The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-12
Most Horrible Tragedy
in History ofCoaZMb1i,1g
Hundreds Of Lives Lost Friday Morning Caused BY the
Explosion Of Gas in Monongab Mines---Story
Of be Carnage Wrought and Scenes
Depicted BY Leo J. Rascbe

cars are kept at No. 6 Il. was also
turned into a temporary 1orgue and
there great crowd was assembled in
order to identify the dead.
Your correspondent was able, after
obtaining permission from Mr. Hall,
the gentleman in charge of the work at
No. 6, to penetrate about 500 feet into
the mine but was unable to withstand
the poisonous fumes and was compelled
to return. Several of the miners also,
who We're too hasty in the work of the
rescue, were almost overcome. The
progress into the interior of the mine
was very slow on account of the fact
that brattices had to be constantly built
as the men worked their way in SO that
the air would keep in circulation in
order to drive away the "black damp"
or latter damp" as it is called by the
miners.
In conversation with Martin Cole,
assistant boss of drivers in No. 8 mine
he stated that not less than 425 men
were killed and that out of his own
force he had but three left. On ac-
count of very fortunate sickness he
was not in the mines.
The bodies of John Hartman, Lonny
Hinerman and Fred Cooper were carri-
ed out Of No. 6mine last night, having
| been in the mine since morning where
they We're kept in order to suppress the
anxiety of the people.
The capacity of the fans was excel
lent and the mines were supposed to be
the best equipped in the state. The
capacity of No 6 was 200, 900 feet Of
air per minute and that of No. g was
$40, 900 per minute.
The air fans at No. mine were got
/ in running order at a little after
O'Clock last night and few minutes
after the bodies of Howard Preston, a
negro and four Italians were brought
out through a toad hole a place
where the coal is worked out near the
surface Of the mine. When found they
were all lying face downward, showing
that they had been suffocated and had
fallen in this manner to protest them
selves from the poisonous BLACK
damp" They were found about one
mile from the mouth Of the mine and
there was about two feet of dust at
that point.
/ No. 8 mine caught fire at 800 O'Clock
this morning and the flames ragged
fiercely for a time, but were soon gotten
under control. Hose companies. No.
and hurried to the mine and. after a
time were able to extinguish the fire
which threatened the cremation of the
dead miners within.
From 300 O'Clock on there were no
developments of any great Importance,
more than the occasional fainting of
the relief men.
The wreckage at the mouth of No 8
mine is simply indescribable and it is
impossible to estimate the great force
| that would be necessary to tear loose
such solid mass of stone. The mass
of earth and stone that was lifted would
be about 40 feet deep and it was torn
away for a space of about an equal
number of yards and blown. to atoms,
leaving nothing but jagged gap.
The two mines are about.one mile
apart and trolley car ran constantly
from one to another throughout the
night carrying hot coffee and sand
wiches for the refreshment of the re-
| lief corps.
Almost all the business houses of
Monongah were closed Immediately
following the disaster and funeral
pail seemed to have settled over the
town. 1t was gruesome sight to see
the great number of teamsxengaged in
hauling the cots on which rested the
corpses which were in all sorts of
shapes. There were also a large num-
Der of teams which were constantly
going back and forth hauling collins
and rough boxes.
The citizens of Monongah are gener-
Gus hearted and extremely hospitable
people and are very courteous to the
stranger under the trying circumstances
to which they have been so called upon
to undergo. While the men are en-
tombed and they are not called upon to
look upon so many dead, they scarcely
appear to realize the intensity of the
catastrophe, excepting the foreign
women, who walled piteously whenever