Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-04
GBy Associated Press.

by Associaleu fIeSs.I
n OSLYN, WASH, Oct. 3.--At least
X nine men were killed and two
~ fatally injured in an explosion of
gas in the shaft of mine No. 4 of the
Northwestern improvement company at
12:45 o'clock this afternoon.
The known dead are
James GurreI.
William Arundoll.
Dominick 5artoero.
Dan Hardy.
Philip Pozarich.
Tom Marsoyn.
John E. Jones.
Carl Berger, gang boss.
Aaron lsaackson.
The fatally injured: Otis Newhouse.
John w. Jones, engineer and father of
John E. Jones.
With the exception of John e. Jones,
aged 21, all the dead and fatally in
jured are married and have families.
The ages of men range from 35 to 65
years.
The bodies of Bartolero, Hardy, Poza
rich, Marsolyn, Jones and Isaakson are
in the shaft and may never be recov-
cred.
Others May Be Dead
The list of known dead and injured
contains the names of all who were
working in or about the shaft. 1t is
generally believed that other men are
in the burning mine, but such were in
the mine without authority, and an ac-
curate check is not possible until to-
morrow.
When the explosion occurred a col
umn of fire was thrown hundreds of
| feet into the air, igniting the shaft
plant and adjoining buildings. Under
| the intense heat the hoisting shaft
crumbled and fell into the furnace be-
low Cinders were blown in all direc-
tions, and buildings in various parts or
the little mining town took fire.
The citizens were able to eXtinguish
these small fires, and the Roslyn tire
department, aided by apparatus and
men sent from Gle Elum, three miles
away, have confined the blaze to the
main buildings of the mine.
Thirty minutes after the explosion
wagons began bringing injured to the
emergency hospital. Many of the men
who were not killed outright by the
explosion are burned beyond recognl-
tion and can live but few hours.
The mine in the neighborhood of the
shaft is burning fiercely and flames
are shooting UP from the shaft nearly
100 feet into the air.
Pumps Cut Off
The electric pumps that supply the
town of Roslyn with water have been
cut off and the water supply in the
city is very nearly exhausted.
1t is reported that the shaft is caving
in and other explosions may occur at
any moment. Rescue parties will be
sent into the mine from the slope con-
Meeting with the shaft as soon as it is
safe for men to approach.
The scene in Roslyn Immediately
IL. H.. r,4,.1 snfN Nrra4 ~
confusion. Men, women and children
rushed from their homes at the sound
of the explosion and hurried to the
mine. 1t was not known how many
men were working there and people
rushed frantlcally about searching for
relatives in the crowd that gathered
near the burning shaft
1t was fortunate that the accident
occurred on Sunday, when only the
pump men and laborers making repairs
in the mine were at work. Had the
explosion occurred on a week day the
list of fatalities would probably have
been as great as in the disaster OF
May 10, 1892, when Roslyn mine No. 2
exploded with toll of half a hundred
lives.
Nearly 500 men are regularly en-
ployed in mine No. 4. The mine Off
cials are unable to explain the cause
of the explosion. In discussing the ac-
cident tonight superintendent John G.
Green said:
Appalled, by Truth
81 never was more surprised in my
life than when l heard the explosion.
At first 1 supposed that one of the
boilers in the power plant had blown
out, but when l rushed to where
could see the mine / was appalled, to
learn that the explosion was in the
shaft.
Less than five minutes before the
fire bosses had reported everything.
This morning a force of electricians
was sent into the mine to test some
safety lamps. They had just returned
and reported that they could find no
gas. What caused the explosion is
mystery to me. 1t is one of those
things that happen without any ap-
parent explanation.
II am afraid that the shaft is
total loss. At least it will be months
before it can be reopened. l will send
rescue parties in from mine No. as
soon as it is safe to enter the mine.
General superintendent j. f. Mem
zies Is III of typhoid fever, but when
he learned of the disaster he insisted
on taking charge of the rescue work.
directing the operations of the work.
ers from his sick bed.
The mines of the Northwestern I'M
provement company are the largest in
the state and have a producing ca
pacity of 5000 tons. They employ
total of 25OO men. The loss of shaft
No. 4, which was one of the biggest
producers operated by the company,
will materially affect the coal output
of the state.
Roslyn is 100 miles east of Seattle.
Otis Newhouse, outside foreman, has
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