Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-02-17
SEVENTEEN men
PERISH IN Mine
THE BODIES OF Fifteen HAVE
BEEN REMOVED FROM THE
WORKINGS.
TWO RESCUERS VICTIMS
NO HOPE IS ENTERTAINED FOR
THE LIVES OF TWO
OTHERS.

Trinidad. Colo.-The death toll o;
the explosion at the Cokedale mine.
day night, was swollen to seventeen
early Friday morning when two mem
bers Of the rescue crew attempting to
reach the fifteen men entombed in
the mine were overcome by the dead.
ly black damp which filled the work.
ings.
These two and the bodies of thir-
teen of the original fifteen shot firers
in the mine when the blast occurred,
have been removed, leaving but two
unaccounted for.
There is no doubt that the two
missing are dead. say experts at the
mine.
The direct cause Of the explosion
cannot be ascertained, and 1t is prob
able that it never will be known.
A car of powder being taken into
the mine to break down coal in some
manner was ignited. but whether by
carelessness in handling a lamp. or by
spark from some source, Is not
known.
Through the efforts OF the oxygen
helmet brigade from the C. F. & I.
rescue car, sent to the mine from
Trinidad Immediately the accident was
announced, progress was made far
into the workings during the night
and the way was sufficiently cleared
Of debris from the explosions SO that
the instant the fan cleared the mine
Of the gases. shortly after daylight.
unprotected rescuers had no difficulty
in reaching the first Of the entries In
their search for the shot firers.
1t was while the helmet crew was
exerting itself to penetrate the main
slope that e. A. Sutton. assistant
mine superintendent. and Robert
Meeks. an experienced rescue man
from Starkville. were overcome.
Sutton entered the mine equipped
with a helmet. but had not proceeded
far when the oxygen became ex.
huusted and he fell to the ground.
He was hurried to the surface by
ether members OF the helmet crew
and every effort was made to revive
HIM, both with the artificial respira.
ton apparatus with which the C. F.
& I. car Is equipped and by electric
shocks. but In vain.
Miners who assisted In caring for
Sutton when he first was taken from
the mine assert that his death was
caused by a leaky helmet.
They assert that the cartridges at
the rear OF the head-piece were loose.
permitting the black damp to enter
ind filling Sutton's lungs.
Physicians believe death was due
10 suffocation caused by the oxygen
supply in the cartridge being ex.
hausted.
While Sutton was being taken to
the surface. the rescuers stumbled
upon the body OF Meeks. who had
rushed into the mine unprotected by
helmet. and unnoticed by those
guarding the mouth Of the main
slope 10 prevent such rashness on the
rart of the many anxious volunteers.
He died shortly after being removed
from the mine. and but few minutes
after Sutton was given up by the ply
sicians.
At first it. was thought that Meeks
vas one OF the shot firers. but soon he
was recognized by Starkville miners.
who were drawn to the scene Of the
accident. This shattered the hope
that some OF the entombed men might
have made their way toward the sur
face after the explosion. and the he'll
met men again endeavored to pierce
the depths Of the mine.
None of the thirteen bodies found
during the day showed evidences OF
Eaving been overcome by the ex-
piosion itself. as there were no marks
upon them. Consequently 1t Is be-
leved that they were overcome by
the black damp which followed the
explosion. and which filled every
chamber in the mine. making each a
ceath-trap from which there was no
! escape.
This had led to the belief that the
two men still missing were suffo-
Gated by the fumes within a few