Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-11
TERROR OF
Mine PIT
Victims of Yesterdays
Pennsylvania Horror
Number Hundreds.
COLLIERY is A TOMB
UnfOrtunateS in Many
Instances Blown to
Pieces.

Johnstown, Pa, July 11.-Eighty-
seven bodies had been recovered
from the Gambia Steel company's
mine up to o'clock this morning,
while the heroic work of rescue has
not penetrated near the seat of dis
aster. Bodies are now piled in con-
fusion aboard cars ready to be
brought into the city. y temporary
morgue has been imprOvised in the
Johnstown armory, where all will be
brought as soon as they can be taken
from the mine.
The latest estimates of the number
of dead fix it at 200. The effects of
the explosion were horrible in many
instances. Heads are missing from
many bodies. while all are burned
almost beyond recognition.
Grief-stricken crowds linger about
the mine entrances. Up to this time
but seven of the dead are identified.
1t is now believed the victims will
number 175. OF the AZ bodies at the
morgue. 21 are identified as Poles. As
fast as Identification is completed
the bodies are being taken to their
houses.
Searching Party Enters Mine.
a searching party entered the mine
this morning and penetrated to the
four left headings which they were
unable to reach last night. They
found in one group IL bodies and
they believed six of them to be liv-
ing. At their call for medical as
sistance, two physicians have just
gone in.
Johnstown, Pa, July 1.-THE first
four victims Lave been brought to the
surface from the Klondike section.
They were William Robinson, who was
unconscious when found; John Retail
lie. alive and in pretty good shape,
and two unknown Slave, both alive,
but unconscious. DR.. John b. Low
man, of this city, who came up with
the men, said he passed twenty-five
dead bodies, some of them in sitting
postures.
Johnstonown, Pa, July 11.-Johns-
town has again been visited by an ap-
palling disaster. 1t is only less fright
full than tn eawfuI calamity of May
81, 1899, in cost of life, but in it's
terrible consequences it has brought
the shadow of sorrow into hundreds
of homes, made desolate by mine ex-
plosion which took place in the Cam
bria Steel company rolling mill mine
under West Mont Hill at 1920 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. How many are
dead it may take several days to fully
determine, but that it is u long and
shocking list is certain. 1t may reach
200 or more men. William StibIch said
that he believed as many as $50 men
were still in the mine. In his opinion,
from all he could CLEAN, not to exceed
$50 men had come out.
Scores OF Homes Bereaved.
1t was nearly an hour after the eX-
piosfon before any general knowledge
of what had happened got abroad. Men
who came from the mines, escaping
with their lives, told the terrible news
and soon it spread like wildfire al
over the city. In scores of homes there
was the most pathetic scenes. Mothers
wives daughters, sons and relative:
were frantic with grief. Hundreds
rushed to the point and with sobbine
hearts awaited news that did not come
from the Inflated mine.
At the opening across the river from
fhe point the Cambria Iron company
police stood guard, permitting no one
TO enter the mine, from which noxlous
gases were coming. 1t was nearly
u. IN. when all hope of sending rescue
parties from the West Mont openlnt
was abandoned. Two men who haC
esSssped from the mine-Richard Ben
nett and John Meyers-went back tWe
miles to see what assistance could D'
rendered. but the frightful damp drove
them back and they fell PROSTATE wheI
they finally, after a desperate struggle
reached the outside Two doctors gave
the men assistance and after working
BYith them half an hour restored them
Some Reseuers Probably Dead.
Their story OF the situation in IN