The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-13

week. He wants to give the state off,
Gals abundant time to make the proper
investigation.
John Retallick, fire boss of the sew
enth district, and Mine Foreman Harry
Rodgers, both of whom were in the
Klondike mine when the explosion oc-
CURED, were so far recovered this
evening from the effects of the after
damp as to be able to tell of their ter
rible experience. Both men are in the
memorial hospital. but will soon be able
to return to their homes and families.
story of Survivor.
Retallick's story, in part, follows:
when l went to work Thursday
morning there were about 200 miners
at work in the mine. From the very
latest information that I can gather
there are yet about twelve dead min
ers entombed in the mine. These men
are in the headings, which is still i'm
possible to reach on account of the
gases.
Il was in No. 8, right, but two hours
before the damaging explosion occur
red. 1 left that part of the mine and
went out to the other head
ings to attend to my work.
When the accident happened there
were five or us on the cars
ready to go out of the mine on trip.
I'VE did not hear or feel the explo-
sion to any great extent, but knew
something had occurred. Our belief
was confirmed in a minute when we
heard men scrambling in all directions
for place of safety. Quickly l real
lied there was no avenue of escape
only to get to the air somewhere, but
1 thought l had plenty of time and
could not save all the men.
1--WE Immediately went down the
main entrance in the Klondike. There
We're with me at that time William
Robinson, who has charge of the min
ing machinery; Henry Rodgers, fore
man of the mine; William Blanche,
| John Whitney, Joseph Tomlinson, an
| other boss, and a Hungarian miner
whom l did not know.
THE after damp was then surround
ing us strong, and while we were going
! to No. 1, right, Whitney fell. We tried
to assist him, but he was gone, and
| then for the first time we thought of
our own safety.
"Tomlnson was the second man to
fall, and 1 felt my knees giving way,
| but made another strenuous effort to
| stand and started to run. Rodgers and
! Robinson were keeping close to me and
neither were saying a word. We knew
of a split of air at No. 1, right, and If
| we had been able to reach that point
we COuIQ nave lnIOWu lHdJ uOWA III
the mine and probably have saved the
lives of scores of miners.
a Very Hole of Death.
"While walking around, or rather
cropping our way in the darkness I
never heard such sounds arise from
human beings as the breathing of those
miners. 1t was all that could be heard,
| except for an occasional Shrek or
groan Men were walking and crawl
ing everywhere. Many were crying,
some were praying, others expressing
wishes to see their wives and families
before they died, and only half-con-
scious as 1 was only my death will blot
that time from my memory.
"Then the after damp Swooped In
| around us stronger and the miners be-
gan dropping as beeves at a slaughter
After they fell they would make one oil
two final gasps and then die. From No
g. right, which point we had reached
with great deal of difficulty we head
| ed back to No. right, near where the
| downcast fan is located which sends
| the air through the Mill Creek shaft.
while trying to gain this point
| lost consciousness and do not know
what occurred until / was brought out
| of the mine and placed in the hospital
| The last l can remember was that /
was extremely weak and losing breath
| at every step. The agonizing groans OF
| the dying men on my ears worried me,
| and l sank down perfectly resigned to
| die I"