Gilpin observer., 1907-12-26
M0RE MINERS
MEET DEATH
ANOTHER PENNSYLVANIA MINE
EXPLOSION KILLS OVER
TWO HUNDRED,
NO HOPE THAT any LIVE
THIRD MINE DISASTER IN THAT
REGION SINCE FIRST OF
THE MONTH.

Jacobs Creek, Pa.-An explosion Of
gas in the Darr mine of the Pittsburg
Coal Company, located here, Thursday
entombed between 200 and $50 miners,
and there is scarcely ray of hope
that single one of them will be taken
from the mines alive. Partially wrecked
buildings in the vicinity of the mine
and the condition of the few bodies
found early in the rescue work indi-
cate an explosion of such terrific force
that it seems impossible that anyone
could have survived it. All Of the
thirteen bodies taken out up to this
time are terribly mutilated, and three
of them are headless.
This Is the third mine disaster since
the first of the month in the veins of
bituminous coal underlying Western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia, for
the Naomi mine near Fayette City and
the two mines at Monongah, w. Va, in
which the earlier explosion happened,
are in the same belt as the local work
ings. Thursdays catastrophe swells
the number of victims of deadly mine
gas for the nineteen days to between
$50 and 600.
That Thursdays disaster does not
equal or even surpass In loss of life
and attendant horrors the one in West
Virginia is due to the devotion to
church duties of considerable num-
ber Of the miners. In observance of
the church festival, many of the 400
or more men regularly employed at
the mine did not go to work this morn
ing. Those who escaped death in the
mines are members of the Greek Cath
olic church, and they suspended work
to celebrate ST. Nicholas day.
AS was the case at Monongah, the
explosion followed a brief shutdown,
the Darr mine having been closed
Tuesday and Wednesday 1t was Just
1880 o'clock when the tenth trip Of
loaded cars had been brought out to
the tipple and there came an awful
rumbling sound, followed Immediately
by loud report and a concussion that
shook nearby buildings and was felt
within radius of several miles. At
the same time there came out of the
mouth of the mine an immense cloud
Of dense smoke and dust that tioated
across the Youghiogheny river.
AS far as known only one man who
went to work Thursday morning es-
capped. Josh Mapleton, pumper.
emerged from one of the side entries
shortly after the explosion. He had
left the part Of the mine where most
of the men were working and was on
the way to the engineroom for oil.
The main office of the company is In
Pittsburg, and Immediately on receipt
of news of the accident the officers
| hurried to the mine and are leading
and directing the rescue work
About 1,500 feet from the mouth OF
the mine heavy fall of roof was en-
countered by the rescuers. 1t is be-
lieved that most of the men will be
found nearly mile and half beyond
this point.
The blacksmith shop has been fitted
up as temporary morgue.
A considerable number of the min.
ers were Americans, some of the OF.
ficers tonight estimating that probably
more than half of the victims are Am
orleans, as the majority of the fore
igners did not work today
The Darr mine is located on the
west side of the Youghiogheny river
in Westmoreland county, along the
line of the Pittsburg & Lake Erie rail-
road, forty miles southeast of Pitts
burg and eighteen miles northwest of
Connellsville. It is one of the largest
of the Pittsburg Coal Company, hav-
ing daily capacity of 1000 tons. and
1t is modern in equipment, including
an electrical plant.