Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-04-30
79 BODIES DUG OUT
OF WRECKED MINE
Rescuers at Benwood, W. Va,
Find Thirty-Five Piled To-
gether in Tunnel.
SEARCH FOR SO OTHERS
May Be Forced to Garry Remaining
Victims Four Miles Under Ground.
BY HAROLD n. PHILIPS.
Staff Correspondent of The Star.

BENWOOD, w. Va, April 30.-Sev-
far of the Ill in Vulture Creek mine,
scene of an explosion Monday.
Rescue squads, snatching an hour
or two of sleep when sheer exhaus-
ton compelled it, located thirty five
bodies last night in a tunnel leading
off from the main passage of the
mine Like the victims dug from be-
meath the debris on the shaft floor
yesterday, all had fallen where they
had stood, probably before they had
time to realize what had happened.
There is hardly a chance left that
any of the workers might have es-
capped the impact and barricaded
themselves in a side passage against
the gas.
Vulture Creek mine reaches five
miles back into the West Virginia
hills surrounding this little town of
smoke and industry. Only one en-
air passage at the head of the hol-
low"
Forty-Four Sent to Morgue.
The first forty-four victims had
been dragged out and sent to the
morgue In Wheeling by midnight.
Deadly gasses still fill the sub
terranean passes, and the rescue
squads are obliged to wear their gas
masks. When they began moving the
latest discovered victims it was neces-
sary for them to carry their burdens
nearly two miles under ground to the
air vent and then haul them to the
- Oft ha nd
OF stout rope.
Then came the even more harrow
ing journey down the sticky trail
from the air vent, through Turkey
farm wagons pressed into service
were inadequate and mine officials
hired half a dozen old sleds that
skidded over the muddy trail. Four
horses were used to drag each We
hicle and SO arduous was the jour
ney that teams had to be changed
after every trip.
Another wet, sullen day dawned
upon the scene and rain fell fitfully
every few minutes, drenching the
stood in mud at the foot of 'the
hollow" waiting for the cortege to
pass.
Sad-faced women wearing shawls
were present again today, watching
for loved ones among the dead, and
spectators included members of
theatrical chorus showing in Wheel
ing.
Most of the men who were killed
in the Vulture Creek mine were strike
ing Steel Company broke relations
with the United Mine Workers of
America and a strike resulted. New
men were imported from other fields
went to work on non-union wages
and broke the strike. Since then the
Vulture Creek mine has been an
open" mine.
At the morgue in Wheeling, which
is ten miles from here, curious
crowd watches the weeping relatives
go. Men on their way to work stop
momentarily.
Thirty-two bodies are still in the
mine. Rescue workers say another
twenty-four hours will probably
elapse before they are reached. as
is SO blocked with debris that it
would take a week to dig through.
The sappers are boring their way
from the air vent end, but before
they can continue it will be neces-
sary to completely rearrange the ven-
tilating system and drive out lurking
gases. That alone may occupy half
a day, and once the bodies are reach
ed there will be a four-mile tramp
through unlighted, rock-strewn tun-
nels to the air vent.
Physicians Still ON Duty.
The same physicians that were
rushed to the air vent at the head of
''The Hollow a few minutes after
the explosion Monday were still on
duty today. taking turns between
working among the rescue men in the
mine and examining the bodies of the
victims. DR.. William Cruise was ex-
amining one of the bodies late yes
teroay when he was attracted by a
ticking sound. Examining the min
er's pockets, he found large watch,
still running.
The body of Russell Williams.
formerly with the United States bu-
reau Of mines, who was caught in the
blast, has not yet been recovered.
There is evidence that the explo-
sion occurred somewhere in the heart
of the mine. The experts point out
that if it was so deadly in its effect
at both extremities of the shaft it's
force near the seat of origin must
have been fearful.