The Detroit times., 1911-04-08

ton, common councilman OF nrst Waros
JOSEPH Il. EVANS, IS, south HyAs
Park-ave., West Scranton, foreman %
United states rescue car.
SCRANTON, Pa, April s.--Seventy
bodies had been taken from the
Price Pancoast mine at Throop, up To
noon today and officials OF the com
pany declare that there are still six
more bodies In the mine, making the
total death list 76.
The catastrophe is the greatest that
has ever occurred in mine IN the
Lackawanna district and ranks with
the Avondaie disaster in 1863, In
which 126 lives were lost and the
Twin Shaft at Pittston In 1896 when
81 were killed.
or the force OF workmen In the Dun
more vein, commonly called the China
vein, 600 feet below the surface, who
were at work behind the engine house
at the north slope when the fire broke
out In the engine house, only one es-l
capped. He was fire boss Joseph
yickers, who was working close to
the engine house when the alarm
was sounded.
with the finding OF the bodies There
was every indication In the location
and condition OF the bodies OF their
having fought desperately to staye on
fast approaching death and OF their
clinging closely TO one another as the
smoke and the white damp began the
shutting out OF their lives.
The bodies were found in groups OF
from three TO seven men. And In al
most each group the hands OF the men
were interlocked or their arms were
clinging TO the shoulders OF compan-
ions. In one group were three broth
ers and a cousin, Emil, John and Vic
tor Wasthenick and l.. Poseva. Their
arms were over one another's shout
ders as they lay In a row far In the
tunnel.
There were large crowds at the
mine, and as each body was placed
aboard an undertakers wagon, men,
women and children rushed toward
It. The state troopers. Scranton and
Throop police were compelled to re-
sort to the most strenuous measures
to keep the crowd In check.
When the body Of Stephen Ostre-
sky, driver boy. was being taken
from the carshop to an undertaker's
van, q woman with shawl over her
head, fought her way through the
crowd. scratching at the faces or
those who sought to restrain her.
Its my boy. it's my boy. and he's
dead" she shrieked.
IL required force to lead her away
10 party Of friends who took her in
charge.
One OF the bodies recovered this
morning was that of John Gray, who
also goes down on the list OF the days
heroes. He was a rope cleaner and
received word OF the fire in time to
reach the shaft. He forfeited his life
by rushing to spread the alarm among
his fellow workers In the lower vein.
Several women had To be carried
away when the shroud was lifted and
the features OF Gray were revealed.
In the death OF Joseph Z. Evans.
the government mine rescue foreman.
who died in the attempt to save
others from the fate he himself met.
there is touch OF martyrdom as well
as patriotism. Mr. Evans started In
life as a chairman in the engineers
corps on the Laekawanna and finally
became foreman OF the Continental
mine Six weeks ago, Mr. Evans was
rendered the appointment as foreman
OF the mine rescue car, stationed ~
Kingston. which position he accepted
though Il meant a financial sacrifice.
He was the son OF Evan J. Evans.
district superintendent of the ID. l. &
w. He Is a brother OF Mine Inspec-
tor Llewellyn NJ. Evans, Of the sec
ond district.
John r. Perry, the other member
OF the rescuing party, who died as the
result OF inhaling the dangerous gases
and fumes, was 40 years old, repre-
sented the first ward in common coun-
Gil
There Is TO be an immediate inyes-
tigation made OF the disaster Mine
inspector David J. williams. In whose
district the workings are located, said
this morning. that there would be an
investigation conducted by him.
Coroner j.. +. Saltey and County Dc
tectiye NJ. A. Rafter went 10 Throop.
this morning. and there will be COM
plete investigation made by them as
county authorities. The United States
mine bureau Is also TO conduct an IN
.-.tfOaffnn