
miners entered this morning with their
lights and that II was not due to nrs
damp.
Nearly all the men employed In the
mine were white and most OF them were
married and had families In the iittis
cottages near the tippls OF the great mine.
special train arrived tonight from
Montgomery for fifty more caskets An
other train arrived from Charleston with
physicians, csskets and relief supplies.
sim another train came in from Hinton.
but there is no need of physicians and
nurses as the victims are evidently dead.