The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-30
Awful Disaster in Mining Town of Frank in British
 Columbia
RIVER IS DAMNED UP AND
 MAY FLOOD THE COUN TRY
Various Reports as to Cause of catas- l trophe, But It Is Believed ExpIod-
 Ing Gas Blew Out the Side
 of Turtle Mountain.

Vancouver, B. O., April 29.-Over- whelmed before daylight today by countless tons of rock, hurled from the top of Turtle mountain by an eruption, as yet unexplained, which killed 1l2 or more persons, Frank, mining town in southwestern Alberta, is tonight threatened with destruction by food.
 Old Mans river, which flows through the middle of the town, is damned with the fallen rocks to the height of nearly one hundred feet. The waters of the river are backed up for miles and the entire valley above Frank IS flooded. A big body of water is press inc with force against the dam. Should the water burst from the impromptu dam. the entire village probably would be swept away.
 dispatch from Frank says: A tremendously loud reverberatlon shook the whole valley or the oio Mans river this morning at 4;lO o,cloc,x and before the inhabitants had awakened to a realization of the i'm uending danger, from the top of Turtle n,nnntain there were hurled millions of tons of rock.
 Miners Are Buried.
 "The Frank mines, operated by the French Canadian Coal company, across ,te river from the town, were seen to. be buried under hundreds Of rect or rock just as the morning light was break he Inside of five minutes of the nrst +bunderous shock and before hall or the town realized what had happened. s"a'l force of men had started to the reiiel of the miners despite the great FISK tney ran of being buried under the rocks Whlcn were still being precipitated from the ,oftv mountain top The volunteer relief force was unable to get into the mine hut managed to get near enough to de- termine that not man at the workings had escaped death. Many had been man gled.
 aThe disaster was merciful to those who were employed above ground in that they must have been killed instantly, while those in the workings of the mine may vet be alive if they have air to breath. 1T all the air shafts to the mine were closed under the avalanche, all the men must be dead. The disaster was not confined to tbe vicinity of the mine alone, for many of the dwelling houses in the town of Frank were demolished by the failing rock Some of the occupants of these houses escaped death, but many others were instantly Killed.
 112 Persons Killed.
 nIt is conservatiyely estimated. that the loss of life will exceed one hundred and the latest returns place the number of dead at 112.
 "At noon today It was impossible to ar rive at any accurate estimate of the logs of life, as owing to the excitement and hurry and rush of people on the streets no person can say who Is missing and who is not. There are no records avaiiable which will tell how many men were work ing in and about the mine at the time Of the disaster. It is vaFiously reported that there were from IS to 50 miners under ground. It is known that many women and children suffered death. but just how many it is impossible to tell at present" When reports concerning the magni- tude of the disaster and details concern- ing 1t began to come in from trustworthy men, it transpired that the earth had opened for three-quarters of a mile in length, and for many feet in width. and that the whole northern face of Turtle mountain slipped from place.
 The shock resultant upon the precipi- tation of the tons of rock into the val ley. while actually demolishing few of the houses, shook the foundations of most of the dwellings in the town so that they are unsafe to live in, and many people will have to live in the open air or under such temporary shelter as may be pro- curable
 Telegraph Wires Down.
 The railroad track for a distance of two miles or more east of the station is covered with from ten to forty feet of rock, and the telegraph wires down. All communication Is over one wire run ming west, and this line is so blocked with private messages and inquiries from the outside that 1t Is only with the great est difficulty that press matter can be sent out. At dusk today the rock is still failing on the town from Turtle mountain, and 1t is dangerous to venture within half a mile of the mine workings. It Is now certain that eighteen men are buried in the workings. All hope for them has been abandoned.
 The streets are crowded with the rela- lives and friends of those known to be entombed. The women are bel wing in an heroic manner. It is generally thought that the disruption of IL .t1e mountain was brought about by seIsmIc disturb ance. although there are people who de- clare that the origin of the upheavel was volcanic. No lava has been seen. and \ rsde from the smoke from the mountain, \ the atmosphere is clear. There Is. how lever. no explanation for the continued npheavai of rock. The eruptive influences