The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1907-12-26
DREADFUL MINE
CATASTROPE
SEVERAL HUNDRED ENTOMBED
BY GAS EXPLOSION.
BODIES TERRIBLY NANGLED
Third Horror in Same Belt Within
the Month, Swelling Total Number
Of Victims to Nearly Six Hundred.
Rescue Work Slow.

Jacobs Creek, Pa.,--An explosion
Of gas in the Darr mine of the Pitts
burg Coal Company, located here en-
tombed between 200 and 250 miners
and there is scarcely ray Of hope
that single one of them will be
taken from the mines alive. The
practically wrecked buildings in the
vicinity of the mine and the condi-
ton of the few bodies found early
in the rescue work, indicate an ex-
plosion of such terrific force that 1t
seems impossible that any one could
survive it.
All Of the thirteen bodies taken
out up to this time are terribly NUT
ilated 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 Naoma mine near Fayette
City and the two mines at Monongah,
w. Va, in which the earlier explo-
sions happened are in the same belt
as the local workings. Today's cat
astrophe swells the number of VIC
Tins of the deadly mine gas in nine
teen days to between $50 and 600
That this disaster does not equal
or even surpass in loss of life and at
tendant horrors in the one in West
Virginia was due to the devotion 10
church duties of considerable num-
ber Of the miners. In observance OF
the church festival many Of the more
than four hundred men regularly em-
plowed at the mine did not go to
work. Those who escaped through
this reasons are members of the
Greek Catholic church and they sus-
pended work to celebrate st. Nicholas
day.
AS was the ease at Monongah, the
explosion followed brief shut down,
the Darr mine having been closed
Tuesday and Wednesday. 1t was just
11:30 O'Clock when the tenth trip OF
loaded ears had been brought out TO
the triple and there came an awful
rumbling sound, followed imme date
ly by loud repont and confusion
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
foatei across the Youghioghery
River:
Intuitively every one in the vicin-
ity knew what had hoppened and all
started for the one place, the mouth
Of the mine. The river separates the
mine and homes of many of the min
ems, so that only portion of those
who started for the scene were abe
to reach it, there being scant facil-
tiles for crossing the stream. To
those who could not cross the water
the smoke and dust pouring out Of
the mines mouth told a story OK
seething flames back in the workings
and from this source came reports
that we're persistent, until late iii
the day, that the mine was burning.
Joseph Mapleton, a pumper, emer
ged 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 engine room for
oil.
"I was in entry 2l," said he,
"when l heard an awful rumbling
l started toward the entry, but the
next instant / was blinded and for a
little time / did not know anything.
Then got to the side entry and
worked my way out
Mapleton was somewhat cut and
bruised, but after going home and
having his injuries dressed. he re-
turned to the mines and joined the
rescuing parties. William Kelsington,
superintendent Of the mine was not
in the mine when the explosion oc-
curred and he quickly organized res
ouing parties and starting pne force
of twenty-five men with reliefs at
short intervals in the main entry and
similar force at the side entry. II
is hoped to reach the greater part Of
the victims through the latter. So far
little trouble has been encountered
on account of the gas or lack Of al,
by the rescuers.