Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-03-27
los DIE IN Mine Nj \
BLAST in OKLAHOMA PIT CAUSES
FEARFUL HoLocAUST-oNLY. Ia
ELEVEN ESCAPE. r
WOMEN WILD WITH WOE
Victims of Disaster Include 43 AmerE
cans-speciaI Train Carrying Doc
tors Take Them Back-Thetr
Services Not Needed.

McCurtain, Okla.-As the result OF
an explosion in mine No. of the sans
Bots Coal company here los lives were
lost and the mine was wrecked. :.
OF 116 men of the day shift only
eleven are known to be alive, While
the others are entombed behind the
DEBRIS s.- %
In the opinion of government ex-
perts and mine officials they are dead,
and special train which brought ply
sicians and nurses from Fort Smith,
Ark, returned.
Five physicians remained with the
faint hope that some OF the lmprls-
oned men might be found alive.
Among those unaccounted for are
members of a surveying party. headed
by WE. Roper Of Clio, S. G. Forty
three Americans were employed IN the
mine. W.. '-~ r, III
Just before the explosion those on
the surface heard o faint rumble and
felt the earth tremor. When those
nearest the mouth Of the mines
reached the opening cloud OF dust
and smoke belched forth.
Then came tense moments OF wait
ing for those in the mine to emerge.
Frank Fields, miner, was the first to
.stagger out. He was walking In an
entry and heard the explosion, he
said. s.
He jumped into a side room and the
explosion passed and he made his way
to the mine opening. Nine other
miners escaped through "manWay.
A rope rider" who was coming to
the surface when the explosion &C.
Cured, was the eleventh man to es'
cape. --.l
Z The systematic work Of penetrating
the mine has begun. Half hundred
rescuers worked in relays. They
brought four bodies from the mine.
The bearers of the. bodies passed
between rows of grief stricken rela-
tives, who clamored for view Of the
dead. The bodies are blackened and
burned and are practically unrecog-
nizable. s. - s. - @
Later it was reported a rescuing
party had found 16 more bodies. This
was the last trip Of the rescuing party.
Men on duty in the shafthouse ran
from that structure when the noise OF
the explosion came to their ears as a
mtlff1ed roar, soon followed by puns
Of smoke from the mouth Of the shaft.
The alarm spread quickly and for a
time Wild confusion reigned: Volun-
teers were called for to enter the
shaft. Dozens stepped forward.
A party was selected and had been
lowered but short distance into the
shaft when the thickening smoke
warned them that fierce fire was in
progress below. These were forced
to return to the surface because OF
the deadly fumes. a- H
Within half an hour after the explo-
sion dense clouds Of sickening smoke
were pouring from the mouth of the
mine.
An order was issued forbidding any
one>to approach the mine. When news
of this order spread the crowds in the
vicinity OF the mine succumbed to wild
manifestations of grief
Here and there during the day were
to be seen groups of aged mothers
kneeling in the street and praying
with tremulous voices for husbands or
sons. Young wives wept aloud, chung
to each other in despair. some finally
to sink exhausted to the street, moan
ing and gasping out the names OF
loved ones.
Washington.-Mine rescue car No. 4
Of the bureau OF mines at Ottumwa,
Ia, was ordered to proceed to the NC
Curtain (Okla.) mine, where its crew
will assist in the work Of rescue. The
Journey will require SO hours. The
car is in charge Of S. c. Stevenson.
mining engineer.