The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-09
Last Group of Seyen Vic tins Are Brought to
 the Surface
UNDERTAKERS FIGHT
 OVER DEAD BODIES
State Mine Inspector Roderick Says If Proper Care Had Been Taken There Would Have
 Been No Fire

Scranton. Pa. April s.-seventy-three is the revised total of the toll ot deaths in tho mine fire at the Pancoast eolliery in Throop yesterday. A canvass of the fam
 lilies of the victims shows 45 widows and 137 orphans.
 It is authortativey stated tonight that every corner of the workings which a fleeing victim might have reached in his frenzy for pure air has been searched and that every body has been removed. The last group of dead, comprising seven men, were brought up from the depths little before noon today
 l As fast as the bodies were identified trey were tagged. and if relatives did not come to claim them they were turned over to an undertaken to be prepared for burial and taken home. The undertakers | fairly fought for the bodies. believing that the company would stand for good round charge, and scenes that were dis | graceful resulted.
 Police authorities had to interfere to preserve some aspect of decency.
 About every other house in the village of Throop typical mining settlement, had crepe on it's door and in some houses there are more than one corpse. Funerals probably will be held Monday. In the matter of the number of victims, this is the worst mine horror that has ever oc- cured in the Lackayanna valley region and the worst in the whole anthracite coal fields since the Avondale disaster of September 6, 1869. when l10 men lost their lives.
 The twin shaft disaster of June 2s, 1sss. in Pittston, near here. claimed 51 vic tlms. These men were entrapped by cave-in which they were working to pre- vent by the erection of pillars. Not one of their bodies was ever recovered.
 Are Many Explanations
 Many explanations are offered as to how the Pancoast victims came to their death, but none of them is as yet gener- ally accepted.
 The fire started yesterday morning a little after o'clock 1t is not kn~oe.< but it is estimated that it was well along towards II o'clock when tho dam ger to the men In the tunnel waz feas- ized. Walter Knight the foreman, and Isaac Dave. fire boss, gave an alarm to the different veins and then started in to notify the tunnel men to get out. Perry and the two bosses went in to- wards the tunnel workings. a thousand feet ahead
 Knight was one of the headiest men in the company's employ and knew the mine like he did his own home, but he did not take out the tunnel men. With Dave and Perry he perlshed with | the men they went in to warn. There was a winding, devious way to the second opening, but this proba- bly, was filled with smoke and white damp before the men could get we'll started on their journey through it. | Some attempted to come back in the direction of the fire. Some got con- | siderable distance in the other direc- ton, but none got anywhere near safe 1 ty. They fell in their tracks or lay down exhausted burying their faces in | the wet culm to avoid the choking smoke and deadly gas. Some stuffed wet handkerchiefs in their mouths. Some Swere found huddled up under sheets of canvas, used largely in the mines in constructing air courses. All died in a struggle that told of itself in the dead features, James E. Rodcr- ick, chief of the State department of mines, arrived on the scene today and l with Inspectors David Williams, P. J. Moore, H. o. Prythervh and other we'll 1 known mining experts will conduct an l investigation of the cause of the catas- trophe.
 If proper care had been taken there would have been no fire" Mir. Roderick said.
 Will Disclose Facts
 q believe the inquest will establish tmany of the facts which are not known now" he continued. 1T do not know much about the fire. but I will find out before I leave here am afraid there was too much delay. but also | think the men were dead in less than half an hour, The men could not have lived five minutes in white damp and the smoke that replaced the air in tho chambers. Tine consequence Is that there was no great suffering.
 "I did not believe there was hard coal mine in Pennsylvania In which such I an accident could have happened l "Iawant to say now that it sAouli not kkave happened. The engine house shoulT have been constructed of incon- hustible material. I do not know of any law except common sense that de- l mands this"
 pr J. A. Holmes of Washington. D. C.. chief of the United States bureau oc | mines has also undertaken an investi- gation on behalf of the federal govern | ment.
 l Coroner James Saltev and County De- tectiye NJ. A. Rafter are also conducting an investigation to fix responsibility. About i2 of the victims were men os 1 English speech and the boys, whose ages ranged from 14 to l6, were of abou. l equal number. The remaining 90 werefor the most part Hunsarians and Polandersl
 
 | Washington. April s--The National Rel Cross society today teegraphed to the mayor of Scranton asking whether any assistance was needed for the relief of | the families of the dead miners of tho l Pancoast disaster. Director Holmes of | the bureau of mines received a tele- gram from John Hays Hammond, spe- l cia American ambassador to the corona tion' of King George V. expressing dis 1 tress over the death or Joseph E. Evans. l of the bureau of mines staff, and offer 1 ing tn head a subscription with s25O for the widow of the dead man. While Dr. | Holmes had no authority for starting | such subscription. Scranton authorities undoubtedly will take up the matter. No | Legislation exists for the relief of families of men killed in the government mine rescue work. but Congress usually makes
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