The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-01-15
THE MINING DISASTER.
Probably Two Hundred Men Are
Dead.
The Explosion Caused by Firing a shot
When Gas Was in the Mine-The
Rescuing Parties-The Scene
Terrible.

MCALEsTER, /. T, Jan. 9-At $40 p.
N. Thursday mine No. IL. owned by
the Usage Gal IL Mining Co at Krebs,
/ four and one-half miles east of here,
exploded.
At the time $50 men were in the
shaft, most of whom were waiting for
the cage to take them out, and the foot
of the shaft is one mass of dead bodies.
Eighty-five came out by an old entry
and forty-two were saved by the shaft
most of whom are more or less burned
and bruised, and half will probably die.
This leaves about 223 men yet in the
mine, and in all probability 200 are
dead.
At 40 n. N. ten dead men were
brought ont and only one could be rec
ognized, TIE remains were 50 mutt
lated
One man climbed out of the shaft,
$50 feet deep, By working from bracket
to bracket and was saved.
Thousands of anxious wives and
mothers are eagerly watching each cage
as it comes to the surface, hoping to
see their loved ones, only to turn away
disappointed
SOME OF THE DEAD AND INJURED.
The dead in mine No ii at Krebs so
far are as follows: William Russell,
James Quinn, William Quinn, Fred
Kibble, George LDwery, August Fetta,
John Williams, L. Hunt, Robert Pow
ers, William Mitchell. William Russell,
Joseph Clark, Henry McSham. Willie
McSham, Giovanni ). Ferro, John Fab
bozziol, Tim Collins. James Farmer
and George Lindsay. Up to o'clock
forty men had been taken out
dead and 100 seriously injured. most of
whom cannot recover, being badly
burned and uutilated on account of the
slope cavi z in on the west side of the
shaft
The list of injured. so far obtained,
is as follows: George Hardin, Jr.,
George Hardin, Sr, Frank Hathaway,
Joseph Osland, Enoch Church, Willie
Church, William Williams, Charles
Martin. Louis Toobe, Joseph Toobe,
Giavanni Blessent Frangea NJ Recci,
Antonio d. Domeco, Frank Tozzie,
Brany Bicmo and John Rossi
THE REsCUING PARTIES
The rescuing parties are being badly
delayed in reaching the entom bed men
and it will be impossible to give cor
rect estimate of the number killed and
injured for some time. William Will
liams was the first to reach the surface
by climbing from bracket to bracket
up the shaft, distance of $50 feet He
was at the foot of the shaft when the
explosion occurred, and BY some mira
Gle was not killed. he being the on V
one out of twenty-five men who were
waiting for the cage that was not killed
outright
Enoch and William Church, brothers,
were working in run Is on the west
side and had narrow escape. They
heard the explosion and were both
knocked insen>ib.e By the shock
Eroch came to and thought his brother
was dead and left hin To escape. Yes
tarday morning William was taken
out and is still alive, but is not expect
ed 10 live.
The scene as reported bv those who
entered the shaft was horrible. Limbs,
arms and headless bodies were stacked
in Il pile and only five out of twenty
four could be identified. Six small
boys who attended the fans were mutu-
lated so badly that their own parents
could not recognize them and will be
buried side by side.
One father ca ried his little son aged
ten about 1900 feet and then left him
in order to save himself thinking he
was dead This morning ut 10 a. m he
was taken ont. and on reaching fresh
air was found to be alive. Imagine the
Joy of the father and mother who were
waiting for, rs they supposed. the re-
mains of their son. to fad him alive
and unhurt-
The scene around the pit top was
one. On al sides can be
seen little groups of anxious, weeping
ones, mourning the loss of a dear
father, husband, brog her or son.
The explosion is supposed to have
taken place in a cell or room being |
worked by George Lowery, and caused /
By firing what Is known as a window
shot