Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-03
Disaster Probably Due to What is Known
as Blown Out Shot
WORK OF RESCUE PROCEEDS SLOWLY
Relief Crews Frequently Forced Out Of
Mine by AferdHmp.
ONLY THE NIGHT SHIFT WAS At WORK
Had Accident Occurred During the
Day the Loss of Life Would
Have Been Much
Greater.

CHEYENNE, wyo., Dec 2-(speciN
Telegram)-At 1 o'clock this morning an
explosion OF dust occurred IN mine No. 1
of the Diamond Coal and Coke company at
Diamondville Wyo., completely wreckiuE
the upper levels OF the collery and snufiug
out the lives OF nineteen men, II was ten
hours before the rescuers were able to
penetrate the mine TO sufficient depth to
reach the first man. and not until II
o'clock today were the fears of the rela-
tives Of the entombed miners confirmed
when the blackened and charred remains
Of Robert Marshall were brought 70 the
surface His body was burr ed into an un-
recognizable mass, and the only method by
which he was identified was the brass mine
check carried by the victim. Marshalls
body was buried under a mass Of timbers,
earth and coal which completely choked
the passage.
superintendent overcome.
The relief party that recovered the body
was headed by superintendent Thomas
Sheldon. who was overcome by the gases
and had to be carried from the mine. He
is in a precarious condition and may not
| recover. There are eighteen men still in
the mine. and all hope that they are alive
| was abandoned. The names of the un-
fortunates are not obtainable at this time
Seven are Austrians, five are Finlanders,
one is a Scotchman, one an American and
| four are Englishmeu. The upper workings
! OF the mine were completely wrecked and
/ all of the air brattices destroyed. The re-
/ lief workers are erecting new brattices and
! fresh air is being pumped into the mine
as fast as the piles OF debris can be
removed. The mine emitted smoke for a
time and it was feared the workings were
a
horror TO. the disaster, but the flames were
eXtinguished.
Work of Relief.
The relief workers have been taking turn
about working hour shifts ever since the
accident occurred and fresh men are now
on their way from Rock Springs and
Hanna The mine will be cleared as soon
as possible and the charred bodies remove.
The disaster was probably due to what -
known blown out shot.
Diamondvlle mine No. has been n
operation about ten years and is one OF
the largest in the state, its full complement
OF men is $40. and last year It produced
about $4,000 tons Of coal
This is the second explosion that has
occurred in this mine the first occurring
on February 26. 1901. when thirty-two lives
were snuffed out by an explosion and the
fire that followed. The mine was on fire
for many days. Mine No / is known as
one of the best In this state, the appliances
therein TO prevent accidents being the best
and most modern that money can buy.
Partial List of victims.
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. "A special to
the Tribune from Dlamondville says about
twenty men were in the mine, two of whom,
the rope runner and the shift boss. left
the mine about five minutes before the
explosion. The following are known to be
in the minc
! Robert Marshall.
FerdinaEdO Gabardk.
Antonio Martignano.
| JoES d. Grimshaw.
William Wilson.
Henry Ringwood.
, ! Gust Johnson.
| John Kasari.
| Henry USatalO.
p John Johnson.
The main force Of the explosion was at
the twelfth level about 1000 feet from the
mouth of the mine. It made matchwood
Of the SXS timbers, the cement and stone
/ stopings from eighteen 10 twenty-four
inches thick we're torn from their places
and strewn throughout the mine. The work
Of rescue is proceeding as rapidly as Is
consistent with safety. Canvas brattice,
are being erected by the rescue party as
II proceeds, but progress is hampered by
the presence Of gas. which makes it neces.
sary TO carry the air with the workmen
The rescue party has reached the tenth
, level and has about 200 feet to go 10 reacE
, the scene Of the disaster. There is no out
] ward sign of fire. but It is believed thai