Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1896 — SCORES DIE IN A MINE [ARTICLE]

SCORES DIE IN A MINE

NEWCASTLE, COL., SCENE OF THE DISASTER. "S . '• I "■"■<!' ■ Gas Explosion in the Vulcan Beads the Earth and. Entombs . Si Ay-Work-men— Nauseating Fumes Repel Resell era—Not a Soul liscapea. Lons a Death Trap. With a report that shook Elk mountain - to its base and caused the neighboring peaks to totter and reel, the Vulcan mint at Newcastle, Colo., went up in sinokt Tuesday morning and sixty lives were sacrificed. The following are alltkeTranresofltoa--ers known to be at work that can be obtained: • Addison, Tom, Matteve, August, Becker, Peter, Merchant, Chas., Bodanski, Fred, McCourty, Frank, home in Illinois. Morris, Dan,, C'howchett, 8., Patricio, Pdter, Cottle, Ben, Jr., , Patricio, A«tohi<» Coughlin, John, driver, Dorr, Abel, Ilache, Philip, Dorr, Joseph, Remo, Alex, Dorr, Will, Rolando, Andrew, Evans, David J„ Rosetti, Domenic, Funke,Jolin, and 13-Seaife, John; year-old son Emil, Scaife, Alex, Ginotti, Louis, Settiger, Robert, Hagerty, William, Simonic, Frank, Harrison, James, Sigimu-.il, Peter, Jenkins, Jack Tappero, Peter, Jones, Sam, Tappero; Antonio, Lawigau, Thomas, Tossio, Frank, Leeoe, Gabriel, e Ward, George, Magento, Peter, Welch, Edwa?d, Martino, Antonio, Webb, WilMam, Matteno, Domenic, All the, men wei'e at work and not a sound of warning was emitted from the depths of the earth, where throe score men were employed in their dangerous calling, .•nd on the surface were indulging in some waiting the change of forces that came with the noon hour. Ed Welch was “riding life rope,” a peri formanccthat, while, regarded unhazardous, jvas accepted as a daring exploit and only indulged in by those whose familiarity with the mine made them foolhardy. A little crowd of miners and catmen .were at the side of,the slope that led to the workings. Welch appeared at the opening and was greeted with a cheer by the bystanders. Then the earth trembled and the ground heaved as in trouble and with the throes of an unseen disturbance. Welch was hurled through space and landed on the mountain side 400 feet away. : —"... ■ :

Fqr almost ten minutes the fate of those in the workings of the mine was not ques-, tioned, and 'then the horror began to steal over the faces of the survivors as they realized that not a soul of the day force would escape. Then the alarm was spread with all the rapidity of the railroads and telegraph and assistance was summoned from the mines in the vicinity. Where the entrance to the mine hatd once been there was nothing to indicate the locality but a yawning chasm that extended from the side of thi; mountain to the other side of the gulch. It was probably 300 feet wide, and from the depths of the yawning crevice came forth awful odors that sickened the spectators. Gases that, seemed to emanate from the bowels of an infefno generated an overwhelming stench that defied the approach of investigators, who were compelled to remain at a safe distance Ln the vicinity to avoid being-overcome ‘by the extremely putrid smell. Rescue Parties Organized. Daring rescue parties were organized to effect an entrance to the Vulcan, bu-t they were quickly repelled by the fumes from the workings, and reluctantly beat a , ret neat Their own lives were endangered by the task, as the edges of the great gash in the earth were not understood, and the subterranean props had evidently been blown out with the first shock. .Approaching parties reported that the ground near the former mouth of the mine was unstable, and that another collapse from the surface was likely to occur at any moment, enveloping all within reach. - ——~ Various attempts were made time and again to reach the edge of the gap by men equipped with respirators, but each time they returned to announce failure. The management insists that the reported loss of life is not as bad as first accounts say. but there is apparently no hope for a single survivor, according to the judgment of men who have been employed in the mine. Long Been a Death Trap. Tire Vulcan has always been a fruitful source of disquiet to the Canon City Fuel Company, which operates the property, and for years the interior of the mine was abandoned on account of the spontaneous generating of gases that could not be overcome. Fire for years defied the most strenuous exertions of the operators to extinguish it and the workings were trans, formed into a huge cauldron, into which no one dared venture. Despite its bad reputation, the company maintains that if only an explosion occurred that was not followed by fire there were frequent places in the tunnels and drifts for the men to seek refuge. But the violent surface disturbance does not tolerate the belief that anyone is saved from the wreck, and miners have abandoned hope. The mine was ruuning almost to its full capacity owing to the fuel war that has been waged in the West and was shipping at the rate of ten to. fifteen cars a day. Owing to the dangerous character of the mine the miners were not allowed to enter the slope with any matches in their possession; but the rule was not enforced, for, although death was imminent for anyone venturing to strike a light, some of the more ignorant miners could not be taught that their lives depended on the observance of the order and frequent infractions of the rule were reported at headquarters.