The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-24
MANY MINERS DEAD
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA.
ONLY "a OUT or 1873 ESCAPED.
DEADLY MINE DAMP DOING ITS
WORK ON OTHERS.

Dead Bodies Taken Out, and 1t Is
Feared the Majority of the others
Are Dcad-Heartrending Scenes Mt
Mouth of Mine as Families of Vie
Tins Gathered There-Presence of
Coal Damp Makes Rescue Danger
CuA-IFOperty Is Owned by j. j.
Hill.
Vancouver, B. c., May 23.-One of the
most terrible mine disasters in the his
tory of the frequent accidents in Brit
ish Columbia occurred last night in
the Crows Nest Coal Company's mines
at Fernie B. c. Over 100 men are
either dead or imprisoned in the mine,
and little hope is entertained of res
cuing any who may yet be alive. Fer
ME is 300 miles up country and the
limited telegraph facilities have
not enabled complete details of
the disaster to be sent out.
A special tonight from Fernie says
that the explosion took place last night
at 1890 The management has list
of 1873 men who are known to have
been in the mine, and there were prob
ably others. OF these only "a are
known to be safe 1t is feared that
few if any of the remaining 109 are
now alive.
What caused the explosion has not
yet been definitely ascertained. Many
of the miners were ignorant foreign
ers and one of the mine shafts was al
ways more or less gaseous. 1t is re-
rorted in Fernie this evening that the
explosion resulted from the use by a
careless Italian of an open or
naked lamp Another theory is
that minor struck a match
exploding the gas, which was almost
always present in No. 2 shaft. The
true cause of the disaster will prob
ably not be positively ascertained for
it is doubtful if any man who knows
will ever reach the outer air alive, or
be able to tell the tale The ex-
plosion took place in No. shaft of The
mine, being repeated in a few seconds
in No. 8, with which it was connected.
The two shafts in which the ex-
plosion occurred are situated on Coal
2 has always been considered the more
dangerous, being dry, dusty and CASE
Gus. Recently the dangerous condi-
tions which had hitherto prevailed in
No. 2 tunnel had been greatly modi-
fed and improved. New fans were in
stalled. furnishing an excess of air,
with 40 per cent. reserve. From all
all available sources assistance is being
rushed to the scene of the calamity, but
there is little hope for the rescue of
any of the entombed men. Already the
work of liberation has been begun with
such means as are at local command,
and eight bodies have been taken from
the mine. The presence of coal damp
makes the work of rescue very danger
Gus, and is seriously hindering the
work.
Under Dangerous Conditions.
In No. tunnel in which the first ex-
plosion occurred from 100 to 120 men
and boys are usually employed, and in
No. tunnel. to which the explosion ex-
tended, about so men generally work
In both mines there are many foreign
ers and the difficulty of disciplining
these men and impressing upon them
the use of unprotected lights has al
ways been very great. The main road
Of No tunnel is by 5k feet in area,
and would be sufficient for reasonable
ventilation, were 1t not that there was
motor working on the road which al
most stopped the current of the intake.
When the men were at work the lib
Grafton Of gas heavily charged the at
mosphere, and made it dangerous to
employ lights which were not absolute
ly protected.
The explosion which occurred at
about 1880 O'Clock last evening was
distinctly heard in the village six miles
away. A few minutes later the alarm
ing intelligence had spread like Wild
fire from house to house and quickly
the whole population was on the
streets and hurrying towards the scene
of the disaster. All the available men
were at once organized for the work
of rescue, and the labor of getting at
the entombed miners was begun with
out delay. Great difficulty was expe-
rienced in keeping back the women
whose husbands most of them for
eigners, were known to have been en-
ployed in the tunnels.
Little Hope for Entombed Men.
With the passing hours hope at Fer
ME for the safety of the five-score men
entombed gradually faded away. The
eighteen bodies already recovered were
at work not a great distance from
the mouth of the tunnel and the fact
that these were overcome would seem
to indicate that there is little hope for
those further in the mine.
Ventilation is being gradually re-
stored and 1t is expected that all the
bodies will be reached by tomorrow
morning.
Where Scene of Disaster Is Located.
Seattle. Wash. May 23.-Fernie is
town in the eastern part of the prov
ince of British Columbia, on the Crows
Nest Pass branch of the Canadian Pa
cific Railroad. 1t lies in the center of
a country very rich in coal deposits.
The veins extend eastward into the
neighboring territory of Alberta. The
building of the railway four years ago
was followed by the operation of the
coal mines. which belonged to a COM
pany composed largely of Toronto cap
italists. These are the coal fields that
j. j. Hill was reported to have gained
control of a year or so ago. Fernie's
only industry is mining, and it's popu-
lation is about 5000. Most of the min
ers were foreign born.
subscription Taken at Nanaimo.
Nanalmo, B. c.. May 23.-Immediate-
~ upon the receipt of the Fernie mine
disaster news Mayor Manson Of this
city. which has a population of 1000
coal miners. authorized the taking Of
subscriptions at the gates leading 10
the grounds where a celebration II be-
ing held to-day and tomorrow. The