The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-06
Explosion at Red Ash Mine in
West Virginia
EntOmbS Force Estimated at
From so to 100.
BUT THIRTY RESCUED.
Half a Hundred Collins Ordered
Already.
Disaster Occurred Soon After
They Entered This Morning.

Columbus, O., March ga special to
the Dispatch from Longacre. w. Va,
says:
A report has been received here to the
effect that more than so men have been
killed by an explosion in the Red Ash
coal mine on the New river. The ex-
plosion occurred this morning soon af-
ter the men went into the mines, from
80 to 100 men went in and only about
80 have been accounted for. Fifty cof-
fins have been ordered from Charleston.
FURTHER DETAILS.
Montgomery, Va, March 6.-By an
explosion of gas in the Red Ash mines
this morning, 20 men were imprisoned.
Forty dead have now been taken ouc
and the rescuing party is still hard at
work.
The news Of the disaster swept
through the town like an electric shock
and within a few minutes hundreds of
men, women and children relatives of
the unfortunate miners were crowded
upon the scene of the disaster.
AS the conviction that the rescue Of
the entombed men alive was hopeless
forced itself on the grief stricken
crowds, they became frantic in their
endeavors to reach their dead and dy-
ing in the wrecked shaft and the work
of attempted rescue was organized with
extreme difficulty. OF the first 12 men
brought to the surface five were dead,
or died within a few minutes and sew
eral of the others were horribly burned
or bruised. AS the work proceeded and
the dead bodies were brought up one by
one, the scenes at the mouth of the
shaft became distressing to the ex-
treme. Shrieking frantic women and
children impeded the rescuers and ad-
ded to the horror of the work.
LOCATION OF THE NINE
Charleston. W. a.,March 6.-The Red
Ash mine is not in the Montgomery dis
trict, as at first reported but in the
Thurmond district. 1t belongs to J.
Fred Effinger of Staunton, Va The
mines are on the mountain side above
water and the coal is similar to that
found in the Pocahontas district. On
this account, it is said here that the ac-
cident cannot be caused by fire damp,
nor by gas but from dust as was the
case in one of the tragedies some years
ago in a Pocahontas mine
The district is a wild one on Rush
Run, which was a south branch OF New
river, having its mouth at ThurTnond.
1t is about So miles from this city The
miners occupied the dwellings, in the
vicinity of the mines While the mines
are in a very rugged country yet the
town of Thurmond is one of the best
advanced of the new mining towns in
West Virginia. Through the generosl-
ty of Mr.. Nickel, and other rich land
owners, this town has many improve
mentS that are not usually found in the
mining districts 1t has some preten-
tious business buildings, including a
fine opera house and public library
well as churches and a fine school
house.
Charleston. w. Va, March 6.-The
greatest mine horror in the history OF
the New River region occurred at Red
Ash about o'clock this morning by an
explosion in the drift mine OF the Red
Ash Coal company. 1t is feared that al
most a hundred lives were lost. The
mine was full of men and the explosion
occurred near the entrance which was
closed by falling slate. relief crew
was quickly at work. Already fifty
dead have been removed from the shaft
The working capacity of the mine is 175
men anu II WAS DelIS WOIlAeQ To It's lull
capacity to fill rush orders. It is be-
lieved over 100 men were at work. State
Mine Inspector Pinkney is on the
ground with a corps of experts lending
all assistance possible.
So far no statement has been made
as to the cause of the disaster. 1t is
thought thot gas ignited from a miners
lamp. The explosion made but little
noise and the accident was first dis
covered by a la,borer at the entrance.
The injured are being cared for as well
as possible, under the circumstances,
and every nerve is being strained to
rescue those still in the mine.
The scene of the accident is three
miles above Thurmond on the Chesa-
peake & Ohio railroad. The principal
owner of the mine is j. Fred Eninger of
Staunton, Va