The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-29

Cheswick, Pa, Jan. 26.The owners
of the Harwick mine have not for the
past two months kept any accurate
record of the men employed in It's
mine. The mine boss said that he had
given lamps to 1877 men when they were
entering the mine on Monday morning.
They were all safety lamps. The men,
he thought went down the shaft. 1t
is thought that there were only about
65 foreigners in the mine when the
explosion occurred, the others being
Americans.
The work of bringing the dead bodies
found in the Harwiok mine was inter-
rupted by the sticking Of the new cage.
1t had been hurriedly built to replace
the one wrecked by the explosion. 1t
nearly caused another calamity, as
miners we're being hauled up and down
every few minutes, being brought to
the surface for fresh air. On the car
are four mine inspectors. Below In the
first headiog Is a pile of forms that
were once human. 1t is estimated that
parts of 75 bodies have been recovered
The sight would be too fearful above
ground and 1t Is the intention Of the
management to bring the shattered re-
mains to the surface tonight. Every
thing was ready for this task when the
accident to the elevator occurred.
The gangways in the mine are be-
spattered with blood. Heads have been
torn from bodies. and trunks, arms.
legs and torn off clothing scattered
about in confusion. in many places
covered with water, dirt slate and coal.
Very few of the bodies have been iden-
titled in the flare of the safety lamps.
A number of the victims are boys. To
shut out this sight from the women and
relatives of the dead, 1t has been
thought best to keep the bodies down
in the mine until all are gathered to-
gether. There will be very few iden-
titled, and 1t is said by old miners that
will be In as shape as those now
being gathered together.
The explosion evidently took place
in the seventh heading. Between the
sixth and the seventh headings the
mine has caved In. Up to the cavern,
the mine has been bratticed. In spite
of Inis, the bad smelling air makes the
workers sick and many are brought to
the surface. 1t is feared that unless
the elevator can be fixed and the
workers below relieved that more
deaths will occur similar to that of
Mr.. Taylor's.
1t transpires that the death OF Sell
wyn M. Taylor was through gross neg
ligence. Now that he is dead the ac-
cldent to the mine is laid at his door.
Those present at the shaft last night
said that Robert Woods, who was
down with Taylor in the mine came to
the surface and notified the men in
charge of the bucket that Taylor had
fallen behind him and that he was
dying In the mine. Because Woods
was confused and said he had seen
lights I'M the mine which had scared
him, he was not believed. Woods
begged to be permitted to go down
again to save Taylor but was not per-
mitted until two hours later. Taylor's
hat was found exactly where Woods
said he saw him fall.
The United Mine Workers of Amer
lea of this district have sent out an
appeal for mine workers to help clear
the mine. About 500 men have report
ed from all sections of the district.
The little Harwick schoolhouse which
has been cleared of desks and seats by
Miss Florence Miller, the teacher, for
a temporary hospital, will now be the
morgue. Only the coroner's Jury will
be permitted to see the dead, as the
mine management and the coroner
does not believe the sight fitting one
or women and children
The management, while trying to ex-
tricate itself from blame has placed
itself In jeopardy by permitting the
mine certificate of inspection to be re-
moved. Inspector Cunningham inspect
cd the mine last December. The GER
tifcate was taken from the Office wall
shortly aftor the explosion. Mr. George
Sheets, the manager, evidently became
ratified from the start as he never knew
who the directors of tho company were,
or who employed him. He did not
have list of those In the mine or of
the last pay roll. II was only when he
was confronted by threat of arrest
by tho deputy coroners today that ho
gained his memory.
Sheldon Parks, treasurer. and U. C.
Hatch, of Cleveland, a director of the
Harwick mines, arrived from Pittsburg
tonight. Mr.. Hatch, when interviewed,
said:
I'VE had one of the best equipped
mines In the United States All our
equipments were purchased under the
direction of our engineer, Selwyn Tay-
lor, who had the sole direction
Mr. Taylor Informed our company
when we opened the HsrwIck mines