The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-11
200 LIVES LOST in
A MINE EXPLOSION
Appalling Disaster in Shaft at Johns
town, Pa Fire Damp Believed to
Have Caused Catastrophe.

aster.
1t is only less frightful than the awful
calamity of May 81. 1889, in cost of life,
but in its terrible consequences 1t has
brought the shadow of sorrow into hun
dreds of homes made desolate by a mine
explosion, which took place in the Cam
bria Steel Company's Rolling Mill mine
under westmont Hill at 1920 o'clock this
afternoon. How many are dead will take
several days to fully determine, but that
it is a long and shocking list, 1t Is certain.
1t may reach 200 or more.
1t was nearly an hour after the explo-
sion before any general knowledge Oh
what had happened got abroad. Men who
/ escaped with their lives told the terrible
news and soon it spread like wildfire all
over the city. In scores of homes there
were the most pathetic scenes. Mothers
wives daughters. sons and relatives were
frantic with grief. Hundreds rushed to
the mine, and with sobbing hearts await
ed the awful news.
At the opening across the river from
the point the Cambria Company police
with several assistants stood guard. per-
hitting no one to enter the mine, from
which noXious gases were coming. 1t
was nearly 4 o'clock when all hope of
sending rescue parties from the west
mont opening was abandoned
Damp Drove Them Back.
Two men who had escaped from the
mine-Richard Bennett and John Meyers
went back two miles to see what assist
ance could be rendered but the fright
full damp drove them back and taey tell
PROSTATE when they finally, after des-
perate struggle. reached the outside. Two
doctors gave the men assistance and
after working with them half an hour
restored them. Their story of the situa-
ton in the mine soon made 1t clear that
the rescue work could not proceed from
the Westmont opening and hasty prepara-
tions were made to begin that task at the
Mill Creek entrance. Soon after the
news of the explosion reached the Cam
bria officials, Mining Engineer NJ. G..
Moore and one of his assistants. A. q.
Prosser, made an attempt to enter the
mine. They were followed by Mine
Superintendent G. T. Robinson. but the
deadly gases stopped their progress ard
they were compelled to return to the sur
face.
Mine Foreman H. Rodgers. his assis-
tant, William Blanch and Fire Bosses
John Whitney, John Retallick and John
Thomas were overcome by the gases, and
1t is feared they persisted in an heroic
effort to rescue the miners. son OF
Harry Rodgers then tried to reach his
father. but he was overcome by the
deadly gases and was carried out un-
conscious.
William Stibich spent several hours at
the Mill Creek opening. He said that
he believed as many as 450 men were still
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 apartments soon after the explosion
occurred and started at once for the
main entrance. They were almost over
come by the deadly gas but reached the
outside world in safety.
The Cause Not Known.
One of the men who got out safely,
said it is not known what caused the
explosion and that 1t will probably never
be known, as he believed none of the
men at work in the Klondike district can
be saved. He also said that only a few
days ago the officials issued an order to
the employees in the mine not to play
with the gas and that the very next day
a young Hungarian was seen pushing a
naked lamp along the room Of the mine
in search of it. Mining Engineer Moore
and Superintendent George r. Robinson
are at the head of a rescuing party from
the Franklin slope and Conemaugh mine.
They are slowly working their way along
toward the scene of the explosion, but
must night the deadly gases every step
of the way. Canvas screens are being
used to wall all the side entrances and
rooms SO as to force a direct draft of
air ahead Of the rescuers.
Engineer Prosser, who. with Mr.. Moore
entered the mine at the main opening,
came to the surface at Mill Creek and
Immediately set about securing men and
material to aid in the rescue, 1t will be
absolutely impossible to state the loss of
life until the rescuers reach the scene of
disaster Rodgers, the mine foreman,
his assistant, William Blanch, with fire
bosses John Whitney, John Thomas and
John Retallick were in the Klondike when
the explosion took place, but started down
a short time later. 1t is feared all have
persisted Griffith Powell and Thomas
Foster two other fire bosses. carried Mr..
Whitney 200 yards in the hope of saving
his life when they were compelled to
drop their burden and save themselves.
Mr.. Whitney was unconscious while be-
ing carried. The 15-year-old son of Fl.
Rodgers. when he heard that his father
had been overcome with after-damp
help rescue him if possible and he had
no sooner entered the drift when the
deadly gas almost overcame the lad and
he had to be carried back. His tongue
protruded its whole length from his
mouth. and men had to force his Jaws
apart with stick to prevent lock-jaw
Young Rodgers. who is employed in the
mine, was among those who ESCAPED
through the Mill Creek shaft.
Saw Fifty Bodies.
Several miners have reached the sur
face who were working near the ex-
plosion They say they passed through
a norton of the KIondike district and
saw the bodies of at least fifty men. The
men who came out were foreigners and
were in such an excited state that it was
impossible to get a story from them. The
mine had been open for about fifty years
and was producing 300 tons per day. 1t
is the property of the Cambria Steel
company. general offices in Philadelphia
Al N o'clock tonight fire damp put a
stor IN the work nj rescue parties and
the proha hilties are the miners will not
he reached before tomorrow morning.
The mining oficlals of the Cambria
Company state the explosion was one of
"a ~ IN