The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-03
ESTIMATE
OF The DEAD
INCREASES.
The schOasld Mine Horror One Ue thR
Most Appalling IN the An-
nails Of the West
THREE HUNDRED WERE KILLED.
Every House is One Of Mourning.
Many of the Rescusrg Game
Very Near Dying. :

scoFEELD, Utah, May 2-To-night'B
estimate Of the number Of killed In the
terrible mine explosion here yesterday
Is $50, but the total death list may yet
reach 300. Relief work is still in pro-
gress, being conducted by shifts Of men.
The shift now in the mine has nftH
bodies ready to bring out and the nunl-
Der Of corpses yet to be reached ID sttll
uncertain.
Arriving trains are constantly bring
ing relatives OF the victims from outside
points and the coal company has desIg-
mated a committee to carry the dead to
Suit Lake, ogden and other cities.
on account Of gas No. mine has been
abandoned as a means Of rescue and
bodies are arriving at the mouth Of No.
mine by the carload.
Ferrish level has bPen cleared Of dead
and all are burned ana unrecogniza-
BILE.
SALT LAKE, Utah, May 2.-EvsrE
house In the little town Of schofeld 10 q
house of mourning. The awful scene
OF yesterday had passed al'Ey when the
day dawned this morning and the calm
of despair had taken itB place. The
agonized shrteks of the widows and the
moans Of the fatherless were no longer
heard. The stricken ones were beyond
all that and their grief could fnd no
utterance. When the removal OF the
bodies from the mine began, hundreds
OF men volunteered their services for
the purpose. The rescuers came from
the other mines and towns surrounding
and worked incessantly to bring out the
burned and mangled remains Of tho
dead miners. The bodies were taken 70
the company buildings as soon az they
were brought out Of the mine and were
there dressed and laid out preparatory
to the coroner's inquest and for identin-
cation.
Many Of the rescuers came near losing
their lives from the fatal damp, but the
work was continued in the face Of all
danger, and most of the brave fellows
remained at their posts until they were
almost ready to drop from exhaustion
and the deadly effects of the poisonous
fumes.
Three Hundred Men Employed.
According TO the closest estimator
there were about 300 men all told sEn-
ployed at the two mines, which arc
practically one mine. About hfty Of
these were working in what Is known
as the No. back level, which was %
far from the explosion that It had spent
Its force before the shock could reach
them and they all got out.
All efforts are now being concentrated
to bring out large number Of bodies
known to be in No. 4, where eighty-Are
men perlshed Here the force of thsex-
plosion broke down the dmbsrS ana tie
bodies can only be got at through No. /
Up to noon 14s bodies had besn
brought out.
The theory of Bishop Parmalee Is that
some of the Firms recently imporred
secretly took giant powder down tntO
the mine to assist them in their work.
They were exceedingly anxious to inal1a
a good showing and make as much
money as possible and II is thought this
form OF explosive was used in order
that great bodies Of coal could more
easily be dlslodged. 1t is thought that
when the giant powder was touched oR
1t ignited some Of the dust Of which
every coal mine has Hsor0 or less,
Inquiry among the miners disclosed
the fact taht they entsrtained variDa8
opinions regarding the terrible afta1R
some being exceedingly bitter In thG1e
denunciation Of the company aTd ot41se5
took more conservative view nS ths
matter and said It WaB ope of &hoQo
things over which no man 4lag oont
and for which no man or menSShop( 6S
held responsible.
A curious fact connected W4tif thosos
fair is that frve men, Thomas selleTA
Alex C. Wilson. John Wilson HnGF1
Taylor and John Bedoes. Who WsFo
working outside of the mius, wese %.
verely hurt,
John Wilson was blown with hin
horse a distance of 200 yardpacEQss Tho
bottom of the canyon. the baeEtOf hiS
skull was crushed and something had
been driven into his abdomen he v 10
tarTtble plight
Thomas Sellers was fifty yaIis gWuy
from the mouth Of the tunnel but b
had his right foot crushed, shoulder
knocked out of place and his hack badly
hurt,
Harry Taylor had his Jaw broken ana
John Bedoes was seriously bruised.
Three hundred and hfty-eIght mon
entered the mine for work yesterday
morning and u great majority Of them
have perishpd. 1t will not be surprising
II the total deaths aggregate 800.