New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-27
NO HOPE FOR MINERS.
EXPLOSION KILLED ALL.
Bitter Storm Hampers WOrkers
Fearful Scenes IN Nine.

dlueu Dy u DltluS Wllu, ulu al III lACiI pUNCA
to hamper the movements of those who came
TO Cheswick this morning to aid in the work Of
saving the living, if any there were, and recov-
ering the bodies of the dead at the HarwiclC
mine. Men came from mining districts all
about the neighborhOod, and did valiant work
toward searching for the dead. Early in the
morning the mine inspectors began TO gather
to direct the work of rescue. and at > o'clock
tonight there were present at the pits mouth
Mine Inspectors F. w Cunningham. of the
Fourteenth District. in which the mine is sit
uated; w. R. Adams of the Third District,
Henry Lauditt, of the First District. Isaac C.
Roby OF the Fifth District and James Blick
Of the Seventh district Chief Mine Inspector
Broderick had also wired from Harrisburg that
he would be on hand if needed.
Cunningham the first inspector over the
ground and spent the greater part of the night
in the mine. Early this morning. after snatch
ing few hours sleep. he went below again.
and. after directing the movements OF the vol
unteer force In bratticing so 70 keep back the
dangerous gas in front. announced that he was
ready to lead a searching party back into the
mine. The rescuers followed him far into the
mine. but when they came to the surface they
had no tidings IF living men still entombed. Up
and down wen: the bucket in the bitter cold. Men
clambered from the icy elevator. dashed 20 the
nearby engine room. and. when warmed back
TO the bucket and down the shaft
Then began the rigging os the platform cage.
Some Of the dead will be brought out Of the mine
tonight. there is little doubt. That the mire Of
hoials and inspectors anticipate this was evil
dent this afternoon in the presence at the mine
of Coroner McGeary. of Allegheny County. lie
held several consultations with the officials as
10 the disposition Of the dead. After a careful
survey Of the situation ne said
todies to the surface found and no
unseemly strife among the undertakers about
taking the bodies away. Proper ident!fcations
will be made as far as possible. and as full and
complete a list as possible made public
ALL VICTIMS BELIEVED TO BE DEAD.
Two places arc already prepared to receive the
dead. The schoolhouse is ready for use as a
morgue. and another building belonging to the
company near the entrance to the shaft is also
in readiness. The two buildings are already
designated morgues because no one who
knows the story believes that doctors aid will
be necessary. except perhaps for some OF the
rescuers.
Late this afternoon, while the chatte-ng
shivering group Of workers and newspaper men
gathered about the ropes. Tom" Adams
the oldest mine inspector in the State. and for
years. until one year ago in charge Of this dis
trct arrived. The old men all knew him. and
hand and said:
MIR. Adams, are you going down."
1t was the same question always and the
same answer to each:
Just soon l can change my clothes"
The call for aid in clearing the wreckage from
the mine was issued at ; o'clock this morning
by Manager SCheetz and Inspector Cunningham
Volunteers from mining towns in the neighbor-
hood pressed about the ropes waiting for
suitable clothing. and fast as the little bucket
could take them down they went with willing
determined faces.
About II O'Clock some Of the best known
miners in the district started down the shaft
two at a time Peter Wise former member
of the district executive committee, got into the
bucket and disappeared. So did NJ. J. AIcQuaide
the veteran mine foreman Of FreepOrt, and two
of his men. So did W. ]. Bell SO did Bob"
North who did his best last night. So did half
a score of other men, and the first real explora-
tion Of the mine was begun
Doctors and oxygen are on the ground. ready
for the work of tanning to a flame any feeble
spark of life that may be found in any of the
bodies. But they are almost hopeless. They
say that the death OF Mr.. Taylor. who
come before he reached the main body of the
men. proves that it will be almost impossible
for the imprisoned men to keep alive. Inspec-
tor Cunningham said this morning. when he
came from the mine:
I explored the mine for quarter of a mile
I positive that all those who entered for
work yesterday morning not one will be taken
out alive. Scattered about dead bodies of
the miners dead mules, wrecked cars, and tons
of fallen coal and slate. 1t is a terrible scene.
The force of the explosion terrific. II will
take days to clear away the wreckage. Until
this is accomplished we Will not know how many
met death. L repeat that there is no chance
of any Of the entombcd men being saved.
r,rT7rO TE,v1rrT TUT
The general impression among old miners Is
that every man in the mine died with the flash
Of the explosion, excepting GOnis, who was
brought up last night NJ McQuaide. foreman of
the Freeport Mine. further up the river, one Of
the leaders of the rescuers. came up from the
shaft this afternoon and said: We have at the
bottom of the shaft pile of legs and arms and
| trunks that resemble anything but the remains
! of human bodies. II is the most grewsome sight
| I ever Witnessed
when do you expect to reach the place where
! the most of the men are?' he was asked.
There is no such place" he replied They
| ere scattered all over the mine, some of them.
moor fellows in fragments. We find them along
| the entries or find pieces Of them You have
| hut a faint conception OF the awful force of this
EXPLOSION 1t tore men to pieces. II did not leave
| enough Of soInc OF them 10 :ell who they were. y
| II IL is once settled beyond doubt that all the
| men in the mine are dead, the work Of ventilat-
| ing the workings can proceed more rapidly.