The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-03-28
ALL ARE DIGGING
GRAVES AT NINE
Wife Of Dead Fire Boss at san Bots
Mine Says He knew OF Danger
--6S Dead Accounted for
and Five Missing.

MctNftaln, Ok.. March 49,.
small army of men this morning
began digging graves to receive The
bodies Of the dead miners brought
out Of the San Bots mine, wrecked
by an explosion of gas Wednesday
morning. when the mine was filled
with workers.
Men in all walks of life are aid
ing in the grave digging, as there
are not enough laborers here to
meet the demand. Railroad section
men were pressed into service as
grave diggers, but even these could
not make as many graves as are
needed
Carloads of collins are arriving
from TT. Smith.
The disaster makes widows of Go
women and makes fatherless $50
children.
Sixty-one bodies had been taken
from the mine up to this morning,
and it is expected to remove more
this afternoon.
No hope is entertained that any
more will be found alive, and it is
probable that the death list will
reach 100.
McCurtain, Ok, March 23.--Now
that the first excitement and hor-
ror of the tragic explosion in Mine
No. has become familiar and the
dead have been buried, the state
officials, the mine operators and
miners are confronted with the
question, why?
Although it has not been so an
nounced, it is practically certain
that mine No. will not be operat-
ed again until a thorough inyesti-
cation has been made to, If pos
sible, determine the cause and ma
fure of the explosion. State In
spector Boyle served notice Sat-
urday npon the operators that he is
in charge OF all three of the mines,
and that none of them would be
operated until he grants permits
sion.
Many straws are being gathered
relating to conditions i'll No. pre-
vious to the tragedy of Tuesday.
Less than a month ago Inspector
Boyle made an inspection of the
mine and made certain recommen-
dations. Whether these We're com
piled with will be one of the sub
ieets for investigation.
Today William Reece made the
statement that while it was not
possible 10 tell whether any pre-
caution could have prevented the
explosion, it was certain there
would be fewer mine disasters if
fire bosses. whose duty ii is to ex-
anime the mine each day before
the men enter, were employees of
the state instead Of the company.
Frank Cooks, fire boss In mine
No. 2, was one of those killed. His
wife stated today Chat less than q
week ago he said that if it were
not that his job was at stake he
would put the bars on south entry
No. a. That was the entry in
which il is shown the explosion
eentered.
County Judge Beceett has been
on the scene from the first, secur-
ing lists OF those who were rescued
and Of the dead, and this afternoon
he appointed committee of four
TO assist him in making a house to
house canvass TO secure an aecu-
rate list of the dead, and of the
number of widows and children of
the dead miners for use in caring
for those whose bread winners
have been taken.
There is general praise of the
course taken by the operators fol-
lowing the disaster. Every call for
supplies in aid OF the rescue and
care of those saved. and for bury
ing the dead and caring for their
families. has been PROMPTLY met by
the company.