Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-05-04
The UTAH MINE HORROR
Dead Bodies Arriving At the Mouth Of
One Of the Mines by the Car Load
Every House I'm the Town OF SEQ
Hundred and Thirty.Scven Dead
Bodies Recovered.

scofeld, Utah, May 2.-To-nights esti-
mate of the number of the killed in the
terrible mine explosion he'll yesterday il
go, but the total death list may yet reach
300. Relief work is still in progress, being
conducted by shifts of men. The shift now
in the mine has fifty bodies ready to
bring out, and the number of corpses yet
to be reached is still uncertain.
Arriving trains are constantly bringing
relatives of the victims from outside
points, and the coal company has desig-
mated a committee to carry the dead to
Salt Lake, Ogden and other cities. On ac-
count of gas, No. mine has been aban-
doned as a means of rescue, and bodies
are arriving at the mouth of No. 1 mine
by the carload. Ferrish level has been
cleared of dead and all are burned and
unrecognizable.
Salt Lake City, Utah, May 2-Every
house in the little town of Scofield is a
house of mourning. The awful scene of
yesterday gave place to-day to the calm
of despair When the removal of the
bodies from the mine began hundreds OF
men volunteered their services for the
mines and towns surrounding, and work
ed necessarily to bring out the burned
and mangled remains of the dead miners.
The bodies were taken to the company
buildings as soon they were brought
out of the mine and were there dressed
and laid out preparatory to the coroner 8
in 4uest and for identification.
Many Of the rescuers came near losing
their lives from the fatal after-damp,
F>,V4 @IA O~tr n
OF all danger and most of the brave fell
lows remained at their posts until they
were almost ready to drop from physical
exhaustion and the deadly effects Of the
poisonous fumes.
John Kinton was the first man brought
to the surface. He was still alive, but pre-
sented a terrible sight. His scalp was
burned to a cinder and his face was al
most unrecognfZable.
In his horrible pain he cried out 20 his
companions, begging them to end his
misery by taking his life.
It was 2:30 o'clock this morning when
Superintendent Sharp sent his valiant
workers to their beds and was himself
the last to leave. When active work ceas-
ed at the mines 137 dead had been recoV-
cred. Fifty of these were laid in row
in the little meeting house of the Latter
Day Saints while others were stretched
out In the 1MprOFlSeQ HOrSue, just DIS
they were found in the mine According
to the closest estimate there were about
300 men, all told, employed at the two
mines which are practically one mine.
About fifty of these were working in wha
/ is known as the No. l back level, which
was SO far from the EXPLOSION that 1t
had spent its force before the shock
could reach them, and they all got out.
They heard the report sbut did not grasp
the situation at once, one Of the men con-
tinuing to load a car after it occurred.
+ All efforts are now being concentrated
to bringing out a large number of bodies
known to be in No. T. where eighty-five
men perished. Here the force of the ex-
plosion broke down the timbers, and the
bodies can only be got at through No. l.
Up to noon 149 bodies had been brought
out.
The theory of Bishop Parmalee Is that
some of the Firms recently imported Sc
cretly took giant powder down into the
mine to assist them in their work. They
were exceedingly anxious to make a good
showing and make as much money as
possible, and it is thought this form of
explosive was used in order that great
bodies of coal could more easily be dis
lodged. 1t is thought that when the giant
powder was touched off it ignited some
Of the dust, of which every coal mine has
more or less. Some of the miners are ex-
ceedingly bitter in their denunciation OF
, the company, while others hold no one Is
responsible.