The evening world., 1908-11-28

burg Buffalo Coal Company, who has
personally supervised the installation of
every known system and device for SAT-
ETY. in the mine, was overwhelmed at the
news of the catastrophe. He said that
State Mine Inspector Louttit and Mine
Foreman Kennedy had just completed
an inspection of the property lasting
two days and found every thing in per-
feet condition. OF course it is not known
whether the explosion was caused by
gas or powder.
The explosion occurred shortly before
noon and shook the whole countryside.
The wives and children of the miners
rushed from their little homes in Mari
anna to the two mine openings on the
surface, where they found groups Of
white faced men, helpless in the emer-
gency, Sitting smoke was pouring up
the shafts and from the hot breaths of
air that pufed into the faces of the
spectators it was apparent that flames
had a ready reached the timbers below.
II so happened that the disaster came
at an hour when almost the entire force
Of the mine was NJ work underground.
There We're few men around the surface
workings and in the town, and the To-
cation Is so remote from other settle
ments that help was slow in arriving.
The first outsiders to reach the scens
found hundreds of weeping, hysterical
women grouped about the shaft houses,
watching the beIchins volumes of smoke
issuing from the only avenues of escape
from the mine. The fact that the work.
ings are new and have none OF the
winding side passages and devious ave-
nues Of escape into other workings, such
as are found in old mines, made the
situation all the more hopeless.
Veteran miners opined that the sur
ylvors of the explosion had been cut Off
from reaching the foot of the shafts by
the rapiu spread of the flames and the
volume of poisonous gas,
Although the mine has two shafts
only one was equipped with cage, by
which the men We're lowered and hoist
ed. The cage was near the top of tho
shaft, carrying two miners at the mos
ment Of the explosion.
The force of the COnCussion escaping
through the shaft blew the cage through
the machinery at the top and 800 feet
away. Both the miners were instantly
killed one mad his head blown Off
Mine Foreman Henry Thompson was
killed by flying debris at the top or the
shaft and two Italian laborers who were
WorklnS near MN were seriously IN
iured.
Roth shafts are clogged with debris
and poisonous gases well from them
with oyerpowerlng force. on special
train which let llttshurg this after
noon carrying President Jones and other
officers Of the company was a supply OF
patent helmets equipped with which
rescuers VIII be able 10 work In any at
nosphere.
President Jones says there were not
more than 100 men IN the mine at the
time OF the explosion Mine Inspector
Iouutt and Mine Foreman Kennedy,
who were still In Mariailna completing
the report Of their invest cation, place
the number OF mon eutomhed at over
lsO only the most optimistic can nguro
that any OF these are alive,
II Is feared that entrance 10 the mine
through the shafts D. out OF the Ques-
ton. Some of the officials of tie com
pany believe II Will be necessary 20 dig
through $40 feet OF solid coal before the
underground workings can be- reached