New-York tribune., 1907-12-20
EXPLOSION ENT0MBS
MANY MINERS.
MOTHER DISASTER IN
SOFT COAL REGION.
I;7,es of Bctsceen 200 and 25O Men
Probably Lost, Making Nearly
600 Killed This Month.
SOME GREAT MINE DISASTERS.

Jacobs Creek Penn, Dec. 19-An explosion
Of gas to-day in the Darr mine OF the Pitts
burg Coal Company. located here, about
forty miles from Pittsburg. entombed be-
tween two hundred and two hundred and fifty
miners and there is scarcely a ray of hope that
single one OF them will be taken from the
mine alive Partly wrecked buildings in the
vicinity of the mine and the condition OF the
few bodies found early in the rescue work indi-
ca+e IN explosion of such terrific force that 1t
seen,s impossible that any could have sur
xiz,ed it. All of the thirteen bodies taken out
I'm IA this time are terribly mutilated and three
of them are headless.
This is the third mine disaster since the first
- -b. month in the veins OF biturninous 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 explosions happened are
in the same belt as the local workings To-Day
cs+astrophe probably swels the number OF VIC
deadly mine gas for the nineteen days OF
.,, .or,.b 70 betueen five hundred and fifty
and six hundred
ru1rRcH FESTIVAL SAVED LIVES.
Tho. -o-6av,s disaster does not equal or even
srrpass in loss of life and attendant horrors 'he
o,. :, West Virginia. where 3s2 lives were ioSt'
a, q, ,he devotion to church duties of a con-
siderable number Of the miners In OBSERVANCE
o- the church festival many or the 1our iiui-
dred or more men regularly employed a' 'ii'
mine did net go to work this morning iH0'0
r-ho thus escaped members OF the 1feeA
.-,.,o,,c Church. and they suspended work TO
celebrate ST. Nicholas Day
.s WAS the case at Monongah, the eApiosio"
<.,,o,,ed q brief shutdown, the Darr mine nav
ing been closed on Tuesday and ~ednesuaS-
NAG ,us, 11:3o o'clock, when the ten'h mp u
loaded cars had been brought out 10 the 'ipp'e
,.b.n there came an awful runbhng souhu' ioi-
,.o5 ;ron,ediately by loud report and coh-
.,o, that shook nearby buildings and was
-. x,,4bin q radius Of several miles. Al INT
s.r,e time there came out Of the mouth VI 'i-0
,,,,re an immense cloud of smoke ana ous'' ''i0'
eo.,ed across the Youghiogheny hiNer-
CIT OFF BY THE RIVER
r,+,i,ively every one in the vicinity kne" "iia'
Rad banpened and all started for tle o''e f-
-. month of the mine The river separates
,,;,e and the homes of many OF the iiii"'-'
that only a portion OF those who STARE io-
xocne we're able to reach 1t, there pei'o
facilities for crossing the stream 10 'iio' -.
could not cross the water the sliio>0 a. !.
nourine from the mines mouth toid 81
,oethinp flames back in the "orkihss' anu 80.
81 800 came reports that were persistent
he MINI
The vent.lating fans We're kept IN otei
s,.or, -airbo,,t interruption. however. the poWei
,,snt having withstood the force OF 're eNp'', ,
e,o, and I'D TO this time the rescuers nave ioui
m fire In the mine AS far as known Only 'ho
man who went to work this morning eSN"P
yoseph Napleton, a pumper. emerged from oiio
af The side entries shortly after the eXpiosioi.
1ya had left the part OF the mine where most Vi
the men were working ana Was VI" ms '
the engine room for Oil
81 was near Entry 21, said he, when mean u
On arfur rr,mbling 1 started toward the entry.
n,t tba next instant / was blinded and for a
little time did not know anything Then got
70 the side entry and worked my way out
Manleton was somewhat cut and bruised, but
after going home and having his injuries dressed
he returned TO the mine and Joined the rescuing
kASues.
REsCUING PARTIES ORGANIZED
William Kelvington, superintendent Of the
mine was not IN the mine when the explosion
occurred and he quickly organized rescuins
parties starting one force of twenty-five men.
with reljefs at short intervals in the main
entry and a similar force at side entry 1t Is
hoped to reach the greater part or the Vlcuhis
through the latter. So far, little trouble has
teen encountered on account of gas or lack OF
air bv the resc,,ers While the officials and the
rescuers have only the faintest hope that any
OF the men may be living ali work Is berg
carried on upon the theory that some may nave
found places Of safety, and every point OF 'he
workings will be explored at the earliest possihie
moment
The main office of the company Is in fitts-
burg. and Immediately upon receipt Oh news oi
the EXPLOSION the officers hurried TO the n1he
nnd are leading and directing the rescue work.
Among the officers on the scene are j. M Arm
strong manager of the Pittsburg office; Leo
Giuck assistant TO The president; John b.
Byers livestock manager; II. o. Randolph as
sistant to the general manager, and Benjamin
Faradas, inspector.
About fifteen hundred fee: from the mouth OF
The mine a heavy fall of roof was encountered
BY the rescuers 1t is believed that most of the
viii be found nearly mile and q half be-
Continued fourth page.