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About The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19?? | View Entire Issue (July 11, 1902)
THE N Slrtlo , historical society K WEEKLY NEWS JOURNAL. < V1V1J L < < = . NORFOLK , NEBRASKA , FRIDAY , JULY II. 1002. Miners Meet Awful Death at Johnstown , Pa. * EXPLOSION IN CAMBRIA SHAFT Tearful Story of the Disaster is Told by Some Who Escape , FIFTY-THREE BODIES ARE FOUND VU Least One Hundred and Twenty- five Men Believed to Have Per- I Ished Afterdamp Stays the Work of Rescuers. , Johnstown , Pa. , July 11. Two hun dred miners , entombed by an oxplo- eton In a mine whose main shaft opens . within the limits of this city , was news to check with terror the pedes trians on the streets hero yesterday. At first the rumor said that all In the "Rolling Mill" mine of the Cambria Steel company were dead or In dan ger. But later reports showed that Iho lower figure was correct and that 400 were safe. The mlno Is one or the largest In the'country , and yester- 'day GOO men were at work there. It was nearly an hour after the ex plosion before any general knowledge of what had happened got abroad. Men who came from the mines , es caping with their lives , told the terri ble news and soon it spread like wild flro all over the city. , Hundreds Rush to the Scene. In scores of homes there was the most pathetic scenes. Mothers , wives , daughters , sons and relatives were frantic with grief and hundreds rushed to the scene. At the opening across the river from the point -the Cambria Iron company's police , with several assistants , stood guard , per mitting no one to enter the mine , from which noxious gases wore com'lng. It was nearly 4 o'clock when all hope of sending rescue parties from the iWestmont opening was abandoned. Driven Back by Firedamp. Two men who had escaped from the mine , Richard Bennett and John Mey ers , went back two miles to see what . assistance could be rendered , but the frightful firedamp drove them back and they fell prostrate when they finally , after a desperate struggle , reached the outside. Two doctors gave them assistance and after work Ing with them half an hour restored them. Their story of the situation In i the mine made It clear that the rescue "work could not proceed from the .Westmont opening , and then hasty preparations were made to begin that sad mission at the Mill Creek en trance. Soon after the news of the explo slon reached the Cambria officials , Mining Engineer Moore and one of his assistants , A. G. Presser , made an at tempt to enter the mine. They were followed by Mlno Superintendent Rob inson , but the deadly gases stopped their progress nnd * they were com pelled to return to the surface. Mine Foreman Rodgers , his assist ant , William Blanch , and Fire Bosses ffohn Whitney , John Retallick and 'John ' Thomas were overcome by the gases and It Is feared they perished In an heroic effort to rescue the min ers. A son of Harry Rodgers then tried to reach his father , but he was quickly overcome by the deadly gases and waa carried out unconscious. William Stiblch spent several hours nt the Mill creek opening. Ho said lie believed as many as 450 men were In the mine. In his opinion , from all he could glean , not more than 150 men had come out Explosion Was One of Firedamp. The mining officials of the Cambria company stated the explosion was ono of firedamp. The few survivors who have escaped from the depths of the mine describe the conditions to be frightful In their nature. Outside of the "Klondike" the miners are safe nnd uninjured. Within the fatal limits of the mine tha effects of the explo sion beggar description. Solid walls thirty feet through were torn down as If they were barriers of paper. Thereof roof was torn down and not a door remains standing. The -most heroic efforts toward rescue seem boneless. .The stories of the men who escaped are miraculous. First to Emerge From Mine. > - * Tom Foster , foreman of the Klon dike , was the first to emerge from the mine. Shortly after Powell Grif fith , a flro boss , came up. Foster was In his office when the explosion came. His first thought was for the safety of the men under his charge. With the help of Foreman Rodgers an ef fort was made to replace a few of the shattered doors. All the while the firedamp was closing around them. Through galleries