The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-05-06
Mi lions of Tons of Rock Crush the
Sleeping Victims.
A TOWN WIPED OFF THE MAP.
Thunderous Shock When the Grca,
Slide Occurred. Women and
Children Killed i'm the
TwinkIing of an Eye.

Frank, situated at the foot hills, on
the eastern slope of the Rocky noun
tains, was overwhelmed with disaster
about 4.3O o'clock Wednesday morn
ing. What was apparently volcanic
eruption on the top of Turtle noun
tain. overlooking the town, scattered
and immense quantity OF rock and
debris over the town, stopping a mine,
impriSuning the miners, crushing a
number of houses and killing ll2 peo-
pie. The entire top of Turtle noun
tain was scattered over the sleeping
village of Frank. Immense pieces
of rock, thrown high in the air, and
descending, crushed in the roofs of
houses and stopped up the mouth of
the Frank mine.
HOUSES CRUSHED.
Most OF the buildings in the town
were destroyed and many of the houses
were crushed like egg shells and their
inhabitants instantly killed. The
earth was opened 10y a gigantic tisSure;
three-quarterS of a mile long. The
Old Man river, which runs through
bhC tO"ll, NuS
and the railroad track was rendered
impossible for distance of two miles.
The number Of known dead is now
placed at Il2. or these Is men are
imprisoned in the mine, - miners,
working outside the mine, were killed
by flying debris, and 50 men, women
and children were crushed TO death by
the flying rock as they lay asleep in
their beds. The list Of those killed is
not yet obtainable. About 60 Of the
dead are said to be women ard chill
dren.
MILLIONS OF TONS.
Half the inhabitants of the town
awakened to a realization Of the i'm
pending danger, when from the top OF
Turtle mountain, overlooking the set
tlement, millions OF tons of rock
were hurled.
The frank mines, operated by the
French Canadian Coal company across
the river from the town, were seen to
be buried under hundreds OF feet OF
rock just as the morning light was
breaking. Inside of five minutes from
the first thunderouS shock and before
half Of the town realized what had
happened, a small force OF men had
started to the relief OF the miners, de-
spite the great risk they ran OF being
buried under the rocks, which were
still being precipitatcd 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 man at the work
ings had escaped death. Many had
been fearlully mangled The disaster
was mercilul To those men who were
employed above ground, in that they
must have been killed instantly.
while those men in the workings of
the mines may yet be alive if they
have air TO breathe. If all the air
shafts To the mine were closed up un-
der that awful avalanche, all the men
must have died by Wednesday after
noon. The disaster was not contend
To the vicinity OF the mine alone, for
many of the dwelling houses in the
town Of Frank were demolished by the
falling OF rock. Some Of the occu-
pants Of these houses escaped death,
but many others were instantly killed.
IL is conServatively estimated that
the loss Of life will exceed 100 and the
latest returns place the number OF
dead at ll2. When reports concern
ing the magnitude of the disaster and
details concerning ii commenced To
come in from reliable men who had
been prospecting for news, 1T was dis
covered that the earth opened for
three-quarterS of mile and many
feet in width and that the whole
northern face of Turtle mountain slip
ped from its place.
A TERRIFIC SHOCK
The shock resultant upon the pre-
cipltatiOn Of the millions Of tons Of
rock into the valley, while only actual
ly demolishing comparatively few of
the houses, shook the foundations of
a majority 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
temporary shelter as may be proCur-
able. The railroad track for a dis
tance of two miles or 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 run
ming west, and this one line is Sc
blocked with private messages and in
quiries from the outside that it is
only with the greatest difficulty that
press matters can be sent out. At
dusk Wednesday the rock was still
being thrown on the town from Tur-
tie mountain, and it is impossible to
venture within halt Il mile Of the
mine workings. 1t is now certain
that l8 men are buried in the work
ings. All hope for them has been
abandoned. All hope for them has
been abandoned. The streets are
provided with the relatives and friends
OF those known to he entombcd. The
women are behaving i'm a most heroic
manner. There is no explanation for
the continued upheaval OF rock The
eruptiye influences seem to centre at
the crown OF Turtle mountain.