Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-14
los Killed and More Than
That Number Hurt in
Mine Explosion in
Pennsylvania.

YOUNGSTOWN, Pa, July 1l.-Just as day
broke through the pail OF fog this morn
ing the grim details Of the awful disaster
at the rolling mill mine Of the Cambria
Steel company dawned with renewed
force on the thousands waiting for au-
thentic news as TO the extent OF the ex-
plosion-
Forty-seven dead bodies. all contorted
and many blackened an. burned, lie
stretched on rough slabs in the tmprovised
morgue in the armory building
Forty more are IN cars IN the mine
ready 70 be borne out as fast as room
can be made for them
The hrst statement Of the disaster was
given the Associated Press by General
Mine Superintendent George T. Robinson
at O'Clock this morning. He said;
'.As 10 the direct cause Of the explosion
I cannot exactly say. We know there was
an explosion Of hre-damp in the sixth
right heading OF a section commonly
known as the 'Klondike.'
so far as can find out now. there
were not more than three or four deaths
from the explosion itself The balance
were caused by the after-damp-
'-Our mine officials. the mine foreman,
Henry Rodgers the fire boss. John Re
tallic. machine boss. William Robinson,
who Is my brother, and Slav, whose
name I do not know. were back eating
lunch when the explosion occurred They
Immediately went down TO the point OF
the explosion 10 put the slopings in order
20 carry the air in its proper channel
again- These were blown down by the
forca OF the explosion They. with the
exception OF the assistant foreman and
one Of the fire bosses, were overcome by
after-damp. They were found by a res
cuIng party, and the chances are that all
viii recover, with the exception Of my
brother.
las TO the rescue work. directed Il "a
commence Just as soon after the explosion
as possible. We started in at / O'Clock
D. m We started working our way down
By putting I'D brattices IN order TO carry
the air IN with US. I suppose IL was II
O'Clock at night before we came across
the bodies OF the living. Doctors John
Iowman and John Hannah went down
with Us. They carried tanks OF oxyger
with them and were emptied with good ef'
feet on the living.
Twenty more we found later on. They
were scattered through that section OF
the mine. Most Of them were on theiI
way out when caught by the fatal after
damp.
When the bodies OF the victims came
from the mine a long line OF undertaken
wagons and picnic wagons were in wait
fnx TO take them on the round about routs
70 the morgue IN the city. There theJ
were backed up 70 q door ana larg'
force OF police were ready to check th'
great throngs from pressing IN too close.
Body after body was dragged from tbs
wagons and borne inside All OF then
were hIackrned and srnrecozui9abie. untf
ths undertakers got 20 work. The head
Of one man was crushed and the only
means Of Identification viii be by his
check number. All OF the bodies were cold
and stiff.
The arms OF most Of them were twisted
in front OF them as II 10 shield their faces
FROM IRE. The left hand Of one man wa
torn o. at the wrist
The bodies now recovered were all found
about two miles in from the main pi
mouth. The headings leading from the re
zfon OF 10 the leLl. where IL is expected
most OF the dead viii be found. may no
be entered by the searchers today.
Outside the property loss. this eatastro-
phe viii cost the Cambria Steel company
a large sum. The company has for many
years past pasd 70 the head Of every fam
iIy killed IN it's employ 1900. outside Of
what II expended for medical purposes.
and IL has paid every man who has lost
an eye. limb or became otherwise partial
= IL disabled the sum 800 IL is said that
the. rule viii not be deviated from