Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-02-11

| " V'''S a.,
Those in the east wing felt the
y full force of the explosion. One
Y or two of the injured are in a y
u critical condition. OF the dead
y about half were whites, all =
y Americans, and the remainder
negroes =
Drakesboro, KY. Feb. 4.-Heroic as
nave been the efforts of scores OF res
cuers, it is believed 1t will be many
hours before the Browder mine near
this city yields up the bodies OF the last
OF the men whose lives were snffed out
in the explosion yesterday. Early to-
day % bodies nae been recovered.
Among those killed was Matt Allen, a
police Judge Of Drakesboro, aged so,
who left a wife and six children.
OF the 100 men in the mine when the
aisaste. occurred g g ao- practically
certain that more h a third have
persisted. Except for the 25 miners
who were working near the shaft In the
east entry and who. many OF them
mangled, were brought to the surface
within a few minutes after the con-
cussion, the relief workers have not
found a sign of life,
Gas Blocks Relief Workers.
Repeated attempts to penetrate the
entry where the dust and gas exploded
were frustrated by the sitting odors,
and IL was only after the fans, which
had been kept working for hours, drew
out the worst of the fumes that 1t was
possible to begin the rescue.
Throughout the night each lift OF the
cage brought bodies to the top of the
ground until early this morning 20 a
been recovered. In the panic OF grief
about the mine shaft 1t has been i'm
possible to ascertain the number of
men who nave escaped n the Humber
OF dead cannot be accurately stated.
The news of the disaster spread
quickly to the numerous mines in
Muhlenberg county and hundreds OF
mine workers FASTENED to the scene.
Thousands of curious We're also at
tracted.
While there is still doubt as to the
number of men in the mine at the time
OF the explosion, IL was reported that
there might not have been more than
so. The explosion is believed to have
been caused by a miners lamp igniting
| gas in an unused room.
The force OF the explosion was APP
parently sufficient to cause instant
death to all the men in the eastern
wing where it occurred. Cars and
heavy timbers were blown about like
kindling wood.
Within a few minutes after the first
news of the explosion the inhabitants
of the little mining village were crowd
ing about the shaft. Women and chill
dren, crazed with grief. pleaded with
those in charge for news OF the en-
tombed men. They were spared one of
the horrors Of other recent disasters,
namely, long suspense.
No Fire Is Caused.
Within a few minutes after the ex-
plosion the fans had sucked the york.
ings almost clean of deadly gases and
rescue parties were able to descend and
begin TO dig through the w~reckage. No
fire followed the explosion and the VEN
tiilating apparatus was fortunately un-
harmed by the shock.
The first bodies recovered were In
fairly good condition, the men having
been smothered n not mangled by the
explosion, but as the party pushed on
they found bodies so mutilated h
they were unrecogniZable. Will Reno,
colored, who was In charge OF the cage,
was found dead at the bottom of the
shaft.
General Manager Hogg, Of the mine,
worked with the rescuers all night.
State Mine Inspector C. j. Norwood
said the Browder mine had given the
inspectors some uneasiness on account
of it's peculiar gasy condition and
therefore had been inspected oftener
than required by law. The mine has
been visited at least once a month.
VICTIMS OF COLORADO
HORROR AXE INFERRED
Primero, Colo, Feb. At was a DESC
late and pathetic little procession to-
day that followed the bodies of the re-
covered from the Primero mine from
the temporary morgue In the machin
shops to the train which took them to
Trinidad for burial. Led by Father De
Palma, who has labored with them con
stantiy since the disaster, women and
children clad In the pitiful attempts at
mourning which the company stores
afford, filed silently into the cars after
the collins which were carried by the
grimy men who had risked their lives
TO save their comrades.
The awful force of the explosion in
the Primero mine, which exacted a toll
Of 70 lives Monday afternoon, was
shown this morning as the explorers
penetrated deeper into the workings.
Seven more bodies were recovered dur
ing the night, making a total OF So. But
II is extremely improbable that all the
dead will be recovered, for conditions
In the deeper workings indicate that
many OF the victims were literally
blown to pieces. Shreds of human flesh
with the jagged fragments of lamps
were found by the explorers this morn
ing as they approached the spot where
the explosion occurred.
A binding snowstorm is raging about
the little camp today, adding to the diff
~ficulties of the outside workers. No
attempt Is being made 10 clear away
the debris other than to lilo the re-
storation OF ventilation and to aid in
the discovery OF bodies that may be on
or near the surface. 49,
1t is believed hat many OF the 80
bodies still In the mine may be buried
under the debris and may not be recov-
cred for days or weeks.
ONE MAN AND SEVERAL