Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-20
PENNSYLVANIA AGAIN SCENE
OF DISASTER
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES SAVE
HUNDREDS
Observing Cars Name Day, Devotees
Of Greek Church Remain from
Work-No Hope for the
Entombed Miners
BY Associated Press.

1-ASODo OREEA, Fa., Dec. IB.--An
explosion of gas in the Darr coal mines
OF the Pittsburg Coal company, located
here. today entombed between 200 and
zoo miners, and there is scarcely ray
of hope that single one of them will
be taken from the mines alive Par
tally wrecked buildings in the vicinity
or the mine and the condition of the
few bodies found early In the rescue
work indicate an explosion of such ter
rifle force that 1T seems impossible that
anyone could have survived 1t.
III of the thirteen bodies taken out
up to this time are terribly mutflated
and three of them are headless.
This Is the third mine disaster since
the first of the month in the veins of
bituminous coal underlying western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia, for
the Naomi mine, near Fayette City.
and the two mines at Monongah. w.
Va. in which the earlier explosions
happened, are in the same belt as the
local workings
Today's catastrophe swells the num-
ber of victims of the deadly mine gas
for nineteen days to between $50 and
900 men.
That today's disaster does not equal
or even surpass in loss of life and at
tendant horrors the one in West vir-
ginia is due to the devotion to church
duties of considerable number OF the
miners In observance of church
festival. many of the 400 or more men
regularly employed at the mine did not
go to work this morning. Those who
escaped through this reason are men,
bers OF the Greek Catholic church, and
they suspended work to celebrate ST.
Nicholas day, the cars name day.
Explosion Felt Miles
AS was the case at Monogah, the ex-
nj foil -t~f
Darr- mine having been closed Tues
day and Wednesday. 1t was just IL 80
| o'clock when the tenth trip OF loaded
| cars had been brought out to the tipple
and there came an awful rumbling
sound, followed Immediately by loud
report and a concussion that shook
| nearby buildings and was felt within a
radius of several miles.
At the same time there came out OF
the mouth of the mine an immense
cloud of dense smoke and dust that
foated across the Ioughiougheny river.
lntuitively, everyone in the vicinity
knew what had happened and all started
for the one place-the mouth of the mine
The river separates the mine and the
homes of many # the miners, so that
only portion of those who started for
the scene were able to reach 1t, there
being scant facilities for crossing tho
stream. To those who could not cross
the water the smoke and dust pouring
from the mines mouth told a story of
seething flames and death back in the
workings and from this source came re-
ports that were persistent until late in
the day that the mine was burning
The ventiating fans were kept In pera-
tion almost without Interruption, how
ever; the power plant having withstood
the force of the explosion. and up to this
time the rescuers have found no fire in
any place in the mine.
Only One Escapes
AS far as is known only one man who
went to work this morning escaped
Joseph Mapleton, pumper, emerged
from one of the side entrances shortly
after the explosion. He had left the part
of the mine where most of the men were
working and was on the way to the en-
gine room f., OIL
II was in entry No. 21,' said he when
heard an awful rumbling started
toward the entry, but the next instant
was blinded and for a little time
did not know anything. Then | got 10
the side entry and worked my way OUT
Mapleton was somewhat cut and
bruised but after going home and hav-
ing his injuries dressed he returned to
the mine and Joined the rescuers
William kelvington, superintendent of
the mine, was not in the mine when the
explosion occurred and he quickly or
ganized rescuing parties, starting one
force OF twenty-five men with reIiefs at
short intervals in the main entry, and a
similar force at side entry.
1t Is hoped to reach the greater part
of the victims through the side entry
So far little trouble has been encountered
on account of gas or lack of air by the
rescuers.
While the officials and the rescuers
have only the faintcst hope that any OF
of the men may be living. all work is
being carried on upon the theory fhat
some may have found places of safety
and every point of the workings win be
explored at the earliest moment.
Men Deep in Pit
The main office of the company Is in
Pittsburg, and upon receipt of news Of
the accident the officers hurried to the
mine and are leading and directing the
rescue work. Among the OFFICERS on the
scene are ]. M Armstrong, manager OF
the Pittsburg Coal company; Lee Gluck.
assistant to the president; John &. Byers.
live stock manager; II. O. Randolph, as
,sistant to the general manager. and BEN
jamn Faraday, Inspector
About 1900 feet from the mouth of the
mine a heavy fall of rock was encoun-
tered by the rescuers. It is believed that
most OF the men will be found nearly
mile and a half beyond this point.
The blacksmith shop has been fitted up
as temporary morgue and number
of physicians are in waiting to render
any service that may be required of them.
A considerable number of the miners
were Americans: some of the officers to-
night estimated that probably more than
half of the Victims were Americans. as
the majority of the Foreigners did not
work today.
The Darr mine is located on the west
side OF tho Youghioueheny river in West
moreland county. along the line CT the
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