Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-06-11
MA NY ARE KILLED AND INJURED
When Kegs Of Powder Explode on
Mine Trolley Road.


ty-eight men lost their lives in the
Baltimore No. 2. tunnel Of the Del
aware and Hudson Coal Company ex-
plosion and fire to-day, and 81 we're
injured, according to a list given
out by the company officials at noon
to-day.
Forty bodies have been identified
and 36 remain unidentified The
company's list was not comulete, and
1t is certain that the number Of in
jured will reach about 40.
May BE Hundred Deaths.
Wilkesbarre, June "a death
list that may reach 100 Is the hu-
man toll Of an explosion to-day Of
blasting powder, which was attached
to trainload Of miners being trans
ported to their work in the Balti-
more No. 2 mine of the Delaware and
Hudson Company IN this city The
disaster is. with one exception, the
gret test that has ever occurred in
this vicinity.
More than one hundred mine work
ers were riding to their work, being
crowded into what is known as Il
trip Of mine cars, drawn by a motor
The rear car carried twelve kegs Of
blasting powder. The trolley wire
snapped when the train had gone
about 200 feet from the entrance, and
sparks that it emitted touched off
the powder.
Bodies Terribly Mangled.
There was great roar, and in an
instant every man or boy on the train
was either dead or dying. Terribly
mangled bodies were found by the
rescue crew, which instantly rushed
into the mine. The ire-fighters,
working frantically, succeeded in
quickly subduing the flames which
followed Then followed the srue-
some work Of taking the dead and in
jured out. Those who had not al
ready succumDed were so badly burn
ed that in nearly every case death
is matter Of only "A short time.
Violation of the mine laws of the
State is said to have caused the
great loss Of life. One Of the most
drastic provisions Of the anthracite
mine code /. the section forbidding
the transportation OF men on a car
or train which carries explosives. In
VestigatiOn will disclose whether the
men or the company are responsible
for this violation Of the law.
Bodies on Fire.
Some Of the first bodies brought
from the tunnel were burning when
they reached the surface. Clothes
had been burned away, and the flesh
was roasting from the intense heat.
At 1890 o'clock the company OFF,
'cials announced that II men we're
dead and that 80 were in hospitals.
1t was said that the death list will
increase.
Along the side Of the tunnel is a
creek, and at the flash Of the flames
some men who were walking along
the side Of the trip Of cars dropped
into the water and saved their dives.
"A Veritablo He'll"
Thomas Dougherty, one Of the sur
vivors, in discussing the catastrophe,
said:
I'VE were riding along about fifty
feet in the tunnel. There was a
binding flash. | was thrown from
the car. | saw the water and hurled
myself into It, Bodies were all about
and the flames were terrific. We
were in veritable hell"
1t seemed like the irony Of fate
that over the mouth Of the tunnel, in
great big white letters, are painted
the words. "Safety first"
Identification Of the bodies Is al
most impossible. Many Of them are
charred beyond recognition. The
limbs Of some and the heads of others
are missing. At $50 a. M. it was
said that between rs and 100 were
killed or had died from injuries.
Pathetic Scenes.
The death list Is rapidly growing.
AS the bodies were removed from the
mine, living and dead, they we're
piled on the green about the colliery.
Many Of the injured lived but a short
time. Hundreds Of men. women and
children gathered about the tunnel.