The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-02
Only One Man Rescued Alone
From the Primero. Mine
Where an Explosion Of Gas
Occurred on Monday Night.
FORTY-SEVEN BODIES
TAKEN FROM WORKINGS
Thity-Two Victims of the Dis
aSter Torn and MangIedr
! Remain Below, So Far Be-
You'd Reach of the ReSCuerS,
CAUSE REMAINS UNKNOWN

Primero, Colo, Feb. 1-Yester-
days disaster in the main mine Of
the Colorado Fuel & Iron company,
which claimed the lives of at least
20 men, was caused by an explosion
of firedamp, according TO a survivor
of the catastrophe on January %,
1907, in the same mine, in which "a
lives were lost.
The same authority holds that the
explosion was caused by the ignition
of gas from a flame originated prob
ably through the carelessness of some
miner in direct violation of mine
rules. either through the crimping of
a cap for fuse, OF the lighting of
match suITeptitiOusly carried into
thc workings.
Officials refuse to give out any state
ment regarding the probable cause. claim
ing that it cannot be determined until
the workings have been cleared and a
thorough investigation made. However,
they admit that some violation OF plne
rules VIII be found TO be responsible. The
PrimeTO mine is equipped with the most
modern appliances, each miner carries
safety lamp. and all are searched for
matches before they are allowed TO enter
the workings.
At 8 o'clock tonight the situation in the
workings remained unchanged The relief
work was being. pushed by frequent
changes of relief crews. The working
party had reached entry No PA, seven
eighJhs of mite from tire mouth.
Many Bodies in Workings,
veaIs that 4 have been removed, leaving
% still in the workings.
Tonight a large force OF men was put
10 work digging graves I'm the cemeteries
of Trinidad ana tomorrow the bodies re-
covered viii be taken TO Trinidad for
burial Nine Japanese miners recovered
will be buried in the Catholic cemetery.
Three large draws have been transformed
into temporary heaTSeS for use tomorrow
10 convey the bodies from the train to
the cemeteries. Seventy collins were
brought TO PrimeTO today and tonight,
and this supply Will be increased tOmor-
row.
Officials Of the company on the ground
who were not needed TO supervise di-
rectiy the mine work turned their atten-
ton 70 the relief Of families of the vic
Tins. Coroner GuIlfOyl had impanelied a
jury TO take mp an investigation of the
catastrophe, and relatives and friends of
the identified dead turned their attention
10 preparations for their burial
One Lone Survivor.
Leonard Nirseu, a Mexican, and the
only surviving miner, who IS supposed TO
have been working within a comparative
~ short distance of the point where the
explosion originated, is unable to give 4
clear statement of what actually Oc-
CURED and tell from which direction the
force Of the explosion came.
Following Immediately the report which
warned residents of PTimerO that a dis
aster had occurred. q column Of dust and
smoke poured ont of the main entrance.
Large pieces Of timbers were hurled from
the entrance more than hundred feet.
and SO terrific was the force that a
string of cars in the mine mouth were
blown clear off the track.
Attention of those outside was turned
Immediately to the huge ventilatfng fans
and within an hour Two OF these were
put in operation and rescue parties were
forcing their way into the gas-fiIled
workings. A huge Caveiu at the mouth
Of the main slope blocked entrance at
that point. but the resCuers followed the
main veutilating shaft for several hum
dTed yards, gaining entrance to the main
slope through a crOsScut.
First Bodies Found.
To was not until the relief party reached
entry Al on the main slope that they
Continued on Page Two.)