The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-12-01
Mine BLAST
DEALS DEATH
Fully 1873 PeTIShGd In Double
Shaft at Mariana.
FEAR GAS WELL CAUSED IT
II Is Said DIopers, Blasting Below,
May Have Tapped Vein to Gusher
Two Women, wife and Mother OF
Entombed Miners, Become Insane.
All the Dead Horribly Mutilated.

Plttsburg, Pa, Nov 80. 49, Fifty
two bodies. all but two of them horrl-
bly, mutilated and a number of them
dlsmembered. we're taken from the
mine OF the Pittsburg Buffalo Coal
company at Mariana, forty miles
south Of here, where an explosion oc
Cured, killing many mon and casting
into gloom what was until then con
sldered the model mining town Of the
world
There Is no doubt that the death list
will reach 1873 men. Officials of the
company admit that 1873 men went
down the shaft to work. According
to miners and others familiar with
the number OF men generally employ
ed in the mine, the death list will ex-
coed the company's estimate by at
least fifty.
II Is possible that the exact number
OF men killed will never be known, as
It seems impossible OF knowing the ex-
act number OF men that went 10 work.
The bodies were brought to the sur
face In an iron bucket Arms. legs or
heads were missing from some. and
the trunks OF others were burned,
bruised and cut.
The workings in which the catas.
trophe happened is known as the Ra'
chel and Agnes mines. In reality q
double mine. with underground con
nections. Construction work was
practically finished. and Deputy State
Mine Inspector Henry Louttit few
moments before the explosion had
completed two days inspection
which had revealed no cause for ap-
p.ehension Mine Foreman Henry
Thompson and two miners entered the
cage. and Il was started towards the
bottom OF the 500-foot shaft There
was An ominous rumbllng. then 2
trembling OF the ground round about
the mouth OF the shaft as from an
earthquake. and an instant later there
was a terrific report. and the cage was
hurled up the shaft and through the
roof of the shaft house the mine fore
man and the two men still In It. The
bSiles OF the men were hurled through
the top Of the building and far be
yond it. Thompson was dead when
picked up. while the others, although
MORALLY injured. were hurried t. a
hospital.
The cause OF the disaster Is mys
terry. Some say II was an abandoned
gas well that was tapped by the min.
ers others: others say the mine has
been known TO be gaseous.
Two women, wife and a mother OF
entombed miners. became insane. One
tried to throw herself down the mine
shaft. $50 feet deep. Three state cen
stabulary rescued her and carried her
away. She was Mrs. George Acker, a
negrcss. Her husband Is known TO be
In the mine, and when she heard OF
the explosion she ran across the fields
from her home. tearing her hair a
abe went. Arrived at the roped enclo-
sure. she pushed her way through the
silently waiting crowd. Suddenly Mrs.
Acker threw the rope up over her
head and dashed toward the shaft. but
fifty feet away One member OF the
constabulary saw her and gave her
chase. Only his speed saved the wo
man. He caught her by the shoulders
Just as she reached the shaft. When
captured she shouted:
"My husbands down there and
want TO go to him, Let me jump
down"
She fought so vlciously that half a
dozen men could scarcely carry her
away.
Mrs. Joseph Holmes whose son. 10
seph. is In the mine. went insane In
the crowd outside the ropes soon after
ward. Crying that her son was killed
she sank to the ground and went into
commissions. She attacked any one
who tried to soothe her. and finally
the constabulary arrested her and
were forced to carry her away.