Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-15
N A NY DEAD
Headless Bodies of Men are
Brought to the Surface of
Ground.
EIGHTY-sEVEN FOUND
Estimated That Two Hundred, are
Dead.
ALL BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION
Srief Stricken Crowds Linger About
the Mouth of the Shaft Near Johns
town, Where an Awful Explosion oc-
CURED Yesterday-Few Identified.

Johnstown, Pa, July 11.-Eighty-
seven bodies have been recovered
from the Cambria Steel company's
mine up to o'clock this morning
The heroic work of rescuing has
not penetrated far into the seat of the
disaster. The bodies of the dead now
lie piled in confusion aboard the cars
ready to be brought into this city. A
temporary morgue has been improvis-
cd in the Johnstown armory, where all
viii be brought as soon as they can be
taken from the mine. The latest esti-
mates of the number of dead fix it at
200.
The explosion was visited horribly
upon the poor wretches.
Heads are missing from many bodies
while all were burned almost beyond
recognition.
Grief stricken crowds linger about
the mine entrances.
Up to this time but seven of the dead
have been identified.
1t was 5:55 O'Clock when the first
train load of victims was brought to
the mouth of the main entry. Forty
nine cars were used in bringing out
forty-six dead bodies and four living,
injured.
The discovery of dead bodies was
made by a searching party about 10
o'clock last night. They were lying
in the main heading two miles in from
the mouth of the main pit. No at
tempt was made to remove them until
certainty established that no more liy-
ing remained in the mine.
In statement this morning Mine
superintendent Robson said: AS to
the direct cause of the explosion it
was by fire damp in the sixth right
heading. So far as can find out now
there were not more than three or
four deaths from the explosion itself
The balance was caused by after
damp"
Outside of the property loss this ca
tastrophe will cost the Cambria Steel
+ Co. a large sum. The company has
for many years past paid to the fam
ily of every person killed in its en-
ploy 81 900 outside of what it expended
for medical purposes and it has paid
every man partially disabled $500. It
is understand this rule will not deviat-
ed from.
A searching party headed by Mine
Superintendent Robinson entered the
mine at $50 o'clock this morning. 1t
is not thought the victims of the dis
pster will be brought to the surface be-
fore this afternoon.
Rescuers Do Heroic Work.
Since 1920 O'Clock when the explod-
ing gas carried death through that
shaft of the mine known as THE
Klondike," hundreds of men, miners,
members of the company and men
from this city. have been working des-
perately to reach the entombed men.
Driven back by poisonous gases,
the rescuers, mGny of whom were ov-
ercome, have fought their way back
through the workings, carrying can
vas shields to close side passages SO
the big fans could remove the gases.
And at 1920 last night four uncon-
scious men, still alive, We're brought
to the surface.
DR.. John b. Lowman, who worked
with the rescue party. said he passed
over twenty-five bodies while helping
bring up the survivors.
JohnstoWn's Second Horror.
This is Johnstown's second appall.
ing disaster 1t is only less frightful
than the calamity of May 81, 1885, in
loss of life.
How many are dead it may take
several days to fully determine, but
that it is long and shocking list is
certain. 1t was nearly an nour after
the explosion. before any general
knowledge of what had happened got
abroad. Men who came from the
Mines escaping with their lives, told
the news.
Pathetic Scenes in City.
In hundreds of homes there vera
pathetic scenes. Hundreds of persons
rushed to the Point and awaited
news that did not come from the i'll
,fated mine
At the opening of the river from the
Point" the Cambria Iron Company
ponce stood guard, permitting no one
to enter the mine, from which gases
We're coming. DIR. W. B. Lyman and
DR.. George A. Wagner also FASTENED
there, but only few came from the
mines, and these did not need assis
lance.
Try to Enter Mine.
Soon after the news of the explos
ion reached the Cambria officials
Mining Engineer Marshal G. Moore
and one of his assistants, AL g. Pros
ser, made an attempt to enter tn,
mine They were soon followed b.
Mine Superintendent George T. Rob
I inson, but as the gases prevented thei
progress they began operations at tn
Mil creek entrance.
Seek Another Way Into Mine.
1t was nearly a O'Clock when al
hope of sending rescue parties from
the Westmount opening was abandon
ed. Two mne had escaped unhur
from the mine, Richard Bennett an
John Meyers, went hack to Sc whae
assistance could haa rendered, bat tn
deIhp drove them back, and they Eel
.,r-7.,tts ~heH they Shnaaly, after