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POISONOUS GAS POURS OUT Only Six Bodies and Five Injured Men at Surface After Day’s Work— Shut Off by a Cave-in. MONONGAH, West Va., Dec. 6.—More than 350 men are imprisond by tons of coal, rock, and mine débris in the depths of the hills surrounding this town, as the result of an explosion that occurred at 10 o’clock this morning, after the full force of 380 men had gone to work in two mines of the Consolidated Coal Company, located on opposite sides of the West Fork River, at this place. The mines are numbered six and eight, and are merged in their underground workings by a heading and on the surface by a great steel tipple and bridge. The finding of six bodies and five badly injured men is the only reward for strenuous and uninterrupted work on the part of the large rescuing force that, im mediately set to work at every possible point after the explosion which, in all probability, was attended by greater loss of life than any other disaster in the his tory of the bituminous coal mining indus try in America. Frantic Struggle for Life: The four injured men are unable to give any detailed report of the disaster, or to even explain how they reached the suite face. They say that immediately back of them when they began their frantic strug gle for life there was a large number of men engaged in a similar struggle, while still further back in the workings there was a large number of whom they know nothing. It is the opinion of the mine officials and others familiar with mining that these seven men had not penetrated the mine as far as had the majority of the day shift when the explosion occurred, and that they headed for and reached the main entry before the heavy cave-in that now blockades the entrance more than a few hundred feet beyond the main open ing of Mine No. 6. As to the miners referred to by the rege iued men ‘as having been alivé when last seen, it is ‘believed that they were on’ back of a heavy cave-in of coal and mine roof, and that they could not have sur vived more than a few minutes in the deadly gasses with which the entry filled as soon as the ventilating system was in terrupted. There is more hope for those in more remote sections of the mine, as they may have reached workings where fresh air is supplied by other openings. But at best only the most slender hope is entertained for the survival of any one of the men in the mine until the débris can be cleared away and communication with the outside re-established. The two mines regularly employ 760 men, working in two shifts, 380 during the day and 380 during the night. It was shortly after 10 o’clock when the explosion occurred, and at that hour even the latest of the straggling force of 380 is customarily at work, according to mine officials. Attributed to Black Damp. There is much speculation as to the cause of the explosion, but the most gen erally accepted theory is that it resulted from black damp, scientifically known as methane. It is believed that a miner attempted to set off a blast which biew out and ignited an accumulation of this deadly gas, and that this in turn ignited the coal dust, a highly inflammable sub stance found in greater or less quanti ties in all West Virginia mines. How ever, all explanations of the cause up to this time arenecessarily speculative. Only a thorough investigation after the mine is reopened will disclose the cause, if it is ever ascertained. The explosion affected both mines, and so far,as is now known appears to have done about as much damage in one as in the other. It has not been established in which mine it originated. As evidence of the terrific force of the concussion, props in the entry of No. 6 Mine, sup porting the roof, were not only shattered and torn from their positions, but were blown out of the entry and to the opposite side of the river. Other evidence of the awful force, is shown in every section of the mines that has been reached by the rescuers. Huge quantities of coal and rock have been loosened and hurled into every opening, and all of the underground structure is wrecked beyond semblance of its original shape, Entry Piled With Wreckage. The entry of No. 6 mine, 300 feet from the mouth,is piled high with the wreck age of two strings of cars and two elec tric motors... Some of the rescuers have climbed over this and found dead bodies beyond, but have made no attempt to res tove these to the surface, partly because it would be almost impossible to carry the bodies over the débris, but more par ticularly because they do not want to lose any time in reaching other sections of the mine where it is possible men still living may be imprisoned. The cars are being righted as fast as possible and re moved from the entry together with no other obstructions. All of the headings leading off from the main entry are being cut off by and barricaded as fast as they are by the relief workers, so that the in most workings of the mine may be give the benefit of the ventilating system: % sustain any that may be yet living, make possible an early exploration: these workings. The American miners of the town ‘hg been placed in charge of the relief , but the Italians and other foreigners @ working under then? most faith are? is impossible for a man to remain in the depths of the mine, and the re forces are divided to work ‘in relays, frequent reliefs. Many in the relief have already become exhausted, and b been sent to the surface. The ones are owner and operated is
Newspaper Details
New York Times
New York, New York, US
Sat, Dec 07, 1907
Page 1
Full Page
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Anonymous
IT 27 Jun 2026
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