The Washington times., 1908-11-29

well and one theory is that despite all
the precautions OF the model mine
builders. some Of this gas found its
way into the mine and became ignited.
Others believe that powder or dynamite
used for blasting exploded prematurely.
Whatever the cause, however, the
whole shaft was completely wrecked,
and with II all the ventilating appar-
atus so that Immediately after the eX-
plosion the air supply of the entombed
men was shut of. Even if any escaped
instant death they can hardly have es-
capped suffocauon.
The first band of rescuers to reach the
scene were other miners and the resi-
dent officers of the company. They
numbered sixty and they We're forced 10
fight their way TO the mouth of the
shaft through the crowds Of weeping,
screaming women and children.
At frs. # was thought that some Of
the buried men might still be alive and
the rescuers made attempts 10 reacn
them by the telephone system which
stretched from the offices on the sur
face TO the bottom of the Rachael. But
Tie telephone had been destroyed along
with the air shaft, and when a moment
later some of the diggers came upon
three foreigners badly mangIed even
within 100 feet Of the surface there re-
NAMED little hope that any of the
others might be living.
Rescuers Hasten to Mine.
Meanwhile the news OF the disaster
had been telegraphed TO Pittsburg and
10 all the neighboring mines in the dis
tTict. When .Iesident Jones was told
he collapsed from grief and cha6rin
over the astounding accident. He had
believed that the model mines could
not be wrecked by any means short OF
catacIysm. The other officials Of the
company were equally astonished- But
as soon as the president regained his
presence Of mind he hired special trains
and filling the ears with WTeCkeTs, doc
tors. and nurses. he started for the
scene, at she same time ordering other
relief parties from Monongahela and
adjacent mining towns.
No sooner had these parties arrived
that II was seen that the work Of rescue
was well-nigh hopeless. The very ma
chineTy and structures erected to safe
guard the mine now hindered in the
efforts TO reach the buried men.
Experts estimated at once that nearly
800 feet Of coal boulders lay between the
surface and the men beneath. 1t would
take days TO bore through this. Then it
was determined 70 seek entrance 20 The
men through one Of the other two
shafts.
Other Shafts Useless.
But mere again tor a time the rescuers
were JaIKed, for the other shafts, UNI
finished, 40 not yet contain the eIab0r-
ate hosting machinery that had been
Installed in the Rachael Moreover.
SHAFT No. l, had been sunk only TO
depth OF 400 feet. so that even at the
bottom Of this the rescuers would still
be far away from the victims. Investi-
cation or the disaster further showed
that shaft No. l also had been badly
wrecked. The timbers lining this shaft
were ripped from the sides and hurled
into the air. Temporary construction
work and unfinished portions Of the
steel tipple were also carried away or
dropped back into the shaft, which IS
completely blocked
Just where In the Mariana mine the
ed The main shaft, No. /, connects
with No. .. the air or supply shaft, and
the effects of the explosion consequent
" would be felt through every part
OF the workings. It is the general be-
lief that the gas was ignited In tne
connection tunnel near the base OF
shaft No. 2, as the force of the expIo-
sion was felt worse here. There is
rar1
entOmbed men in the mines here before
many hours.
Can't Reach the Bottom.
Superintendent F. c. Beeson, Fire
Boss William Kennedy, and Nine Boss
Joseph Kennedy went down in a bucket
in mine No. / at 3 o'clock this after
noon. They were able to get only with
in forty feet Of the bottom. Later, sew
.eraI experienced miners descended the
steps inside the shaft. and succeeded
after much difficulty, in reaching The
bottom Here they found further pro-
gress barred The lateral heading
from the bottom of the sIaft into the
mine proper was ChOkeG with muck
and debris. and they gave It as their
opinion that IL would take many hours
TO clear this away They do not think
that It win be possible TO get into the
mine tonight.
50 far, six dead men have been taken
from the mine, as follows:
HENRY THOMPSON.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED MINERS.
CLARENCE WILLIAMS.
JOSEPH POWELL
HENRY OWENS.
It is known positively that elsewhere
in the mine are $50 men who are sure
to be dead. Mine Inspector Loutitt
stated that he did not think any OF
the men in the mine could survive. He
Is directing the rescue work at the
mouth of che shaft,
Mine Not On Fire.
Some Of the officials OF the coal com
many believe II will be necessary TO dig
through 500 feet of solid coal from No
3 shaft before they can reach the work
Hngs of shaft No. ,. 1t is not believed
ahe mine is on FIRE at present. as there
is no smoke Issuing either from the
ian house or from the shaft
one OF two foreigners who managed
20 crawl from the shaft at the instan
of the explosion said that a defectl' e