The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-27

~ NhS OatoAtS
y Towns to the Stricken Mining VII
Iage.
Paramount, W. Va, March 22-Ten
men are known to be dead, 25 injured,
and from % to rs missing, and believ-
ed to De dead, as the result Of an ex-
plOsion of gas in the shaft of the Cen
fury Coal Company at Century, a
small mining town, situated fifty miles
south of Fairmont on the Bellington
and Buckhannon branch of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad.
The explosion took place at 4:3O this
afternoon, but owing 70 the telephone
wire being put out of commission by
the high winds of today, details are
lacking and the names Of the victims,
six of whom are known to be foreign
ers, were not secured at a late hour
tonight. Had the explosion been an
hour earlier the loss of life would have
been appalling. AS it was there were
but a few of the $50 men remaining
in the shaft, b main body of the min
erS having quit work for the day. The
giant fan which furnishes air for the
shaft was partially wrecked by the
force Of the explosion, but was repair
ed Immediately, and within an hour
after the accident superintendent
James Ward had q relief gang in the
mine. The first trip out brought ten
incentive dead and five badly burned.
They were found in the main heading
near the bottom Of the shaft. The
living could give no details Of the ex-
plosiOn, saying that they were on their
way to the surface when the explosion
took place behind them.
a second expedition Immediately
ven down, and explored the main
heading. -Four more bodies were
found, and 20 injured men were max
ing their way towards the bottom of
the shaft and were brought to the r
face by the Fourteen sub
headings at midnight were yet unex-
plored, and Superintendent Ward, who
was still in the mine, sent word out
that owing to the prevalence of gas he
was undecided at that time whether or
not to push the work into the sub
headings for an hour or so.
AAC A1luCp AoHCNC1s "oS DC1AO wv
lily freed from the fumes of the explo-
sion by the fan, and the work OF res
cue will be pushed on throughout the
night.
Relief trains bearing physicians
were hurried from Phillip and Buck
harmon, and the doctors Immediately
took care of the wounded in the office
building which was transformed into a
temporary hospital.
The families Of the dead, wounded
and missing men gathered quickly at
the opening, and the pathetic scenes
always witnessed at Such accidents
were enacted. Several foreign women
insisted upon going into the mine, and
were only prevented from boarding the
cage by force. Many or the women
were still lowering about the opening
at midnight, refusing to go into the
camp store or other places to escape
the biting cold.
Upon learning of the accident offer
ings Of help were sent In from the
FairmOnt coal company mine at Berry
burg, the Georges creek mine at Far
mington, the Davis Briden Company
at Grafton Inc others, but S~uperinten-
y dent Ward replied that he had force
<enough to handle he's situation and that
the only help needed was a force Of
physicians to look after the wounded.
An official Of the company who look
ed after the work on the surface, said
at midnight that the company was do
ing all in it's power to ascertain the
names of the dead and wounded and
that a list would be made up some time
during the night. He stated that W
L A. 1911 ,,y,%sIn&o1 ann6Tfnn
of the dead, it was impossible to re-
eognize them at that hour.
The Century mine employees were
about equally divided between Ameri-
cans and foreigners and a report was
current here that it was the belief Of
those at the scene Of the explosion that
most of the dead are foreigners be-
cause they were in the habit of re-
naming longer in the mines than the
American miners.
/Fairmount, w. Va, March 22.-At
II o'clock. 81 men had been taken out
of the Century mine. Nine are dead,
and the others horribly injured. one
of the officials at that hour stated that
he believed there were twelve men in
the mine still. and all dead.
Paramount, w. Va, March a.
Paramount, w. Va. March %
An explosion Of gas in the mine of the
Century Coal Company at Century, a
small mining town fifty miles south
of here on the Philippi and Buckhan-
non branch of the Baltimore and Ohio
at 4 o'clock this afternoon, entombed
at least one hundred and fifty miners,
many of whom are believed to be dead.
At 6 o'clock tonight fifteen men were
taken from the mine. five of whom