Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-05-02
TERRIBLE DISASTER
Two Hundred Or More Lives Lost
In a Mine Explosion In
Utah.
HEART-RENDING SCENES
Nearly All the Bodies Have Been Recov-
ered-The Accident Was Caused By
the Blowing Up Of Several Kegs
of Powder.

Salt Lake City, Utah, May 1.-Two
hundred or more lives were lost in the
explosion at a mine of the Pleasant
Valley company at Scotfield, Utah. One
hundred and thirty-seven bodies have
! already been recovered. The work Of
rescue is still progressing, although
there is no hope that any Of the men
unaccounted for escaped death.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The scene of the disaster is just out
side this place, on the line of the Rio
Grande Western railroad. The explo-
sion, which occurred in the winter quar-
ters of the mine, is attributed by some
to the blowing up of number of kegs
Of blasting powder.
EXTENT OF THE DISASTER.
The company has two Mines Nos.
and 4. The explosion occurred in No. A.
A special train was sent from Salt Lake
bearing Superintendent Sharp, Of the
coal company; Superintendent Welby,
of the railroad company, and some doc
tors. AS fast as the bodies are reached
they are taken to the boarding houses
and other company buildings, where
they are dressed and prepared for the
coroner's inquest. The buildings are
numerous, and in each are ten to thr-
ty-five bodies laid in long rows To
those identified are attached tags with
their name and their address. These
wait for the coming of relatives or
friends. Two hundred collins have been
ordered from local undertakers to be
sent out at once to the scene Of the dis
aster. A special train bearing the Sc
riously wounded has started from Sco-
field for Salt Lake. The first news of
the Scofield disaster received at Salt
Lake gave the list of killed at twenty
five, but it was not until evening that
the full extent Of the tremendous ca
lamity was understood. 1t appears to
have been one of those accidents that
are common to the very best regulated
mines, and against which the best en-
tendents are helpless.
MANY WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
Salt Lake, Utah, May "A special to
the Deseret News from Scofield says:
Two hundred and one bodies have been
recovered 1t Is now known that be-
tween 300 and 400 men entered the,
mines, the great majority of whom have
been killed. All night lights were kept
burning in every home at Scofield, and
the means of mothers and the piteous
cries Of many orphans are heartrending.
The two camps have always been con-
spicuous for the large number of mar
ried men employed. This fact makes
the disaster more appalling and far
reaching in its results. Several families
have been robbed of all male represent
atives. In the Hunter family seven are
missing.
TWENTY YOUNG BOYS.
Among the dead are about twenty
young boys, who acted as couplers and
trap boys. Just how the catastrophe oc-
Cured probably will never be definitely
known, as various reasons are being at
tributed.
PROMPT RELIEF.
At Provo a mass meeting has been
held for the relief of the families OF the
victims, and SO, 900 was subscribed.
WORK OF RESCUE DELAYED.
The work of rescue was delayed by
afterdamp. The dead were piled up 10
heaps, indicating that they were pre-
pared for death from the damp which
they knew was inevitable.