The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-02
Heartrendiug Scenes Near
Fayette City. Pa, Where
50 May Have Perished.
FIGHTING TO REACH THEN
Wives and Children Stand Weep
ing at Mouth of Shaft as Res
cuers Work. Victims Trap.
:
ped in Darkness When
Explosion Occurred.

PITTSBURG, Dec. Fifty is now
said to be the number of men entombed
in the Naomi mine of the United Coal
Company, near Fayette City. They
were caught in a terrible explosion last
night. Only one escaped, and it is be-
lieved most of them persisted.
At noon the big force of rescuers had
succeeded only in reaching the nine
teenth entry, and no sign of the i'm
prisoned men had been found.
The big air fan is still going, but lit
tie relief is obtained owing to The heavy
volume of the after damp. The fact
that the after damp prevents rescue
work indicates that all in the mine
have persisted.
The man who escaped reached the
surface through an air shaft, and
dropped dead almost Immediately as the
result of inhaling gas fumes.
II was thought an entrance could be
effected today through the tons of de-
stroyed concrete walls and earth at the
entrance, but it will be p%erilous to risk
entering the gaseous hole until hours
later. Yet there are volunteers.
Nearly all the men e~ntrapped are for
eikners and worked under numbers.
y SIGdI ClOWo EPSAAt 80 y
the mouth of the shaft despite the cold.
Mine superintendents of all the mines
along the Monongahela volunteered
their help in the work of rescue. Their
efforts, however. were impeded by the
throng of relatives and friends of the
entombed men who ran up to the very
plymouth and cried out in agony of
their loved ones.
Special cars with many physicians
and undertakers are on the scene to-
day, but so far there has been no work
for either.
The Naomi mine officials here say
thai the regular Sunday night shift is
eighty men. Machine Boss Hopwood
Ia positive there are at least thirty
men in the mine with the probability
of more. f+
Thirty men were working in the
mine at. the time of the explosion, SO
far as l can estimate said Superin-
tendent j. D. O'Neil. of the Naomi
mine, today. II have received but
meager particulars Of the disaster my
self a%nd1base my estimate of the num-
ser cfas2TSEen there by the usual working
"a \ vvhfch we ordinarily follow.
tn men are working heroically to
tbsir comrades. Mine Inspector
Hefrv Loutitt was on the ground i'm
n1ediately after the explosion and or
ganized a relief corps. He soon brought
order out Of chaos and divided his
men into crews which were ordered to
work one or two hours each. In this
way we will be able to make the best
progress possible under the circum-
stances, keep the work UP n at the
am time save the OF the
r~escuers.'
State Mine Inspector Loutitt says the
mine was well conducted and always
considered safe.
The explosion was caused, it is said.
by a miner going into an old entry with
a lighted lamp. Suddenly a linding
flash Illuminated the min and there
was a roar as tons of coal and slate
crashed down into the entries crowded
with workrhen.
Then utter darkness followed, the
explosion putting out of commission
the lighting and air facilities in the
mine.
The mine Immediately filled with
deadly gases.
The report of, the explosion shook
buildings in Fayette City and could
he heard for miles. In the homes or
miners. the explosion fell like a death
signal and emptied every cottage in
the vicinity.
The Naomi mine is one of the Oldest
operated by the United Coal Company,
which has it's principal offices in Pitts
burg. 1t is one of the biggest mines
in the soft coal region, and gave work
TO from 200, to 800 men all the year
round. The property loss is enormous.
The mine is of the shaft type, and
the concrete sides of the entry were
broken down so as to completely close
the passage. back a considerable dis
lance. About 100 feet from the en-
trance is located the first air SHAFT,
and. from this deadly a is pouring
in great volume. The gas found IN
mines in this territory is so poisonous
that it is believed few, if any, OF the
entombed men are now alive.
Mine Inspector Henry Louitt said today:
sIt is impossible to say just what caused
Tho avnlosion. The mine was remarkably
free Of gas, but you can never tell aDout
s,1cb q thing. Gas is likely to be FOUND
in the most unexpected places. Inc force
~ me explosion was terrific, ana 1 cannot
think that any man in the Naomi mine
escaped with his life. -
saThe mine was practically shattered. ana
/ believe we will eventually hnd thousands
of tons Of earth blocking the way 70 tne
eof6mhad miners. We have been unaple
to get into the mine TO any great "lse@hce'
700 yards has been about the limit
~
MYcTEPI0IIS STRANGER