The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-19
Hundreds of Miners Shut Up III
Burning Mine.
Terrific Explosion Closes En-
trance to the Slope.
THEREISLITTLE HOPE
That Any of Those Inside Will
Escape Alive.
Rescuers Are Unable to DO Any
Relief Work.

Connellsville, Pa, Dec. 19.-Four
hundred miners are entombed in the
Darr mines of the Pittsburg Coal
company, at Jacobs creek, on the
Youghoigheny river, 8 miles west OF
here. OF these 400. fully 100 are
Americans, the rest being principally
Hungarians.
terrific explosion shook the
vicinity of the mine at 1880 this
morning and announced to all the sur
rounding community that a great con-
vulsion of some kind had occurred
down under the surface.
Shortly after smoke began to issue
in heavy columns from the mouth or
the mine which is of the slope variety.
The mouth of the mine was wrecked
and this circumstance in connection
with the fire which is thought to be
raging inside prevented eIfectually up
to 1 D. m. any attempt at rescue or the
imprisoned men. The building of the
Federal Supply company, adjacent to
the entrance of the mine was slightly
damaged by the force of the shock,
causing the building to rock and some
of its windows to break.
Among those imprisoned in the
mine are Pit Boss O'Connell and two
fire bosses.
On account of the violence of the
explosion which rent the interior of
the mine and the presence of fire, with
the blocked condition of the mouth of
the slope it is not thought there is
much chance to save the men inside.
Whether they have survived or will
survive is one of the uncertainties of
the present hour. There is no means
yet of doing more than to guess
whether it was gas or coal dust that
exploded.
The scene of the explosion is on the
Pittsburg & Lake Erie railroad side
of the Youghiogheny river. Jacobs
creek on the main line of the Baltf-
more & Ohio railroad. is across the
river. 1t is 40 miles east of Pittsburg
and Is miles west of Connellsville.
Within few minutes after the ex-
pIosion the mouth of the pit was sur
rounded by the relatives and friends
of the entombed men. The scenes
flames issuing from the slope made it
impossible TO enter and the wives and
children were frantic. Every effort is
being made to Subdue the fire, but 1t
was burning so fiercely that no head
way could be made. 1t is stated that
the superintendent of the mine is
among those imprisoned; that he went
into the mine to investigate its condi-
tion and was caught in the explosion.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon no
details had been received at the COM
pany's offices in this city and the ex-
act number of men in the mine at the
time of the accident wa snot known.
1t is said the shifts are not larger than
$50 men. The officials regard the
mine as one of the safest owned by
them and express the belief that the
explosion would not reach all of the
workings in which even many would
be still alive and probably could be
saved.
Mine Was Well Equipped.
Pittsburs, Pa, Dec. 1S.-Word of
the explosion at Darr mine reached
the local offices of the Pittsburg Coal
company, in this city, early this af-
ternoon. The dispatch gave no details
further than that the explosion had
occurred at Darr mine, between
Smithton and Whiffett
The officials of that company stated
that the mine was one of the largest
and was equipped with the most mod
ern APPLIANCES.
The Pittsburg Coal company mines
are on both sides of the Youghio-
gheny river The coal mined in this
field is used for coking purposes. 1t
is a part of the original Connellsville
coke field The mines in this section
are said to contain considerable gas.
The officials express but little hope
men as the mouth of the shaft is filled
with rocks and earth and the passage
ways are said to be badly obstructed
May Be 500.
West Newton Pa, Dec. 19.-Re-
ports of the disaster at the Darr mine
received here are to the effect that
there are nearer 500 men in the mine
than 400
Physicians left here for the scene
shortly after 2 o'clock.