The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-09
Awful Loss of Life in Mine
Near Scranton Might Have
Been Prevented.
MEN WORKED TWO HOURS
AFTER FIRE BROKE OUT
Several Investigations Started;
John MitcheIIs Opinion of
the Disaster.
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SCRANTON, Pa, April Ga revised
list of dead tonight shows that seventy
three men and boys met their deaths
in the fire in the Pancost colliery at
Throop, near here, yesterday morning.
4 canvass of the victims families
shows forty-fivc widows and l37 or
phans.
II is said that every corner of the
workings, which fleeing victim
might have reached in his search for
every body has been removed The
last group of dead, comprising seven
men, were brought up shortly before
noon today.
As fast as the bodies were identi
fled. aud If relatives did not come TO
claim them they were turned over TO
updertakers, according to nationality,
To be prepared for burial. The under
takers fairly fought for the bodies, be-
lleving the company would stand Tor
good round charge, and disgracetul
scenes resulted Police authorities had
TO interfere.
About every other house in Throop,
q typical mining settlement, bad crepe
on las door. and IN some houses there
are more than one corpse.
John Stoyak and his two sons and
counsin lie in a room in his humble
home.
In one foreigner home seven chill
drcu are made orphans. The eldest is
10 yeaIs old. Another foreigner 5 body
was taken to a home where one child
is Ill of scarlet fever and another of ty
phoid. The funerals probably will be
neld Monday.
Worst Accident for Years.
IN the number of victims this is
I,
occurred in the backnwanna valley re
gIon, aud the worst in the whole an
tEracitc coal fields since the Avon
uaic disaster Uf September s., 1869,
wuen llU men lost their lives by suf
location consequent to the burning of a
breaker.
Many explanations are offered as to
how the Pancost victims came TO their
death. but none is satisfactory. One
conti ibuting cause. il is said, was the
1aliurc of inside mine bosses to real
ne the linmirencc of danger in the tun-
mel until 1t was TOO late for them to
lie gotten out.
Inc. tire started little after g
clock. Mining operations continued
until / o'clock. IT is believed it was
near y clock when the danger 10
the men in the tunnel was realized.
Some attempted to come back in the
direction OF the fire. Some got con.
siderable distance in the other direc-
ton.
None got anywhere near safety, how.
ever They tell in their tracks or laid
down exhausted, burying their faces in
The wei culm 10 avoid the choking
smoke aud deadly gas
Vain Struggles for Life.
Some stuffed wet bandkerchiefs in
the'r mouths: Many were found huddlcd
up under sheets OF canvas, used in
tue mines i'll constructing air courses.
All died in struggle that told of it.
self III the dead features.
James T.. Rodcrick, chief of the
STATE department Of mines, arrived on
the scene today and, with other min
ing experts, will conduct an invcsti.
CATION.
DR.; J, A, Holmes of Washington, d.
G., chief of the United States bureau
ui mines, also has undertaken an in.
,estigation ON behalf OF the federal
government. He has appointed as in
\esiiCators George EnZien, IN charge
of the Uuited States rescue station In
Wilkesbarre; ID. w. Roberts. head of
the Pittsburg station, and Henry G..
DAVIS, district superintendent of the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
mines County officials also are con.
duciing an investigations
1t Is supposed the fire had It's origin
III some oil-soaked cotton waste in fhe
engine, room. This Is merely guess
work, howevr
About twelve of the victims were
men OF English speech and the bows.
whose ages range from II to IL, were
CT about equal number.
The rcma inng fifty were for the
most part Hungarians and Poles.
Cause of Evans's Death.
Officials of the federal mine rescue
service refuse to believe there was
any defect III the ''armor'' worn nv
Joseph Evans, who went TO his death
The tirst sacrifice of the service
Evans overtaxed the capacity of the
apparatus and collapsed His compan.
Ions say he tugged madly at his heI.
met. probably feeling aSphyxiation com.
ing on and tore il from his head, thus
exposing himself to the smoke and
gas that killed the men he was seek.
ing to rescue.
The work Of relieving the distress
OF the victims families is we'll nnder
way. The miners 'Ekcp fund" will
take care of the burial expenses and
the company for the present will sun. |
ply food to the victims families.