The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-23
Many Had Left Mine.

s. { = i = i 3
Had the explosion been an hour earlier
tho loss of life would have been appal-
ling. AS 1t was, there were but few
OF the o50 men remaining in the shaft.
the main body of the miners having quit
work for the day. The giant fan which
furnished air to the shaft was partially
wrecked By the force of the explosions,
but was repaired Immediately and with
In an hour after the accident Snpcrin-
tendcnt James Ward had reiicf gans
IN the mine.
Tho first trip out. Brought ten mem
Ave 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 explosion, saying
that they were on their way to the sur
face when the explosion took place be-
hind them.
A second expedition Immediately went
down and explored the main heading.
-Four more bodies were found and 20
injured mon were making their way to-
ward tho bottom or the shaft and were
brought to the surface by the rcscucrs.
Fourteen sub headings. at midnight were
yet unexplorcd, land Superintendent
Ward. who was still In the mine, sent
word out that owing to the prevalence OF
gas, he was undecided ut that time
whether. or not to push. the work Into
the sub-hcs.dngs for an hour or So The
mine. however. was being readily freed
from the fumes OF the explosion by the
fan and the work OF rescue vii be
pushed on throughout the night.
Relief trains bearing physicians were
hurried from Phillppi and Buckhannoh,
and tho doctors Immediately took care
OF the wounded In the office building
which was transformed into temporary
hospital.
Pathetic Scenes.
The families of the dead. wounded and
missing men gathered quickly ut the open-
Ing, and the pathetic scenes always Wit
messed at such accidents We're enacted
Several foreign women Insisted upon go-
ing into the mine and were. only pre-
vented from boarding the cage by force.
Many of the women we're still hover
ing about the opening at midnight, res
fusing to 20 into the camp store or
other places to escape tho biting cold.
Upon learning OF the accident, offerings
of help were sent in from the Fatrnont
Coal COMPANY mine 1T Berryburg. the
Georges Greek mine at Harrington the
Davis Dryden Company, at Grafton, and
others, Int Superintendent Ward replied
that he had force enough to handle the
situation, and that the only help he
y needed was a force of physicians o look
after tho wounded. 8
An official of tho company who looked
after tho work on the surface. said at
midnight that the company was doing all
in its power to ascertain the names OF
the dead and wounded and that list
would be made up some time during the
night. He stated tonight. that owing
to the horrible mutilatcd condition of the
dead. It was impossible to recognize them
at that hour. 3
Majority Foreigners.
Tho Century lnlne employees were about
equally divided between Americans anu
foreigners, and a report was current
hero that 1t was the belief of those at
g Tho scene of the explosion that most Of
i the dead are foreigners. because they were
In the habit OF remaining longer in the
mines @thanHtle American miners,
Tho mine is owned Lg Shaw, Bros, OF
4 Baltimore. and is ono of tho largest in
Northern West Virginia. Two hundred
end fifty men are employed.