The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-27
BRINGING OUT BODIES.
Evidence That Cheswick Miners
We're Killed by Explosion.


o'clock this morning 10 charred and
blackened corpses had been hoisted TO
the surface of the Hartwick mine at
Cheswick- the scene of Mondays ter
rifle explosion and there were 81 at the
bottom of the shaft. AS quickly as
they were taken out they were placed
in sleighs and taken to the morgue
which has been improvised in the
school house. The 20 bodies were re-
covered at about 2 o'clock this morn
ing. All are burned in an awful man
ner. Many are without heads, Others
have faces so badly burned and mutila-
ted as to preclude all possibility of their
ever being recognized.
Pittsburg people will attend to the
last rites over the dead who Will be
taken from the mine, beginning today.
At $50 o'clock this morning a train
load of collins left the West Pennsyl-
vania station in Allegheny for the
mines Each body will be embalmed
and each will be given a separate
grave.
Bernard Callahan, deputy state min
ing inspector of the Ninth district upon
coming to the pit mouth, after hours of
work of rescue in the mine stated that
he was convinced that by tonight all
the bodies will have been rescued from
the mine He said it was absurd to
think there We're any living miners en-
tombed.
A general appeal for aid for the fam
lilies of the miners who lost their lives
through the explosion will be issued
from Harwick within the next 4S hours.
The leading men of the place left alive
are considering the call and all the
principal towns of the state will be APP
pealed to. An effort will be made to
raise at least $4,000, which amount, it
is figured, will be adequate to provide
for the suffering and almost destitute
women and children until the warmer
weather comes or until some permanent
arrangement can be made for caring
for them.
H A. McMillen, who led one party of
Searchers, said:
Fifteen bodies were found in but one
south entry. All of them were badly
burned and mangled. One had his head
blown off. In room one of the south
entry we found two men face down
ward near each other. They had evil
IDENTIFY been killed by the force of the
explosion. In another place we found
six men, all negroes, I believe. Five
were in a heap and one was under a
car We found the driver of that entry
lying along the roadway where he had
been blown"
Rooms 10 and II, south entry, are
caved in to the depth of five feet. There
are several men buried there. as there
are undoubtedly men buried under the
/ rock in other parts of the mine. For
this reason it will be weeks before all
| of the bodies are recovered.
! Inspector Cunningham says the air in
the mine is getting better every hour.
| but there is still gas encountered. From
/ the condition of the bodies he thinks
now that the men were killed by the
force of the explosion and not by after
| damp, as first suggested.
| Every body so far brought up is
bruised and cut and crushed into shape
| lessness. The fact that the legs and
arms are broken and disjointed indi-
Gates that the force of the explosion
must have been terrific. 1t is presumed
| that it caught the men and hurled them
| like straWs before a gale battering
them against the Jagged walls of the
mine and crushing them one upon the
other at the ends of the headings and
| chambers. Scarcely one of the bodies
| has any clothing on it and all are more
ficulty in Identifying them on this ac-
| count.
| No relatives were permitted in the
temporary morgue this morning for the
sights there were too gruesome and be-
sides it is absolutely necessary that
there be no interruption ito the work OF
the undertakers and embalmers who
had more than they could do.
When all the bodies are brought UP
that are now at the foot of the shaft
and when they have been prepared for
burial, the families and friends will be
, allowed to file through and assist in
completing the work of identification
The streets of the village were deserted
today the women and children having
been made to understand that they
would better remain in doors until the
; authorities are ready for them to come
to the morgue-
Among the bodies found was that OF
a stranger. It was only slightly burn
ed. Who he was or what he was doing
in the mine no one seems to know
While he is believed to have been 4
miner who was visiting in the shaft
at the time Of the explosion, there is
a possibility that he was a stranger
unaware of the danger in gaseous
mines and that he may unwittingly
have caused the explosion by lighting
a match.
David Lisle, a volunteer rescuer, was
overcome by gas today and died before
any assistance could be rendered him.
nnrcnOVM naC rnrn