The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-12-27
GAS EXPLOSION IN
Mine ENTOMBS ESQ
TERRIBLE DISASTER OCCURS IN
THE DARR SHAFT AT JACOBS
CREEK, PA.
Men Probably All Dead-Number of
Fatalities Comparatively Small Be-
cause Many Miners Were CeIe-
brating Festival at Greek Church.


Pittsburg Coal company, located here,
Thursday, entombed between 200 and
ESQ miners, and there is scarcely ray
of hope that single one of them
will be taken from the mines alive.
Partially wrecked buildings in the vi
cinity of the mine and the condition
of the few bodies found early in the
rescue work indicate an explosion of
such terrific force that it seems i'm
possible that any one could have sur
vived it.
All of the Ii bodies taken out up
to this time are terribly mutilated and
three of them are headless.
This is the third mine disaster since
the first of the month in the veins of
bituminous coal underlying western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia, for
the Naomi mine near Fayette City
and the two mines at Monongah, w.
Va, in which the earlier explosion
happened are in the same belt as the
local workings. Thursdays catas-
trophe swells the number of victims
of deadly mine gas for the 10 days to
between $50 and 900.
Many Miners Were at Church.
That this disaster does not equal or
even surpass in loss of life and attend
ant horrors the one in West Virginia
is due to the devotion to church duties
of a considerable. number of the
miners. In observance of a church
festival many of the 400 or more men
regularly employed at the mine did
not go to work Thursday morning.
Those who escaped through this rea-
son are members of the Greek Catho-
lie church and they suspended work
to celebrate ST. Nicholas day.
AS was the case at Monongah, the
explosion followed short shutdown,
the Darr mine having been closed
Tuesday and Wednesday. 1t was just
1880 o'clock when the tenth trip of
loaded cars had been brought out to
the tipple and there came an awful
rumbling sound, followed Immediately
by loud report and a concussion
that shook nearby buildings and was
felt within radius of several miles.
At the same time there came out of
the mouth of the mine an immense
cloud of smoke and dust that floated
across the Youghiogheny river.
Crowd Rushes to Mine.
Every one in the vicinity knew what
had happened and all started for the
river separates the mine and the
houses of many of the miners, so that
only a portion of those who started
fer the scene were able to reach it,
there being scant facilities for cross
ing the stream. To those who could
not cross the water, the smoke and
dust pouring from the mines mouth
told story of sething flames back in
the workings, and from this source
came reports that were persistent
until late in the day that the mine
was burning.
The ventilating fans were kept in
operation almost without interruption,
however, the power plant having with
stood the force of the explosion, and
up to this time the rescuers have
found no fire in the mine.
One Man Escapes.
AS far as known, only one man who
went to work Thursday morning es-
capped. Joseph Mapleton, pumper,
emerged from one of the side entries
shortly after the explosion. He had
left the part of the mine where most
of the men were working and was on
the way to the engine room for OIL
81 was in entry 81" said he, when
l heard an awful rumbling. l started
towards the entry, but the next in
slant l was blinded and for little
time l didn't know anything. Then
l got to the side entry and worked my
way out"
Mapleton was somewhat cut and
bruised, but after going home and hav-
ing his injuries dressed he returned
in the mine and joined the rescuing
parties.
May Be 800 Dead.
Jacobs Creek, Pa, Dec 23.-From
the canvass made by various persons
it Is believed the total list of dead
in the Darr mine disaster here will
number close to 300.
No additional bodies had been re-
covered up to noon Saturday, the total
number thus far found being IL.
Rescue work is necessarily slow
Rescuers have penetrated the mine
5000 feet, but majority of the dead
are expected to be found a distance
of three miles back in the pit. OF the
bodies so far recovered all are badly
multilated. One body was literally torn
to pieces by the force of the explo-
sion.
The Pittsburg Coal company pur-
chased a burial ground at Smithton,
about a mile below here. for the
purpose of interring unidentified dead.
Funerals of the men recovered took
place Saturday afternoon.
Gentry Family Again Owns Show.