The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-04-30
Pennsylvania CoIIiery a
Scene of Havoc.
THE BURNED VICTIMS CRAWL
From Smoking Aperture, AS
Frantic Families Crowd
About Opening.
FIRE DAMP OR GAS THE CAUSE

y
we're snuffed out shortly after noon
to-day when disastrous explosion
occurred in the Cincinnati mine OF
/ the Monongahela sRiver Consoli-
| dated Coal & Coke Company at Fin
/ leyville, about twenty-seven miles
| southeast of this city. More than
three scores made thrilling escapes,
crawling most of the time on their
hands and knees through deadly
gas fumes add over debris. many of
them being burned.
Up to IL o'clock tonight seven
ty bodies of victims had been recov-
cred. They were located by rescu-
ing squads of the United States Blu
reau of Mines, the Monongahela
River Consolidated Coal & Coke
Company and of the Pittsburg Coal
Company.
AS the rescuers found body, it
was carried to the surface. None of
the bodies, however, We're brought
to the open.
Preparations are being made to
handle the dead. Box cars have
been ordered to a mine siding. 1t rs
stated the victims will be taken
from the mine at daylight to-mor-
row and sent at once to Mononga-
hela City to be prepared for burial.
Rescue work is hampered by af-
terdamp. Fire which followed the
explosion has been completely sub
dued, it is said. During the after
noon rescue parties reported at in
tervals that some of the men were
alive behind heavy falls of earth
and coal. Sounds resembling rap
ping and weak cries could be heard.
AS night came, however, such evil
dences of life ceased.
At o'clock tonight rescuing
parties coming from the mine were
of the belief that all the entombed
men were dead. The force of the
explosion was terrific. Mine cars
were splintered and a fifteen-ton
motor was turned over Many feet
of nine track was twisted and rip
ped from the ties.
But few of the miners who
reached the surface were in condi-
ton to talk. From these little
could be gained. Suffering from
burns or fright, the miners only
knew that an explosion had occur
red and that large number of men
were either killed or asphyxiated
by the "afterdamp."
Several hours after the explosion
seven foreign miners crawled from
one of the entrances. All were Sc
riously burned. They could give no
connected account of conditions in
the mine or their individual expe- |
riences.
They all said that the mine was
full Of dead people,"
i'uoihcSo III iHicy vine WAS suS-
pended The greatest excitement
prevailed and practically the entire
rushed to the Inflated
mine.
Relatives and friends of the men
beneath the surface were frantic.
Many of them had to be restrained.
After time guard was placed
surrounding the en-
trance to the mine, and all per-
sons except rescuers and mine off,
eials were held at a distance.
A gas explosion is thought to
have caused to-days disaster, al
though this fact has not been ex-
actly determined. Firedamp, it is
said, may have been responsible.
or the known dead all are Amer
leans. They are: John Green,
Thomas Carter, son of William Car
ter superintendent of the mine;
Robert Anderson. machine boss,
and Charles Hager and John Lake.
The explosion occurred between
No. | and No, 2 right entries, b.
600 feet from the mouth of the
mine.
A. v. Brown, assistant mine fore
man, stated that l79 men went to
work in the mine this morning. OF
The number thirty-eight made their
escape through what is known as
The Mingo entry and thirty-eight or
forty escaped through the Courtney
entry. At least 100 men are in the
nine and are thought to be dead.
Robert Carten. track layer, who
tonight told the following
story:
IL had been working at the head
IF No. l6 entry. After eating lunch
resumed work at 1890 and had \
iriven only two spikes when the ex-
'losion occurred. The conclusion