Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-11-29
UnfortunateS Stricken Down by
Deadly Fumes Following Ex-
pIoSion' GhastIy Sight Greets
Rescue Expedition,
Antz Z. - - - - al
CAUSE OF CATASTROPHE
SHR0UDED IN MYSTERY
Disaster Occurs Within Few
Moments After State Mine
Experts Complete Inspection
and Declare Everything Safe,


and Declare Everything Safe,
thy Morning journal Specini Iansed wIreI
Piilsbnrg, Nov, ~ More than one
hundred men We're killed by am ex-
ploson in the Mariana mines of the
Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal company yes
terday, which eutombcd largo num-
Der @: miners.
AZ l o'clock this morning the res
cuing party had recovered thirty-four
! bodies and brought thcm to the bot
| tom Of the shaft preparatory to re-
| moving them to the surface All the
victims were found in the main entry.
the debris in the workings making il
| impossible to explore thtre
The officials Of the company assert
that the number Of men cutombed
viii not exceed l25 while others
about tho scene say "a larger number
was In the mine when the explosion
occurred
shortly after midnight Peter Ar
mold, an American miner. was brought
to the surface from the Rachael shaft
suffering only "a little from his tcrrl-
BILE experience. Joseph Kearney. one
Of the reseuing party reported that
tNeCe WEI other Aen alive below
| ard We rtscners we're Immediately
fet to work clearing away the debris.
From tho condition OF the workings
whore Arnold was discovered. Deputy
state Mine Inspector Henry Louttlt
believes the other twenty men may be
saved
About fifty Of the victims, It is re-
ported about the mine were either
Americans or English-speakug men
A majority of the foreigners were
comparatively new arrivals Ia the
country many OF them having left
families in their old homes
The power house on the mine has
been converted into temporary
morguc Coffins have been ordered
from this city, Monongahela and
steps have already been taken FOR
the relief of dependents OF the vic-
Tins. subscription lists have been
opened by charitable organizations
ana newspapers and arrangements
made for a collection in the churches
today,
No authoritative estimate OF the
property loss has been made mp 10 this
lime. but It VIII be heavy.
The workings i'm which todaY's
happened are known
is the Rachel and Agnes mines
n reality double mine with
connections Construction
work was practically finished and
Deputy state Mine Inspector Henry
Louttit a few minutes before the ex-
Dlosion, had completed ty~, days
which had revealed no
'ausc for apprehension He and Grn-
'ral Manager Kerr of the company
anne to the surface few minutes
before ~ O'Clock Mine Foreman
Henry Thompson and two minors Gu
cred the cage and it was started
award the bottom OF the n00-fuot
haft suddenly there was am omin-
ms rumbling thon trembling or
he ground around tho mouth Of the
haft as from au earthquake and an
lstant later there was a terrible re-
orr and the cage was hurled up the
hart and through the roof of the
latt house. the mine foreman and
20 two men still I'm It, Their bodies
ere tossed through the top of the
uIlding and far beyond a. Thomp-
IN was dead when picked up and
le others mOrtally wounded.
So great was the force of the eX-
osiou That shattered portions OF the
oodwork about thc mouth OF tho
laft were blown I'm Ten Mile creek
900 feet away. Reside the three
cn in the cage. portions of at least
va other bodies were blown from
c shaft house and were found in
'ld nearby
The vcuuiating fans We're put ont
commission BY the c'sastcr aud
II seNvrai hours. until repairs could
made. no air could be forced into
e mime Immediately following the
.plosiou "a dense column Of smoke
sued from the shaft and it was fear
! fierce fire was raging at the bot
mn ~ the mine.
short time afterward the smoke
most ceased but those on the sur
ce were unable TO ten whether tho
e. had been smuthered or the shafts
filed with falling debris that the
1okc could not escape.
Rescue work was Immediately
lrted. Inspector Louttit assuming
large but il was impossible to gain
trance to the mine for a long time.
lc opening OF the shaft was the only
lucon. and Tor this task there were
imntccrs i'm numbers sufficient to
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