The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-30


ing 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 90
Pittsburg, Pa, Nov 30 -On the
eve of the convention Of the American
Mining congress which assemblies
here this week to consider mining
problems in the various states in gen
eral and particularly to discuss mine
disasters and provide means for their
prevention, there occurred shortly be-
fore noon today an explosion in Mar
lama mine of the Pittsburg- Buffalo
Coal company which entombed and
killed nearly all the men employed
IN the mine at the time The number
being yariously estimated at from i25
TO 300
The working in which the catastro-
phe happened is known as The Rachel
and Agnes mines, in reality double
mine with underground connections
Construction work was practically fin
ishcd and Deputy State Mine luspec
fore the explosion had completed a
two days inspection which had reveal
ed no cause for apprehension. He and
General Manager Kerr OF the company
came to the surface in the cage oper-
atcd in one of the shafts d few min
utes before J. o'clock
Mine Foreman Henry Thompson
/ and TWO miners entered the cage Lud
II was started towards the bottom OF a
500 foot shaft There was ominous
rumbling. then q trembling OF the
/ ground round about the mouth OF the
! shaft as from an earthquake aud IN
| instant later there was a terrific re.
port and the cage was hurled up The
shaft and through the robf o. The
shaithouse. the mine foreman and the
two men still in it, The bodies Of the
men were hurled through the top ol
the building and far beyond IT, lhomr-
son was dead when picked up while
the others. although MORALLY Injured.
were hurried TO a hospital.
Rescue work was Immediately star,
ed. Inspector l.outtit assuming charge
but 70 was impossible TO gain entrance
to the mine for a long time, first BE-.
cause the cage and its mechanism
was wrecked and second because the
shaft was so filled with sheltered tim
beer and falling earth that even mad
| the cage been In condition could not
have descended The opening up of
the shaft was the only solution ana
/ for this task there were volunteers III
numbers sufficient 10 work
The last ray Of hope for the rescue
| of many of the miners was dispelled
az $3.50 o'clock tonight when the first
| rescung party reached THE workings
| and found the dead bodies scattered
about the floor of the mine.
Few, II any, of the bodies are NUT
| Hated and the men were undoubtedly
smotherod by deadly yapors which fol
/ lowed the explosion
! The noise of the explosion was an
omipous summons to all of the people
of the little town and they hurried to
the shaft house. each seeking loved
one and most of them learned that
the loved one was down In the work
lnss and In all probability dead or dy
ing
The scenes were pitiful Among
the women many were hysterical and
their shrieks and cries were heart
rending. Others were silent In their
grief but In their drawn faces could
be read the awful agony. Wives
mothers. sisters. daughters and sweet
hearts gathered In little groups al
frantic to do something pr to lear
something. but unable TO do either
| They heseiged the offices OF the com
pany. the mining authorities and th'
workers. but none of these could one
them comfort An felt certain OF the
fate of the loved ones hundreds o
feet below the surface but none woul'
dispe the rays Of hope entertained
until certainty was forced upon then
hy the clearing of the SHIFT.
Two women. n wife and q mother @
eniomhed miners. becamf nsurc "a
might One tried to throw hcrsal
down the mine shaft. Three stat
constahulary rescued her and carrie
her away She was Mrs. George Acf
or. "a npgrcss. Her husband IL KNOW
To be- In the mine
Mrs Joseph Holmes whose son
in the mine. went insane i'm the CROW
outside the ropes.