The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-10

the improyised morgue near the en-
trance OF the mine five men lowering
bxween life and death from the awful
bruises sustained and the deadly gas
es inhaled. 10 a temporary hospital IN
one of the company buildings, and
$50 men Imprisoned by tons OF coal,
rock and mine debris in the depth OF
the hills surrounding this mining
town, with the chances all against n
single one OF them being alive is the
most accurate summary obtainable to-
night OF the result of a mine eXplo-
sion today which in all probability
was attended by greater loss OF lief
than any former disaster in the his
tory OF the bituinous tdal minins'
industry in America
The explosion occurred shortly after
ten o'clock today after the full force
OF five hundred men had gone TO work
in the two mines affected. These
mines are numbers and OF the con-
solidated Coal Company. located on
opposite sides OF the West Fork river.
at this place, but merged in their un-
derground workings by a heading on
the surface by great steel tipple and
bridge.
The finding of the six corpses and
the four badly injured men is the only
reward for strenuous and uninter-
rupted work on the part of large res
cuing forces that Immediately set 10
work at every possible point
The five living men are unable TO
give any detailed report of the disast-
IL or even to explain how they reach
ed the surface. They state that i'm
mediately back of them, when they be-
gan thir frantic struggle for liberty.
there was a large unmber of men en-
gagged in similar struggle, while still
further back in the workings there
was a large number, of whom they
knew nothing.
1t is the opinion of the mine Of
ficials and others familiar with min
ing that these eleven men had not
penetrated the mine as far as had
the majority of the day shift when
the explosion occurred and that they
headed for and reached the main en-
try before the heavy cave-in that now
blockades the entrance more than a
few hundred feet beyond the main
opening of mine No. 8.
AS to the miners referred to by tho
rescued men as having been alive
when last seen. it is believed that they
were caught back of a heavy cave-in
of coal and mine roof, and that they
could not have survived more than a
few minutes In the deadly gases with
which the entry filled as soon as the
ventilating system was interrupted.
There is more hope for those in re-
mote sections of the mine, as they
may have reached workings where
fresh air Is supplied by other open
ings. But at best, only the most slend-
er hope is entertained for the survival
Of any one Of the men in the mina
until the debris can be cleared away
and communication with the outsiy6
re-estabished.
The two mines regularly employ
1000 men working in two shifts. 500
during the day and 500 during the
night, and the best information OBJ
tainable at this time is that the en-
tire force had gone to word and there
is reason to believe that all were
caught. 1t was shortly after 10 o'clock
this morning when the explosion oc-
CURED and at that hour even the
latest of the struggling force is GUS
tomarily at work, according TO mine
officials. Beyond these figures the
company officials do not attempt to
give estimates. The general opinion
in the town is that the number of
dead and imprisoned will reach 500
A few persons believe that number
will be exceeded claiming that more
than half of the total force worked
during the day, while on the other
hand some think the number will be
smaller. The most conservative esti-
mate places the number OF victims
at 300 or more.
Fairmont, Dec. 6-At II o'clock to-
night the list Of employees of mines
number 6 and at Monongah had
been checked off showing that $50
were in the two mines when the ex-
plosion occurred OF these six have
been brought to the surface dead and
five escaped through air shafts. The
latter five are in the miners hospital
here with serious injuries. ~
Neither entry has been opened to
the real workings and the indications
are that a majority, If not all caught
in the mine are dead.
1t is reported here that the mine
officers have ordered $50 collins ship
ped to Monongah as soon as possible.
Clarence w. Watson, OF Baltimore,
president Of the mining company was
at Parkersburg, w. Va, when the ex-
plosion occurred and chartered a spe-