Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-07-17
WORKMAN TRAPPED IN A PENN
SYLVANiA COAL MINE.
NUMBER OF DEAD UNKNOWN
EXPLOSION OF GAS BRINGs GRIEF
TO JoHNSTOwN.
RESCUERS ARE DRIVEN BACK
Those Who Escape Too Much Excited 60
T'lI How 1t Happened EXplosiC
Wrecked Masonry.

Johnstown, Pa, July 11.-Nearly
two hundred men, 1t is thought
were killed or Injured Thursday in
an explosion In the Cambria Steel
company's rolling mill coal mine
under West Mont hill at noon. How
many are dead it will take several
days to determine. 1t was nearly an
hour after the explosion before any
general knowledge OF what had hap
pened got abroad. Men who came
from the mines, escaping with their
lives told the news and it spread
like wildhre all over the city.
Mothers, wives, daughters, sons and
relatives were frantic with grief.
No one was permitted to enter the
mine from which nUXious gases were
escaping. 1t was nearly four o'clock
when all hope of sending rescue
parties from the West Mont opening
was abandoned. Richard Bennett
and John Meyers, who escaped from
the mines, went back two miles to
see what assistance could be render
ed but the dam drove them back
and they fell PROSTATE when they
reached the outside. 1t was clear
that rescue work could not proceed
from the West Mont opening and
hasty preparations were made to
rescue the imprisoned men at the
Mil creek entrance.
Soon after the news of the explo-
sion reached the Cambria officials
Mining Engineer Marshall G. Moore
and one OF his assistants, A G. Pros
ser, made an attempt to enter the
mine. They were followed by mine
superintendent George T. Robinson,
but the gases compelled them to
return TO the surface.
Mine Foreman Harry Rodgers, his
assistant William Blanch and Fire
Bosses John Retalick and John
Tl'mas were overcome by the gases
and it is feared they persisted in an
heroic effort to rescue the miners.
A son OF Harry Rodgers then tried
to reach his father, but he was
quickly overcome by the deadly gases
and was carried out unconscious.
william Stibich spent several hours
at the Mill Creek opening. He said
that he believed as many as $50 men
were still in the mine. In his opin-
ion, from all he could CLEAN, not to
exceed $50 men had come out.
About a score of American MIXERS
who were at work in the Klondike
district noticed the presence Of the
fire damp in their apartments soCn
after the explosion occurred and
started at once for the main en-
trance. They were almost overcome
with gas. One Of the men said 1t
ic known what caused the explosion.
He said that few days ago the
officials issued an order to the en-
ployes 10 the mine not to play with
the gas but that the next day
young Hungarian was seen pushing
his naked lamp along the roof Of the
mine in search Of it.
Canvas screens are being used to
wall all the side entrances and
rooms, so as to force direct current
OF pure air ahead Of the rescuers.
Engineer A. G.. 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. Several miners
who were working near the scene
OF the explosion reached the surface
and say that they saw the bodies OF
at least fifty men.
The men who came out were for
eigncrS and were so excited that
they could not tell a connected
story. The mine has been open for
about fifty years, and is producing
three thousand ton per day The
mining officials Of the Cambria COM
pany stated the explosion was one
Of fire damp. Outside of the "Klon-
dixie" the mines are safe and unin-
jured. Within the fatal mine walls
Of masonry three feet through we're
torn down, the roofs OF the mine
were demolished and not door
remains standing. Miners who left
the mine by way OF the Mil Creek
q. hN 10 nHA 80
crawling over the dead bodies OF
their comrades
Salt Creek Claims Victim.