The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-30

- BATTLE, Wash. April 2s.-A special
 to the Times from Vancouver says: N[ By an unexpected and unprece- dented disaster the litle town of Frank, Alberta, has been plunged Into mourning. There are at least 40 dead and further details may increase the number of vic- tims. The majority of the killed are wom- en and children. About 4 o'clock this morning after the night shift was pre- pairing to come from work, either an earthquake or volcanic eruption oc- cured on the top of Turtle mountain. which overlooks the town of Frank There was a tremendous upheaval which awoke all sleepers, who believed that the end of the world had come. The entire side of the mountain was removed by the disturbance and millions of tons Of rock were scattered like chaff over the town. The mine buildings and mine en- frances were buried under a pile of de- bris hundreds of feet deep.
 Nine houses in the village are buried under the rock. Their roofs were crush ed in like eggshells. and every one inside the houses perished.
 es-&~@~-~<-s->&4-&4> seem to center right at the crown or Turtle mountain.
 At o'clock this afternoon the follow ing conservative estimate of the loss of life was made:
 Men, women and children killed In their beds, s2; miners working outside the mines and instantly killed, 12; imprisoned in the mine, 1s
 Later News Somewhat Measuring.
 Information from Frank later this eyens Ing is somewhat more reassuring than earlier news, in that there now seems to be less danger than was at first antici- pated by an extensive disaster. Threat ened flood seems less probable. A large force of men has been at work trying to locate a new channel, that the damned up water in the Old Mans river may run off The men will work throughout the night and 1t Is hoped that the water will be running through the new channel before morning Most of the men im- prisoned in the mine whose death at first seemed certain got out alive later this afternoon. There were seventeen men in the mine. Two died from suffocation, but the others worked their way out un- injured after cutting through thirty feet of debris. One of the men who escaped went home after emerging from the mine and found his house deserted and his wife and six children dead.
 There Is now plenty of air in the mine and the Inside workings are intact A special from Frank at D. m. estimates the total number of dead at ninety-five.
 The latest theory AS to the cause of the disaster Is that 1t was due to rockslide which carried the top of Turtle mountain down on the village. It is now thought that what was supposed to be the smoke of a volcano was dust and that the con tinued fall of small bits of rock during the day was merely the aftermath of the original rockslide. repetition Of the calamity is now considered unlikely.
 Not Volcanic Eruption.
 Chicago, April 29.--Information concern ing the disaster was obtained tonight from Edward B. Llagre of Frank, who is at the Great Northern hotel MT. Liagre Is identified with the Lille col- lieries, situated north of Frank. It was in this district that the disaster occurred. MT Liagre said there was an explosion of gas which burst out the side of the mountain and this led to the rumors of volcanic eruption and earthquake.
 MT. Liagre tonight received telegram from Frank saying:
 Gas exploding in mine destroyed the Frank colliery today
 There was no volcanic eruption" said MT. Liagre.