Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-02-28
.IWENTY-SIX MINERS
PERISH IN WYOMING
Workmen at DiamondyiIIe Galleries
Are Entombed in a Burn
ing Mine.
: BOY SAVES MANY LIVE
BOY SAVES MANY LIVES
But for Young Drivers Bravery Hum
dreds Would Have Perishcd-Cause
of the Fire La Not
known.

Cheyenne, Wyo., Feb. IS. = The
worst disaster in the history of coal
mining in Wyoming since the Almy
horror eight years ago occurred at Dia
mondville Monday night. When fire
broke out in mine No. l of the Dia-
mondville Coal and Coke company,
which was attended with great loss OF
life and destruction of property.
Twenty-siX miners persisted, and
their charred bodies are still in the
mine.
The fire was first discovered shortly
after the night Shift commenced work.
Its cause is not known, but the flames
made such progress that only one man
escaped from the two entries in which
1t was confined. His name is John An-
derson, and he was frightfully burned
In running the gauntlet of flames. he
is unable to give any account of the
accident other than that he was sud-
denly confronted by wall of fire and
smoke, and wrapping his head in an
oNercoat 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 thu
upper level, his clothing in flames. He
fell unconscious and was carried to the
sounded and hundred of miners at work
in the mines and on the outside rushed
to the rescue of their imprisoned COM
rades. The fire had by this time made
such progress that 1T was impossible
to enter the rooms for flames. The
| entire night was spent in combining the
| fire to the two entries, and in the morn
ing it was necessary to seal them up to
prevent the flames from spreading to
other parts of the mine.
\ This step was only decided upon after
all hope of saving the lives of the men
had been abandoned.
An Unlucky Mine.
Diamondville has been the scene of a
number of disastrous fires since the coal
mines We're opened there ten years ago,
but the CONGREGATIONS We're never at
tended with serious loss of life.
Almost all the mines at Diamond
willie are owned by the Oregon Short
Line railroad The output of mine No
1 is about $4,000 tons of coal per year
and upwards of 700 miners are en-
ployed.
These are the names of some who are
entombed behind the fire:
Damiona de Francisco, single.
I Gineppe EndriZZi, single.
Siordono Gabordbe, single.
Athlio uI(col, single.
|
Toronzo Franzoi married.
Santo Formolo, single.
Bicle Nenela, single.
Flanano AvaZini, married.
Ellesadro Angeles, married.
Dorado Angeles, married.
Talmasci ROM, married.
l3istisa Sofa. married.
John Rickinen, single.
John and Hemminki Tiplalhta, broth
ers.
John PaSquen, married.
Nat Tastuen
Emililaho Ranzarantama.
Thomas Simpson and son, is year
old.
Herbert Simson.
, Saved by Courageous Boys.
AS soon as the fire was discovered y
a boy driver named James Iletzen h
brayely ran and told many men who wei
inside. Richard Fern, is years old, ais
ran through the levels Nos. 6, I and an
notified the men, and many were save
9 through his courageous action. 1t is SUI
e posed that many of those yet in the mir
: could have been saved had they unde
, stood or needed the first warning of dan
ger Seven brave men. headed by NIL
Foreman Griffin. made several despera
attempts to reach the men through u
lower level but their efforts were In val
a four of the seven being Knocked dow
], by f1redamp and the others being cor
PEELED to carry them to fresh air.
Just fourteen months ago did this il
fated mine take fire. At that time u
;, fire was desperately fought and overcon
:. by brave men headed by Superintende
= Thomas Snedden. That fire was Fl
greater than this, but this one has CO
many more lives.