Milford chronicle., 1901-11-22
MISUNDERSTANDING
It is Hoped With Relief Gangs to
4 Get Fire Under Control.
'aHT BODIES ARE STILL IN.MINE
dble That the Bodies Still
Are Buried Beneath Tons
I'd May Never Be ReeOV.
Va. Nov. 1s.-Excur-

1caho Va, Nov. 18.-Excur-
zion trains - ~ied-more than 1000
people from the coal fields of Poca-
hontas, Flat Top and Elkhorn to the
scene Of the Baby Mine disaster yes
terday, and all day long the grounds
about the entrance to the mine shaft
were a mass of humanity.
No bodies have been recovered since
Saturday, but the work will continue
as long as there is any hope Of re.
covering any Of the unfortunates.
Many of the miners familiar with
those employed there still assert that
at least eight bodies are yet within
the mine. It is possible that If they
were within when the explosion &C.
CURED they may have been covered
beneath tons of falling slate, and their
bodies will never be recovered. The
list of bodies already recovered num-
bers II, and two or three Of the l.
jured win yet die. Eight bodies of
the unfortunates we're buried in the
Same cemetery where nearly 200 or
more miners were buried, who met
death in the same mine nearly Is
years ago.
The mine is still burning fercely,
and for the past "a hours very little
has been accomplished in the way of
searching the mine for those that are
still missing. It was supposed on
Saturday night that the fire would
have been under control by yesterday
afternoon, but it was found that a
large amount of pipe and hose was
yet needed in order to reach the fire.
The mine officials are sparing neither
effort nor expense in caring for the
injured, burying the dead and extin-
gushing the flames. It is now hoped
with the relief gangs from other mines
TO get the fire under control, though
It is hardly probable that it will be
entirely extinguished for possibly a
week, as It is a drift mine and it will
be almost impossible to flood it.
On Friday afternoon a party Of res
cuers entered the burning mine
reaching a point hitherto inaccessible.
They saw in the distance the corpses of
six or seven men and endeavored to
reach them, but the extreme heat
drove them back. The fire is still rag
ing and growing fercer. All efforts to
get even partial control of it have
proved futile. The situation is ex-
-tremely bad. with no apparent hope of
Improvement.
Monday the body of Fritz Moulter
was found entombed in a room on the
west side. He was living, but a few
hours more no doubt would have
brought death. For six hours physi
clans worked with him before he was
restored to consciousness. He is yet
feeble, but is likely to recover.
There was great rejoicing when the
news spread that he had been recov.
cred alive. Moulter says that all in
the mine on Thursday night com.
mented on the heaviness of the atmos.
phere. and that a number of the men
left work before he did. He soon
found that danger was imminent. and
with several others started to run for
the drift. A heavy report, which shool,
the mountain, was heard, and an in
slant later huge cloud of smoke and
flame was seen coming. He lost sight
Of his companions, but he turned into
side room as quickly as possible
and was shut off by falling slate.
Probably two days elapsed before he
succumbed to the foul air.
Money for relief is being raised BY
popular subscription. The state mine
inspector is on the scene, but as yet
has given out no statement regarding
the supposed cause of the disaster.