The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-03-23
HEROES ]
MEET THEIR DEATH
Formed a Rescuing Party But
Were Killed il an Ex-
plosion.
TWENTY-FOuRI IN ALLDEAD
Ten Of These Were Victims of the FRS,
Explosion in a West Virginia
Mine, Caused, II is Believed,
by a Naked" Flame.

Charleston, w. Va, March 21.-As a
result of q horrible explosion in the.
Rush Run and He'd Ash mines near
Thurmond twenty-four men now lie
dead in the two mines. Ten of these.
We're killed In an explosion, n the
other fourteen We're q rescuing party
who entered the mine to take from the
mines the charred ana the -bfackeried
remains OF their fellow Workmen. These
latter We're killed by a second explosion
n the afterdamp.
Thu 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 hundreds
of people rushed to the scene of the
disaster.
Caused by Naked Flame.
The first explosion was caused BY
a naked" flame coming In contact
with the gas. The flames leaped from
the drift mouth and set fire to every
thing In reach that was not blown
from harms way by the force of the
explosion. The great drum, where the
loaded cars are u from the drift
mouth down the incline to the tipple,
was blown from Its, moorings and down
the mountain side 900 feet, while the
drum house caught fire n 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 We're destroyed. The rails
We're twisted and the cross ties
whipped from their beds in the ballast
and sent scorched n charred many
yards away. The big fan that fur
nished air in the mine was SO damaged
th2t#jt was several hnIlrS hafpcn r.
could be started again.
Formation Of Rescue Party.
After considerable time the great fan
was repaired and the power turned on,
and 1t began drawing 100000 cubic feet
OF air through the charmed house each
minute. A rescue party was formed
and about twenty men entered the mine
in search of the bodies of those who
had persisted at the first explosion. The
men explored the mines for two or
three hours, putting up brattices so
that pure air should follow them wher-
ever they ent. Finally some of them
came out and reported that the others
We're too careless in going forward fas-
ter than the good air was being sup
Piled, carrying at the same time a
naked light. AT 3.45 o'clock another
awful explosion occurred, caused by
the gas coming into contact with the
naked flame of a miners lamp, and
fourteen more souls, We're launched into
eternity. This explosion was not so
forc1ble as he former, but the more
awful in its effects, and was followed
by a shorter, thinner tongue of flame,
followed by a silence so deadly that
1t seemed physically painful and dark
ness impenetrable.
Death to the Rescuers.
Mine Inspector Edward Pinckney ar,
rived on the ground today and took
charge OF the rescue work. The sec
ond explosion again damaged the fan
and Mr.. Pinckney will allow no one
to enter the mine until it is working
properly and a draft of fresh air is
running through the mine. When this
is done he will lead the rescue squad
himself.
The names OF the band who lost
their lives in a vain attempt to get
possession OF the bodies of those who
persisted in the first explosion are as
follows:
CLACKETT HUTCHINSON, ma
chinist, Boyd county. KY.
PETER HUTCHINSON, miner, Boyd
county, Ky.
NORMAN HUTCHINSON, miner,
Boyd county, KY.
THOMAS BANNlSTGR, fire boss
and officer mine workers union, Fay
cite. county, Ky.
CHARLES WINNIE, miner, Fayette
county, NY.
JAMES WYNNE. miner, Fayette
county, Ky.
BRATT JACKSON. mine boss, Lou
isville, KY.
GEORGE HOPKINS, track boss,
Maiden, w. Va.
HENDERSON MosELY, rayette
county, Ky.
f. w. HINSON. trackman, Amherst,
w. Va.
The names of those who lost their
lives will not be known until the books
of the operators are checked, and ever
then it will be impossible to identify
them.