The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-01-23

| blown down, 2 feet of the remain.
ing was in the solid coal and was
practically blow out shot.
A shot had also been fired in
room %, which was % feet deep
the coal being down. The bodies
of the men which had worked at
and near the face of this heading
were found at mouth of room 20
and 2l. Five Of these bodies were
found at the mouth of room 20 and
two at the face of said room. Six
bodies were also found i'll the heck
of room 81 The fndin! of these
; bodies at these points would indi-
cate that they had retired there
while their shots were being fired.
/ The evidence in this entry is con-
elusive that,the force came from
the face toward the second north
: entries. which is fully demon
strative by the rounded corners of
the coal on the inby exposures.
A motor and a trip of u loaded
cars at 18 and 10 rooms seemed to
have offered resistance to the force
diverting it into the rooms above
the trip where it appears to have
been supplied with additional
force coming out the said rooms,
derailing said cars against the
north side of the entry.
At the mouth of this third left
on the second north entry there
was every indication that the force
divided at this point, going toward
each mine. as shown by the round
ed corners of the ribs and bent
switch lever. Other places in the
mine show evidence of series of
explosions having originated there
in, viz:
First, No. % room on the first
left off second north entry shows
indications of gas having been
ignited. The conditions at the
face shows the effect of great heat
over the roof and sides, only half
way down the pavement. In the
roof at rear end of a machine
standing on the right hand rib
there existed a large cavity where
gas might have accumulated and
might have been ignited by the
machine men setting rear jack.
The machine truck was thrown
across the track from the face and
the indications show that the force
travelled right and left through to
numbers 81 and % rooms, throw
ing the track in number 23 room
toward number "a room and debris
being thrown through break
through toward number 81 room;
the force continuing its course
down the lower rooms toward the
mouth of the entry. A trip OF
loaded cars with motor attached
standing on the entry at Nos. 16
and II rooms were thrown against
the north rib of entry, indicating
that the forces had been reinforced
in said rooms.
Second, at the face of the main
north air.way, approaching the
third north entries a serious dis
turbance occurred which seemed to
be due to an Overcharged shot.
The man working a this place was
literally torn to pieces and the
tracks torn up and strewed along
down the entry toward the mouth.
This man was probably standing
in the last breakthrough near the
face.
The body of a man which was
nude and burned, but not mutt
lated, was found at the face of the
entry parallel to the one in which
the shot was fired; he was evident
lv protected by being out of the
liue of force. Judging from the
conditions as to the mutilated body
of a man, the direction of the
wreckage, ETC., it would be reason
able to conclude that the force
had its origin in these entries, but
upon following its course outward
we come in contact with evidence
of greater force coming from other
directions.
Third. On second right entry
off first south in mine No. 8 trip
of cars with motor was badly
wrecked at 26 and u rooms. The
indications were conclusive that
the force wrecking this trip came
out the entry.
In 81 room, which was only
driven in off the entry about IL
feet, on the extreme left OF face,