American Mail News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 57, 11 March 1904, Page 4

American Mail News.

THE I-lARWICK MINE DISASTER. J SAN FUAXCISCO, Feb. 12. More than 180 men were imprison- ' ed and iinally killed in the Uarwick l mine, of the Allegheny Coal Com- ' pany, by an explosion which occur- 1 red at Chcsvvick. on Jan. 2.1. The - explosion took place at 8 a.m. The | l firsi warning was a sudden rumble I underground, then u sheet of ilanie' poured from the deep shaft. Both ' cages Were hurled through the tipple, ' 20ft above the lauding stage, and ' three men on the tipple were hurled ' to the ground. All were injured, two fatally. Women and children ' rushed to the mine, only to learn ' that there was no way of reaching ' the deep workings. The cages were ' both demolished, and il was some hours before any attempt at rescue could be made. About live o'clock, Selwyn X. Taylor, mining engineer, who laid out the mine, went down, and was first to reach the bottom of the mine after the explosion occurred. Mr Taylor showed great courage, but was overcome by foul air and lost his life, those wiio accompanied him being obliged to abandon him in order to sace themselves. Another man. Daniel Lisle. a volunteer, who descended in an tittempt to rescue miners, was also killed. The recovery of the bodies from the mine was very slow, and work was curried on under terrible difficulties. Many bodies oi the miners who were at work at the time of the explosion were lorn lo fragments and scattered. Women and children gathered about the mine, and, waiting days and nights for news of their loved ones, were sublimely hopeful, and would not be undeceived before tliev had identified their dead. DEATH OF A STATESMAN*. ; Mr William C. Whitney, who was Secretary to the Navy under I'resldl ent Cleveland, died on Feb. 2in Xew ) York. Lie died under the influence of i ether, administered preparatory to a I second operation for appendicitis. Mr . Grover Cleveland, in paying a trib- , ute to this eminent statesman, said : I "Mr Whitney had more calm, forceful 3 efficiency titan any man I ever knew, j In work that interested him he actu- „ ally seemed to court difficulties, and '•, to find pleasure and exhilaration in overcoming them. His conquest over the difficulties he encountered in undertaking to build up our navy afforded him a greater delight than the 3 contemplation of the great results he achieved in his department of the Government. His judgment was quick, clear, and astonishingly accurate, and when it was called into action his mental poiso was so enm- ', plete that neither passion noritrifation could lead him astray.''