Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-04-08
Entire Working Force of SCran-
ton CoIIiery Wiped Out With
out Warning When Fire
Breaks Out in Shaft House,
llNFORTUNATES TRAPPED
IN SM0kE-FILLED TUNNEL
Defective Oxygen Helmet
Causes Death Of Officer in
Charge of Government Mine
Rescue Car,
,B, Morning Journal Special Leased wirsl

10y Morning Journal Special Leased wirsl
Scranton, Pa, April 7.-One of the
most serious mine disasters which
has ever visited this section of the
mining country occurred today at the
little village of Throop, a short dis
tance from here, when between fifty
and sixty men and boys lost their
lives.
Among those known to have per-
ished are Joseph Evans, who was
in charge of the United states mine
rescue car; Alfred Dave fire boss,
and Walter Knight, a foreman.
Evans death was the result of a
defective oxygen armor. Charles
Enzran, the noted expert, in general
charge of mine rescue work for the
federal government, was also over
come and is said to be in a critical
condition.
As rescusers entered the mine they
stumbled over three bodies. one of
these was Joseph Evans. He was
seen TO take his helmet from his
head. 1t had evidently failed to
work. Evans was carried to the open
air as quickly as possible, but he had
inhaled so much smoke and gas from
the burning coal that he died within
a few hours. Enzran's experience
was similar to that of Evans.
A temporary morgue had been
erected at the opening to the mine
and here were congregated hundreds
of women and children, relatives of
the men and boys who had been SO
suddenly snatchod from them.
None Of the bodies recovered was
mutilated death doubtless having
been caused by inhaling flames and
gases.
The rescuers are pushing into the
mine and it Is thought that all the
bodies will be recovered within a
few hours.
At midnight twenty bodies had
been taken from the mine and ar
ranged In the temporary morgue In
one of the break buildings. Among
them are the bodies of John X. Per-
ry. common councilman of the First
ward. Scranton; Walter Knight in
side foreman; Isaac Dawes. fire boss;
Joseph McWater, James Wallace
Henry Lucas, Michael Dall. Joseph M.
Evans, John May, Harry Rothwell
The other bodies are those of for
elgners.
A crowd of about 5000 gathered
near the mine. The hysterical
screams of the women and children
were appalling. They sobbed and
cried during the day, but when the
first body appeared under the light
of torches at the mouth of the shaft
they let loose their pent-up feelings
in torrent and screamed despair
inSly Many of them had to be re-
strained from doing themselves vio-
lence and others tainted.
1t was said at the mine that all
the bodies will be out by daylight.
Three men, protected by helmets
and oxygen tanks, pushed past the
point where the flames were first
discovered at 5 O'Clock this afternoon
and stumbled over the bodies of two
men and boy, who had evidently
fallen cropping their way to safety.
A majority of the missing men
and boys are foreigners. but two
Americans, Foreman Walter knight
and Fire Boss Alfred Dave, are
thought to have pcrished.
The fire started in an engine house
at the opening of a slope leading
from the Diamond vein 750 feet from
the surface There we're 400 men in
the mine, about sixty of them at
work in blind tunnel at the end
OF the slope. Escane was complete
" blocked h,, ar s,,al,a ond tbe
generated gases. The other men,
scattered in different workings got
out by other exits
James vickers. a fire boss. who was
near the engine house when the fire
broke out gave the alarm and tried
to get to the tunnel where he knew
a body of men was at work. He could