Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-29
MEN
KILLED BY
EXPLOSION
SEvENTY-FIVE MINERS MEET
DEATH IN MEXICO
FIREDAMP BELIEVED TO HAVE
BEEN THE CAUSE
Occurs In Shaft No. of La Rosita
Mine, Near San Juan de
Sabinas--Victims
Japanese

Special 10 The Herald
MONTEREY, Mexico, Feb. 2s.-Sev-
enty-hve men were killed as the re-
suit of the explosion in the La Rosita
mine near San Juan de Sabinas. Mex
leo.
Details of the explosion are coming
TO light depicting a horror which has
cast a gloom over the entire country.
Ihe accident as revealed in these
later dispatches, is far more disas-
trous than was believed at first.
1t was in the early morning light,
as the men were preparing to change
SHIRTS, the night force being replaced
by the day workers. the explosion oc-
CURED. hurting them to death.
The explosion took place in shaft
No g.
1t is in this section of the mine the
majority of the japanese miners en-
ployed in the mine are engaged at
work.
Every possible means to determine
the cause of the explosion is being
made by the Mexican government as
Wen as by the mine owners. So far
the origin of the disaster has not been
determined by the authorities.
F'iredamp is believed to have been
the cause.
Crowds of relatives of the dead and
friends, are crowding around the mouth
or the mine. waiting eagerly for news
Inc scene is most pitiable one, and
the despair of all is shown on the
blanched faces.
Hundreds Are Gathering
The cries of the friends of the miss
ing men occasionally break out In the
crowd, while the vast throng of peo-
pie drawn to the mine out of morbid
curiosity Is several hundred in ex-
tent.
At the offices of the La Rosita mine
the company is doing all in its power
to recover the bodies of the men,
Work in the mine has been suspend
| ed. All over the county throngs Of
people are gathering coming in to
view the scene of this terrible disas-
ter. Already the news comes from
Musquiz that the miners friends are
becoming terror-stricken and talk OF
refusing to let the men re-enter the
mine to work
Not for years has such a calamity
fallen upon the mining industry of
Mexico.
So far the authorities are in COM
mand of the situation, and the task
of keeping order is being reinforced by
troops. The mine owners are conf
dent, however, that order will be
brought out of the temporary chaos
In a few days time.
Many incidents of heroism among
the surviving miners and their cour-
ageous fellow workers are told.
Japanese Veterans Are Trapped
Some of these men, most OF whom
are Japanese, served through the late
Russo-Japanese war. and saw service
under the colors of the mikado. The
acts of daring and intrepid coolness
told of them are believed to be in no
whit exaggerated, and that the loss
in life is not greater is believed to be
due, the courage and fortitude of the
veterans of the eastern empires bat
tie line who formed the ranks of the
men working under ground in the
Mexican republic.
The mine owners have hopes of re-
building the shattered portion of the
works within a comparatively short
time.
Veteran mining experts declare the
disaster is without a parallel.
Americans Interested in Mine
The disaster has struck sorrow into
hearts of the people of two govern
ments, since many Americans of con-
siderable wealth and influence in min
ing circles are interested in this mine.
The unexpectedness of the accident
clothed it with terrible power of effect.
In the light of early morning the day
shift had come through the streets of
the mining city, and gathered In
groups around the black. yawning
mouths of the pit. The shafts with
their elevators in perfect order were
the focus points of the great crowds.
Fhe vast throng was waiting in the
dim, growing light of day for the
night shift to come up so that they
could take the latter's places down in
the black aisles of the mine.
Then, without any warning cry or
signal of any kind, great column of
smoke and fire rose into the air hum
dreds of feet. and the deafening roar
of the explosion accompanying this
scene called the entire city TO the
reeking mouth of the mining pit.
1t is upon that charred and sepulch-
raj crevasse that the finger of fate is
laid, counting the bodies of the he
roic dead who fell while fulfilling their
duty.
So far the crowd about the mine has
made no open demonstrations of a
mob, but all necessary precautions
have been taken. Meanwhile the res
cue work of recovering the bodies Is
being carried on with all possible
haste with the hopes of saving some
who might have been entombed amid
the sunken debris of the mine.
lndict Mall Robbers