Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-02-28
THIRTY-SIX men DEAD.
Only One Escaped From Wyo-
ming Mine.
FIRE Is NOW EXTINGUIsHBD.

Search For the Bodies to Begin To-
tendent Prevented Large Pecuni-
airy Notwithstanding Scenes.
Cheyenne, Wy, Feb. 27.-The worst
disaster in the history of coal mining
In Wyoming since the Almy horror
eight years ago has occurred at Dia-
mondville. Thirty-six men are believ-
ed to have persisted in fire which
started in mine No. l of the Diamond
vile Coal and Coke company.
The blaze was first discovered short
ly after the night shift commenced
work. 1t is thought to have originated
from a careless miners lamp In the oil
room. The flames made such progress
that only one man escaped from the
two entries in which II was confined.
His name is John Anderson, and he
was frightfully burned in running the
gauntlet of the flames. He was sud-
denly confronted by a wall of fire and
smoke, and wrapping his head In an
overcoat he ran in the direction of the
main entrance.
The first intimation the miners in the
other entries had of a fire was when
Anderson came rushing into the upper
level, his clothing in flames. He fell
unconscious and was carried to the
mouth of the mine. The alarm was
sounded, and hundreds of miners at
work in the mines and on the outside
rushed to the rescue of their imprison-
ed comrades. The fires had by this
time made such progress that 1t was
impossible to enter the rooms Of
flames. The entire night was spent
In combining the fire to the two entries,
and in the morning II was necessary to
seal them up to prevent the flames
from spreading to other parts Of. the
mine.
This step was only decided upon aft
er all hope of saving the lives of the
men had been abandoned Nothing
could live five minutes in the fire,
which was increasing in fierceness ev-
cry minute.
The plugging of the two entries will
smother the fire, but 1t may be several
days before the barbados can be re-
moved and the chambers explored.
The exact total of men entombed is
not yet known, as a number are miss
ing, some ON sick leave and others in
the hospital suffering from burns re-
ceived while fighting the flames, so
that an accurate count is at present
impossible.
Heartrending Scenes.
The scenes at the mouth of the mine
were heartrending. Relatives and
friends of the entombed miners rush
ed to the mine, frantically waving
their hands and crying to the mine
officials and miners to save their dear
ones Many of the women and chill
dren were slightly injured in the crowd
and by falling over obstacles in the
darkness.
Diamondville has been the scene of q
number of disastrous fires since the
coal mines were opened there ten years
ago, but the conflagrations never were
attended with serious loss of life.
The mine is owned by the Oregon
Short Line railroad. Its output is
about 175,OOO tons of coal per year, and
upward of 700 miners are employed.
1t is given out by Superintendent
Thomas sheldon and confirmed by
others familiar with the conditions that
the lives of all the men were certainly
extinguished within three minutes
after the fire gained ascendency.
The fire Is fully under control, and
Superintendent sheldon announces
that he will open the mine today for
the recovery of the bodies.
An additional tragedy followed the
main one. Thomas Simpson. with his
young son, who are among the victims,
came to Diamondville from Alabama
but six weeks ago, bringing his wife,
in the hope that the change of climate
would benefit her health. The shock
Of the tragedy was too great for Mrs.
Simpsons delicate health, and she
died. Thus every member of this fam
lily is victim of the disaster.
The prompt action of Superintendent
sheldon in closing the mine and thus
extinguishing the fire has prevented a
vast property loss and will make it
possible for the company to resume
| operations without much loss of time.
( In fact, Mr.. sheldon has advised the
| Oregon Short line officials that the
shut down resulting from the fire will
be but temporary and that he wRl re-
sumo work before the close Of this
| week.