Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-01-31
THREE SCORE
DEAD IN MINE
At Least Sixty, and Probably Eighty
Five, Killed By Explosion
LOSS OF LIFE NEAR FAYETTEVILLE
Dust at Stewart Operation ExplOdes, En-
tOmbing Large Force of WOrkmen-
ReScuers Working HerOically.

Charleston, w. Va, Jan. 29.-There
are at least fifty or sixty persons dead
as result of an explosion in the Stew
art mine near Fayetteville, in Fayette
county, tonight, according to the last
reports received and it is expected that
the number will reach twenty-five
more.
The explosion was caused by dust in
the mine. Every effort is being made
to get to the men who are entombed.
but there is little hope that any of them
are alive.
At the time of the explosion there
were about 200 men in the shaft, and
there is grave apprehension that great
many of them were in the mine when
the explosion occurred. A list of the
dead is now being compiled and will in
clude at least the number mentioned.
Organized effort is being made TO get
to the men in the mine and volunteers
are plentiful The scene about the mine
is pathetic one, men, women and
childrea crying for their dear ones, and
imploring those on the ground to go to
their rescue.
The Stewart mine is a shaft 568 feet
deep. The development is in the Sewall
seam which ranges in thickness from
four to five feet. The mine is located
IN the White Oak Fuel Company's pri-
vate line, connecting with the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad at Carlisle. 1t
is located about four miles from Fay
etteville and seven miles from Thur
mon. The mine has been in operation
for about three years or more, but has
not been fully developed. The work of
development has almost entirely been
done in the double entry system. The
permanent structures, such as head
houses and tipples, have been complet-
ed within the last year. The manager
of the mine is F. F. Dixon. The mine
is owned by the Stewart Colliery Com
pany.
Later advices state that there is no
chance that any of the men will be tax
en- out alive for it is thought that the
terrific force of the explosion snuffed
out their lives instantly. 1t will not be
possible for thes rescuers to reach the
bottom of the shaft for forty-eight
hours.
Many of the men were Americans,
and many of them were married and had
large families. There were a dozen
colored men and fifteen or more foreign
ers.
The rescue work was begun as soon
as the wrecked parts of the shaft house
could be repaired. About two hours
after the explosion, three men were
lowered into the shaft. Before descend
ing 90 feet two of the men were over
come with foul air and the third was
barely able to give The signal to his
comrades at the top. All further at
tempts were abandoned for the time.
Air was supplied to the mine by several
large fans but the mechanism was dam
aged and tfe fans were idle for
about two hours. The fans were then
started again and if the men were not
all killed by the force of the explosion,
1T may be that they will have air enough
to survive until the rescuers reach
them.
Smoke and dust poured into the air
for hundreds of feet from the ventilat-
ing compartment, and it was wrecked.
1t is stated that nearly all the men were
at work in the entries near the bottom
OF the shaft. The mine had been hav-
ing good run, and in consequence most
of the men were at work.
No official announcement of the dis
aster or its cause has as yet been made
by the officers of the company.