Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-12-20

burg Coal company at 80. The mine is
located about one and one-half miles from
this place. The mine is not burning and
the ventilatng fans are being operated
according to reports received here. No one
has come out of the mine since the explo-
sion, but there Is hope that some Of the
men are stin living. Rescue work is pro-
crossing and it is expected the imprisoned
men will be reached by morning.
CONNELLSvILLE. Pa, Dec 19.--FouT
hundred miners are entombed in the Darr
mines Of the Pittsburg Coal company at
Jacobs Creek, on the Youghiogheny
river eighteen miles west OF here. OF
these 400 fully 100 are Americans, the
rest being principally Hungarians An
explosion shook the vicinity Of the mine
at 1880 this morning and announced TO
all the surrounding community that a
great CONFUSION of some kind had oc-
CURED down under the surface.
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 discovered to be raging inside
prevented effectually up to ! p. m. any
attempt at rescue Of the imprisoned men.
The building OF the Federal supply COM
pany, adjacent to the entrance to the mine.
was slightly damaged by the force OF the
sheSk, causing the building to rock and
some Of its windows TO break.
Among those imprisoned in the mine are
Pit Boss oConnell and two ire bosses.
On account Of the violence Of the ex-
plosion, which rent the interior Of the
mine, the presence OF Gre. with the blocked
| condition of the mouth OF the stope, it u
]
men inside.
Whether they are survived OF viii sur
vive is one OF the uncertainties Of the
present hour. There is no means yet OF
doing more tran 20 gaess whether It was
gas coal dust that exploded.
The scene Of Lhe explosion Is on the
| Pittsburg q Lake Eric railroad side OF the
Youghiogheny river Jacobs creek, on the
main line Of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad,
is across the river It is forty miles east
| Of Pittsburg and eighteen miles west Of
| Connellsville.
Mouth of workings Obstructed.
The Pittsburg Coal company mines are
on both sides Of the Youghiogheny river.
/ The coal mined in this field is used for
I col1ng purposes. II is a part OF the
! original CouneIlsville coke field. The mines
in this section are said to contain consider
able gas.
/ The officials express but little hope OF
saving the lives of the unfortunate men, a.
! the mouth OF the shaft is filled with rocks
and earth and the passageways are said to
| be badly obstructed.
/ Within a few minutes after the explosion
the mouth of the pit was surrounded by
/ the relatives and friends of the entombed
| men. The scenes were most pitiful The
smoke and flames issuing from the slope
made II impossible to enter and the wives
! and children were frantic.
Every effort is being made TO subdue the
fire. but it was burning so iercely that no
| headway could be made.
| 1t is stated that the superintendent OF
the mine is one OF those Imprisoned; that
I he went into the mine to investigate its
condition and was caught IN the explosion.
/ WEST NEWTON. Pa. Dec ls-Reports
Of the disaster at the Darr mine received
here are 10 the effect that there are nearer
800 men IN the mine than 400. Physicians
left here for the scene shortly after Z
| o'clock.
Prompt Means for Rescue.
Vice President woodford stated that 1so
men were likely IN the mine at the time
Fof the accident. Immediately upon receipt
Of the news Of the explosion the officials OF
the company here took prompt measures
for relief. Orders were sent to the sur
rounding mines requesting that expert men
be rushed to the scene 10 assist In the work
| Physicians we're also dispatched on the
trains from Pittsburg and the towns ad-
jacent 70 Jacobs Creek
This is the third big mine accident which
has occurred IN this vicinity during the
past three weeks. The first occurred at the
Naomi mine of the United Coul company
ana thirty-fgur men sacrificed their lives
Two weeks ago the explosion OF dust at
Monongah snuffed out the lives OF $50 more
Mine Was Modern one.
| PITTSBURG, Dec. ls.-Wcrd OF the ex-
plosion reached the local ONCE OF the Pitts
burg Coal company In this city early this
afternoon. The dispatch gave no details
further than that an explosion had oc-
Cured at DarT mine between smithon and
Wh'mell. The officials OF the company say
that the mine was one Of the largest and
was equipped with the most modern ap-
puances
AT 2.SV this afternoon no details had been
received at the cOmpany's oflce In this
city and the exact number OF men Ia the
mine al the time OF the aoci6eut was not
known. It is said the shifts are not larger
than lb0 men. The officials regard the mine
as one OF the safest owned By them and
express the belief that the explosion would
not reach all the workings. Ia which event
many Of the men would still be alive and