Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-12-24
LAMPS CAUSE
MINE EXPLOSION
Quick Work of ReSCuers Saves
Many Lives

4 PERRIN, Ill, Dec. 24.-Although
searching party worked all night
under the direction Of State Mine In
spector Little. no more bodies in the
explosion at the mine of the Chicago
& Carterville company have been
recovered other than the eight which
we're found early after the disas-
ter. An investigation to the cause
of the disaster is being made today.
| ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Dec. 24.-Eight
men were killed and the lives OF 400
others were imperiled by an explo-
sion of gas in mine a of the Chicago
& Carterville Coal company at Her
rim. ILL.,, late yesterday afternoon.
Open lamps carried by the mine
engineer and his assistants caused
the disaster. according to a mess
age from the mine offices. There
were three men and boy in this
party. All lost their lives.
Prompt action BY the management
resulted in the safe exit of the hun
dreds Of workmen below ground.
Within five minutes after the first
report of the explosion miners in the
immediate vicinity of the accident
were started to the surface and on
the return trips of the cages rescuers
were lowered to entries No. and
No s west, where the catastrophe
took place.
Among the dead were: w. T..
Pierce, mine engineer; Eugene Bar
rett, assistant engineer and Thomas
Williams, assistant manager.
Rescuers Brave Danger.
Thomas Quincy. superintendent
of the mine, and Robert Huston,
manager, headed the first relay of
rescuers.
Despite the black damp that flowed
into the chamber adjoining those in
which Pierce and his party were
killed, these men plunged into the
workings.
Three bodies blocked their path.
Hasty examination showed that the
men were alive and the crews rush
ed them to the surface. One was
a brother of the manager. The 9TH
ers. Charles KLEIN and Albert Shell
ton, were. with Huston. revived. and
all are expected to recover from the
effects OF the gas.
The rescuers next found the bod
les Of Snyder. Greece and Romeo,
miners. None of these men had been
burned, the condition of the bodies
testifying to the force of the con-
cussions. The body of Harder, a
miner, was badly burned. the flea.
lures being scorched almost beyond
recognition.
Efforts of the reseuers to pene-
trate more deeply into the workings
were repulsed by increasing after
damp. The ventilaung apparatus OF
the mine-had not been damaged. but
It could not cope successfully with
the gases and Quincy and Huston
and their helpers were forced to re-
treat. leaving the bodies of Pierce
and his companions.
Fire also began to gain headway.
and 1t Is not expected that the bod
les can be recovered before tomor-
row. Tonight all efforts are being
directed toward fighting the flames.
Conditions are such that 1t Is hdped
they win be confined to the two en-
tries affected by the explosion.
News of the disaster spnead
through Herrin and women and chill
dren rushed at once to the shaft
house. But. as the cage emptied
load after load Of rescued miners.
sobs of anguish gave way to cries OF
JOY. These In turn were soon hushed
to murmurs OF sympathy as the bod
les OF the dead we're brought TO the
surface.
Immediately after the explosion
State Mine Inspector Little Of Car
bondale was notified He arrived
few hours later and Is overseeing the
work Of the fire fighters
Tn damage to the mine cannot yet
be accurately estimated. The COL
. liery is one Of the oldest In this sec
ton and has had fez accidents. The
mine Is under the aetive management
: OF J. B. Peters OF earbondale. vice
: president OF the Chicago q Carter
vile Coal company The president