The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-06
Entire Number Death DOOM
ed, COIIiery Chief Says
He Fears.
REsCUERS CAN'T ENTER
Five Bodies Recovered..Accident
Expected to Prsve Worst in
History of American Mining.
Cause Still a Mystery.
Shafts Cave in and Fill.

PITTSBURG, Dec GA terrific and dis
astrous explosion occurred today IN mines
numbers and of the Consolidated Coal
Company, of Monongah, w Va.
A long distance telephone message 10 the
Associated Press SAYS that the bodies or
five miners have been recovered near
the mfuth OF mine number g. They were
John Hineman. pit boss; William SLOAN
coupler; Lawrence Hineman. brakeman;
Charles Honaker and Frederick Cooper.
superintendent John Malone, OF the mines
saws tha+ are AT least 500 men entombed.
Mine No. is located on the east side or
fhe Monongahela River and mine NO.
on the west side. How the explosion oc-
CURED simultaneously in both mines can
not be explained at this time.
All is confusion at the scene of the dis
aster, and definite Information is meager.
The explosion was heard for distance
of eight miles.
The very eurth seemed to be rent at the
moment of tbe shock Some idea OF the
force of the explosion may be gained from
the fact that props from the mine were
not only blown out of the entry but even
hurled by the force clear across the west
Fork River. Wires are down, when Is
the reason for the details not being re-
ceived yet
1t Ia feared that the accident VIII turn
nut 10 be the worst in the history OF
miniuy in this country. superintendent
Malone telephones that the miners 90 not
think aRS can escape alive.
The fans We're started at noon to clear
out lhe foul air, and the rescuers may be
expeE Eed TO reach-the men late this after
noon - Thc lnill.e management declare they
do M know the cause, but experienced
mihees declare that it must have been
;, M .,,a,, !. said 70 ;. the nrst
,,,he,.cin a loss of life occurred by explo-
sion in tho history of the region conf
hrising some sixty mines owned and oper-
afed by the Consolidation Coal Company.
No mine was opened only two years
aoo and was considered the most modern
mine I'm every respect in Central West
virginia 1t was entirely equipped with
electricity and considered absolutely safe.
Electric motors were used exclusively,
while the mine throughout was electrically
lighted and mining machines driven by
this fluid were used entirely.
The town of Monongah has population
of about 5000, and, while for the most
part the miners are of foreign birth, there
are still many American workmen. Pos
sibly the largest steel tipple in the State
is located at Monongah. The mines are
both shaft and slope mines, being worked
by the rope and haulage system. They
lie on both sides of the West Fork RlVer,
and are connected by steel-pier bridge
owned and operated by the coal company.
Until about ten years ago only American
miners were employed At that time the
miners of Pennsylvania, Indiana Illinois
and Ohio were on strike.
The coal company is one of the largest
companies of the kind in the country and
is capitalized at about $20,0O0OO0. They
have upwards Of 100 producing properties.
Clarence W. Watson Is the president, with
headquarters in Baltimore. Lee Malone
is the general superintendent Of the prop
critics, and is said to be one of the most
careful and competent and practical super
intendents in the mining industry. His
position has been worked into from a
trapper boy. to which he has added
technical education.