into headings , warn ing and helping , the two men went. Rodgers fell , but Foster staggered on , .whither he hardly know. In the midst of the danger ho met Powell Griffith. Ho had faced what seemed certain death In an effort to save hlo men. [ Forward they went , dragging a com rade into a possible place of safety here , giving a word of warning there , until human endurance could stand the strain no longer. Exhausted they staggered Into a heading where th ? firedamp had not reached. They rgsted there for a moment , an-1 plunged forward , whore , they did not know , until llnally they wandercj into ft water level nnd through It reached a place of safety. Said Tom Foster : "How I escaped I do not know. It seems like a'torrible night- mare. Hundreds of times I gave up hope , but from sheer instinct I 8tum bled forward until finally I reached a place of safety. " Disaster an Unusual One. President Powell Stackhouso gave out the following statement : "Tho disaster is an unusual one , and oamb on us entirely unexpected. The mine had been inspected only throe days ago and was pronounced in satisfactory condition. In the thlr ty years that the mine has been in operation there has been no accident. The cause is yet indefinite , but I bo llevo it was caused by gas escaping from the fifth heading , which was closed and was not being worked , be cause It contained gas , into the sixth heading. The number of casualties Is now placed at 125. No list of the names of the dead miners can bo given , for the majority of them wcro foreigners and wore known only by check and not by name. The only way their names will ever be known , if the bodies are not recovered In tlmo for Identification , will bo by their families sending their names to us. " v Stories of Survivors. John Whitney , who was beyond the dip when the explosion took placiv said : ' "I was at the heading , a La'f mile from the explosion. Several dozen were overcome by the damp or gas and I had all I could do to escape. It was terrible. After the explosion wo went back to rescue the less for tunate and nearly lost our own lives. We got one man and saved his life.1 William Malcolm was In the upper part of the mlno when the explosion came. Ho said : "Tho first I knew of the trouble was when the men came running out of what Is known as the dip , or lower section. They came run ning without hats , coats and some without clothes and In a terrible state of excitement. As near as I can re member , not more than ten came that way and they escaped , leaving at least 200 In the dip. " Four Taken Out Alive. At 11:20 : the first four victims wera brought to the ourface from the Klon dike section. They were William Robinson , who was unconscious when found ; John Retalllo , alive and In pretty good shape , and two unknown Slavs , both alive and unconscious Dr. John Lehman of this city , who came up with the men , said he passed twenty-fivo dead bodies , some of them In sitting postures. The armory of company H will bi turned into a charnel house/ After a conference it was announced that the dead miners would be brought to the armory today. Planks have been laid on chairs In the armory aud the re moval of bodies will begin this morn Ing. The ambulances of all the undertakers - takers In the city are at Mill creels ready to begin the transfer of bodies. / Fifty-three Bodies Recovered. Early this morning General Ma nger Moore of the mines , who , with Superintendent Robinson , had pent trated to a considerable distance in the Klondike , had reached a 'tele phone station and notified the men at the main entry that he had recovered fifty-three bodies up to that time and had only been In the right rooms. As near as can be learned less than twelve Americans were killed , the rest were Hungarians and Slavn. Harry Rodgers , the foreman of the mine , is undoubtedly dead. FLOOD WATERS ARE SUBSIDING. Salt Creek at Lincoln Begins Falling Worst Is Over. Lincoln , July 11. The water In the Salt creek bottoms began to fall yesterday and has practically disap peared from the manufacturing and wholesale district. 