Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-11


stinct I stumbled forward until finally 1
reached a place Of safety"
John whitney, who was beyond the dip
when the explosion took place said: 81 was
at the heading half a mile from the ex-
piosion. Several dozen we're overcome by
the damp or gas and I had all I could do to
escape. II was terrible. After the explosion
we went back to rescue the less fortunate
and nearly lost our own lives. We got one
man and saved his life. ] did not see my
father who was struggling to get out. !
don't think many outside Of the rivers es-
capped"
William Malcolm was in the upper part Of
the mine when the explosion came. He
said: 1.-The hrst l knew OF the trouble was
when the men came running out Of what is
known as the dip. or lower, section. They
came running without hats, coats and some
without clothes and in a terrible state OF
excitement. AS near as / can
not more than ten cam that way and they
escaped, leaving at least 200 In the dip"
Richard Bennett and John Meyers were
in the mine where the explosion took place
but managed to escape. About 2 O'Clock
they concluded TO go back into the mine
and brought back a report as to the situa-
ton. They went two miles inside and on
the way saw the dead body Of Eddie va
manski, at the first side track ,about a
mile from the explosion point.
h damp was fearful" said Mr.. Ben
nett, I'VE had to turn back, we could go
no further"
ArmOry for ChnrneI House.
The armory OF Company H, Fifth regi-
ment. N. @. p, will be turned into a char
mel house.
After a conference tonight It was an
nounced that the dead miners would be
brought to the armory tomorrow. Planks
have been laid on chairs in the armory
and the removal Of bodies will begin at an
early hour in the morning. The ambu-
lances Of all the undertakers in the city
are at Mil Creek ready to begin the trans
fer Of bodies.
John Hewitt, OF 1913 Market street, at the
time Of the accident was two miles back In
the mine. The explosion, he said, was
about 400 yards from where be was work.
ing. ,
There were six OF us together. and as
soon as we heard the explosion we pulled
up stakes and got out as quick as possible.
Richard Bennett was one Of the men with
me. After Bennett got out he went back
again. After the explosion we could not
see our hands before us until we reached the
main heading. 1t appeared to be a smoky,
stinky substance. whether gas or damp 1
could not tell. 1t was terrible whatever it
was"
John Martin, George Wallace, Patrick
Muldoon and Joseph Cohegchaski came out
OF the Mill Greek opening some time after
the explosion.
w were all working at what Is called
Goodys. two miles back said Martin,
speaking to a representative OF the Asso-
ciated Press. I'VE were beyond the point
Of the explosion half a mile. At least If
teen men were back behind us, Thomas
Wallace and his four s'buddies' were all
that we saw who escaped from a point near
the explosion. We did not hear the ex-
plosion but felt the. shock and left at
once"
Statement of Min President.
At midnight President Powell stackhouse
was seen at the mouth of the mine and
gave out the following statement:
The disaster is an unusual one and came
on us entirely unexpected. The mine had
was pronounced in satisfactory condition.
In the fifty years that the mine has been
The cause is yet indefinite, but ] believe
II was caused by gas escaping from the
not being worked, because Il contained gas.
into the sixth heading. ;
at iS5. No list of the names OF the dead
miners can be given, for the majority OF
them were foreigners and were known only
their names viii ever be known, II the
bodies are not recovered in time for identi-
ncation. will be by their families sending
their names to us.
The mine in which the explosion oc-
Cured Is one Of the largest in the United
The entrance in the hill across the river
from the point to the one at Mill creek is
a distance OF three and three-quarters
miles. The Klondike section in which the
explosion occurred is about two miles from
the Mill creek entrance. The mine Is d.
vtded into a large number of headings, lev
els and sections. The sections run of to
the right and left Of the headings and are
known as rights and lefts by the miners.
The men who escaped this afternoon are
familiar with the mines. They have spent
years working in It. Otherwise they could
not have reached the surface. Lights were
out and there was no way for them /. find
their way to the top had they not known
the mine perfectly.
The mine has been open for about fifty
years and Is producing 5000 tons per day.
II Is the property of the Cambria Steel
company. whose general Offices are in the
Arcade building. Philadelphia. The fami-
lies Of the entombed miners are assembled
In large numbers at the mine opening. but
they cannot secure any definite information
and must endure a suspense of many hours.
Not All Are Dead.
They aren't all dead; we ran across some
OF them alive" stsmmered DR.. Swan Tay-
Tor at 1856 tonight. when he staggered out
OF the shaft at Mill Creek. Just how many