The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-29
Majority of Those Buried Are
Americans, But Many Eng
Iish Miners Thought to Be
Among Those Trapped.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
WEEP AT MINES MOUTH
INSTANT AFTER EXPLOSION OC-
CURED AND CURLING SMOKE
SOUNDED WARNING THEY
F., ELOCkED TO THE SCENE.

Mariana, Pa, Nov. 2S.-It was
within three minutes after the state
Inspector and mine superintendent
had returned from inspection of its
hepths that the model Marianna mine
of Pittsburg & Buffalo Coal company,
was blown up by the tremendous ex-
plosion, today. Two hundred and sew
meath the thousands Of tons of coal
caving in upon them at the depth of
believe that single man will escape.
The Mariana mine, which had
been in operation less than three
months, was considered the model
mine of the world.
Rescuers to the number of 200 are
burrowing frantically at the mouth of
the mine in the futile effort to dig
down through the tremendous masses
of coal that block at least the upper
Seaches of shaft. while other rescuers
headed by President John II. Johns
of the Pittsburg & Buffalo Coal Co,
have rushed to the scene in special
trains from Pittsburg and Mononga-
hela with the latest appliances which
are being erected at the head of the
shaft to bore to the entombed men.
In the excitement and panic, it is
impossible thus far to learn the exact
number of victims or their names, but
the books of the company indicate
that the majority of the 275 buried
are Americans, and most of the 9th
ers are English miners, imported by
the company two months ago to work
the richest shafts.
The explosion occurred this morning
at 11:25 O'Clock and the entire neigh
,borhood was brought from the houses
in the vicinity, anxious to learn the
fate of those working beneath the
ground. John H. Jones. president of
the company, was at first inclined to
disbelieve the report OF the explosion.
saying that State Mine Inspector
Loutit and Mine Foreman Kennedy
had just completed two days exami
nation of the mine and found it to be
IN perfect condition.
Smoke Alarms People.
An instant after the report of the
explosion was heard, the alarm was
intensified by the issuing of smoke
from the two shafts of the mine A
minute later the entire village was
alive. Those men who were not work
ing, and women and children. as
though called together by the general
alarm, ran from their houses and con-
gregated at the mine. Then the
smoke that till then shot in dense
clouds from the shafts, gave way to
deadly conf1agration which drove
those who came hither. to places of
greater safety.
At 1880 special train and relief
party of nearly 100 men left Monon-
gahela for the burning mine Reports
10 that town were to the effect that
there We're only 100 men in the mine
at the time of the explosion and that
most of these were Englishmen. In
spite of that. however. the babel of
anguished tongues that arose in the
multitude on the outside of the mine
was heartrending in the extreAe.
All Races Represented.
Almost every race in the country
was represented in the cosmopolitan
throng. Women were tearing their
hair and bewailing the loss of those
they knew and loved and little child
rem who are apparently orphans
clng to their mothers dresses in
their bewilderment and grief.
The first of the relief party arrived
al the burning mine about one O'Clock
but nothing could be done immediate
1y. Engineers and mining experts en-
ployed by the company were on hand
rs soon as they could be rushed to the
scene. when the work of extinguish-
Ing the flames began Immediately. I'm.
I'll that part of the work is fully ac-
complished. nothing in the way of res
suing can be done
Women Are Frenzied.
Most of the women of the mining
1sown are frenzied by the belief that
members of their families suffered in
the disaster and what few men there
are about the entrance this morning
are being anxiously questioned in the
dozen different tongues and dialects.