Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-01
COLORADO . HORROR
CLAIMS Hg VICTIMS
EXPLOSION IN MIME Al, PRIMERo
KILLED OR enroMss
MANY.
REPORTS OF MINE hEofl<cALs
FIX DEAD. AT sEvENTx.s9INa
Explosion Wrecks Main SHAFT and
Minors Arc Ensrapped Amid Deadly
Gasss-Work' Of Reseuins Bodies
Preceding Slowly and Under Great
Difficulties.

Primero. Colo, Feb. 1.-The charre0
and mangled bodies OF twcnty-four
victims of an explosion which wrecked
the Primero mine OF the Colorado Fuel
ana Iron Company late Monday after
noon were brought to tho surface this
morning. 1t liz stated that seventy
nine are known to be dead and only ono
man was rescued alive One hundred
forty-nine are known to have been In
the mine at the time of the explosion
and 1t Is feared few are still alive Only
mothers and wives. watching thru the
night around the shaft and urging on
the rescuers with prayers and tears
still hope the missing live.
Explosion Blocks Shaft.
The explosion occurred late yester.
day afternoon. With terrific roar
the main shaft crumpled In. blocking
the entrance to the main workings.
Five men standing near the portal were
| Instantly killed by the concussion Tho
first rescue party found bodies piled
| in heaps about the foot of the air shaft.
whore the frantic ipen had fought and
trampled each Other in the struggle
for liberty until overcome by gas und
, tiames, Three bodies were taken up
before the rescuers were forced back to
the open air. After II had been proven
that the shaft was completely wrecked,
| another party equipped with oxygen
| helmets descended the air shaft and
| again began removing bodies Volun-
| teers from other camps worked In re-
| lays all night bringing up bodies as fast
as possible. There are but two Ameri-
cans among the missing. William Helm
electrician, and David Williams.
Little Hope For Men.
| There Is lfttie hone thar nr1u ne the
men In the mine are alive. Many of the
| miners say that 100 men are miAaing.
Most the victims arc sSlavs ana Hum
garians. Pitt Boss wilhelm Ii knnwp
to be among the missing.
| The camp Is n scene or indescrihahIo
horror. While every able bodied man
| ts taking !i.s turn with nsc!. nd .l.e.el
to clear the shaft. the women and chill
| dren. kept back by ropes have gnth-
| cred about the shaft. weeping and call
| ing wildly upon their loved ones who
| have not been found
| Experts from all the coal camps OF
the state have gathered to assist Sup
! erintendent Thompson
| Members OF the first rescue party say
that the effect OF the explosion UNDER
ground Is ndescribable. The bodies
recovered were horribly burned and un-
recognizable. One body was impaled
on broken tinbers.
More Bodies to Surface,
Four more bodies were brought to
the surface during the morning, MAX
| ing the total recovered twenty eight.
! The mine officials stated this rnornirs.
that n total number OF dead did not
exceed seventy nine. Hope OF rescutus
! any entomhed miners is about abaud~
oned
One Miner Found Alive.
A party of rescuers working near
| the main slope this morning fourd
! among the bodies of dead men m.
mules one live miner, Donacia yerset.
! He walked to the air shaft and was I'm
mediately taken TO the surface. Four
/ teen dead men were found a. thft
/ point.
! Three more bodies were brough, 70
/ the surface shortely after 10 o'elo&s.
making total of thirty one bodies
are these Americans: Dave Williams,
pit boss. and Jack Elias and James
RumnEs.
| Up to noon forty-two bodies had
been recovered most of them so badly
! disfigured that Identification is pro.
ceeding slowly
Government Engineers 20 Aid.
Pittsburg. Feb. IL w Paul and
L. NJ. Jones. mining engineers con-
nected with the local station of the
geological survey. left here today for
Primero Colo, TO aid in the work OF
rescue at the mine and make reports