The Washington herald., 1907-12-08

FairmOnt. ". Va. Dec. THE Fairmont
Coal Company tonight gave out the fol-
lowing Official statement relative to the
recent disaster:
There were 4oS men employed in No. 8
and No mines. Fifteen have been
located and are known 10 be safe. We
have hopes that Of the ss1 whose names
are given a number were not at work.
The company desires 10 thank the
large number Of people.who have voIun-
teered to help in the rescue work, which
IS progressing as fast as conditions viii .
permit We believe that No. viii be
practically explored during the night. No.
is much slower on account OF the great
er damage 20 air courses
The origin Of the explosion may not
be located for several days. No. fan
has only stopped forty-two minutes Two
small fans have been installed at No. s.
and are doing good work in place Of the
large fan destroyed Chief Mine In
spector Paul Hahn has arrived with
many assistants. and Ein render aid and
give instructions If he finds them neces-
sary"
c " Ws-sou. president OF the Con-
solidation Coal Company. dictated the
following statement
The accident is deplorabie from any
standpoint. II was entirely unexpected
As YET We do not know the exact cause
of the explosion. IT might have resulted
from blown out shot igniting pocket
OF gas About 50 per cent Of the mine
accidents of the country are caused in
this manner. II is probable the presen.
one resulted from the same cause.
We viii conduct rigid Investigations.
Investigations however. viii not beneht
the dead miners. Their families viii be
looked after. The company viii bury ali
the dead
Mines Give Up Dead.
The mines which on Friday became the
tomb of more than so miners are giving
I'D their dead to-night-not siagly, but
in groups OF I'VE ard ten az a time. and
by morning il is expected that AT least
I half or the dead wiz have been recovered
The almost frenzied relatives Of the
dead men still surround the mine en-
trance eagerly looking for the forms Of
their loved ones. and no amount of per
suasi0n has been sufficient to make them
leave for more than few minutes at a
time
The officials in charge Of the rescue
work had hoped that they would be able
to get most OF the anxious ones away
from the entrance by nightfaH. so that
they could bring the bodies to the sur
face. Tonight they decided it was use
less 20 wait longer. and the relief par
ties got orders TO proceed with the work.
Rescuers Hard at Work
/ Most of to-day was spent building de-
fenses for the rescuers against the rush
Of foul air from the entries that lead TO
the rooms where the main body OF men
was working. and tonight they got
everything in shape for the relief to
proceed without danger TO the brave
men who are willing to dare anything IL
only left to themselves
Only the strict discipline maintained by
the officials has prevented many OF the
The best men in the cOmpany's employ.
and under the direction Of the State mine
department. are watching the work with
"A view TO protecting those who are search
ing for the dead.
The gases are still strong in the No.
mine. and scores Of rescuers have been
overcome and carried 10 the hospitals.
With the exception OF Charles Cain, the
company's inspector. one OF those over
come is IN a serious condition.
Five additional bodies we're taken out
OF the mine at s o'clock tonight. making
twenty 70 date. The reScuers say they
have about seventy others In sight. which
they viii bring out within the next few
hours All Of these are in No. 6. and
so far. nothing has been done toward re-
covering the dead in No. S where the
gases are strongest
Governor on the Scene.
Gov Dawson, who has ben in Wash
lington attending ~ important political
conference. wired tonight that he would
start for the scene of the disaster 10 lend
any assistance in the States power. He
has given the State mine departments fun
authority 10 act for the executive. and
VIII insist on the most rigid investigation.
Coroner Fore win start Monday taking
evidence in his inquest
II was thought that it would be neces-
sary to call out the militia to preserve
Continued on Page I3. Column ?.
Baltimore and Return. SIX