Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-28

from the coal and slate that was dis
lodged by the awful explosion, and the
features of many of the dead were dis
| torted, showing that for brief mo-
ment they struggled for breath but in
vain
By 6 o'clock in the evening all the
dead and injured had been taken out
OF the mine, and the attention of all
was turned from the mine to the store
Darkness settled over the village and
supper time, the happiest hour of the
working mans day, came; but supper
was forgotten. Time itself was lost
sight of in the excitement occasioned
by the catastrophe. No one was adj
mitted to the store save those who
were assisting in preparing the bodies
for removal, and this fact drove some
of the relatives of the deceased almost
mad
A Pathetic Scene.
One woman whose overtaXed nerves
| refused to bear the strain of waiting
created a pathetic scene which brought
tears to the eyes of the brusque min
erS who stood about the store. Weary
of waiting for the remains of her I'M
| fortunate husband to be sent home
she made her way to the store and de-
manded admission. She was gently
but firmly refused but would not ac-
cept dismissal. She beat upon the
door with her fist. calling to those in
side to open it before she should break
! it down. Finally she was quoted and in
duced to return to her desolate home
when one of the undertakers' assist
ants came to the door and promised
to bring the remains of her husband
to her Immediately.
A SIeepess Night.
Few people slept in Lost Creek last
night. Twentyfour men lay in the
village, dead or badly injured, Secress
and Swanson, the two Eddyville men
who We're injured, having been remov-
ed to their homes in that place. Sad
| indeed were the scenes in the little,
rough frame houses, which but few
hours since had echoed with the
CHEEKY voices of the unfortunate men
as they started for their work, when
their scorched and bruised bodies
were brought in, enveloped in death
clothes. A sad homecoming. Some
of the bereaved wives and children
seemed only then to realize the great
blow they had received, and tie still
ness of the night was broken by the
sorrowing cries of the mourners.
One by one the dead bodies of the
men were taken to the homes which
they had quilted in the morning in good
health and spirits, and finally the last
ones were removed from the tempo
rary morgue. Meantime friends OF
| hn yrh in irrnI
doing all in their power to alleviate
their sufferings. The burns received
by the Mabie boys were especially
painful but everything possible was
done to aid them in bearing the pain
Oliver died today as a result
| of his injuries. Leaman and
Eogo were also quite badly injured
broken limbs and numerous bruises
giving them much trouble. They, too
werervisited during the night by theil
fellow workmen, who in their rough
but sincerely friendly manner com
forted them as best they could.
A Survivor Talks.
/ F. Winterel, of Lost Greek, young
man who escaped by not more than
five minutes the awful death that ov.
ercame his fellow workmen. talked to
a Courier reporter last night at Lost
Creek regarding his experience.
/ 81 was working right among these
men," said Mr.. Winterel, pointing sad
ly to the twenty bodies lying on the
rough bench in the company store
and not more than five minutes be-
fore the explosion left my work hav
ing finished some entry driving l had
been doing. I went into a place near
er the shaft and was just starting out
when l heard the explosion and saw
the fame | was scorched some but
not badly but l inhaled the flame and
gas. Then everything seemed to turn
black and | almost tainted. got tc
the air, however and pretty soon
was able to get away. 1t has stopped
my mining, and l have just one more
time to go into a mine-just long
enough to get my tools. Then l an
going to hunt something else to do
That was a close enough call for me
and l am through with mining"
A Tight Shot.
l.. l.. Lodwick, of Willard, secretary
of the state coal operators organiza
ton and an old miner himself, today
explained a tight shot" to Courier
reporter something like the following:
"a tight shot" he said, lis what mi
ner calls a shot that does not do its
work in the coal because the coal is
too tight or solid. The force of the
shot must be expended some place ant
it consequently blows out the tampins
and shoots into the room or entry tha
is being driven. The flame thus form
: ed sets on fire the dust in the room:
and entries. There is never mucf
dust in the rooms, but there is usual
ly just enough to keep the blaze alive
: and when it reaches the entry it ha:
plenty of fuel especially if the min,
is dry. The flame seems to come il
puffs or to roll along the entry, ant
, the best way for the miner to protec
himself if he has time to do anything
, is to lie down fiat upon his face on tn
floor until the flame has passed over
The tight shot is a continual menac,
, to miners and causes many deaths, blu
. never in Iowa has an accident occur
red with such awful results as the on
, of yesterday.
, Location of Lost Creek.