The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-10-12
Of Many Miners in a Coal Mine
Which Is Now
FIERCl LIZ BURNING.
SEVENTH five Miners Are En.ombsd by
the Explosion Ia the Mine Which
Was Caused by Gas. The Wo.
men and Children Unrge
the Men 10 Rescue.

a df6patob from Blue field, W. Va,
says there are sixteen known dead and
seventy. five men entombed as a recent
OF an explosion Of gas, followed bv fire
aa the West Fork mine of tho Poca-
hontas Collieries company Wednesday
night. ThurBday rescue parties en-
deavored to got to the entombod men,
but the hest is 80 Intense no man can
get near them, and the whole mine ie
filed with ga,.
Women relatives are crazcd by the
knowledge tfat loved ones are either
DEAD or dying, spur on the rescuerH
and beg to te allowed to go In tho
mine Themselves. Three men were
brought from the bottom of the shafi;
where they were knocked down by the
explosion, but they could give no &C,
c, unit as they were too far from whore
tile xpl osion occurred.
!. a telegram from the scene Of tho
explosion says tile work of resouine
bodies from ihe Wess mine has been
In progress since early Wednesday
night. The first res. ng party TO g.
into the mine was headed by Super.
intendent William S. Leckie, who took
with him JuhI 0 ham, w. r. Talbot
and j. II Brown. This party had
little SUCCESS, ss three members wern
overcome with ga4es, Oldham and
Brown losing tbsir lives, and Talbot
being brought out unc conscious
The mine was then brstticed as the
rest uinR parties progressed and at thit;
hCul. 8 O'Clock p. M they have about
reached the place Of the origin OF 5be
explosion. The body Of one miner han
been recovered up to this hour He IL
S. b. Cook, who was within 800 feet
of the outside When found end he was
tre only survivor Of the explosion OF
1884.
A number Of bodies have been lnca.
ted by the exploring parties but can.
not be brought to tho surface on ao'
count Of tho debris occasioned by the
terrific explosion which In some
places has piled up timbers and dirl
to. the height of six feet.
E tIhero were ouplosSd TO be some 90
or 60 people In this scctiOn Of the
mines when the explosion occurred
but greater number Of them beinf
AhIhOlbt 40 nv ICOOlu ACpV "
them, hence the trouble TO state eX
actly those that have been killed
Parties oumirg TO work Thursday
mornire from the Tug river, on th'
West V .rginia side Of the mine, die
not know there had been apy trcubl'
In the mines until they ran into sont
bodies on the tracks, and some mules
dead with man pinned between
them.
While the force of the * losior
was terrific yet the foremen who were
at the Mines flee did not know
there had letn any trouble until tht
men ano mules failed to come cut al
the time I quitting work. No re-
port Cf the txplot icn was hesld oI
tlo outside f the mipes.
Supt. W. NJ. Leckie Of the mine
who entered the mine as one OF th'
rebcuing party, had q narrow eacap'
from death. He wag overcome by tllt
fun eS and had to be carried out. E
ward Jones, the inside mine foreman
ledsthe first resGne party and whcl
that pGrtv failed Is return In reas-
enable time second rescue party
under Supt. Leckie followed.
VIZ VI iISS1iS oplili ~ :
hsm and EI Blown, we're overcome
by gas ano dIed, and L"ckie barely
capped with his life. The third par
ty wac formed and continued the
work. Meanwhile the first party hat
reached another entrance to the min'
in safety and sent word over TIT
mountain announcing that fact.
All this time the work OF bratt cir!
the zine, necessary for carrying OF
the work OF rescue, was being er: c
lively carried on. Some confusion
vas caused In the determir alton G
the exact number Of men entCmbot
by the fact that when the explosion
occurred the Exchange OF shifts wa
In progress, added to which WAS th
fact that O. number OF the men es
oapod from the Rug Fork entrance.
The scenes around the mine wcr
pitiful. Relatives and friends gatn
cred In groups at the entrances an
elsewhere awaiting tiding OF the VIC
Tins gave vent to their grief as tn
bodies one by one were brought out
The authorities anticipated th
fearful extent Of the caueualitles b
orderirg carloads Of CT fins and bul
ial supplies.
Mystery ofA Kidnspper.
A dienatch 1rnn New Work gay