The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-05-07
FALLS ON TOWN,
Hundreds of Villagers Meet Death ID
the Wreck.
OVERWHELMED BY TONS OF ROCK.
Houses Were Crushed Like Egg.
SheIIs-Eighteen Men Imprisoned
In Mine.

Vancouver, 3. c., Special-Over-
whelmed by countless tons Of rock,
Wednesday morning shortly after 4
O'Clock. and with probably liz OF It's
inhabitants killed almost instantly,
the little mining town Of Frank, In
Southwestern Alberta is threatened
with complete destruction by flood.
Old Mans river. which flows through
the centre Of the town, Is damned up
by the falling rocks to the height Of
nearly 100 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 protec-
tion the town Of Frank now has. un-
less the river shall find another chan
nei. Should the impromptu dam break,
the entire village would be swept
away.
a dispatch from Frank says: "A
tremendously loud reyerbration shook
the whole valley Of the Old Mans
river and scarcely half the inhabi.
tants Of this town awakened to a re-
alization of the impending danger,
when, from the top Of Turtle Motn-
tain, overlooking the settlement MIL.
lions Of tons Of rock were hurled.
THE Frank Mines, operated by theV
French Canadian Coal Company,
across from the town. were seen to be
buried under hundreds Of feet Of rock
just as the morning light was break
ing. Inside Of Eve minutes from the
first thunderous shock, hall 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 preci-
pitated from the lofty mountain top.
The volunteer relief force was unable
to get into the mine. but managed to
get near enough to determine that
not a man at the workings had es-
capped death. Many had been fearfully
nangled.
The disaster was merciful to those
men who were employed above ground
in that they must have been killed ir-
stantly, while those me- in the work
ings Of the mine may yet be alive If !,
they have air to breathe. If all the
air shafts to the mine were closed up
under that awful avalanche all the
men must have died by this after
noon. The 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 rock. Some Of the occupants
Of these houses escaped DEATH but
many others we're instantly killed. It
is conservatiyely estimated that the
loss of life Will exceed one hundred
and the latest returns place the ELM
ber Of dead at 112."
II is impossible to arrive at any ac-
curate estimate Of the loss Of life, as,
owfag to the excitement and hurry
and rush Of people on the streets no
one could say who is missing
and who is not. There are
no records available that will ten how
many men were working in and about
the mine at the time OF the disaster.
II is variously reported that there
were from 18 to so miners under
ground.
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 are
down. All communication is being con-
dacted over cne wire, running west,
and this one line is so blocked with
private messages and Inquiries from
the outside it is only with the great
est difficulty that press matter can be
sent out. The eruption influences seem
to centre at the crown Of Turtle
Mountain.
An appeal has been made from
Frank to the government and mount
eti police are being hurried to the un-
fortunate village. Aid is also being
sent from neighboring towns, but ow-
ing to- the interruption of the train
service and the mountainous country,
it VIII be several hours before help
can reach the stricken community.