Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-30
14o LIVES LOST
Continued from page H.

stantly. while those in the workings
of the mine may yet be alive if they
have air to breathe. If all the air
shafts to the mine were closed up UNI
der that awful avalanche, all the men
must have died by this afternoon.
tine disaster was not confined to the
vicinity of the mine alone. for many of
the dwelling houses in the town of
Frank were demolished by the falling
rocks. Some of the occupants of these
houses escaped death, but many others
We're Instantly killed.
1T is conservatively estimated that
the loss of life will exceed 100 and the
latest returns place the number of dead
at l12. There are no records available
that will tell how roany men We're
working in and about the mine at the
time of the disaster. 1t is variously
rcpcrted that there We're from IS to 80
miners under ground"
The earth opened for three-quarters
of q mile and many feet in width and
the whole northern face of Turtle
mountain slipped from it's place.
The shock resultant upon the precipi-
tation Of the millions of tons of rock
into the valley, while only actually de-
molishing comparatively few of the
houses, shook the foundations of ma
iority 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 temper
airy shelter as may be procurable.
The railroad track for Il distance Of
TWO miles OF more east of the station is
covered with from 10 to 40 feet of rock
and the telegraph wires are down. All
communication is being conducted over
one Wire running west and this one line
is so blocked with private messages
and inquiries from the outside, that ii
is only with the greatest difficulty that
press matter can be sent out.
At dusk, toGay, the rock was still be-
ing thrown on the town from Turtle
mountain and it is impossible to ven-
ture within half 4 mile of the mine
workings. 1t is now certain that IS
men are buried in the Workings. All
hope for them has been abandoned. The
streets are crowded with the relatives
and friends of those known to be en-
tOmbed.
1t is generally thought that the dis
ruption of Turtle mountain was
brought about by seismic disturbance.
NO lava mas been seen and aside from
the smoke from the mountain the at
mosphe4e is clear. There is. however,
no explanation for the continual up
heaval of rock. 'Fhe cruptive influences
seem to center at the crown of Turtle
mountain. --'-
At 4 O'clock, this afternoon, the fol-
lowing conservative estimate of the
loss Of life was made: Men. women and
children killed in their beds 80; miners
working outside the mines and instant
ly killed, y; imprisoned in the mine, is.
| $50 Z. M.-The latest information
from Frank is somewhat more assuring
| than earlier news, in that there now
seems to be less danger than was at
| first anticipated of an extensive dsas-
| ter. The threatened fiCol, which bid
| fair TO duplicate the JohnstoWn disas-
| ter, seems less probable. It is expected
| that the water will be running through
| the new channel before morning.
Most of the men imprisoned in the
mine whose death at first seemed GER
| tain got out alive late, this afternoon
| There We're II men in the mine Two
| died from suffocation but the other Il
worked their way out.
There is now plenty of air in the
mine and the inside workings are in
| tact
| A special from Frank at 2. NJ. -es-
| Inmates the total number of dead at %
| Ehe latest theory as to the cause of tho
| disaster is that it was due to a rock
slide which carried the top of Turtle
| mountain down un on the VILLAGE helnu.