Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-01

Primero, Colo, Feb. Fighting mad
ly to secape through the narrow. part
ly choked air shaft. trampling ruthless
~ over their fallen comrades in their
frantic struggle for life. more than half
the miners employed in the Primcro
mine OF the Colorado Fuel G. Iron COM
pany, wrecked by terrific explosion
yesterday afternoon. were overcome by
fiaraes and gas. Their bodies were
found In heaps about the bottom of
the air shaft. where they had fallen in
the desperate struggle.
One hundred and forty nine men are
known to have been in the mine when
the explosion occurred. 1t is said that
70 are known TO be dead. One has
beep-rescued live. but dangerously In
5ured
Their bodies torn-and -charred almost
beyond recognition. It has been impos-
siblc TO identify the dead The list
of the known living is composed OF ono
name. Dio Nardino.
THE EXPLOSION.
The explosion occurred about 4:3o
p. IN. With a terrific roar and belch
of flame the main shaft crumpled In
blocking the entrance to the mine.
Both fans with which the property Is
equipped were shattered and 1t was not
until 7:40 p m. that the fans were re-
paired and rescue party. headed by
Gen. Supt. j. F. Thompson was able
to descend the air shaft They dis
covered three bodies before they were
forced to return to the surface. Five
men. one of them hundred yards away,
were. killed at the entrance to the main
shaft by the concussion.
Rescue parties were hurried to Pri-
nero from Trinidad. Segundo. Stark
Vile, Sophris and Cokevillc and worked
desperately to open the main shaft.
II soon became evident however. that
the shaft was hopelessly caved and
another rescue party descended into
the air-shaft Shortly before 2 o'clock
this morning. Superintendent Thomp-
son. who was directing the rescue work
was overcome by gas and carried to
the surface. He coon recovered and
again won't below.
Dio Nardino. the one man found alive
was found beneath n mass of earth
and tfmbers. He declares that he
crawled over scores OF bodies after the
explosion and saw no one who was
not injured.
WHOLE NINE A WRECK
The rescuers say that the whole
mine Is a wreck and that 1t is almost
impossible that any OF the entombed
miners are still alive. The fire. which
followed the explosion was confined
closely 10 the workings near the main
shaft and soon burned itself out.
Supt. Thompson was reinforced by
every superintendent and expert with
in reaching distance of fnf fnin0 and
hundreds OF miners stood about the
shaft tonight begging for chance to
JOIN one OF the rescue parties.
With the Cherry disaster fresh In
their minds, franctic women and chill
dren surged against the ropes drawn to
Keep them from the shaft and widely
begged the rescuers to bring back their
dear ones. Some OF the women at
tempted to join the workers below and
mad to be restrained by force. AS each
body was brought to the surface, the
women gathered about II with shrleks
and prayers but the bodies were so
charreo and dishSured that the wives
ana mothers could not Identify them.
Until the workings can be opened the
cause of the explosion will remain un-
known. The officials OF the company
declare that safety lamps were used In
every portion OF. the mine and that
every precaution was taken TO prevent
accident
Coroner j. n Guilfoil has taken
cparBc OF the bodies and has ordered
20 cofins from Denver.
BODIES RECOVERED.
Thirty-one victims OF yesterdays ex
pIvsivn IN the main mine of the Colo
Ieoo Fuel & Iron company at this
plaee had been removed TO the sur
,Hse Ibis morning and while more are
Ing brought out at intervals IL i