Smyrna times., 1907-12-11
4OO CAUGHT
IN EXPLOSION
Awful Disaster in Mine at
MOnOngah, ". Va.
HUNDREDS ARE DEAD
Believed to Have Been SmOthered
By Deadly Gases.
RESCUERS RECOVERING THE BODIES

Relatives of Entombed Men Rush
From Place to Place Vainly Seeking
Information-Tor and MangIed
Bodies Found.
Monongah, w. Va, Dec. THAT
not less than 400 miners were killed
by an explosion of black damp in
mines Nos and of the Consolidated
Coal company, of Baltimore. at this
place, is now conceded by those who
take the most hopeful and most con-
servative view of the disaster.
Only 90 bodies have been recovered.
Over 100 bodies were ready to be
brought to the surface, when fire
broke out again and the rescue work
was stopped. All the bodies are fear
fully mutilated.
Five rescuing parties, with 10 men
to each party, are working like Tro-
jams at different parts of the two
mines, to the enc that every nook ard
corner of the workings may be reach
ed in the shortest possible time. There
is a large force of experienced miners
for this work, and they are working
in relays with short turns, owing to
the accumulation of gas which pre-
vents the men from remaining long
within the mine.
Five men lowering between life and
death from awful bruises sustained
a Hnod1rr Uac Fi1b Io1f orr in,
temporary hospital
The explosion occurred shortly af-
ter the men had gone to work in the
two mines affected. These mines are
Nos. and of the Consolidation Coal
company, located ON opposite sides
of the West Fork river. at this place,
but merged in their underground
workings by heading and on the
surface by a great steel tipple and
bridge.
There is much speculation as to
the cause of the explosion, but the
most generally accepted theory is
that it resulted from black damp. 1t
is believed that a miner attempted to
set of a blast which blew out and ig-
nited an accumulation of this deadly
gas, and that this in turn ignited the
coal dust, a highly inflammable sub
stance found in greater or less guam
tity in all the West Virginia mines.
Interior of Mines Wrecked.
The explosion affected both mines.
and so far as now known appears to
have done about as much damage in
one as in the other. Evidencing the
terrific force of the concussion, props
in the entry of No. mine, support
ing the roof, we're not only shattered
and torn from their position, but were
blown out of the entry and to thesop-
posite side of the river Other evil
dence of the awful force is shown in
every section of the mines that has
been reached by the rescuers. Huge
quantities of coal and rock have been
lOosened and hurled into every open.
ing, and all of the underground struc
ture is wrecked beyond semblance-oi
its original shape.
Dead Bodies Found.
The entry of No. mine, 300 feet
from the mouth, is piled high with the
wreckage of two strings of cars and
two electric motors Some of the res
cuers have climbed over this and found
dead bodies beyond, but have made nc
attempt to remove these to the sur
face, partly because it would be almost
impossible to carry the bodies over
the debris, but more particularly be-
cause they do not want to lose any
time in reaching other sections of the
mine where it is possible men still liv.
ing may be imprisoned. The cars are
being righted as fast as possible and
removed from the entry, together with
all other Instructions.
All of the headings leading off from
the main entry are being cut off by
canvas and barricaded as fast as they
are reached by the relief workers, 81
that the innermOst workings of thu
mine may be given the benefit of tn,
Yentilating system to sustain any tha
may be yet living and make possible
an early exploration of these work
ings.
Along the hills, far back from tn
main opening of mine No. 8, there ar
number of openings into the mine
and to these hundreds of relatives an,
friends of the entombed men franti
cally rushed in the vain hope that thei
loved ones might find escape througl
these channels or that they might b
more readily reached and released. S
far as known, however, not a singl
man escaped this way, and the would
be rescuers are helpless at these points
for out Of each entry there is pourin
a volume of poisonous gas which n
human being can face for more than
few minutes at time.
The condition Of the bodies thus (;
recovered is horrible. Many are di