The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-10-11
FEARFUL DEATH
tOf Many Miners in a Coal Mine
Which Is Now
FIERCELY BURNING.
Ssyenty.five Miners Are E'ntoubsd by
the Exploslon in tbe Mine Which
Was Caused by Gas. The Wo'
men and Children Uurge

Was Caused by Gas. The Wos
men and Children Uurge
the Men to Rescue.
a dispatch from Bluefeld. W. Va,
Ssys there are sixteen known dead and
seventy. five men entombed as 9 recent
of an explosion of gas, followed bV IRE
at the West Fork mine Of tho Poea-
hontas Galleries company "Wednesday
might. Thursday rescue parties en-
dsavored to get to the entombsd men,
hut the heat Is 30 INTENSE no man Can
get near them, and the whole mine Is
filed with gas.
Women relatives are crazed by the
knowledge that loved oEes are either
dead or dying, SOUR on the rescuers
and beg TO be allowed to go In the
mine themselves. Three man were
brought from the Bottom OF the shaft
where tney were knocked DOWN by the
explosion, but they could give no &C.
COUNT IS they were too far from where
the explosion occurred.
A telegram from the scsne Of the
explosiou Gays the work OF rescu11g
bodies from the West mine has been
In progress since early Wednesday
night. The first reEoulng party to go
into the mine was headed by Super.
inteudent William s. Leckie, Who took
with him John o .Gann, w. B. Talbot
and J. r Brown. This party had
little success, as three IasnbaEs were
overcome With. gases, Oldham and
Brown losing their lives, and Taloott
being brought out unconscious.
The mine was then Drstticed IS the
rescuing parties progressed and at this
hour, 8 O'Clock p. M, they have about
reached the place OF the origin Of the
explosion. The body Of QUE miner has
been recovered up to this hour. He is
s. B. Uook, who was within 300 fee6
OF the outsids when found and he was
the only survivor OF tho explosion OF
1854.
A number Of bodies have bsen loca'
ted by the exploring parties but can
not be brought TO the surface on &C
count OF the debris occSsioned 6y tho
terrlfio explosion whicn In some
places has piled up timosrs and dirt
to the height of six feet. i,
Thers were supposed to be some 30
or go people in this section OF tie
mines when the, eZploaion OCCURRED,
but q greater number Of them being
minors, there is no record kept OF
tham, hence the sroubls To state ex'
:se6ly those that hAve been Killed.
PNtias coming to work 'ThurSdsy
morning frcm the Tug river, on the
West Virginia side Of the mine, did
not know there had been any trouble
in the mines until they ran into some
bodies on the tracks, and some mules
dead with man pinned between
them.
WhiIe the force of the explosion
was terrific yet the foremen who were
sat the mines cffioe did not known
There had heen any trouble until the
men and mules failed to come out aG
the time for quitting work. No re.
port Of the explosion was heard On
. Sho outside Of the mines.
Supt. W. II. Leckle OF the mine,
who entered the mine as one OF the
rescuing party, hsd . Iarrow escape
from daath. Hs was overcome by the
-fures and had to be carried out. Ell
ward Jones, the inside mine foreman,
ledathe frsv rescne party and when
THAI psrty failed ts return In reaS-
onsble time q second rescue party
under Supt. Leckie followed.
Two Of Leckie's party, John O1-
ham and El Brown, were overcome
7by gas and died, and Leckie barely
escaped with bis life. The third par
ty wse formed and continued the
work. Masnwhile the first party had
reached another entrancs to the mine
in safety and sent word over the
mountain announcing thst fact.
All this time tho work OF bratticing
the mine, necessary for carrying on
the work of rescue, Was being eGsc
lively carried on. Some confusion
vss caused In the determination Of
the exact number of men enLombsd
by the fact that when the explosion
occurred the exchange OF shifts WAS
In progress, sddad to which w2s the
fsc5 that number OF the man e.
capel from the Rug Fork entrance. .
The scsnes around the mine were
pstifui. Relatives and friends gath
sred lu groups at the entrances and
elsewnere awaiting tiding Of the VIC
tlms gave vant to their grief ss the
bodies one by one were brought out.
Tne authorities anticipated TIE
fearful * ient Of the csuouali.les by
ordsricg carloads Of collins and bur.
ial suouiIes