'The damage waa quite general , mostly to the offices of the Inundated buildings. Some of the families driven before the flood re turned to their homes , but the majoi- ity of them are still housed in tha Park school building and in the court house. Trains are again run ning , but behind time. In consequence of serious washouts on the Rock Island railroad near Fair- bury , Nob. , the Rock Island's passen ger trains were run over the Burlington - ton road between Denver and Lincoln. This arrangement will continue In effect until repairs are completed on the Rock Island road. Des Molnes Levee Gives Way. Des Molnes , July 11. The Ninth street Raccoon river levee gave way last evening and inundated a large wholesale and manufacturing dis trict , washing out switches and doing damage to the amount of $30,000. The total damage In this city from the flood Is estimated at $225,000 , with many valuable properties in the flooded district in danger of loss. The Des Molnes river Is receding slowly and the Raccoon is about stationary , Beatrice Suffers Heavy Loss. Beatrice , Neb. , July 11. Yesterady morning's flro was the most disas trous In the history of the city. The Kleln Mercantile company's building and the Green block are total losses. The loss will exceed $175,000. Still Ynnnir. Teacher I am surprised thnt you are not further advanced. You in extreme ly backward for yotn iw Little Girl > ' < ' * > ' Momma won * to marry ngiiln Freight Handlers Agree to Sub mit Differences. BUSINESS MEN TAKE A HAND Strikers Refuse to Abide by First Un < derstandlng Between President Cur. ran and the Railroads Hope for Sympathetic Strike of Teamsters. Chicago , July 11. Business..fc u of the city took an active part tli at tempting to settle the strike of the freight handlers yesterday. An agree ment was secured from the Freight Handlers' union that the organization would abide by the decision of the Chicago board of arbitration If that organization could arrange meetings with the general managers of the rail roads and secure their consent alao to arbitration. At midnight the request for arbitra tion had been submitted to the rail' roads. There are grave doubts that the proposition will bo received by the railroads. General Manager Hltt of the Rock Island and General Man ager Barrett of the Alton said they did not see what there was to arbi trate. The general manager of an other large western road said that , while ho did not care to bo quoted personally , ho was confident that no proposition for arbitration would bo entertained by his road. Hope for Sympathetic Strike. Strikers are basing their hopes of success on a sympathetic strike of. the teamsters. It Is generally con ceded that the freight handlers have but a small chanpe to win , unless they have the support of the teamsters' union. If they secure this , and the members of that organization walk out } there Is every probability of se rious trouble before the matter is set tled. The officers of the teamsters' union profess to bo opposed to any strike , but they say that the desire to strike is strong among the teamsters , The officers are fearful that they w/ll / not be able to hold the men In line. It wan thought Wednesday night that the strike was over , but the meetIngs - Ings of the freight handlers yester day developed an almost unanimous desire to continue the fight , with or without the aid of other organiza tions. A member of the Chicago board of arbitration said that ho had assur ances that the railroads today would submit a proposition that will be sat isfactory to the men. The roads will not arbitrate , but will post In their freight houses a statement of what they are willing to grant , and the prediction Is made that the men will find It satisfactory. Fruit and Vegetables Advance. Prices of fruit and vegetables have already risen materially as a result of the strike and unless It shall be settled within a few days , the chances are that prices will be Increased enor mously. When a number of the teamsters of the commission men on South Water street , whs handle the bulk of the city's vegetable and fruit trade , refused to work yesterday , several commission men held a meeting to consider the advisability of going out of business until the strike is over. It IB stated that the loss to the commission men la not less than $50,000. UNION PACIFIC STRIKE. Company Issues Formal Notice It In tends to Resume Work In Shops. Omaha , July 11. An effort by the Union Pacific to induce all its etu ployes on a strike to return to work , making possible the resumption of all the shops on the system , an alleged plan for a settlement