Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-03-15
MINE DISASTER.
Fifty Lives Lost as the Result of
an Explosion.
The Worst Calamity I'm the History OF
the New River Mining District
OfWest Virginia Is Recorded
The Work of Rescue
Proceeds Slowly.

Fire Creek, w. Va, March THE
most disastrous mine explosion ever
known in the New river district oc-
CURED at the Red Ash mine shortly
after the miners went to work early
yesterday morning. Although heroic
yvorl. of the rescuing party has been
going on necessarily, it is impossible
to estimate the full extent of the loss
of life and property. More than so
dead bodies have already been taken
out and the number of the dead may
reach rs or more. 1t is thought that
at least - miners are yet entombed
in the wrecked mine.
The scene of the disaster is between
this place and Thurmond, on the
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad and every
assistance possible was rendered by
the railroad company and by the adj
joining mining towns.
j. Fred Etfinger, of Staunton, Va,
the principal owner of the mines,
spared no effort in the work of rescue
and relief and his manager, Ferdinand
Howell, had all the men available at
work in trying to clear away the de-
bris and rescue the entombed men.
The managers and bosses of all the
mines in this district came to the
scene as soon as possible and joined in
the work of rescue. 1t is impossible
to describe the amount of work done
by this army of men, but they were
greatly impe;ed because of the enor-
nous blockade at the entrance to the
drift.
The large heavy side tires of the en-
trance were blown out to some dis
tance, together with lot of heavy
timbers. Even mules were blown out
some distance. The force of such an
explosion caused an immediate falling
OF the slate and other debris, SO that
the entrance was filled up for a great
distance and the difficulties in digging
through it caused delay in the work
of rescue. AS many men as could
work at one time were digging away
it'll all their might and were relieved
in short relays by other men, so as TO
expedite the work of rescue as much
as possible.
The first successful strike of the
TeScuerS was about 10 a. M, when ten
bodies We're recovered. Seven of them
were dead and the other three were
dying. AS the miners We're located at
different places in the drift and the
explosion caused the following slate
to blockade the rooms in different
parts of the mine, the work of rescue
met with one great obstruction after
another.
At the mouth of the mine the scene
was beyond description. The wives,
children and neighbors of those who
were known to be entombed were
1here in force and their distress WAS
most intense. While they We're all
seeking to help those who were res
.cued and to get the mine reopened,
yet these bereaved people were for the
most part in the way of the rescuers
and had to be held back from the ell
trance.
The mine is one of the largest in
West Virginia and was heavily tim
bered in she different drifts.
Fire Creek, w. Va, March s.-The
rescuing parties continued work yes
terday at Red Ash mine. 1t is still
impossible to give the exact number of
the victims. or to identify all of the
bodies recovered.
A report from the rescuers at the
mine last night was that "a had been
taken out, % being dead and five se-
riously injured. While the surviving
miners and others estimate that there
are at least 80 miners still entombed,
General Manager Howell says there
are still in the mine only SO. The es-
innate Of the latter would indicate
that there were 20 killed and five in
jured, ami it is conceded that all of
those still in the mine are dead.