The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-30
I COfFINS FOR IS.
Big Order Placed by West Vir-
ginia Company
Whose Mine Was Blown Up by
a Dust Explosion.
NUMBER OF THE DEAD
Or How Many Were Buried Is
Yet Unknown.
Victims Were Working 500
Feet Below the Surface.

Charleston, w. v, Jan. 30.-It was
stated this morning that there were
81 men in the Stuart mine in Fayette
county, where an explosion of dust
occurred yesterday afternoon. 1t is not
believed any of the men will be taken
out alive, the force of the explosion
being so terrific as to wreck the entire
inner workings.
So far the cage in the mine has
been lowered 300 feet, or within 80
feet of the bottom. Repairing will
have to be done before the cage can
be let entirely down. The Stuart Col
liery company has already received 60
collins and has ordered 25 more. 1t is
thought that the mine is on fire but
this can not be determined until later.
The heat and smoke from the shaft is
intense and the men could not be
reached for a day or so even II the
shaft was in working order.
Some May Have Escaped.
Charleston, w. Va, Jan. 30.-Little
additional had been learned here to-
day regarding the dust explosion in
the Stuart mine near Thursmond, w.
Va. in which 80 or more miners are
believed to have lost their lives. The
Stuart mine adjoins the Paral mine, In
which an explosion caused the death
of % men last February, and an at
tempt to connect the workings of the
two mines was under way when the
explosion occurred.
Physicians were hurried to the mine
from this city and from the hospitai
at Hinton but there is little for them
to do until the shaft has been suffi-
GENTLY cleared of gas to permit the
entry of rescuers.
The air pumps are being put in
shape for effective service before an
\ fr1k-@
the mine. There is still some hope that
the entombed miners may have escap-
ed the explosion and still survive in
some OF the inner chambers of the
mine where the air has not yet been
exhausted.
The fact that part of the work was
being done by contract and that new
men had been recently secured by the
contractors. adds to the difficulty of
learning just how many men were in
the mine at the time of the disaster. 1t
was not believed this morning that
rescuers would be able to reach the
bottom of the shaft until late in the
day and some hours must elapse after
that before the fate of the entombed
miners is positively known.
Early Story of the Disaster.
Charleston, w. Va, Jan. 30-With a
detonation heard for miles and hurl-
ing debris hundreds of feet in the air,
dust in the Stuart mine near Mayette-
vile exploded, bringing a terrible death
to 80 or more men who were at work
500 feet below the surface. There is no
chance that any will be taken out alive,
for it is though the terrific force of the
explosion snuffed out their lives in
stantly. 1t will not be possible for
rescuers to reach the bottom of the
shaft for 4S hours.
Most of the men were Americans and
many of them were married and had
large families. There were a dozen or
more colored men and about 20 aliens
among the victims. The rescue work
was begun as soon as the shaft house |
could be repaired.
About two hours after the explosion +!
three men were lowered into the shaft |
in an improvised bucket. Before des- |
cending sixty feet two were overcome |
and the third was barely able to give !
the signal to hoist. Further attempts |
were abandoned.
Air was supplied to the mine by sew
eral large fans, but the mechanism was /
damaged and the fans were idle about |
two hours. The fans have been start
ed again and if the men were not all |
killed it may be that they will have air i
enough to survive until the rescuers
reach them.
The Stuart has only one opening al
though an entry has been driven to
connect with parallel mine a short |
distance away. The shaft has three
two for the cages and
one for air. Smoke and dust poured
into the air shaft for hundreds of feet
from the ventiIating compartments, and
it was wrecked.
1t is stated nearly all the men were
at work in the entries near the bottom
of the shaft
No official announcement of the dis
aster or its cause has yet been made by
the officials of the company. That dust
caused the explosion is stated by per-
sons a the scene, but the investigation |
may prove otherwise. 1t is stated that |
little or no gas has been encountered |
nm auanF ~