Arizona republican., 1904-10-29
The Worst Explosion in the
 History of Colorado
PERHAPS SIXTY ARE DEAD
The Explosion Was Of so Great ViO- Ience That to Those Who Saw It It Assembled a Volcanic Eruption. The Work of Rescue.

Trinidad, Col. Oct 2S.-Tne most ter rife explosion in the history Of coal mining in Colorado occurred at mine No. of the Rocky Mountain Fuel and Iron company Ut Tercio, forty miles west Of Trinidad at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon, and the number of dead has been variously placed at between thir- ty and sixty. The number reported as having gone into the mine this morn ing was seventeen miners and four company men. This afternoon many more miners are known to have gone into the mine, and the exact number of dead may never be known, as the mine is burning, and the bodies in all likeli- hood-will be cremated.
 A large number of mine officials left Trinidad for the scene as soon as word of the accident was received. The company doctors were picked. up along the line, as well as other available physicians. United States Govern ment Stock Inspector F. J. Foreman was at Tercio when the explosion oc- cured. He returned tonight and gave the following account of the disaster:
 ''I was standing not more than 800 yards from the mouth of sthe tunnel when the explosion occurred. The eX- plosion was preceded by a low, rumb- ling sound. resembling an earthquake, which made the earth tremble and startled the whole camp. I looked to- ward the mine, and out of the mouth of the tuneel and two airshafts came great volumes of smoke and dust which continued for nearly a minute. Out of the two airshafts, timbers that were fully two to three feet in dia- meter were shot into the air and brok- en into splinters. Rock was thrown over the camp for the distance Of a quarter of a mile; in fact, it rained rock, broken timbers and all kind of debris for fully a minute, and many people were injured by being struck with these missiles.
 The explosion, which was for all the world like volcanic eruption, caused the widest excitement. Men, women ~and children rushed to the mouth Of the tunnel and women, whose hus- bands, were in the mine had to be brought away by miners to keep them from being killed by the deadly fumes. which poured out of the tunnel"
 The mine in which the explosion oc- cured works thirty men and it is be- heved that at least 50 men were in the mine at the time. The news of the ex- plosion brought assistance from adja- cent camps and tonight hundreds Of men are trying to get into the mine. The men are compelled to dig every inch of their way. in their work of res cue as the walls and roof of the mine have been leveled in a great cave in. Deadly fumes frequently overcome the workers. hut their places are immedi- ately taken by others ready to risk their lives. It is not thought possible that any one now in the mine has sur vived the terrible ordeal and the names of those who are believed to have perished or sustained injury can not be learned at this hour. Nearly all the miners employed at mine No. are Slavs. The ill-fated mine, which was but recently opened, extends 1000 feet into hill. The explosion is sup posed to have been caused by dust. Only ono body has been recovered. that of T. Duran, a driver, who was about