The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-27
MANY DEAD IN AIINE
". D. ROPER, OF SOUTH C::270LINA
AMONG MISSING.
MANY STRICKEN I.)nES

One Hundred and Five Lives SaufreG
Out by Terrific Explosion "a Okla
homa Coal Mine. Only Elescn, 50
Far as Known, Escaping ot Those
in the Mine.
One hundred and FIVE lives is ac-
cepted as an approximately correct
estimate Of the human toll taken
Wednesday morning, when Ne No.
2, of the San Bois Coal Company at
McCuctain, Okla, was wrecked by an
explosion. OF the l16 men ot the
day shift, only eleven are kn3Sn to
be alive, while the others a-e en-
tombed behind the debris.
In the opinion of Government eX-
perts and mine officials, they are
dead, and special train which
brought physicians and nurses from
Fort Smith, Ark, returned Wednes-
day night. Five PHYSICIANS remained,
with the faint hope that some Of the
imprisoned men might be found alive.
Among those unaccounte3 for are
surveying party. headed by W. D
Roper, Of Clio, S. c., forty-chr7e
Americans were employed IN the
mine. The explosion occurred short
~ after 9 O'Clock "Wednesday morn
ing. Those on the surface heard a
faint rumble and al earth t-emor.
When those nearest to the mouth Of
the mines reached the opening a
cloud of dust and smoke belched
forth. Then came tense moments Of
waiting for those in the mine to
emerge.
Frank Fields. miner, was the
first to staggar out He was walk
ing in an entry and heard the ex-
plosion, he said. Ee Jumped into a
side room and the explosion passed
and he made his way to the mine
opening. Nine other miners escaped
through manway.
4 systematic search OF the wrecked
mine began early Wednesday night
under the direction OF Government
experts and up 70 9 O'Clock Ave bod
les had been recovered and 80 Others
located. At that hour the rescu4rs
had reached the eleventh level, but
here their progress was retarded By
q mass Of coal, earth and twisted
timbers.
The explosion occurred shortly az
ter 8 o'clock Wednesday morning.
and, according 20 an Official state
nent of owners Of the property,
about one hundred men were en-
ployed in the mine. Whether gas OF
coal dust caused the explosion has
not been determined.
Eight Of the men who escaped alive
were at work n the mule stables and
made their way to the surface
through the passage used for the
cars. The first party OF volunteers
to enter the nine at noon found
FIVE others badly injured in wrecked
entry. Mayor Bourland, Of Fort
Smith, mas issued an appeal for aid
for the families OF the victims.
Heartrending scenes were enacted
at the mine opening, where hundreds
of women and children had gath
cred. Throughout the afternoon,
while rescue work was halted await
ing the arrival Of uine experts from
the Government station at NcAlester,
Okla, they remained about the open
ing.
Practically every home in the camp
has one or more members buried IN
the mine. The systematic work OF
penetrating the nine began early
Wednesday night. and the first OF the
half hundred rescpers, who are work
ing in relays, brought four bodies
ont of the mine. The bearers OF rne
bodies passed between rows Of grief
stricken relatives who clanored for
q view Of the dead.
The bodies were hlackened and
burned and practically Unrecognlz-
able. Confusion was so great that It
was impossible to determine definite
" their identity. Al eight O'Clock
it was reported that the rescuins
party had found sixteen more bodies
which would be brought out by mid
night. This would be the last trip OF
the rescuing party into the mine
Wednesday night.
Superintendent Brown stated tha,
the force and extent Of the explosion
was such that only by the remotest
possibility could any Of the entomDed
ha alive. The mine machinery is o.
Grated By compressed air and there
are three small pumps in different
sections of the mine. These pumps
exhaust pure air.
r the force OF the explosion did
not kill all Of the men. there IS re-
note chance that some Of them are
heine kept alive by these fresh cur
rents. To this one slim chance the
relatives and friends Of the entom D
e6 men cling with pitiful hopa and
pray.
The cause of tn explosion resulted
according 10 mine experts, from eth
er accumulated gas or coal dust. The
San Bois property IS owned by the
Fort Smith and Western Railroad
Company.