The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-01
MORE ABOUT FRANK.
Disaster Is Overwhelming, but Re-
ports OverdraWn

Frank. N w. T, April 30-It became
known this morning that fifty persons lost
their lives here before dayhreak In the
sliding OF the rocky top OF Turtle noun
tain down upon the sleeping village OF
Frank
Il was undoubtedly the worst disaster
ever known in any community in western
Canada. IL was either a rock slide OF
such magnitude as TO be almost ineXpli-
cable or a slide induced by a seismic up
heaval
Besides killing fifty-six people II de-
stroyed the plant of the Canadian Coal
and Coke company. did a vast amount
of damage TO the mine and completely
devastated about ten square miles OF the
finest and most picturesque section OF
Crows Nest pass.
These estimates placed the number at
112. on the supposition that seventeen
men at work in the mine SHAFT would not
escape alive. Then when II was known
that these imprisoned men had escaped
late yesterday afternoon. the number Of
killed was estimated at ninety-five. This
morning IL was known that the loss of life
would not exceed sixty. So far as is
actually known the fatalities number
fifty-six Many of the bodies of the dead
will never be found.
Some cabins are buried under $50 feet
OF rock. Although organized efforts were
made last evening and today TO search
for bodies. only nineteen have so far been
recovered.
Most of the corpses were mangled
almost beyond recognition. The disaster
happened at quarter past four, when the
sleeping inhabitants of Frank were sud
denly awakened by tremendous crash.
followed by a shaking of the buildings.
1t was still dark. and for a time the
greatest confusion prevailed. no one
knowing just what had happened. As
seon as day dawned IL was seen that tho
whole side of Turtle mountain had fal-
len away and that the valley for a dis
tance of two miles was entirely choked
up by rocks and debris. piled TO an aver
age height OF sixty feet. Simultaneous
with the pning OF the rocks on Turtle
mountain. there opened an immense rs
sure OF the earth on the northern side
Of Turtle mountain. This fissure extended
for n distance OF three-qusrters OF a mile
and was many feet in width.
This yawning chasm still remains open
according to reports brought in by men
who have been on the other side OF the
mountain. In the downward rush Of the
debris and other material that was
thrown UP by the upheaval. the entire
operating plant OF the Frsnch-canadian
buildings demolished included the Tppls
boiler house. engine house. electric light.
railway scales. repair shops and row OF
coke ovens Seven houses. also owned
by the company, were smashed into
kindling wood, six OF them being entirely
obiiterated and their occupants killed.
while ten other houses, which were situ-
ated in the valley east Of town, were also
smashed into matchwood. The people
living in these houses were also Instantly
killed as they were sleeping
The directo monetary damage viii ex-
ceed a million and a half The actual
loss to the mine company will proba bly,
not exceed s2oe. coo. The Canadian Pacific
railway loses heavily through blocking of
it's track
The scene OF this awful castTophe was
originally one OF the most picturesque
valleys in Canada Through the center
of this beautiful valley ran the Old Man :
river. which has Its source on the eastern
slope OF the Crows Nest branch The
total width Of this valley was little over
a mile and IL was bounded on the south
ern side by Turtle mountain. sheer wall
of rock which rose 10 height OF 2-5o9
feet above the level or the town The
town OF Frank lay in the peaceful valley.
now scene of desolation and chaos.
which was bounded on the other side
by a range Of foothills Of the Rockies.