of the strike , the failure of the car builders to adopt the proposed agreement with the company and the shipment by the Union Pacific of ten men from Omaha to western shops , are the de velopments in strike affairs. This notice was posted in the Oma ha shops and sent to other Union Pacific employes over the system : "Resumption of work having been decided upon , employes of the differ ent shops desirous of continuing In the service of the company should re port to the office at once. All such employes not reporting for work at this time will bo treated as new men in the future , " Strike leaders say none of the old men will report for work. Women Pickets Arrested. Pueblo , Colo. , July 11. Tfarae dozen strikers have been arrested by dep uties for acting as pickets in front of boycotted restaurants. About a fourth of the number are women. Tha charge against thorn is disturbance. The arrests have followed the trag edy of a few days ago , when a son of the proprietor of a restaurant shot and killed a picket and wounded a po liceman. Messages Through Water. New York , July 11. A telegram from Cherbourg states that Rear Ad miral Fournlcr was present at experi ments In wireless telegraphy used on the submarine boat Trltlne. Mes sages were received without any iMSu culty when under water It Js undei- stood to be the IntPnUn. to Install ap paratus o'n all French f = ibamines. . Major Byers Badly loured. J. DPS Molnos , July 11Y Jor S. II.1 M. Uyora , a woll-known author , who wa appointed by Oonoiul Grant con * Bill at Berne , Switzerland , and nerved foi twelve years , wna thrown from horse yesterday , miBtnlnlng a frac tured lug , dislocated slunihlor auJ eovoro ocalp wounds. MATE KILLS FATHER AND DON Shoots Down Two Mexicans In Self- Defense on Steamer Dubuque. Clinton , Ia , July 11. Daniel Ureouo , ma to on the Diamond Jo nlciunor Lu- ) buquo , Hliot and killed Chris Loon. Idas , aged sixty , and son , aged twcn- ty-llvo , two Mexicans , on board tha boat , between this city and Daven port yostonlay. The men became In volved In a quarrel with the nmto over the removal of BOIIIO bagijnKO and drew their plBtols and knives , nc the same tlmo threatening to kill tha mate. Before cither llrod a Bhot Brccno killed the elder Leonldas , then fired two shots Into the body of the son , whoso corpfio foil across that of his father The boat returned to Dav enport and Hreono gave himself up. An Inquest was hold and the mate was exonerated on the ground that ho shot In Bolf-dcfciiBc. A number ot passengers witnessed the flhootlng , which caused a panic on board. MAY DYNAMITE COURT HOUSE , Friends of St. Joseph Prisoners Threaten to Demolish Structure. St. Joseph , July 11. A largo quan tity of dynumlto waa stolen from ona of the rock quarries near the city and the olllcoru wore told that the court hon 1,0 , which ntande within a few feet of the jail , whore the terrlflo explosion took place Wednesday , Is to bo blown to atoms. Friends of Luck Allen and Jim Blades , who caused the explosion anil wreck of the two buildings , made tin throats. They are known to bo des perate and the police do not know the extent of their power. The court house Is almost deserted and a strong guard stands about tha building. Every man not personally known to the olHcors Is searched and then allowed to enter. Political Feud Results In Killing. Mexico , Mo. , July 11. Rhodes Clay , a member of the state IcgMaturo and pi eminent In the Democratic politics of Missouri , was shot and killed in this city last night by Clar ence Barnes , a prominent young attor ney. Barnes Was shot by Clay , but not seriously Injuicd. It was the cul mination of political ( llfilcultlC3 which the men had alred ln the no\ papers and caused them to engage hi a fist fight tyo weeks ago. They met on the street yesterday , when the dlscua- slon was renewed and both drew their revolvers and began shooting. Clay was nominated for re-election at a recent cent convention. Coronation Bazaar. London , July 11. The coronation Imzuar , which Is probably the biggest affair of Its kind over held , and an organization which waa chiefly duo to the energy of Mrs. Cornelius Adalr , Mrs. Joseph II. Choate , wife of the United States ambassador , and other prominent Americans , was opened by Queen Alexandra yesterday afternoon. The bazaar was held In the botanical gardens , Regent park. It was held for aid of the hospital for sick children. Over 5,000 tickets , at a guinea each , were sold In advance. ' * ' ' - - - * - n1m Brownfleld Is Bound Over. Eldorado , Kan. , July 11. Dr. J. C. Brownfleld , who created a sensation at the recent trial of Jessie Morrison by testifying that he had heard Mrs. Castle call Miss Morrison from the street on the day of the fatal fight be tween the two women , and who was arrested charged with perjury , has been bound over to the district court , In default of $2,000 ball ho was sent to Jail. Canadian Woman Killed. London , July 11. Shortly after Queen Alexandra passed on her way to open the coronation bazaar the decorations across Langham place , heavy and sodden with rain , wore caught in a squall of wind and fell , dragging down a mass of coping from the top of AH Soul's church. Miss Strcathy , a Canadian , was killed and several persons were injured. TELEGRAMS TERSELY TOLD. The marine engineers' strike at Portland , Ore. , has been settled , both Bides making concessions. The new army uniform probably will bo colored "olive drab , " consid ered the least visible of all colors In the field. It IB Bald on good authority that , subject to the approval of King Ed ward's physicians , the coronation will occur on Aug. 9. Frank Harris , while on a train near Doe Run , Mo. , was shot and killed by Bill Dooley , and a largo posse Is looking for the murderer. , Fire totally destroyed the building and stock of the Interstate Glass com pany at Kansas City Thursday , en tailing a loss of $50,000 , fully Insured , M. E. L. Banner , millionaire lum berman and merchant , fell from his automobile at Mlssoula , Mont. , Thurs day , expiring Immediately. He Is said to have been stricken with hcait failure. ' An invasion of the United States will bo attempted by the army and navy to find weak points In defense. The navy will first oppose a picked licet. The army and militia will then resist attack. W. H. imCIIOL'/ . I'railitont , Norfolk ALKKANDKIt IlliAll Vloa Prul.Unl 1C , W , KUTZ , Cnililar , National Bank. OLDEST ESTABLISHED BAHKIH6 BUSINESS IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA Capital , $100,000.00 Surplus , $20,000.00 Does a General Banking Business , Huyn and Soils IntorcHt PiUd on Tlmo Dopoalta. DraftH and Money Orders Sold on nay Point In Buropa A General Steamship nnd Foreign Pammtfo Hualncaa Trnnimotod. i. UlCAll , P. P. IIANLON , P. J. IIALK , W. H. UOOIIULZ , WM. ZUTX N.A. IUINIIOLT B.H. COTTON , C. W. BRAASOH , DEALER IN I co I 0 = Exclusive agent tor the Celebrated Swcotwntor Rock Spring Coal the best In the market. Soranton Hard Coal In all sizes. TELEPHONE Ol. _ t tB. i i J * HB feet What You Ask for at O UHLE'S GROCERY. ALL ORDERS are filled promptly and with care. ; ; Our goods are FIRST-CLASS in every particular. ; ; We know precisely what is wanted by our custom- : ! era. We aim to Give you the Best ValMe for Your Money. South side Malu St. , between 2d and ! ) d. Telephone 41. G. A. LOIKABT , PRESIDENT. W. II. JOHNBON , OABUIRU. A 01IAB. B. b 1111)0K , VICE PUKSIOBNT. LEO I'ASEWALK , ASB'T CAS in JThe Citizens National Bartk. Capital , $50,000. Surplus , 85,000. Bay ami soil exchange on thin conutry and allfcarti of Bnrope , ( Farm Loans. Directors Cjkui , ABMUB , W II. JOIINRON , CHAD. S , Ilurcois. 0 , W. ItaAAScn , 0. U tiWANK , G. A. LUIEADT. T. F MEUUINOEB , L , BK8BIONH , > $ puth Dakota Mfake A theWorld Golf-Tennis Ho Drives Dancing " " " " JJR. F. G. WALTERS , [ Physician and Surgeon.1 Succeeds to the 'practice ! IDr. F. W. Kleean. Norfolk , . . . Nebraska DR. N. J. HOAQLAND , Osteopathlc Physician. Dl > atei both acnta and chronic inccessfnllj treated without ate of drags or knife , Fhons No. F 51. Office at residence , 109 North 10th Street , Norfolk - Nebraska H > J. COLE , DENTIST. Office orer Cltlten'a National Bank. Realdenei one block north nt Congregational church. Norfolk , . . . Nebraska gESSIONS & BELL , Omlortakersfaud EmbalmorB , BesiloDi HIV. , Norfolk ATO. Norfolk , - Nebraska MARY SHELLEY Fnslilonnblo Dressmaker. Dp italri tn Cotton block , over nanm' itor * Pint-clam work , guaranteed. Norfolk , - Nobmskt L. L. REMBE , PLU Steam and Hot Water Heating. First door South of News Office. Prices Right. C.R.SEILER , Livery . .and Sale . Stable Brwisch Avenue > DUHUC A A and Third St. rHUNt 44