Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-05
Bodies Hurled Everywhere
as Trolley Wire Breaks,
-
Sparks Causing Ignition. Z
FIRE AND SUFFOCATION z
ADD TO LIST OF VICTIMS
Explosive Carried in Violation Of
Law-Wilkes- Barre Welcome to
Soldiers Turned to Grief. 4
BY the Associated Press.


BY the Associated Press =
WILKES BARRE. Pa. June Sew
enty-eight men lost their lives in the
Baltimore No. tunnel OF the Della
ware and Hudson Coal Company ex.
plosion and fire today and thirty-ons
were injured, according to list given
out by the company officials at noon
today. sc
Forty-one bodies have been identi-
fed and thirty-seven remain unider.
tined The company's injured list 10
not complete, and it is certain that
the number of injured will reach
about forty.
The disaster is, with one exceptions
the greatest that has ever occurred in
ILLS Nieihi'y' -.
Broken Wire Ignites Powder.
More than one hundred mine work.
ers were riding to their work crowded
into what is known as a trip of nina
cars drawn by a motor The rear oar
carried twelve kegs of black powder
used for blasting loose the coal in the
chambers. The mine is modern ana
equipped electrically. The trolley wiTS
snapped when the train had gone about .
200 feet from the entrance. The WIZ.
sputtered and sizzled, and the sparks IT
emitted touched off the powder. Tho
terrified men on the cars instantly
were aware of the danger that CON.
fronted them, but they stood powerless
to avert it. s-ta
There was a roar and in an instant
every man and boy on the train was
q ar -
gled bodies were found everywheze
by the rescue crews which Instantly
rushed into the mine. Fire fighter4
working frantically, succeeded in.eAn
incredibly short time in subduing tue
flames which followed the blast. -
Then came the gruesome work co8
taking out dead and injured. Those
who had not already succumbed werD
SO badly burned that in nearly every
case death is matter of only a shoFt
time. 80
Law Violated in Carrying Powder.
Carelessness and violation OF mine
laws of the state caused the great
loss of life One of the most drastic
provisions of the anthracite mine code
is the section forbidding the tranes
portation of men on car or tEAt9
which carries explosives. Yet the tfaip
OF little cars conveying It's ifCieAS ~
miners had attached to its rear a car
of a dozen kegs of powder. 'Investi.
cation will disclose whether the men
or the company is responsible Tor this
violation Of the law.
Some of the first bodies brought
from the tunnel were burning when
they reached the surface. Clothes has
been burned away and the flesh Wa
roasting from the intense heat Wa.
ter was poured on these to put out
GIN N
that made brave hearts turn sick.
II Dead at 1890 O'Clock.
At 1890 o'clock the company ohi-
Gals announced that seventy-one me0 :
were dead and that thirty-five were
at the hospitals 1t was stated thar
the death list will increase.
is pull of 1876. 900 cubic feet Of air
per minute in the tunnel and that the
air pulled in the flames from the
powder directly over the men. Along
the side Of the tunnel there is creek,
and at the flash of the flames some
men who were walking along the
side of the trip of ears dropped into
the water and saved their lives.
Several employees stated that IL Wa
not the force of the explosion that
killed the men. Flames and lack 81
air caused all the fatalities. All adj
nit that the accident was the result
of violation of the law. but thsy
state that miners are accustomed
to these violations. s.s.
Survivor Tells Graphic Story-s
Thomas Dougherty. a miner. one Of
the survivors. was thrown out OF
car by the blast and saved himself
by jumping into a ditch. He saids
I'VE were riding along about fifty
feet in the tunnel There was .
binding fash. ! was thrown from
the car. / saw the water and
hurled myself into il. Bodies were
all about Some | know were dead.
others were crying. The flames were
terrific. They were all about. We
were in veritable hell. No man
could possible hope to escape with
his life unless he got in the water,
over as / did. There was powder In
the car. There were about ten kegA
and besides there were kegs carried
by the men. OF course I do not know
what set them off. but l believe the
trolley wire broke and that sparks
ignited the powder"
1t seems like the irony Of fate that
over the mouth of the tunfel in great
big white letters are painted the
words safety first"
Pitiful Scenes About Tunnel.
AS the bodies are removed from the
mine, living and dead. they are piled
on the green about the colliery. Many
of the injured live but a short TINA
Hundreds of women, men and chill
dren gathered about the tunnel.
Shrieking and crying they lifted ths
blankets from the men. They were
terrified at the sights. Women fafnteA |
men lost their nerve and children ran
away in fright. The bodies of scorer
have been removed to the morgueA.
There the work of Identification is hes
ing carried out. with little success.
Mine officials and state officials were
on the scene promptly. but their efforts
were directed solely to the works 81
rescue. There were enough men -
meet all needs for the work inside the
mine, but the chief trouble during the
early hours was in getting nurses.
doctors and supplies .sssa-
East End last night was the scene
Of great gayety. That section of the
city welcomed home boys from tins
311th Field Artillery. Bands were
out, flags were flying, red fire burned,
people laughed and shouted. Within
twelve hours all was changed. many
homes being made sad. Some OF the
soldiers had their joy turned into
despair. Their fathers were among
the dead.