Omaha daily bee., 1905-03-20
Fourteen Others Meet Death in Attempt to
Recover Bodies.
iECOND EXPLOSION QUE TO CARELESsNEss
Naked Lamp Carried by Man in Rescue
Party Ignites Gas,
DAMAGE TO MINE PLANT ENORMOUS
Great Tongues of Flame shoot from
Pits that Set Fire to BuiIdiBEs-
Mine Inspector Takes
Charge.

CHARLESTON, w. Va, March 19.--As q
result Of the horrible explosion in the Rush
Run and Red Ash mines near Thurmond,
last night, twenty-four men now lie stark
in death In the two mines Ten OF these
were killed in the explosion Saturday night
and the other fourteen were a rescuing
party who entered the mine this morning
to take from the mines the charred and
blackened remains OF their fellow work.
men, These latter were killed by second
explosion and the afterdamp.
The first explosion seemed to shake the
foundations of the mountains and the angry
twin flash from the two neighboring drift
mouths lighted up the heavens for miles
around. Soon from the mining villages for
several miles up and down, the river hum
dreds Of people rushed to the scene of the
dreadful disaster The first explosion was
caused by naked" flame coming in con-
tact with the gas. The flames leaped from
the drift mouth and set 1re TO everything
in reach that was not blown from harms
way by the force of the explosion. The
great drum with which the loaded cars
are run from the drift mouth down the
incline to the tipple was blown from it's
moorings and down the mountainside $50
feet. while the drum house caught fire and
was totally consumed. The cars that stood
at the mouth of the mine were blown far
down towards the tipple and much OF the
track of the incline was destroyed. The
rails were twisted and the ss-ties
whipped from their beds in the ballast and
sent scorched and charred many yards
away.
Rescue Party Starts In.
The big fan that furnished air in the
mine was so damaged that II was several
hours before 1t could be started again.
After considerable time the great fan was
repaired and the power turned on and It
began drawing, 100000 cubic feet OF air
through the charne house each minute. A
rescue party was formed and about twenty
men entered the mine in search of the
bodies of those who had perished at the
first explosion. The men explored the
mines for two or three hours, putting UP
brattices so that pure air should follow
them wherever they went. Finally some
of them came out and reported that tho
others were too careless in going forward
faster than the good air being sup
piled, carrying at the same time naked"
light. At 3:45 another awful explosion oc-
CURED by the gas coming in contact with
the naked" fame of a miners lamp and
fourteen more souls were launched into
eternity. This explosion was not so forcl-
BILE as the former, but the more awful
in it's effects and was followed by a
shorter, thinner tongue Of flame, followed
by silence so deadly that it seemed phys
ically painful.
Mine Inspector Takes Charge.
Mine Inspector Edward Pinckney arrived
on the ground today and took charge OF the
rescue work. The second explosion again
damaged the fan and Mr., Pinckney will
allow no one to enter the mine until II Is
working properly and a draft of fresh air
is running through the mine. When this
is done he will lead the rescue squad him
self.
The names of the band who lost their
lives in a vain attempt to get possession
of the bodies of those who pershed in the
first explosion are as follows:
CROCKETT HUTCHINSON, machinist,
Boyd county Ky.
PETER HUTCHINSON. miner, Boyd
county, Ky.
NORMAN HUTCHINSON, miner, Boyd
county. KY
THOMAS BANNIsTER. fire boss and an
officer of the National Mine Workers
union, Fayette county, w. Va
CHARLES WYNN, miner, Fayette
county.
JAMES WYNN. miner, Fayette county.
BRATT JACKSON mine boss, Louisville,
Ky.
GEORGE HOPKINS, track boss, Maiden.
W. Va.
HENDERSON MOSELEY, Fayette
county.
r. w. HINSON, trackman, Amherst Va.
The names OF those who lost their lives
last night will not be known until the books
Of the operators are checked up, and even
then it will be impossible TO identify them.