The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-29
TBY LEASED WlRE1

ECCLES, w. Va, April 29.-Flames
and great clouds of smoke pouring
from Mine No. and Mine No. 6 Of
the New River Galleries company
today drove back heroic rescuers and
all hope was abandoned of rescuing
any of the 1877 miners still entombed
there as a result of the explosion that
occurred yesterday afternoon. All
are believed to be dead.
A number Of explosions were heard
during the night, indicating that "gas
pockets" had been ignited by the fire
that broke out soon after the explo-
sion.
! One hundred and seventy-seven of
the men given up for dead are in
Mine No. s. Ten are trapped in Mine
! No. 6, from which eleven bodies have
! been recovered.
Death List 1873.
All the bodies recovered are silent
witnesses to the force Of the blast
that snuffed out the miners lives.
With 1877 men still in the mines, given
! which Is, with one exception, the worst
mine disaster in the states history.
Sixty-five who escaped by their own
efforts from Mine No. 6, or who were
brought out by rescuers before the
flames checked further efforts, owe
their lives to the fact that they we're
near the surface when the explosion
occurred.
Governor Hatfield and other state
officials are on the ground lending
j every aid possible. State Mine Chief
Henry and a corps of assistants work
ed all night in an attempt to pene-
trate the wall of Shaft No. s. They
were relieved at dawn by another
force. All these men had to work
with extreme care as any opening
! might permit rush Of flames that
/ would trap the rescuers.
. Story Of Disaster.
The first story of the disaster was
told by Steven Morowaski, who was
witness. His story follows:
1--WE were working as usual" whis-
/ pered Morowaski in voice that bare
I ly could be heard. Suddenly there
was a deafening roar, then a wall OF
| flames swept through the shaft. 1t
came without warning, but we in
/ stinctively threw ourselves upon our
! faces. The noise nearly burst our
ears; our lungs were filled with fire
! it seemed. The air was so full of gas
: tldt we CuOheu WHICH, We IIleu u
breathe"
AS he whispered his story his wife
sat swaying and weeping at the bed
side, her three small children, wild
eyed, frightened and wondering, cling
ing to her knees. The attending doc
tor had told Mrs. Morowaski that hel
husband probably would not live until
night, and her grief was overwhelm
ing.
Covered With Flames.
Morowask feebly resumed his story
There was a wave of fire." he said
'It seeemd to be coming right at me
Things seemed to be whirling around
My head was dizzy. My lungs were
choked with fire and smoke. I thought
my body was bursting. My last
thought was, My God, it's death.
Then I tainted The next thing
knew I opened my eyes in here.
never knew such a blessed moment
I don't know how many men were
in the same chamber with me. I think
there were twelve. Poor devils.
hope they are saved"
Women Become HysterIcaI.
Agonized women huddled IN groups
throughout the night behind the lines
established at the mouth Of No.
shaft. Little children, who knew OF
the extent of the calamity only from
the grief Of their mothers, sat in
sleepy, silent wonder, asking occa
sionally wh1n father would come
home"
All night long in the glare Of bon