The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-01-15
Seventy Bodies Taken Out
of Lick Branch.
WORSE THAN LAST DISASTER.
Total Of One Hundred and Seventy.
three Lives Have Been Lost In
Same Shaft Within the
Past Two Weeks.

Roanoke, Va, Jan. 13.-The Norfolk
and Western railway officials announc-
ed today that at least ITO miners were
killed in the Lick Branch colliery dis
aster, near here.
The explosion was Of much greater
force than the one that occurred two
weeks ago, when sixty-three lives were
lost. Seventy bodies are recovered.
Heavy timbers were thrown out Of
the mouth of the mine and into the air
several hundred feet. One hundred
coffins have been shipped here from
Columbus, o.
While more than 120 miners were at
work in the shaft yesterday there
came like the sound Of thunder q
mighty rumbling in the bowels Of the
earth, which reverberated along the
miles Of corridors and air passages
crowded with those who work there.
Above the tons Of earth and stone
that lay between the workings and the
mountains crow giant trees Quivered
from the force Of the conclusion, and
from the mine mouth, the forces Of the
earth set free, belched forth cloud OF
fame, SCOT, dust and debris, heavy
timbers, broken mine cars and even
massive motor used to haul the heavy
laden cars from the depths.
Scarcely had the detonation died
away before throng Of terrorized
women and children, their feet sped
by anxiety and dread, rushed to the
mine mouth and implored those there
to allow them to aid in the effort to
save some Of their loved ones who
might still be alive within.
Mine Foreman Bowers, who was
near the entrance, was blown from his
feet, but managed to crawl out safely,
as did also Robert Smith, a miner.
With the foreman was a miner named
Holiday, and he, too, was blown over.
A rescue party organized on the mo-
ment rushed in the jaws Of the smok-
ing mines and tried to rescue him.
They were driven back by the deadly
fumes Of the after gases and were
compelled to leave him to his fate.
A train was rushed from this city to
the scene Of the disaster, some twenty
FIVE miles away, carrying bratticing
and other material to be used in the
work Of exploration and rescue.
There was supposed to be from nine.
ty to hundred men in the section Of
the mine affected. The debris from
the explosion of two weeks ago had
not been cleared away, and twenty
men were engaged in this work.
Nineteen contract miners, with their
crews, were at work in a new entry,
and it is feared that all of these men
were lost.
Since the recent catastrophe the mine
had been inspected by government Of
fcials and by the most experienced
mine men in the region, and all, It is
said, expressed the opinion that It was
safe.
The latest estimate Of the number Of
men entombed is more than 120. That
| all of them are dead there can be no
doubt The fire in the mine and the
deadly gases, to say nothing Of the
awful force Of the explosion, precludes
any chance Of rescuing any Of the men
alive
1t is reasonably certain that all Of
the bodies will never be recovered.
Some of them were blown to pieces
and others incinerated.
Two brothers named Surratt Of
Speedwell, Va, who went to the mine
at the time of the other explosion
through curiosity, accepted positions,
and both are in the mine.
State Mine Inspectors Phillips and
Nicholson are directing the work Of
rescue. Crews have been formed ana
are venturing in as far as the air is
pure enough to breathe in their efforts
to reach those entombed.