Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-20
DARR mine DISASTER
Thought Now Only About ESQ
Men Were Entombed.
FOREIGNERS GIVE TROUBLE
Drinking and Confusi:n Border on
Rictousness.
SALVAGE WORK IS HAMPERED
Repair Supplies Are Inadequate and
Hard to Get-No Record Of
the Working Force.
GIVE TROUBLE
SALVAGE WORK IS HAMPERE1

Special Dispatch to The Star.
PITTSBURG. December 20.-Rescue par
ties have penetrated over 5000 feet into
the depths OF the explosion-torn Darr
mine OF the Pittsburg Coal Company at
Jacobs Creek, near Conneflsville, In which
about go men were entombed yesterday
but so shattered is the interior from the
force of the explosion that there is little
hope that any OF the miners trapped in
the deeper diggtnss will be found alive.
Less than thirty bodies had been recov-
cred this morning. 1t Is thought now
that the disaster was caused by a fire In
neighborinx mine, the Wick Haven,
which has been burning continuously for
hve weeks. The theory is advanced that
the fire ate its way through the walls Of
coal between the two Mines which are
less than quarter OF Q mile apart.
Work Of Rescue.
The rescue work today is in charge of
Benjamin Faraday. inspector Of mines for
the Pittsburg Coal &c tpany. and George
W. schlouderbers. superintendent. Benja-
min Blower, state mine inspector, Is also
on tho ground. Mr.. 6chlouderbere was at
the Monongah mine Of the Fairnaont Coal
Company. assisting in the work Of rescue
there. when he was notified that a disas-
trous explosion had occurred In one Of thS
mines OF his own company. He at once
ordered special train over the Baltimore
and Ohio and fastened to the scene,
wnere ne arrived within few hours Of
the accident.
There was some disorder reported dur
ing the night in the vicinity Of the mine
and the presence Of the state constahu-
lafy may be necessary to preserve quiet
ana to orevent the homes Of the victims
from being looted. Before dark last niGht
Sne notels were overcrowded, aud nsivate
II 10 said that confidence men and petty
thieves are already in the town.
Mostly Foreigners.
Supplies are arriving slowly, and great
difficulty will be experienced in taking
care of both living and dead unless the
work Is commenced Immediately. More
than IS ger cent Of the employees of the
mine were foreigners. The Darr mines
nave been In operation for nearly twenty
years. ana many of the Engiish.speaklnx
eenpIoyes own snug little homes. Many
FAMILIES have lost two or three members
ana as the community depends largely on
thls mine for its existence, it Is destined
20 suffer greatly. Jacobs Creek proper
nag population Of about 100 the re-
I OF the mine employees living al
' az, Meter. . settlement nearby
Inc foreign miners who escaped the
disaster made night hideous In their
little village. They had suspended wnrk
because Of the holiday. and most OF them
soAowed their usual holiday practice of
drinking to excess
Drink Makes Trouble.
Many were. intoxicated before the
catastrophe, and afterward thew mt
themselves in worse condition. some drink.
Ing In celebration of their ESCAPE and
others to drown grief over the death of
relative or friend. At times the disorder
bordered closely upon riotinK, and IN.
many conditions this morning are rerard-
ed as ominous. The calling to the nine
OF a troop OF state constabuiary. as well
as steps to stop the further sale Of intox-
icants. Is being seriously considered.
large number Of conins were ordered
from Pittshurg last night and will arrive
early today. The blacksmith shop Of the
mine has been converted into q temporary
Drought here from surrounding towns to
care for the bodies az they are brought
out.
Records Are Faulty.
1t is believed that q majority OF the vie.
tins are Americans.
The rescuers report the interior Of the
mine badly damaged. As they advance
they are compelled to rebuild much OF the
braeing that was blown out and a great
deal Of brattieins 10 necessary to make
lions. There is a shortage OF supplies
needed for such conditions and the work
Of rescue will Of necessity progress slow
ly. The distance from the mouth OF the
mine to the most remote sections IL said
to be about three miles. and 1t 10 thought
many Of the bodies will be found near the
end of the workings:
Nothing definite as to the number OF
men in the mine has yet been learned.
Under the system of the company there
terins the mine to work A miner Is as
signed a room and given a check. but he
may take in one or more assistants OF
whom no record Is made.
W. r. Woodford. vice president OF the
company, said early today that he did not
tombed.
due to gas.
suspect II Was Gas.
Many Of the miners believe the explo-
sion was caused by the gas in the "gobs. -
q name given to worked-out sections of
the mine. These PLACES accumulate gas,
and the men express the opinion that the
gas escaped into the newer entries.
The rescuers expect to and most Of the
bodies in entries Nos. 81 and 20, which Is
nearly q mile further back than they
had been able to penetrate this after
noon.
Frequent falls of slate encountered pre-
vent rapid Roadway.
Every man missing ana supposed to be
In the mine was q member OF the Pitts
burg Coal Company's Employees Beneficial
Association. Their heirs will eecaive $50
and funeral Dement'S. The members Of
the association contributed 500 to the
relief Of the sufferers by the recent mine
disaster at Naomi,