The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-05-28
DEATH IN A mine
TERRIBLE DIS ssTER IN BRITISH
COLUM Ia.
One Hundrsd d and Twenty-Five Lives
Lost at Fernie-Not One Man .
Escaped from two Work
ings-Twenty-One got
Out of the Third
Tunnel.

L uh uCts
Fernie, B. c., May 23.-Oae of
the worst coal mine disasters in
the history of British Columbia oc-
Cured at the Coal Greek mines, at
Z O'Clock last night, when from 125
to $50 men met almost instant death
in mines Nos. 2 and 8. The explo-
sion occurred in the depth of No. 2,
and not man out of more than
100 employed in that mine escaped
to tell the tale. From No. 3 work
ings, which are connect d With No.
2, about 2l men escaped. The first
intimation Of the disaster which
those on the outside received, was a
rush of coal dust and fire to the
height of over 1000 feet above the
fan. Word was Immediately sent
to Feriie, five miles from the mines
and inside of II minutes from the
time the accident occurred relief
parties were at work. 4 brennan,
DR.. Bonnel and True Weatherby
were the first to enter the mine.
When about 800 feet into the work
ing brennan was overcome by after
damp, and had it not been for his
two ,mpanions, would have perish
ed. On being removed to the outer
air he recovered and gave instruc-
tions to the feseuing party to COM
mence repairing the overcasts. The
overcasts are the pipes which con-
meet the air through the mine. As
they had been almost completely
destroyed. it was impossible to en-
ter, owing to the after-damp which
prevailed.
Volunteers were called for and a
score of brave men sprang to the
work. For nearly six hours this
policy was pursued with tireless en-
ergy Every few minutes the men
would collapse, and were borne to
the outer air and their places were
quickly filed by new volunteers.
TIE first body recovered was taken
from No. 8 mine about II O'clock.
Several hours elapsed and then
three more bodies wers recovered.
None of the victims gave the sight
est signs ef life, and were removed
to the washout At 4 O'Clock this
morning relief parties had penetrat-
ed SO far that the gas became un-
bearable, and operations bad to be
for an hour or twoin or
der to- the me1 clear the after
damp.
Many acts of bravery were wit.
messed during the night. The he
roic work of a miner named True
Wealherby, who time and again en-
tered the pit where men were fall
ing all around him was particularly
noticeable. So far only 10 bodies
have been taken from the mine,
several Gays will elapse before all
are recovered.
The mine is free from fire, and
the bodies will be removed as fast
as the after-damp is cleared from
the MINE. The rescuing parties are
working four-hour shifts, and the
company is doing all in it's power
to assist in the work. General SUI
perintendent Stockett and Superin-
tendent brennan have been at the
scene ever since the accident, and
a doing all in their power for the
men who are working. The town
is horror stricken and heart-rend-
ing scenes meet the eye on every
side. All day the trains to the
mine have been crowded with anx-
ious friends and relatives cf the i'm
prisoned men, hurrying to the scene
Of the disaster. A meeting of the
board Of trade has been called TO
a relief fund for the suffer.
ers. The cause Of the accident is
but the opinion of many
Of the miners is that it was the re-.
suit of heavy shot from one of
the machines. Many of the miners
were ignorant foreigners and one Of
the mine shifts was always more or
less gaseous. It's reported in Fer
ME this evening that the explosion
resulted from the use by careless
Italian of an open lamp. Another
theory of the cause of the explosion
is that a miner struck match, ex-
ploding theegas, which was almost
always present in No. 2 shaft. The
true cause of the disaster will prob
ably never be known.
Ferhie. B c., May 24.-The loss
+ L L