Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-19
GREAT MINE WRECK
BUR|ES 300 SOULS
IN HOPELESS RUIN
Explosion in Works of Pitts
burg Coal Company.
-
WEST OF CONNELLSVlLLE
Only Meager Details of the Disaster
Yet 0btainable.
FIRE BLOCKS RESCUE WORK
Not Known Yet Whether It Was
Dust or Gas or if Any Will Sur
vie-Bad as Monongah.

Another disastrous mine explo-
sion was reported in the Darr
mines of the Pittsburg Coal Com
pany, not far from Connellsville,
Pa, today. 1t promises to be
worse than the Monongah disas-
ter. There were between 400 and
500 men in the mine when the
explosion occurred. The earth
shook and dense smoke issued
from the mouth of the pit, pre-
venting any attempt at rescue. 1t
is not known whether it was
coal or gas explosion or whether
there will be any survivors,. The
mines are said to have been we'll
equipped, and the explosion is
quite as inexplicable as any OF the
other recent mine horrors.
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa, December 10
Four five hundred miners are entombed
in the Darr mines of the Pittsburg Coal
Company at Jacobs creek, on the Yough-
iogheny river. eighteen miles west of here.
OF these fully 100 are Americans, the
rest being principally Hungarians A ter
rife explosion shook the vicinity of the
mine at 11:30 this morning, and announced
to all the surrounding community that
great couvulsion of some kind had OF
CURED down under the surface.
Fire Adds Its Horrors
Shortly after \smoke began to issue in
heavy columns from the mouth of the
mine. which is of the slope variety. The
mouth of the mine was wrecked and this
circumstance, in connection with the fire
which was discoveted to be raging inside
-Ds~ss9ted effectualty up to / pm. any at
temptNl sescue Of the imprisoned men.
The Efding of the Federal Supply Com
pany. adjacent 70 the entrance to the
mine waA slightly damaged by the force
of litsLDlk. causing the building to rock
gand some of its windows to break
spall Hope Left.
among -.s1se imprisoned in the mine
an.Pit Boss OConnsil and two fire bosses
On account of the violence of the ex
pIosion, which rentzthe interior of the
mine, Nand the presence of fire. with the
blockeA condition. of the mouth of the
slope, il is not thought there is much
chance for the men inside.
Whether they have survived or will sur
yiye is one of the uncertainties of the
present hour.
There Is no means yet of doing more
than toSguess whether it was gas or coal
dus. thatexploded.
location of the Mine.
The scene of the explosion is on the
PIttsburg and Lake Erie railroad side of
th. Youghlogheny river. Jacobs Creek,
on the main line of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, is across the river. 1t is
forty miles east of Pittsburg and eighteen
miles west of Connellsvile.
Fight the Fire Vainly.
Within a few minutes after the explo-
sion the mouth of the pit was surrounded
by relatives and friends of the entombed
men, The scenes were most pitiful. The
smoke and flames issuing from the slope
made it impossible to enter. and the
wives and children were frantic.
Every effort is being made 10 subdue
the fire. but it was burning so fiercely
that no headway could be made
1t is stated that the superintendent OF
is said he went into the mine this tore-
noon TO investigate its condition, and was
caught in the explosion.
Officials Despondent.
The Pittsburg Goa! Company mines are
on both sides of the YoughioSheny river.
The coal mined in this field is used for
cokng purposes. II is a part of the orig
inal Connellsville coke field. The mines
in this section are said to contain con-
siderable gas.
Tie officials express but little hope OF
saving the lives of the unfortunate men,
as the mouth Of the shaft is filled with
rocks and earth and the passageways are
said 20 be badly obstructed.
May Be 500 Men.
WEST NEWTON. Pa, December 10
Reports of the disaster at the Darr mine
Received here are to the effect that there
are nearer 800 men in the mine than 400
Physicians have been engaged to go to
the scene, and will leave here shortly
after o'clock