The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-12-20
Bringingup Bodies Probably
$50 Miners
ENT0MBED YESTERDAY
Nearly 100 Bodies Had Been Discovered
This Morning-The Rsscuers
Were Handicapped by the
Gas Fumes

Pittsburg. Pa, Dee. eo.-up 70 this
morning reseners had brought eight
bodies out Of the mine At Jacobs creek,
whore the explosion took place ycstcr
day, and had discovered thirty others
lring about near the entries 20 the pit
mouth. On account Of the gas II i din.
cult to penetrate from the leads and
entries. There appears 20 have been ono
explosion and, after this. ilfe sci In.
which Is believed 10 have cause the death
Of some ESQ men.
This Il the third mine disaster since
the hrst Of tho month W the Veins ~
btuminous coal underlying western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia. For
The Naomi mine near Fayctte City and
the two mines at MonongAh, ". Va. In
which earlier explosions happened are
IN the same belt as the local working,
Yesterdays catastrophe swells the mum.
Der Of victims Of deadly mine gas for
the 10 days 10 between $50 and 600.
As was the case at Monongah, The ex
plosion followed a brief shutdown, the
Darr mine having been closed Tuesday
and Wednesday. Il was Just ll.30
o'clock when the tenth trip Of loaded
cars had been brought out TO the sipple
end ther came an awful rumbling sound,
followed Immediately by a loud report
and a conclusion that shook near by
buildings and was felt within a radius
Of several miles, At the same time
there came out OF the mouth Of the
mine an immense cloud Of smoke and
dust that hoated across the Youghio.
gheny river.
As far as known, only one man who
went to work yesterday morning es.
capped. Joseph Mapleton, O pumper.
emerged from one Of the side entries
shortly after the explosion. lie had left
che part OF the mines where most Of the
men were working and was on bis way
TO the engine room for oil.
Il was near entry q" said he, when
] heard an awful rumbling. | started
towards the entry. but the next instant
] was blinded, and for n little time
did not know anything. Then / got 70
the side entry and worked my way
OUT
Mapleton was somewhat cut and
bruised, but after going home and hay
ing his injuries dressed, he returned
in the mines and joined the rescuing
parties.
Woman Tells Of Explosion.
Mrs. John Campbell. wife Of the mine
foreman, whose home Is about fifty yards
from the mouth of the mine, graphically
describes the explosion. She said:
About 1880 o'clock there was a loud
report and the dishes in my cupboard
and on the table were ratified and knock
ed out of place, while the glass in the
windows was shattered. Instinctively Il
knew what had happened. have for
q long time feared an explosion in the
mine, for | knew it was gaseous. My
husband and | had often talked Of Il
and he often referred to the gas in the
mine. My husband was just ahout due
for his dinner when this loud report
came and | looked out the back door
towards manway from the mine
through which he always came to his
meals. Instead of my husband saw a
great cloud of dust and smoke pouring
out of the mine and through the man
way. 1t hoated upward and disappeared
across the river. ! am sure Mr.. Camp
bell will be found in the entry not far
from the mouth of the mine, for | know
he must have been on his way to din
ner.g
In the store Of the Federal Supply
company, 100 yards from the mouth Of
the mine, Frank Ballantyne, manager Of
the store, and Elmer Cunningham, an
employe, were sitting OH chairs. The
force of the explosion was 80 great that
they were thrown to the floor Others
standing in the store were thrown up
against the walls or counters, The store
building was terribly shaken and con
siderably damaged