Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-06-15
DISASTER AT
RED LODGE
Eight Lives Lost in the Rocky Fork
Coal Property, owned by the
Northern Pacific.
WHITE DAMP FOLLOWS A FIRE
Two Members Of Rescuing Party Lose
Their lives-The Bodies
Recovered.

palling disaster in the history of the
Rocky Fork mines, owned by the Nor
thern Pacific, occurred here this
week, when eight men We're overcome
by white damp and their dead bodies
carried out by heroic rescuing parties.
while many other lives We're saved
The dead are: Torrance Fleming,
William abbey, Mike Carriage. Thorn.
as Shelley, AL. McFate Matt Rekka,
Roy Carry and Joe Bracey. The lat
ter two were among the rescuers.
At 1920 this morning the fatal num-
Der of 10 men entered No. incline,
picking their way on foot, with the in
tention of seeing what they could do
toward putting out a fire which had
broken out on this vein during the
week. They got only a distance of
1900 feet when they We're all overcome
by poisonous gas. Seven of the men
managed to crawl out and with assist
ance, reached the surface, but all were
badly affected These were Hugh
Fleming, Matt Kendla Joe Woods, Dan
Sutherland. Sam Newman, H. L. Boly-
ard and Earl and were nearly gone, i.
but prompt treatment brought them
back to life
/ Causes Great Excitement.
/ 1t was 10 o'clock when the news
spread that the lives of ten or more
men were imperiled. and a scene of
greatest excitement followed In
few moments the mine entry was
crowded and volunteers quickly enter
ed upon the work of rescue. Some of
the men who went in first as rescuers
We're the last to be brought out Won
en- whose husbands were known to be
in the mine became hysterical and the
scenes of grief and sorrow were heart
rendng. A number of men who first
went in had to come out hurriedly,
being quickly affected by the gas.
Meantime huge volume of smoke
was pouring out of No. slope, and no
fresh air was coming into No. G. The
air fans were soon reversed and the
smoke driven from No. entry and
plenty of air was supplied for No. 6. |
Then a second rescuing party was or
ganized to go in and rescue the first
Business men and others about town,
not in the employ Of the company,
pulled off their coats.
Two Rescuers Dead.
In a short time the first rescuers
were hauled out. two and three at a
time, having been found strewn along
the entry, and two of them were dead.
The men We're placed in cars and hur-
ried to the mouth of the entry by
mules. Then they were placed on
stretchers and hurried to the emer-
gency hospital where all the doctors
). in the city were busily engaged. The
big crowd could tell when a dead body
: was brought out as the men carrying
q the corpse walked along slowly. while
o with a person partially overcome they
+ ran with all possible haste.
a OF those who are dead. Terry Flem-
, ing leaves five orphan children, and
o had numerous relatives here, includ-
ing Alderman Roger Fleming, a broth
i err. Thomas Shelley was married on
r ly month ago. All except Garry and
O Bailey leave widows.
>. Mayor Foster of Billings today made
a a tender to Superintendent Pettigrew
?, of hose, but Mr.. Pettigrew said ne
a could not use it at present. He said
d the great difficulty now was with the
q white damp, and until this is got rid
of, it would be impossible to reach the
a fire with safety
V The first serious trouble, which start
II ed in room five of the third west en-
try, was under control. A wall of can
vas had been constructed a distance
of 600 feet along the entry the can
vas being tackled to poles, placed at an
Is angle against the side wall. This gave
an inlet for air and an outlet for the
smoke. Water was coming in from
S the water level from surface ditch
n and no further trouble was anticipated
s. at this point.
The breaking out of the fire in No.
- o, HOWeNeI, was something UNLOCKED
Sc for. Men had been working on it dur
II, ing the night and at o'clock this
Id morning several men We're overcome
'e- and had to be carried out. Among
As these was Pit Bliss William Haggerty.
He rallied and again this afternoon
ne entered No. 6, to rescue men, and
81 while helping to carry out corpse,
., was himself overcome for the third
g time during the week and had to be
Il, taken out on stretcher.
,S. Superintendent Pettigrew says that
II the action of the Is men who entered
y, the incline this morning was fool
-. hardy.
The mine is in pretty bad shape al
present and several new air shafts viii
have to be made before it can be pu
into safe condition. State Coal MinC
m, Inspector McDermott is here, makins
ed an investigation. General Manager c
'p- r. Cleghorn will reach here tomorrow
N, from Tacoma. The disaster has cast {
Ike gloom over the city and business is a
er a temporary standstill.