Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-09
SEVENTY BODIES RECOVERED
Disaster In Colliery Much Greater
Than at First Estimated.
SEvENTY-FOUR ARE KNOWN DEAD
UBdertakers Fight for the bodies and
Police Interfcrc-wOrst Disnster
OF Kind since Eighteen
Ninety-Six.

SCRANTON, Pa. April S.--A revised list
Of dead tonight shows that seventy -four
men and boys met their deaths in the fire
in the Pancoast colliery at Throop, near
here yesterday. canvess Of the victims
families shows forty-five widows and 1S7
orphans.
1t is said that every corner of the
workings, which fleeing victim might
have reached in his search for pure air,
has been entered and every body has been
removed.
The last group Of dead, comprising seven
men, were brought up shortly before noon
today. The first body was taken out at
10 o'clock last night. Seventy three bodies
have been recovered.
AS fast as the bodies were identified.
IL relatives did not come to claim them,
they we're turned over to undertakers, ac-
cording to nationality, to be prepared for
burial. The undertakers fairly fought for
the bodies believing the company would
stand for a good round charge and scenes
that were disgraceful resulted Police au-
thoritieH had TO interfere to preserve de-
cency.
About every house in Throop, a typ
| ical mining settlement. had crepe on it's
door and I'm some houses there are more
than one corpse. John Stoyak and his
two sons and cousin lie In a row in his
humble home, In one foreigners house,
seven children are orphans. The eldest is
10 years old Another foreigners body was
taken to a home where one child is i'll Of
scarlet fever and another Of typhoid. The
funerals probably will be held Monday
Worst Disaster for Years.
In the number of victims this is the
worst mine horror that has ever occurred
in the Lackawanna valley region and the
worst in the whole anthracite coal fields
since the Avondale disaster Of September
1863, when 40 men lost their lives by slt-
/ location consequent to the burning OF the
/ breaker.
! lisa bellea ?, fsgScaS-Tb45- -hp ?wtenin
! The Twin shaft disaster of June g. 1896
in Pittston, near here, claimed nfty-one
victims, These men were entrapped by
cavein which they were working to pro
vent by the recton of pillars. Not one of
their bodies was recovered.
Many explanations are offered as to how
the Pancoast victims came totheir death
but none is accepted. One contributing
cause, It is said, was the failure of inside
mine boFses TO realize the imminence OF
danger in thetunnel until it was too late
| for them TO be gotten uuu.
The fire started little after Q o'clock
Mining operations continued until Il
o'clock 1t is estimated that it was nearly
II o'clock when the danger to the men in
the tunnel was realized.
There was a way, a winding, devious way
to the second opening, but this was prob
ably filled with smoke and white damp
before the men could get started. Some
ATTEMPTED to come back in the direction Of
the fire Some got considerable distance
In the other direction.
None got anywhere near safety They
fell in thier tracks or laid down exhausted
burying their faces in the wet culm to
avoid the choking smoke and deadly gas
Some were found huddled UP under sheets
OF canvas used in the mines In constructing