Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08
rs BODIES,
ALL MANGLED,
RECOVERED
HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ARE.
DESTITUTE
NONE OF ENToMRED MEN ALIVE
is FEAR
Rescuing Party Seeking to Penetrate
Shafts Overcome by Deadly Black
Damp and Some May Not
Recover

BY Associated Press.
MoNoNGAH, w. Va. Dec. 7.-At 0
O'Clock tonight a total of twenty-five
bodies had been recovered from the mines
of the Fairmont Coal company. Scores
of other victims were in sight of the les
cuers, and it was estimated that at least
100 dead will be brought to the surface
before daylight tomorrow.
Late today and tonight the deadly black
damp became more pronounced as the
further recesses of the mines were APP
preached. 1t was stated tonight by Cen
eral Manager Leo l.. Malone that 4IS
actual miners were checked off as enter
ing the mines yesterday morning.
This number, it was further stated, did
not include fully 100 trappers mule driv-
ers, bumpers and boys who are not un-
der the check system. Should these fig
ures be correct the death list viii, be over
$50 persons
The condition of the bodies thus far
| recovered is horrible. Many are dismem
bered, some are fearfully crushed, and
the rest are blackened and burned beyond
recognition.
Rescuers Near Death
A score or more of men of the rescuing
| parties are in critical condition tonight
from inhaling black damp. Several Of
| them are not expected to live.
| Up to late today many entertained high
hopes that some of the entombed men
would be taken from the mines alive. As
the bodies recovered today, however. were
brought to the surface horribly manged
| all hope was dispelled.
| 1t is estimated that 250 families are dc
| titute. In many places relief funds ha :
| already been started for the widows and
orphans. The accident, the greatest in
the history of American mining, has dazed
| the people.
| Tonieht the streets Of both this TOWN
| and Fairmont are crowded with people,
| while thousands line the hills in the vicin-
| ity of the mines. Every barroom in Fair
mont and Monongah is closed Through
| out the territory over sixty mines have
| suspended operations temporarily and
about 5000 miners are visiting here and N
| Fairmont
! With unabated energy five rescn.ng
parties worked from every possible point
to enter and explore the mines.
Heartrendine Scenes
With the dawn of day there began a
heartrending march up and down the
aisles along which these bodies have
been laid, by sobbing wives and moth
ers and sweethearts, orphaned children
and strong men, each seeking near rel
ative or beloved friend.
| There are between 5000 and 5000 inhab-
itants in the mining town of Monongah,
and it is doubtful that if in this entire
population there are a score of persons.
who have not either a near relative or a
close friend numbered among the vic
Tins of the disaster.
| The people of the town are stunned by
the catastrophe. They had long regarded
these mines as practically immune from
the dangers so common to the coal min
| ing industry.
| The plant of the company was provided
with every device for the protection of
| life and the equipment was considered
the most modern and complete outfit used
| in the production of bituminous coal.
| Last night hundreds of men stood about
| the entrance of the two mines They said
nothing, but when approached and asked
a question they would give way to their
emotions and often give way, to tears.
During the night few women were to be
seen, but all day yesterday the women
were the chief actors in most pathetic
and heartrending scenes. They crowded
the sides of the hills overlooking the ILL
fated mines and cried aloud AS the day
advanced they became almost crazed
through grief and suspense
| One woman pulled out her hair, hand
fuls at a time; another tore all the
skin from both of her cheeks with her
finger nails. Some lay down on the fro-
zen ground and cried themselves to sleep.
In this condition many were carried to
their homes nearby without awaking
The rescuing parties penetrated mine
No about $500 feet before they came
upon the first of the dead A majority of
the corpses will be found about milo
farther back.
| 1t is hardly possible that all the bodies
will be recovered for several days. The
men were working in a territory one mile
square. 1t will be days before a thorough
search of all of this area can be made.
AS the searching parties advance they
must clear away the debris. The explo-
sion wrecked over GOO mine cars. and
these choke the entrance on all sides.
Roof Not Wrecked
peculiar and remarkable feature IS
that Notwithstanding the force of the ex-
plosion very little of the mine roof was
wrecked BY those who witnessed it the
explosion was likened to the discharge of
a cannon.
Every movable object shot with terrific
force through the mine. At the entrance
Of mine No. a concrete powder house
was completely demolished. piece Of
concrete weighing fully 1000 pounds was
blown clear across the West Fork river.
landing on the side of hill.
In radius of half mile not another
riece of concrete can be found. Great
holes were torn in the hill on either side
of the entrance of No. mine. Mine cars
were crushed as though made Of paper
and huge steel tipple was blown apart.
On all sides electric light wires were
thrown to the ground and many persons
narrowly escaped death from these In the
rush for the mine following the explosion.
The Fairmont and Clarksburg Traction
company's cars passed within ten yards
of the mine entrance and large car
crowded with passengers narrowly es-
capped being blown into the West Fork
river. All the. passengers were stunned