Evening journal., 1902-07-11

Johnstown. Pa, July 1.-Two hun
lred miners entombcd by an explosion
in mine whose main shaft opens
within the limits of the city, was news
o check with terror the pedestrians
5n the streets here yesterday. AT
iret the rumor said that all in the
Trolling mill" mine of the Cambria
|steel company were dead or in dan
ar But later reports showed that the
|over figure was correct and that 4OVl
were safe. The mine is one Of the
argest in the country and yesterday
zoo men were at work there
How many are dead it may take sew
eral DAYS to fully determine, but that
is q long and shocking list is GER
hahn. II may reach zoo or more men.
Z was nearly an hour after the explo-
ion before any general knowledge OF
.what had happened got abroad. Men
wno came from the mines, escaping
with their lives, told the terrible news,
nnd then it spread like wildire all over
tha citv. In hundreds of homes there
was the most pathetic scenes. Mothers
wives. daughters, sons and relatives
were frantic with grief. Hundreds
Rushed to the boint, and with sobbing
|hoarts awaited news that did not come
lkrom the Inflated mine.
Hearerendine Scenes at Mine.
The scenes on tile hillsides We're
Nheartrending AS soon as the news
Iof the disaster spread it was communi-
hated from house TO house where the
& wives. mothers and children Cf the
|niners live. and in a few moments
here was a crowd of several hundred
persons gathered about the mine. This
|was augmented with almost every sec
! bpd as the awful news continued to
pread. Wives Of the unfortunate vic
inns ran about wildly excited; moth
srs tainted, and little children walled
as the extent of the horror became
known to them.
At the opening across the river from
he point. the Cambria Iron Company
Z police. with several assistants, stood
guard. permitting no one to enter the
mime. from which noXiOus gases were
.oming. 1t was nearly 4 o'clock when
I'm hope OF sending rescue parties from
ne Westmont opening was abandoned
rwo men who had escaped frOln the
nine-Richard Bennett and John Mey.
ars-went back two miles TO see what
assistance could be rendered, but the
'rightful damp drove them back, and
'Mhey fell PROSTATE when they finally
after desperate struggle reached th'
outside. Two doctors gave the men as
distance, and after working with then
half an hour restored them to norma
condition. Their story cf the situa
ion in the mine made it clear tina
rescue work could not proceed from tn
Vestmont opening, and then hast.
Preparations were made to begin tina
,ad mission at the Mill Creek entrance
Soon after the news of the frightfu
explosion reached the Cambria officials
Mining Engineer Marshall G. Moor
md one Of his assistants A. G. Pros
er. made an attempt TO enter the mine
rhey were soon followed by Mine Su
,erintendent George T. Robinson, bu
he deadly gases stopped their pro
yress.
Rescuers Perished.
Mine Foreman Harry Rodgerc, hi
assistant, William Blanch, and Fir
3osses John Whitney, John Retallic
md John Thomas We're overcome b
he gases. and it is feared that the
Derished in an heroic attempt to rescu
he miners. The 15-year-old son {
larry Rodgers when he heard that hi
ather had been overcome with after
lamp, started down the mine to hel
escue him if possible, and he had n
ooner entered the drift when III
eadly gas almost ocercome the lal
md he had to be carried back. HI
longue protruded its whole length frol
his mouth, and men had to force h
avs apart with a stick to prevent loci
aw.
Six hundred men were at work in Il
a 81 nine when the explosion occurred. {
his number only about $50 are know
o have escaped. Where those entomhC
Il IRE OF what condition they are in tin
Il lone viii tell.
President Powell Stackhouse an
General Manager Charles S. Price a
n charge Of the rescue work. Both
& hem expressed the hope that the Gu
rents of air being forced into the gre
lrift was reaching the imprisoned me
( 2< They declared their belief that tho me
we're still alive, but this is discredit'