New Britain herald., 1925-03-18

Fairmont, W. Va, March IS. - Hope of reaching the 34 men en- tombed in Mine fl of the Bethlehem Mines corporation at Barrackville, three miles west of here, some time this afternoon was expressed shortly before noon today by members of rescue parties who were entering the mine that was wrecked by an ex- plosion last night.
 But Little Chance
 No bodies had been found at the hour the statement was made and in a telegram to Governor Gore at Charleston, R. A. Lambie, chief mine Inspector of West Virginia, declared it was impossible as yet to tell whether any of the imprisoned min- CTS would be found alive. His tele- gram described the situation as bad.
 Most of the entombed men are ex- perienced miners and officers hold to slender hope that they may have been able to brattice them selves in section of the mine before the deadly blackdamp overlook them. The workmen were scattered about in various sections of the pit and hope was still entertained that some might be rescued alive d. though 1t was admitted by rescue workers to be slender one.
 No Hope Till Late Tonight
 R. NJ. Lamble. chief mine in spector of West Virginia, declared this afternoon that rescue workers would not be able to reach the 34 entombed miners in Mine Al of the Bethlehem Mines corporation before late tonight.
 Men Probably Dead
 The belief was expressed earlier In the day that they might be reached during the afternoon. There has been no indication as to whether any Of the miners survived the blast which wrecked the mine last night Rescue crews hold out little hone that any of them will be taken ont alive.
 The 34 miners were entombed last night when an explosion wrecked the shaft.
 A shaft of flame burst up through the opening that extends 300 feet be- low the ground. A low rumbling preceded the explosion, that wreck ed the mines lighting equipment and fans. caused the tipple to totter and fall into the shaft and which shook buildings in Fairmont, broke windows and shook doors from their hinges in huses 300 feet away.
 Reports Discouraging
 Since crowds of frantic women and children have milled about the mine trying to find some word of the en- tombed men. Only two rescue work CTS had been able to sent word to the surface, and that word was not en- couraging. R. M, Lambie, chief mine inspector of West Virginia, and a companion were the first to go down. They pushed their way past the debris to the stable where the mine horses were kept. All these animals were dead. Then they pushed on in- to one of the headings. The air was bad they said. That was all. They could find no trace of the men, and when they came to the surface ex- perts from every mine in the dist trict organized themselves into groups ready to explore every head ing to its furthest reaches,
 Gas Probable Cause
 While not definitely determined, gas was believed to have caused the explosion, and late last night Mine Superintendent Benton Mitchell said he did not believe any of the men could be alive. Lambie, however, said this morning the work would go on as though every one was alive.
 Soon after the explosion occurred there were reports that a dynamite bomb had been dropped into the shaft but these were later denied The mir& opened on non-union basis last October and emplo!s aoout 95O men. Those entombed were coal cutters and their helpers of the night shift.
 Is Second Explosion
 Last nights explosion was the second within the mine in less than ten years. On October 1, l916, a gas explosion killed ten men. The mine has been equipped with every mod ern device since that time and it was believed safe. It was so pronounc- ed on Monday by deputy mine in spector who examined it.
 The fact that Lambie and com panion could tind no trace of the men near the shaft was not consid- cred unusual. as all the miners were believed to have been working considerable distance away. The