The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-10
West Virginia Mine Com
pany Issues Statement
Placing 1t at 200.
WOMEN WAIT AT
MOUTH OF SHAFT
Some Pathetic Scenes as Mangled
Bodies Are Brought to tile
Surface in Slow Work OF
Rescuc-Firc in the
Shaft Is Extin-
guishcd.

MONONGAII. w. VA, December o.
Wien darkness came tonight a total
Of sixty-slx bodies had been brought
from tho two wrecked mines at Mon
ongah. Rescue work, while slow, was
progressing smoothly and as rapidly
as due precaution for the rcscuers
would permit. IT is believed that close
on to- hundred OF tile dead will have
been recovered by daylight tomorrow.
The fire. which caused uspension of
rescue work yesterday and early To-
day In mine No. S, was eNtinsuishcd, 1t
y stated. at noon to-day Scenes of
touching sadness were caused through
out the day by the burial of the recov-
cred dead. and the pitlful actions of
relatives Of the entombed victims.
May Bc Fewer Victims.
The company issued a statement to-
d. In which the claim liz made that
iatcr developments lead the officials
to believe there were only $50 in the
mine when the explosion occurred.
The statement, however. is believed
10 be purely conjecture, and no one
who Is familiar with conditions here
taxes 1t seriously It is insisted ly
miners of the vicinity that 400 men
We're checked off as entering the two
mineYs last Friday morning. and, in
ADDITION to that number. there were
many having duties In the mines who
are not under the check system.
Several times during the day Gov
ernmeht Expert Hall and Chief Min,
Inspector Paul, of West Virginia. made
examinations of both mines. They are
not ready to issue any statement al
this time. Tha, new legislation ar.
r,,ft, fr,rr fn.J,
virginia will be passed ut an extra
session of the Legislature is the
opinion of Lieutenent-G Governor Joseph
McDermott. expressed to the Associ-
ated Press to-day.
i. oysE s2sseqo vas addsd 70 the reIisf
rurfag ffis- dstt 81 J. ( he Reporters
"a second explosion occurred In the
mines to-day was unfounded.
Scenes of Sadness.
The fourth day was repetition OF
Its three predecessors in the matter Of
pathe.lc scenes. Hundreds OF women
remained near the mines all day.
screaming and crying until they al.
most collapsed. As on former days,
the company to Keep the unfortunate
women from falling to the ground
from exhaustion. Probably q dozen fu-
nerals were held to-day, and most
distressing scenes were witnessed. A
pathetic Incident OF the day occurred
at mine No. 6,
n foreign woman. whose husband
had been killed, stood nenr the mint
all day with llalf-dozen carnations
in her hand. The little floral tribute
was wrapped with white ribbons
Shortly after noon her husbands body
was recovered in such condition that
burial was necessary at once She
followed the wagon to the temporary
morgue. where the body was placed in
a box. and then to the cemetery near
by. Within an hour the entire cere-
mony was at an end.
FAIRMONT, w. VA. December a.--11
p. M-Twelve bodies have been taken
from the mines tonight, bringing the
total number rescued up to tonight
to seventy eight Conditions round
about the mines to-nlght are worse
than at any time since the explosion.
They are so bad. in fact, that the
crowds have dispersed, and only a few
stragglers are now keeping the grew
some vigil. Atilder Temperature to-day
resulted in thnw which converted
the soil near the entries into a sticky,
dirty mortar. and soon after darkness
fell rain setsin and has been almost
incessant ever since. The mud is now
almost knee-deep in places,