The Detroit times., 1912-03-27
THIRTY-SEvEN BODIES TAKEN
FROM WEST VIRGINIA NINE
FORTy-SIN OTHERS IN PIT
Victims Recovered Today Had
Been Terribly Burned
BY Explosion
ONE is FOUND KNEELING
Deadly After-Damp Is Holding
Back Rescuers Despite Their
Oxygen Helmets

WEIGH. w. Va, March 27.-Twen-
w bodies, making total or 81 re-
covered. were brought from the
wrecked mine at Jed, two miles from
here at noon today. IL is believed
that AZ dead men are still within the
pit.
After.damp is holding back the
government experts despite their
oxygen helmets.
The bodies recovered at noon lay
in heap, every one with its face
away from the shaft. Some had been
! terribly burned. Others had been
overtaken by the damp and suf-
| located
One man was found sitting against
the black wall several feet away from
the others. Another was found kneel-
ing as II his last minutes had been
spent in prayer.
When word came that 20 bodies
had been found the widows and ba-
bies crowded TO the very mouth OF
the shaft crying for a look at the
faces that they might see II their own
loved ones were among them.
Chief John Laing, of the West Vir-
ginia department OF mines, arrived
at The mine early today and took
charge OF the rescue work. He also
started a rigid investigation TO de-
termine the cause OF the explosion.
DR. j. H Mccullough coroner OF
Mcdowell county, also is Investigate
ing the cause of the disaster.
After toiling all night the rescue
party gave up hope OF finding any
more OF the miners alive. This hope
was inspired at noon yesterday, hours
after the explosion. when ten living
men were brought TO the surface
They had escaped the death-dealing
blast by falling on their faces an IN
slant before the sheet of flame HASH
ed through the pit.
During the long hours of the night
the women Of the village hung around
the entrance OF the shaft, hopeful 70
the last that their loved ones would
be restored 10 them. Many held sleep
ing babes TO their bosoms, others
lcuddled fatherless children about
their knees, and feeble old women
many OF whom had tasted the bitter
mess OF West Virginia mining lie De
fore, sought vainly TO comfort tnem'
With the rising of the sun hope
fled and the faltering women settled
down with mute stoicism TO await the
Identification OF the mangled bodies
of their dead.
Accumulation of coal dust and fail
ure to sprinkle the mine caused the
explosion, according to Mrs. William
lHelton. whose husbands body was one
of the sixteen recovered early from
the wreck Helton was a mine con-
tractor employing a dozen miners.
"Aly husband told me several times
in the past few days that he was
afraid something was going to hap
pen" said Mrs. Helton. He safe
there had been very little sprinkllns
since the state inspector was there
several weeks ago, and the dust was
piling up thick"
Two children survive Helton.
The sixteen bodies brought from the
mine early today were terribly mutt
lated. The explosion was so terrlnc
that the mine Is a complete wreck
and rescuers started 10 dig their way
| through tons Of coal and dirt that
block the entry way.
| All mines in this vicinity nave
closed down and the neighboring min
ers are aiding in the work OF rescue.
The victims OF the explosion were
mostly Hungarians and Slavs a.
though there were some Americans
Deputy Mine Inspector William
| Nicholson who was overcome late yes
terday by. black damp while leading
rescuing party near the bottom or the
15O-foot shaft had recovered today
| sufficiently to make. report TO Chle1
| Laing. Nicholson said that 1t had
been planned TO inspect the tff=fHted
| mine yesterday, but that the inspec-
| ton at Jed was postponed in order
| that the Bottom Creek mine at Vivian.
w. Va, could be examined.
When the news OF the explosion
| reached Nicholson and Inspector p.
/. Grady, they rode post haste across
| the country to aid in the rescue, ar
| riYipR two hours after the disaster
II is estimated that the explosion
made at least 200 orphans.
! a consignment OF 50 collins arrives:
today. Fifty graves have been dug
I'm the village graveyard and new
cemetery is TO be opened.
| The government rescue crew
entered the mine with oxygen he'll
NETS. but even with these they have
had several times to retreat from the
afterdamp.
The canary birds used by the res
cuers TO test the quality of the gas
have persisted so far.
ct is impossible for life TO exist
down there" said one OF the govern
lment rescuers There is little to
do here but TO remove the bodies of
the dead"