The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-15
MANY BODIES FOUND.
Over Eighty Taken from the Mine
Explosion Near Johnstown.
The Dead Will Probably Number Two
Hundred = Distressing Scenes
Money Loss to Company
Will he Large.

day broke through the pail of fog Fri
day the grim details of awful disas-
ter at the Rolling Mill mine of the
Cambria Steel company dawned with
renewed force on the thousands wait
ing for authentic news as to the extent
of the explosion. Forty-seven dead
bodies, all contorted and many black
ensd and burned, lie stretched on
rough slabs in the improvised morgue
in the Armory building. Forty more
are in cars in the mine, ready to be
borne out as fast as room can be made
for them. Last estimates of the num-
Der of dead reduce the fatal scope of
the calamity. But these, while fixing
it at around 100, are not conclusive.
General Superintendent G. j. Robin
son would not say at this time wheth-
er he thought there were 100 or 800
dead. He says there is no way of
telling until full investigation of the
mine is made. When that will be he
says he has no means of telling. All
rests with the difficulty to be encoun-
tered in clearing the heading of after
damp.
First Load of Victims.
1t was $3.50 o'clock when the first
train load of victims were brought to
the mouth of the main entry. Forty
nine cars were used in bringing out
46 dead bodies and four living injured.
The discovery of the dead bodies was
made by searching party about ten
o'clock Thursday night. They were
lying in the main heading two miles
in from the main pit mouth. No at
tempt was made to remove them until
certainty was established that no more
living remained in the mine. From the
positions of the bodies the miners
were evidently eating their lunches
when suddenly stricken down by the
explosion. They were seated in groups
of five and ten, with their buckets and
the remains of their lunches scattered
over the floor. Evidently their lives
were snuffed out quickly and easily.
Distressing Scenes.
Distressing scenes are many about
the temporary morgue and on the side
of the river at the foot of the descent
from the pit mouth, where women and
children are waiting to hear of the
rescue or death of their relati Sew
eral thousands are c"ngregated at
both points. No hope is extended to
them by the mine officials, as it is con-
coded that no living pers on in the mine
after the explosion and not heard from
can be alive.
Bodies Taken to Morgue
When the bodies of the victims
came from the mine long line OF
undertakers' wagons and picnic
wagons were in waiting to take
them on the roundabout route to the
morgue in the city. There they were
baclSd up to a door and a large
force of police were ready to check
the great throng from pressing in
too close. Body after body was
dragged from the wagons and borne
inside. All of them were blackened
and unrecognizable, until the under
takers got to work.
Great Money Loss.
Outside of the property loss this
catastrophe will cost the Cambria
Steel company large sum.
The company has for many years
past paid the family of every person
killed in it's employ $1,000, outside
of what it expended for medical
purposes, and it has paid every man
who has lost an eye, limb or became
otherwise partially disabled the
sum of $500. 1t is understood that
the rule will not be suspended.
More Bodies Found.
Johnstown, Pa, July 12. = Between
daylight and nightfall Friday 81
bodies were taken from the Rolling
Mill mine of the Cambria Steel com
pany, in which there was an explosion
Friday. At midnight SO more bodies
were loaded on cars ready to be
brought out the first thing after day
light. This increases the dead list to
| 143.
Deadly Duel.
Mexico, Mo-, July 12.-Rhodes' Clay,
representative in the Missouri assem-
bly, and recently nominated for sec
ond term, is dead as the result of pistol