The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-07
ONE THOUSAND MEN
ENTERED THE MINE
Only Thread of Hope Held
That Any Will Be Rescued
From the He'll.
HUNDRED BODIES FOUND.
IT HAS BEEN DEFINITELY DETER.
MINED THAT BLACK DAMP WAS
THE CAUSE OF THE AWFUL
CATASTROPHE.

Monongah, w. Va, Dec. AT ten
o'clock today. a total of one hundred
bodies had been found in Monongaheia
mines. These will be removed to
morgues at once. Four hundred coffins
have been ordered by the Fairmount
coal company. All be used sooner or
later, as it may be weeks before all
victims of the explosion are recovered.
sThere is no question whatever but
that four hundred, possibly more, are
dead, said Superintendent Malone this
morning. Fifty physicians and doz-
en- undertakers are at the mines.
Details Lacking.
The living men are unable to give
any detailed report of the disaster or
TO even explain how they reached the
surface. They state that Immediately
back of them when they began their
frantic struggle for liberty there were
Il large number of men engaged in a
similar struggle, while still farther
back in the workings there was large
number of whom they knew nothing.
1t is the opinion of the mine officials
and others familiar with mining that
these men had not penetrated the mine
as far as had the majority of the day
shift. when the explosion occurred
and that they headed for and reached
the main entrance before the heavy
cavein that now blockades the entrance
several hundred feet beyond the main
opening of mine No. &.
ho mi, to I hN
rescued men as having been alive when
last seen it is believed that they were
caught back of the heavy cavein of
coal and mine roof and that they
could not have survived more than a
few minutes in the deadly gases with
which the entry filled as soon as the
yentilating system was Interrupted.
Slender Cord of Hope.
There is more hope for those in more
remote sections of the mine. as they
may have reached workings where
fresh air is supplied by other openings.
But at best only the most slender hope
is entertained for the survival of any
one of the men in the mine until the
debris can be cleared away and com
munication with the outside re-estab-
lished
The two mines regularly employ
1000 men, working in two shifts, SOC
during the day and 500 during the
night, and the best information OBJ
tainable at this time is that the entire
day force had gone to work and that
they were caught 1t was shortly after
10 O'Clock when the explosion occurred
and at that hour even the latest of the
struggling force is customarily at work
according to mine officials.
Beyond these figures the company
officials do not attempt to give esti
mates. The general opinion in the
town is that the number of dead and
imprisoned will reach 500. A few
persons believe this number will be
exceeded, claiming that more than halt
of the total force worked during the
day, while on the other hand some
think the number will be smaller. The
most conservative estimate places the
number Of victims at 800 or more.
Cause of Explosion.
There is much speculation as to the
cause Of the explosion. but the mos
generally accepted theory is that it re
suited from black damp, scientifically
known as methane. 1t is believed tha
a miner attempted to set off a blast
which blew out and ignited an accumu
lation of this deadly gas, and this il
turn ignited the coal dust. highly in
fammable substance found in create
or less quantity in all West Virgini;
mines.
The explosion affected both mines
and so far as known il has not beel
established in which mine it original
ed. Evidencing the terrific force o
the concussion, props in the entry o
No. 6 mine. supporting the roof, wer
not only shattered and torn from the
position, but were blown out of the en-
try and to the opposite side of the riv
er. Other evidence of the awful fore
is shown in every section Of the mine
that has been reached by the rescuers
Huge quantities of coal and rock hav
been loosened and hurled into ever.
opening, and all of the underground
structure is wrecked beyond semblanc
OF its original shape.
The entry of No. 8 mine, 800 fee
fxom the mouth, is piled high wit!
Wreckage Of two strings Of cars an,