The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-11
APPALLING DISASTER.
Youngstown, Pa, Again Visited by a
Death Dealing Calamity.
AN EXPLOSION IN THE MINE OF TIE
CAMBRIA STEEL COMPANY
Causes About $50 Miners to Lose Their Lives--Be-
lieved That No One Can Be Saved to Tell
How the Accident Happened.

Jamestown, Pa, July to--Johnstown has
again been visited by an appalling disaster.
! 1t is only less frlghtful than the awful
calamity Of May 81. 1890, in cost of life,
but In Its terrible consequences It has
brought the shadow Of sorrow into hundreds
of homes, made dcsolate by mine cxplo-
sion. which took place In the Cambria steel
company rolling mill mine under westmcnt
hill at 1920 o'clock this afternoon.
How many are dead will take several Gays
to fully determine, but that It is long
and shocking list is certain. 1t may reach
| 200 or more.
It was nearly an hour after the explosion
before any general knowledge Of what had
happened got abroad. Men who escaped
with their lives told the terrible news and
soon It spread ike wiIddre all over the
city. In scores OF homes there we're the
daughters, sons and relatives were fran.
tic with grief. Hundreds rushed to the
mine and with sobhlng hearts awaited the
awful news.
At the opening across the river the Cam
bria Iron company police with several MS
slstants, stood guard, permitting no one to
enter the mine, from which noxious gases
were issuing It was nearly o'clock when
ell hope OF sending rescue parties from
the westmont opening was abandoned.
Two men who had escaped from the mine
Richard Bennett md Iohn Meyers-went
back two miles to see what assistance
could he rendered, but the friehtful damp
drove them back and they Fell PROSTATE
when they finally, after a desperate strug
gle, reached the outside. Two doctors gave
the men assistance and atter working With
them half an hour restored them Their
story of the situation IN the mine soon
made 1t clear that the rescue work could
not proceed from Westmont opening and
hasty preparations were made to begin that
task ut the Mil Greek entrance. Soon
after the news OF the explosion reached
the Cambria Officials. Mining Engineer NJ.
G. Moore and one of his assistants, A. G..
Prosser, made an attempt TO enter the
mine. They were followed by Mine Super
intendent D. G. Robinson, but the deadly
gases stopped their progress and they
were compelled to return TO the surface.
REsCUERs PROBABLY PERISH.
Mine Foreman II. Rodgers, his assistant,
William Blanch, and Fire Bosses John
Whitney, John Retalick and John Thomas
were overcome by the gases and It is feared
they persisted in an heroic effort to res
cue the miners A son Of Harry Rodgers
quickly overcome by the deadly gases and
was carried out unconscious. William stl-
bich spent several hours at the Mil Creek
opening. He said he believed as many us
$50 men were st!l in the mine. In his
opinion. from all he could CLEAN, not TO
exceed $50 men had come out. About a
score OF American miners who were at
work in the Klondike district noticed the
presence OF the fire damp in their compart-
and started at once for the main entrance.
They were almost overcome by the deadly
gas but reached the outside world In safe
~.
One Of the men who got out safely sald
II is not known what caused the explosion
and that II will probably never be known
as he believed none Of the men at WORK
in the I<londiek district can be saved
lie also said that only few days ago
tne officials issued an order to the em-
ptoyes In the mine not to play with tue
gas and that the very next day young
Hungarian was seen pushing naked lamp
! along the roof Of the mine In search or H.
} Mining Engineer Moore and superintendent
! George IT. Robinson are at the head OF
a rescning party from the Franklin slope
and Conemaugh mine. They are slowly
working their way along toward the scene
OF the explosion, but must fight the deadly
, gases every step Of the way. Canvas
screens nre being used to wall all the
side entrances and rooms SO as 10 force
a direct current Of pure air ahead of the
rescurers. Engineer Prosser, who, with
Mp Moore. entered the mine at the mair
opening, came 20 the surface Mt Mil
Greek and Immediately set about securing
men and material to aid in the rescue
II viii be absolutely impossible TO state thf
loss OF life until the rescurers reach th'
scene OF the disaster.
II. Rodgers the mine foreman; his as
sistant, William Blanch. with Fire Bosses
John whitney. John Thomas and John
Retalllck, were not In the Klondlke dis
, tiict when the explosion took place, bu
started down short time later II II
feared all have persisted. Griffith Powell
and Thomas Foster, two other ERE bosses
carried Mr.. whitney 200 yards In the hop
Of saving his life when they were com