Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-05-09
liz PEksUNS REPORTED KILLED.
Entire Top of Mountain Hurled Upon
Sleeping Town of Frank.

Vancouver, B. c. (SpcciaD.-Over-
whclmcd by countless tons OF rock and
with probably liz Of lis inhabitants
killed almost instantly, the little mining
town Of Frank. in Southwestern Alberta,
is threatened with complete destruction
by food
Old Mans river. which flows through
the center of the town. IS damned up by
tho fallen rocks to the height OF nearly
Ioo feet and the entire valley above the
town is flooded for miles. \ big body OF
water is pressing with force upon the
dam. the only protection the town OF
Frank now has. unless the river shall
find another channel Should the inn
promptu dam break the entire village
would be swept away.
y dispatch from Frank says:
"A tremendously loud revcrheration
shook the whole valley of the Old Man 5
river at 40 O'Clock and scarcely half
tho inhabitants OF this town awakened
10 a realization OF the immediate danger,
when from the top OF Turtle mountain.
overlooking the settlement, millions OF
tons OF rock were hurled.
TIE Frank mines. operated by the
French-Canadian Coal Company, across
the river from the town. were seen 10 be
buried under hundreds Of feet OF rock
Just as the morning light was breaking.
Inside of five minutes from the first
thunderouS shock and before half OF the
town realized what had happened a
small force OF men had started to the
relief OF the miners. despite the great
risk they ran OF being buried under the
rocks. which were still being precipi,ated
from the lofty mountain top. The vol
untecr relief force was unable to get into
the mine but managed to get near
enough to determine that not man ut
the workings had escaped death. Many
had been fearfuly mangled.
The disaster was mcrcful to those
men who were employed above ground
in that they must have been killed in
stantly. while those men in the workings
OF the mine may vet be alive If they have
air to breathe. II all the air shafts to
the mine were closed UP under that
awful avalanche, all the men must have
died.
The disaster was not confined to the
the dwelling houses in the town of
rock. Some OF the occupants of these
houses escaped death, but many were in
stantly killed. Ii is conservatively esti-
mated that the loss OF life will exceed
100, and the latest returns place the
number of dead at lI2
At noon it was impossible to arrive
ut Nf %t,a ~
life. as. owing to the excitement and
hurry and rush of people on the streets.
no one could say vino is missing and
who is not. There are no records avail
able that will tell how many men were
time OF the disaster Ii is variously re-
ported that there were from eighteen TO
fifty miners under ground Ii is known
that many women and children have Suf-
fered death. but just how many it is i'm
possible TO tell at present"
When reports concerning the magni
tudc OF the disaster and details came in
from reliable men who had been out
prospecting for news. it was discovered
that the earth opened for three quarters
that the whole northern face of Turtle
mountain slipped from its place
The shock resultant upon the precipi-
tation OF the millions OF tons OF rock into
the valley. while only actually demolsh-
ing comparatively few of the houses.
shook the foundations OF majority OF
the dwellings in the town so that they
are unsafe TO live in, and many hundreds
of people will have to live in the open
or under such temporary shelter as may
be procurablc