Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1902-07-16
MINE EXPLOSION.
JoHNsToWN, PA, AGAIN VISITED
BY ANOTHER CALAMITY.
CAUSE is YET A MYSTERY.
Causes $50 Miners to Lose Their Lives
believed That No One Can Be
Saved to Tell the Story.

Johnstown, Pa, July 11.-Johns-
town has again been visited by an APP
palling disaster.
1t is only less frghtful than the
awful calamity of May 81, 1899, in cost
of life, but in it's terrible consequences
it has brought sorrow into hundreds
of homes, made desolate by a mine
explosion, which took place in the
Cambria Steel company rcTing mill
mine, under Westmont hill at 1920
o'clock yesterday afternoon
How manys are dead will take sever
al days 10 fully determine, but that
it is a long and Shocking list is GER
tain. 1t may reach 200 or more.
1t was nearly an hour after the ex-
plosion before the general knowledge
OF what had happened got abroad.
Men who escaped with their lives told
the terrible news and soon it spread
like wildfire all over the city. In
scores of homes there were the most
pathetic scenes Mothers, wives
daughters, sons and relatives were
frantic with grief Hundreds rushed
to the mine and with sobblng hearts
awaited the awful news.
AT the opening across the river the
Cambria Iron company police stood
guard, permitting no one to enter the
mine, from which noxious gases we're
issuing. 1t was nearly o'clock when
all hope of sending rescue parties
from the Westmont opening was aban
doned. Two men who had escaped
from the mine-Richard Bennett and
John Meyers-went back two miles
to see what assistance could be rem
dered but the frightful damp drove
them back and THEY fell PROSTATE
when they finally, after desperate
struggle reached the outside world
safe again. Two doctors gave the
men assistance AND after working with
them half an hQ& restored them.
Their story of rhsssituation in the
mine soon made clear that the rescue
work could not proceed from West
mont opening and hasty preparations
were made to begin that task at the
Mill creek entrance
Mine Foreman H. Rodgers, his as
sistant, William Blanch, ana Fire
Bosses John Whitney, John Retallick
and John Thomas were overcome by
the gases and it is feared they per-
ished 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 uncnoosiuceta
and was carried out unconscious. Will
liam Stibich spent several hours at
the Mill creek opening. He said he
believed as many as 400 men were
still in the mine. In his opinion, from
all he could CLEAN, not to exceed 100
men had come out
One of the men who got out safely,
said it is not known what caused the
explosion and that it will probably
never be known as he believed none
of the men at work in the Klondike
district can be saved
Mining Engineer Moore and Super
intendent George Y. Robinson are at
the head of rescuing party from the
Franklin slope and Conemaugh mine.
1t will be absolutely impossible to
state the loss of life until the rescu-
ers reach the scene of the disaster.
Several miners have reached the
surface who were working near the
scene of the explosion They say they
passed through portion of the Klon-
dixie district and saw the bodies of at
least fifty men. The men who came
out were foreigners and were in such
an excited state that 1t was impossible
to get connected story from them.
The mine he's been open for about fif-
ty years ana was producing 5000 tons
per day 1t is the property of the
Cambria Steel company, with general
offices in Philadelphia.
In a Critical Condition.