Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-21
jacobs Greek Rescuers
Find 0nIy'Dead Bodies
Remains Distorted, Dismem-
bered, DisiguTed and Mang|ed.
Foreign Miners Who Escaped Death
Celebrating by Carousing.

Jacobs Greek, Pa, Dec. 20.-Of the
200 or more miners, who We're made
prisoners in the Darr mine Of the Pitts
burg Coal Company, by terrific eX-
plosion at noon yesterday, the bodies
OF 30 this morning lie in the main en-
try where they were laid during the
night by the brave rescuers, until they
can be brought to the surface. Some
of the bodies are dismembered and
mangled and all are distorted by the
agonies of violent death and disfgured
and begrimed by the conclusion ara
the smoke and dust Of the explosion.
Faint though it is, hope is cherish
ed by rcscuerS and grietinS friends ans
relatives that some Of the men mag
have survived the explosion and arr
awaiting release far back i'll th. mine.
For this reason. the reScuers did not
take time to bring ont the bodies a;
they were found. but continually press
ed forward. their only aim Icing Ia
rs quickly as possible open Il pass e
to and explore every section of the
mine.
Beginning this morning, the bodies
located during the night will Oe brought
out as rapidly as possible, while tic
search continues.
The foreign miners who escaped the
disaster made night hideous in the lit
lie village They had suspended work
because of the holiday and most of
Them followed their usual holiday Gus
tom of drinking to excess. Many were
intoxicated before the catastrophe and
afterwards they put themselves in
worse condition, some drinking in cele-
hratiOn of their escape and others
drinking to drown grief over the death
OF relative or friend. All night long
there was carousing and disorder. at
times bordering closely upon rioting
and by many, conditions this morning
are regarded as Ominous. The calling
10 the mine of n troop of the state con-
stabuary rs well as steps to stop the
further sale of intoxicating liquors. are
being seriously considered.
The PittSburg Coal Co. has arranged
10 provide Il Christian burial for Ill of
the victims and will bear all expenses
connected with the funerals A large
number of collins were ordered from
Prtsburg last night and arrived early
today. The blacksmith shop Of the
mina has been converted into tenn
pnrary morguc and undertakers are be-
ing brought here from surrounding
towns 10 promptly care for the bodies
as they are brought out.
There were not many peopl" around
the entrance to the mine last night, |
the efforts Of the company officials To
keep women and children in their
homes. the foreigners behaving more
like a i0ilificatiOn crowd than grieving,
distress N relatives of the victims of
an awful calamity. the difficulty in
reaching the place and the bitter cold. |
all combined TO keep The people away. |
and rObhing this disaster Of the usual !
scenes of anguish and suffering.
It is believed that n majority of the |
victims are Americans. Such of the
Foreigners as belong 10 the Greek |
Catholic church. did not go to work !
yesterday morning, that they might |
celebrate ST. Nicholas day, an important |
holiday in their church calendar.
This and other like towns of the re-
gion have been overwhelmed by the
upon hearing of the explosion |
the men in all the mines hereabouts |
suspended work and many of them hur- |
leu mere, Illdlly OlltllIlS lIlfll Del lCrS |
as rescuers. Many more are coming |
in this morning, for, az is usual, fol- |
lowing disasters, the miners within a |
wide radius will not resume work for |
several days. Hotel accommodations in |
every town near the mine We're quickly !
by company officials aud 9TH |
ers having duties here and private !
homes are being besieged with requests |
for meals and other accommodations.
The rescuerS report the interior of the |
mine badly damaged. As they advance |
they are compelled to rebuild much OF |
the bracing that was blown out and a |
great of hratticinc is necessary to make |
possible the ventilation Of the remote /
sections. There Is shortage OF man, |
of the supplies needed for such Condi- |
tons and the work Of rescue will Of |
necessity progress slowly. The distance |
from the mouth Of the mine to the
most remote sections is said To be about !
three miles, and it is thought many OF |
the bodies will be found near the end
If the workings
Nothing definite as to the number Of |
men in the mine has vet been learned
Under the system IF the company. there
seems to hn no complete record of all |
the mine to work. The miner
is assigned a room and given a check.
bur he may take in one or more as
SistantS Of whom no record is; made.
w r. Woodford. vice president OF the
said early today that he did
not believe there were over la men en-
tombed. He said he and his fellow Of
iicials felt that there was scarcely a
possibility of any of the men still being
alive but on the remote chance that
some may have survived the greatest
possible volume of air is being forced
into the mine and the openings being
made as fast as possible. Mr. Wood
ford believes the explosion was due to
gas.