Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-07-14
APPALLING DISASTER
Frightful rline Explosion at
YOUNGSTOWN
Firedamp Explodes Through
CareleSSneSS
Havoc flakes Hundreds of
Homes DesOlate

Johnstown, Pa, July 11.-Johnstown
has again been visited by an appalling
disaster.
Only less frightful than the awful
calamity of May 81, 1889, in cost OF
life. but in it's terrible consequences it
has brought a shadow of sorrow in
hundreds of homes made desolate by
the explosion in the Cambria Steel
company's rolling mill mine at noon
yesterday. 1t may take several days
to fully determine the dead but that
it is large and shocking is certain. 1t
may reach 200 or more. 1t was nearly
an hour after the explosion, before a
general knowledge of what had hap
pened got abroad. Men who came
from the mines, escaping with their
their lives, told the terrible news and
soon it spread like wildfire all over
the city. In scores of homes there
were most pathetic scenes. Mothers,
wives, daughters, sons and relatives
were frantic with grief. Hundreds
rushed to the point and with sobbing
hearts awaited news that did not come
from the Inflated mine.
At the opening, across the river from
the point, the police, with several as
sistants, stood guard, permitting no
one to enter the mine from which
noxious gases were coming. 1t was
nearly o'clock when all hope of
sending rescue parties from the West
mont opening was abandoned. Two
men who had escaped from the mine
Richard Bennett and John Meyers
went back two miles to see what as
sistance could be rendered, but the
frightful damp drove them back and
they fell Frustrated, when they finally,
after a desperate struggle, reached
the outside. The doctors, after work
ing with them half and hour, restored
them. Their story of the situation in
the mine made it clear that the rescue
work could not proceed from the West
mont opening and preparations were
made to begin at the Mill creek en-
trance. Soon after the news reached
the Cambria officials, Mining Engineer
Moore, and his assistant, Al. G. Pros
ser, attempted to enter They were
followed by Mine Supt. Robinson, but
the deadly gases stopped them and
they were compelled to return to the
surface
Mine foreman Harry Rodgers, his as
sistant William Blanch, and Fire
Bosses John Whitney, John Retallick
and John Thomas were overcome by
gases and it is feared they persisted in
their efforts to rescue the miners.
A son of Harry Rodgers tried to
reach his father, but he was over
come and carried out unconscious.
William Stibich spent several hours
at the Mill Creek opening and said he
believed as many as 400 men are still
in the mine. His opinion, from all he
could CLEAN, was that not exceeding
$50 men had come out.
IL WAS SSlIudLSu at I o cIOCK C0aC 4UU
dead remained in the mine One of
those who escaped says no one knows
what caused the explosion and prob
ably never will know as it is believed
that no one in that part of the mine
escaped Only few days ago the Off
Gals issued an order to employees not
to play with the gas and the very next
day a Hungarian was seen pushing a
naked lamp along the roof in search
of it. 1t is absolutely impossible to
state the exact loss of life until the
rescuers reach the scene of the disas-
ter, which may be several hours, pos
sibly midnight.
The mine officials stated the expIC.
sion was one of fire damp.
A few survivors who escaped de-
scribe the condition to be frightful.
Those outside the Klondike mines are
safe and uninjured. Within the limits
of that mine is havoc such as beggars
description. Solid walls of masonry
three feet through were torn down as
though barriers of paper. The roofs of
the mine were demolished and not
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