The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-27
BODIES ALL RECOVERED.

Thirty-seven Corpses Taken From the
Franklin Mine Near Seattle. ,..|
SEATTLE, Wash, Aug. 27.--A terrific
gas explosion occurred in brest 10 on the
sixth level of the Franklin mine, at
Franklin, near this city. Sixty-two
miners were imprisoned and 81 were
killed. The fire was soon extinguished
and the work of taking out the bodies
began.
About half Of the miners were me-
groes, having been brought from the
East four years ago to replace the strik.
ers. The mine is owned by the Oregon
Improvement company, and produces
the best coal in the state OF Washington.
Story Of the Accident.
At 12:45 FIRE was noticed by some OF
the drivers on the sixth north level and
notice was given 70 the men inside who
were working in different places, some
in the brest about the level and others
along the gangway. Many Of the men
in the gangways rushed back to notify
the miners further ia. while others
rushed oht and reached the main shaft.
It u certain that all the men In the
breat reached the gangway III safety.
In all about 70 men were at work ii the
sixth level, and Of that number about
40 fingered at brest so, where the fire
originated and made an attempt to put
out the fire. @'~s'5 '-27' .'94 's'sz ''.>. ~
The Brest Was Burning FierceIy
and before the miners knew it the FIRE
had communicated TO brests 60 and 81
and soon began to issue from brest 81
in that Immediate vicinity > Several Of
those who fingered at the burning brest
90 took warning and fed, but all who
remained were overcome and asphyxi-
ated. It is evident that all the men
had time to escape, for those who
| worked in the further brest reached the
shaft in safety, while those who were
nearest the shaft, and consequently
more removed from danger, perished.
They evidently believed they were in
| pcE1SCb Stt1Sty 1LOAA TIC AISS Oub WAAAAe
they fingered the smoke oozed out from
outside piece further south, and the
bodies Were all found south of brest 62.
They were all found along within a
space of 500 feet. H..
| Death Speedy and Painless.
| Several men were badly bruised and
one colored man was taken out with a
broken neck, their wounds indicating
that they had thrown themselves
against posts and timbers of the gang.
way i'm wild and desperate endeavor
TO akcape. But the majority Of the
bodies bear no marks at all, not even a
scratch, and their features were in
quiet repose, indicating that their death
had been speedy and painless one.
NJ D. Story, one of the rescuers, upon
reaching the sixth level north, ran
i along the gangway. One thousand
feet In he found the first body and then
/ the rest of the miners were found scat.
i tered along in row. Story says that
the men were all lying in the middle ot
the gangway with
Their Faces i'm the Mud,
| as IL they had tried to bury their heads
completely and thus escape the deadly
and obnoxious coal smoke.
As soon as the dead arrived at the
surface they were taken to the old en-.
gine house, where they were laid ont in
rows on the hoor, covering almost every
4 inch on space. The sight was one that
chilled the people with horror 81 men
i without scratch ON them, still dead.
All had been lively and happy few
hours before with their families and
friends, little dreaming that death was
near. The few who escaped, upon
1 reaching the surface, were greeted with