The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-24

FEIl Force Had Been at Work.
Jacobs, Greek, Pa, December I9.--
An explosion of gas in the Darr mine
on the P1ttsburg Coal Company, locat-
ed here, today entombed between sOO
and 300 miners and there is scarcely
ray Of hope that a single one OF
them will be taken from the mines
alive Partially whecked buildings in
the vicinity OF the mine and the con-
dition OF the few bodies found early
in the rescue work indicate an explo-
sion of such terrific force that it seems
impossible that any one could have
survived it. All of the thirteen bod
les taken out up TO this time are ter
ribly mutilated and three of them are
headleSS
This Is the third mine disaster since
the first Of the month in the veins of
bituminous 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. Today's catastrophe
swells the number of victims of deadly
mine gas for the month to between
$50 and 600 That today's disaster
does not equal or even surpaSS in
loss of life and attendant horrors the
one in West Virginia, is due to the
70 rh d,Ifi
tain number OF miners. In observ-
ance Of the church festival many Of
the several hundred or more men reg
ularly employed at the mine did not
go to work this morning. Those who
escaped through this reason are men-
bers Of the Greek Catholic church.
and they suspended work to cele-
brate st. Nicholas As was the case
at Monongah, the explosion followed
a brief shut down, the Darr nine
having been closed Tuesday and We'd
nesday. It was 1870 o'clock when
the tenth trip Of loaded cars had been
broubht out to the tipple and there
came a nawful rumbling sound, fol-
lowed Immediately by a loud report
and a concusson that shook nearby
buildings, and was felt within a rad
ius of several miles At the same
time there came out of the mouth
of the mine an immence cloud Of
dence smoke and dust that flOated
across the YOughioogheny river.
Intuitively every one in the vicinity
knew what had happened and all
started for the one place, the mouth of
the mine.
The river separates the mines and
that only portion of those who
started for mine were unable to reach
it, there being scant facilities for
crossing the stream. To those who
could not cross the water, the smoke
and dust pouring in from the mines
mouth told story Of seething flames
back in the working and from this
source came reports that were per
sistent until late In the day that the
mine was burning
The ventillating fans were kept in
operation almost without Interrupt
ton, however, the power plant nav
ing withstood the force Of the explo-
sion and up to this time the rescurers
have found no fire at any place in the
mine. AS far far as known only one
man who went to work this morning
escaped
William Kelvingston, superintend-
ent Of the mine, was not in the mine
when the explosion ocurred and he
quickly organized reecuing parties,
starting one force Of % men with re-
liefs at short intervals in the main
entry and a similar force at the side
entry It is hoped to reach the greater
part OF the victims through the lat
ter so far little trouble has been
encountered on account of gas or lack
OF air by the rescuers.
While these oEc:als and the rescu-
ers have only the faintest hope that
any of the men may be living all work
is being carried on upon the theory
that some may have found places OF
safety and every point of the workings
will be explored.
A considerable number OF the min
ers were Americans, some OF the OFF,
GERS estimating that probably more
than half the victims are Ameri-
cans. as many OF the foreigners did
not work today.
nawitf's Little EarIy Riser Pills