New Britain herald., 1924-04-29
36 BODIES FOUND, 75 MORE MISSING Little Hope of Finding Any Alive
 in ". Virginia Mine RESCUERS WORKING HARD

Gas Fumes Hamper Their Efforts
 Find Mute Evidence That Doome,
 Men Fought Hard For Their Live
 In Underground Passages.
 Wheeling, W. Va. April 2s.-Ths
 burned and crushed bodies of 36 vic.
 tins of yesterdays explosion and firt
 in the Benwood Mill mine of the
 Wheeling Steel Corp. had been found up 10 10 a. m. by rescue workers and
 search for 75 other miners who were
 entombed continued under the direc- ton of experts of the United States i Bureau of Mines. While the rescu-
 CTS dispaired of reaching ony of the
 men alive, they lost no time in ex- ! ploring the underground recesses. As the bodies were located they were , placed to one side in the mine tunnels, and the rescuers, weary and worn by night of hard work continued their ! battle against fallen rock and earth and poison gas. None of the bodies ''N' bS e'ou6ht ao lHC ldCt ulllll every tunnel and chamber has been explored.
 Of the Se bodies found during the night only three were identified.
 Two and Half Miles In
 Frank Fene, who is directing the rescue work said the crews, including many volunteers from nearby mining villages were penetrating the mine from the Benwood entry and the air shaft at Browns run. located two and a half miles from the mouth of the mine. Shortly after dawn these men had fought their way through the main entry and were about s,500 feet apart. In this strip of uneyplored tunnel Chief Fene believed the bodies of the 75 missing men would be found, probably in the cars in which they were being taken 10 their posts in the mine. These cars were only a short distance in the workings when 1 the terrific blast shattered the under | ground passageways.
 20 In One Place.
 Near the north entry of section No, , , the rescueFs located the bodies of s9 | miners. They are pressing forward toward north entry Nos, where 1t was believed 65 men went to work yester- day morning. a. few minutes before the blast shattered the interior Of the workings Gas fumes are pouring into section s, the resouers reported, 1t dangerous for them to york more than few minutes at a. lime. But they are pressing on in the lopc that some of the trapped miners nave reached room and erected 'rattices to keep out the deadly after lamp.
 Mute evidence or the fight of three miners for their lives was found at { ntry No. 3. The bodies of the men ( indicated that they had sought their 'ay through the main channel, seek ng refuge from the gas. At entry 3 |. hey made valiant attempt 10 fight I il the gas, digging at cave-in which j locked their passage into a nearby l com. But as they worked the fumes pread slowly through the entry. The fter-damp was the victor, these three liners finally dropping in front of the AN1H osAu oDi1 ~ lew eet separated them from the room in } thich they would have found fresh IF and a haven from the death h-deal- lg gases.
 Doing All Possible.
 In statement issued today, I. NJ, colt, president of the Wheeling Steel ; orporation, said the rescue crews ? ere doing everything in their power ! open all the entries in the hope of T nding some Of the men alive. "1he ' xplosion unquestionably came from II as, he said. The Benwood mine is ne Of the oldest In the state and had q ever shown any signs Of gas until s' wen months ago, when an explosion P 'curred, claiming three lives, c' Since gas was found in the mine. u e found il would be good thing to a stall a new shaft. This shaft has se 'en working but a couple months. s' We haven't the least idea as to Dl here the gas came from, causing n sterday's explosion" ilC
 Bring Out Bodies a, In the day the rescue workers de- - led 10 bring out the bodies, ~, Shortly before II a. m. two bodies ,,, re brought up and taken to a so heeling morgue. Preparations were =, tde to bring out additional bodies ta s afternoon, A temporary morgue, ca lnned by undertakers from cities ,i, towns in the region was establish- "a near the Browns run airshaft, The s,, lies will be brought up the shaft. state troopers have reached Ben od and they cooperated with deputy riffs in holding back the throng of n. women and children who await word of loved ones trapped in the 21 fated mine. As each rescue work came from the mine he was be- Sed by wailing women. who sought ord Of hope for a husband or soI=e CT relative. With firm but gem hand the officers held the crowd in De ok to afford a clear way for the hsz suers when they chme out to ob- vea l fresh oxygen helmet and gulp a fer Of hot coffee before they rushed Nr k to the task Of digging throug, fire s Of rock and slate. pro
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 GETS DAy IN JATI. Tho