The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-06
TAKE 70 BODIES OF MINERS
FROM GAS-CHOKED SHAFT
after EXPLOSION IN OHIO
Scenes of Horror Found by
ReSCueTS as They
Hunt Victims.
FOREMAN IN HERO ROLE
12-Ton Locomotive Hurled
so Feet, MangIing All
Within Distance.

Wltnln distance.
BIZ Unitod Press
MILLFIELD, O., Nov. G.
Seventy-nine bodies we're re-
ported by officials today TO
have been recovered from the
No. 6 mine of the Sunday
Greek Coal Company, rocked
by gas pocket explosions
Wednesday, when 238 work
ers and company officials were
underground.
With the recovery of the seventy
ninth body, c. c. Cook. company
official reported that no other vic
tins we're III the mine and that the
number represented the entire cas-
ualties.
The search for additional bodies
was called off by company officials
after they had been informed by
clerks on the outside that all of the
1853 missing men had been accounted
for.
Squads Clear Debris
Several squads were left in the
mine to clean up the debris. Shot
land ponies were lowered into the
shaft to haul the mine cars, officials
fearing to use electrically driven
devices for fear of other gas being
secreted in creyices and igniting.
A mute testimonial as to the in
tenSity of the detonationS encoun-
tered workers when they came upon
bits Of tWelve-ton mine locoino-
tive. The engine had been hurled
a distance of fifty feet and was
wrecked. Several bodies were found
in the vicinity. the victims having
been mutilated, evidently when
struck by particles of flying steel
and iron.
100 Near Entrance
The explosions occurred with
lightning-like rapidity, survivors
said. one hundred OF the 228 COM
prising the regular day shift and
officials were near the mine entrance
when the first detonation rocked the
shaft.
Stunned, but impelled by fren-
zied fears of being trapped by Sllcs
cesSive explosions and probable
fires, they Scurried to the entrance.
where they were drawn 100 feet to
safety. Many of the survivors we're
saved by the action of companions
in carrying them to the elevator
while they nearly we're insensiole
from fright or shock.
John Dean, foreman, was the &C.
claimed hero of twenty known sur
vivors who. barricaded behind bat
tees. saved themselves from as
phyXiation.
Rescued His Companions
His companions told today of his
heroism in carrying them from a.
gas filed tunnel into a recess which
he sealed with planking and sacks
to ward off the seeping fumes OF
monoxide gas.
Single-handed he made frequent
trips into the choked passageWay to
rescue his nearly insensible COM
rades before he himself collapsed
and was carried into the pocket by
companion.
He was the first brought to The
surface, and today is expected to die.
In the dull glare of flashlights,
the rescuers made their way into
the interior. There we're momentary
pauses as one of the PARTY stumbled
across a body, or we're held up
while the poisonous monoxide fumes
we're driven out. Occasionally, there
was a sob as a rescuer recognized
in the dim glow of his lamp the
features Of .comyade or relative.
Numerous Heaps of Dead
Penetrating deeper into inner re-
cesseS of the mine, the rescuers en-
countered more numerous heaps Of
dead. Reclining against a wall Of
coal, was the form of an old man,
his knees Bonded, his gnarled hands
clenclled in prayer and his head
raised in a posture of supplication.
There we're others who had striYen
to tear of their clothes in a. futile
effort to cover their eyes and nos
trils and stem the flow of gases.
Shoulders and arms we're bare,
the tattered garments held tightly
in closed fists, but eyes and mouth
widely exposed to the deadly fumes.
There was a youth who sought to
tear the shoulder strap free of his
overalls tor mouth gag, but he
had fallen 10th hands tightly grip
ping the unyielding strap.
Staunch Nerves Snap
Staunch nerves began to snap un-
DER the sight of the grim spectacles.
Heavy shoulders shook with sobs
and tears flowed.
Lord, pa, you amt dead are you?"
a boy still in his teens groaned as
he threw himself across the form
of silent shadow.
Among the identified dead are:
w. E. Tytus. president Of the suns
day Greek Company; P. A. Coen,
Columbus. vice. president; H. z.
Lancaster. chief engineer; Walter
Hayden, mine superintendent; Jo-
sepll Bergin, Philo. O.. general SUI
perintendent of the Ohio Power
Company; Robert Parsons, Fulton-
ham. O.; a Mr. Roberts and P. H.
Traynor, Columbus. both represents
atives of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass
Company.