Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-12-08
Black Damp y Is Work Of Rescue
in - N Mines.
HUMP BODIES FOUND
at Death List Will Reach
- Five Hundred.
REsCUERs ARE OVERCOME
Many Members of Relief Parties Car
ried from Mines.
FORCE OF EXPLOSION TERRIFIC
Concrete Engine House wrecked and
Piece of it weighing 1000
Pounds Hurled Across
the River.

MONONAGtts w. va, Dec. up to $50
O'Clock tonight twenty-five bodies had been
brought to the surface from Mines Nos 6
and of the Fairmont Coal company. where
an explosion occurred yesterday. over 100
bodies have been found.
The work Of searching the mines con-
tinues. but despite all efforts is progressing
slowly. The further into the mines the
rescuers go the greater is the volume of
black damp they encounter and this deadly
gas is seriously interfering with their
work Many Of the rescuers, overcome by
the fumes have to be carried from the
mines. number of them are in a serious
condition and several will undoubtedly die.
Only a small portion of the two mines
remains to be explored and this is being
pushed as rapidly as possible. 1t is be-
lieved that large number of the bodies
will have been brought to the surface by
midnight. The number Of dead will be
about 500.
President c. w. Watson Of the mining
company in a statement to the Associated
Press today said every possible investiga-
ton would be made of the disaster to
ascertain its cause and fix responsibility.
There was slight fire inside of the slope
of No. s mine this morning, due to the
starting of the fan. 1t was extinguished
after an hour and the fan working success
fully, greatly facilitating the efforts of
the rescuers to get into the mines.
With unabated energy, Ave recruiting
parties, working from every possible point
70 enter and explore mines No. and
OF the Fairmont Coal company are this
morning putting forth every effort to reach
the S15 men whom they have every reason
to believe are still in the mine. dead or
alt aINI
entertained that a single one of the 500 or
more men who went into the mine yester-
day morning has survived the terrific ex-
piosion and the poisonous gas with which
the mines filled Immediately after the
death-dealing crash.
Relatives in Sad Search.
with the dawn of day there began a
heart-rending march up and down the
aisles along which these bodies have been
laid by sobbing Wfves anu mothers- and
sweethearts, orphaned children and strong
men, each seeking near relative or be-
loved friend.
There are between 5000 and 5000 inhabi-
tants in the mining town Of Monongah and
It is doubtful If in this entire population
there are score of persons who have not
either a near relative or close friend
numbered among the victims Of the dis
aster
Last night hundreds Of men stood about
the entrance OF the two mines. They said
nothing. but when approached and asked
question they would give way to their
emotions and often give way to tears
During the night few women were to be
seen, but all day yesterday the women
were the chief actors In most pathetic and
heart-rendlng scenes. They crowded the
sides of the hills overlooking the Inflated
mines and cried aloud. AS the day ad-
vanced they become almost crazed through
grief and suspense One woman pulled
out her hair, handfuls at time: another
tore all the skin from both of her cheeks
with her finger nails. Some lay down on
the frozen ground and cried themselves to
sleep. In this condition many were carried
TO their homes nearby without awakening
Where Bodies Were Found.
The rescuing parties penetrated mine No
6 about $500 feet before they came upon
the first Of the dead. A majority of the
corpses will. II is believed. be found about
mile further back. but It Is hardly possi-
BILE that all the bodies will be recovered for
several days. The 500 men were working
I'm territory one mile square. It viii be
days before thorough search OF all of this
area can be made. AS the searching parties
advance they must clear away the debris
The explosion wrecked over 600 mine cars
and these choke the entrance on all sides.
A peculiar and remarkable feature Is
that notwithstanding the force OF the ex-
plosion, very little OF the mine roof was
wrecked BY those who witnessed II, the
explosion was rkened to the discharge of a
cannon. Every movable object shot with
terrific force through the mine At the
entrance OF mine No. 8 a concrete power
house was completely demolished. A niece
OF concrete, weighing fully 1000 pounds, was
blown clear across the West Fork river.
landing on the side Of a hill In a radius
OF half mile not another piece OF con-
crete can be found. Great holes were torn
IN the hin on either side OF the entrance
OF No. 8 Mine cars were crushed as though
made OF paper ana the huge steel tipple
was blown apart. On all sides electric light
wires were thrown to the ground and MANY
persons narrowly escaped death from these
in the rush for the mine. following the
explosion.
Many marrow Escapes.
The Fairmont and cIarksbnrg FRACTION
comBany's cars pass within Ten yards OF the
mine entrance and q Iarge car crowded
with passengers miraeulously escaped being
blown into the West Fork river. All the
passengers were stunned BY the terrific
conclusion. The mine officials state that
20 per cent OF the victims are Americans.
Fifty physicians are at or near the mines
attending members OF the rescuins party.
many OF whom have been overeome ana
needed medical attention. and ready TO
sueeor any who may be brought from the
depths OF the mine alive
The company has sent rush orders for
coffins to Pittsburg, GAINESVILLE ana other
towns. the total number ordered being sSo.
up TO this time
Governor Dawson Of West virginia noti-
fled the company officers that he had or
dered Chief Mine Inspector Paul Of Charles
town 10 the scene, and that he would ar
rive at Monogah this morning
Coroner Z. s. Amos OF Fairmont win