The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-08
RED ASH NINE VICTIMS,
Rescuers Still Working to Remove
the Dead Bodies.
NO HOPE FOR THOSE ENToMBED.

Thirty-fOur Have Been Taken Out
and of These Five Are Living,
Though Seriously wounded-DeatI,
List VIII Probably Reach Seventy.
Fire Creek, W. Va, March S.-The
rescuing parties continued working
hard at Red Ash mine yesterday In
removing debris and securing the
bodies of the victims of the explosion
Of Tuesday.
! The scenes Of distress among those
hunting their missing friends are still
as appalling as on Tuesday. The work
at the mine continues night and day,
and 1t is still impossible to give the
exact number of the victims OF to
identify oil of the bodies that have
been recovered. The most conservative
estimates of some Of those connected
with the mine places the number of
killed at 81, and there are others who
insist that the number of victims will
he found to reach 60.
A report from the rescuers at the
mine after s o'clock last night was
that "a had been taken out, 20 being
dead and five seriously injured. Those
rescued ali'n are Carl Downey, John
L, Day, Joseph Elliott, John Kane and
Harry Dawson.
While the surviving miners and
others estimate there are at least 80
miners still entombed, General Man
aver Howell says there are still in the
mine only So. The estimate of the
latter would indicate that there were
70 killed and five injured, and it is
conceded that all Of those still in the
mine are dead.
None of the mines in this district are
yet working, and thousands of people
visited the scene of the Red Ash disas-
ter yesterday. Some of the dead bodies
have been shipped to the former homes
Of tke victims. Many funerals were
hsfd here yesterday and today.
No definite cause for the explosion
has yet been learned by Governor At
kinson, the state and district mine in
spectors and others who are investi-
eating the case. In addition to the
theories of dust, fire damp, ETC., it was
claimed yesterday that natural gas es-
capped into the mine and that 1t ignited
when the miners entered with their
lighted lamps.
The work Of rescuing parties is re-
tarded by hot air, and it is thought
the mine Is on fire. Air is being pump
ed into the mine by compression. 1t
will probably be several days before
all the bodies can be recovered as they
cnotfora1 oil al, prt Ia
under the ground, and 1t will require
much time to clear the debris from this
long subterranean course.
The only person who entered the
mine and escaped unipjured is Elec-
trician Evans, who was near the en-
trance. In relating his experiences !;
Mr.. Evans said:
II heard low rumbling sound, sim .
liar to an earthquake. l realized in all
instant that fire damp had exploded,
and before the force of the conclusion
reached me. threw myself down on
my face. A sheet of flame, rock and
debris shot over my head. l managed
to creep to the mouth and into the
fresh air. My God. it was awful. 1
saw that I was the only one left. Every
1ne of the other fellows was lost,
Knew"
A pathetic feature of the disaster is
he humiliation Of the family of B. B.
Long, fire boss. His wife died some
line ago, leaving to his sole care two
little boys. Having no one to stay
With in their desolate home the boys
legged to 60 with their father into the
nine to spend the day with him. He
consented, and when the search is fin
shed their blackened little bodies will
'e found beside that of their father.
The unexplained cause of the acct
lent has terrified miners in adjoining
ocalities. Very many are afraid to 60
o work, and 1t will require the most
earching inspecting by competent
len to remove their fears and induce
hem +" -sturD to their places.