The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-10
Attrib ut ess Il To
Pocket Of Gas

tam i 10, We cannot accosnt for the
pcsident, but q INSTRUMENTATION viii
be made and while OF course that con
not help the sticken families. we want
1T done, and We, as company. will
look after the wants Of tho bereayed
ones and see that the Victims are nll
buried respectfully. The cause OF the
disaster we cannot account for, but IT
pfobablr resulted from a blown out
shot ignlting a pocket Of gss. This
has been the eause in many other mine
disasters
Rogers Good Fortune.
A strange fortune has favored the
life Of James Rogers. a pit boss In
mine No. at the Mononeah mine.
FOR some unknown reason Rogers did
not so to work on Friday morning and
so escaped q cruel death in the mines.
Rogers was n pit boss at Newbnrg.
where an explosion killed thirty:nine
in 1SSG. He has figured in number
of minor accidents and has each time
escaped unscathed. Rogers was u
member Of the crew that met death -at
Newburg. but 1t Just happened that
he did not go 10 work on the morning
Of that disaster. In both cases he has
had a peculiar streak OF luck as his
work in the mines as oyerseer Of a
gang Keeps him at his post of duty
regularly.
Rogers is about flfty.hve years CT
nge and has large family. He moved
away from Newburg shortly after the
disaster there and has been working
In the Falrmont district nearly ever
since. He has worked in the mines
nearly alt his life. Though all at Mo
uonsah are bowed down with grief
over the awful disaster. tho Rogers
fam ly are deeply grateful for the spar.
iig Of their husband and a father.
The crowds have to be held bacl;
as ;nc bodies are brought to the sur.
face. Invariably there is a rush to
see the features of the unfortunate
ones. and often the face of husband,
brother. son or sweetheart Is recog.
nized, and the spectacle is heartreuI
ing.
While the people through the whole
legion are In a state OF exeitemea,
and grief with business OF most every
kind at a standstill, the awful situation
Of the afflicted families is dawnInl
upon them in such way that the!
feel that they must be brave and turr
their minds and attention TO those
In need. What Is to become OF thu
widows and helpless children Is nov
grave question. In some families
every support has been taken. In ont
family husband, son. son.in-law ant
brother were claimed, leaving seyera
slcl; and helpless ones to the mercy Of
the world.
Pathetic Stories
Many pathetic stories. come frcn
those who have been at. the scene Of
the disaster, partlcularlysfFom the for
eigners. who cannot IN words give vent
to their feelings, but in actions canno,
be controlled. One poor Polish wo
nan. whose husband. the only relative
she had in this country. was entombed
in the mine and brought out last night
rushed frantically into the opening
and tt required several men to hold
her.
In the shock OF the explosion tbs
school house at Monongah was shaken
In such a way that 1t threw the chill
dren in frenzy and they rushed tc
the doors and windows. some thinking
aa earthquake had occurred. When
The smoke from the mines was seen an
nproarwa started as it was then real.
lied what had happened. Children
screamed pltifully that their fathers
were killed, aud the teachers were ut
terly unable to control them.
The town OF MoaoRgah and the
mines in that community has alwoys