The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-03-27
los MEN DEAD
IN COAL NINE
SExplosion Was Far Down
i'm the Pit of
SHAFT OF OKLAHOMA PLANT
Rascuers Abandon Hope OF
Saving But Few of the
Imprisoned Men.
COFFINS ALREADY ARRIVING

correct estimate of the human toll
taken this morning, when mine NO
of the Sans Bots Coal Company
here was wrecked by an explosion
Of ZIG men of the day shift, only
eleven are known to be alive, whlle
the others are entombed behind me
debris In the opinion of Govern
mept experts and mine officials,
they are dead, and a special train
which brought physicians and
nurses from Fort Smith, Ark, to-
Gav. returned tonight.
Five physicians remained with
re faint hope that some of the I'M
prieoned men might be found alive
Auorg those unacoounted for are
4 surveying party, headed by w. d.
Roper. of Clio, South Carolina.
Forty-th1ee Americans were EN-
ployeG In tie mine. ...
4 systematic search of the wreck
"a mine began early tonight, under
rho dire, ton Of Government eX-
Darts. ard UP to o'clock five bod
los Ind been recovered, ana thirty
1--WE others located. At that hour
fhc lcscuers had reached the eley-
erth level, bat here their progress
was retarded by a mass of coal
earth and twisted timbers.
The explosion occurred shortly
after o o'clock this morning and ac-
cording to an official statement
from tie Offices Of the Fort Smith
and Western Railway Company
owners of the property, about 100
men were employed in the mine.
Whether gas or coal dust caused
the explosion has not been deter
mined.
Eight of the men who escaped
alive were at work in the mule sta
bles and made their way to the sur
face through the passage used for
the cars. The first party OF volun-
teers to enter the mine at noon
found five others badly injured in
n wrecked entry. Three of these
probably will die.
After their first survey of the
wrecked mine, Government experts
expressed the opinion tonight that
all of the men imprisoned are dead
and seventy-fve collins were order
ed shipped to the grief-stricken
mining camp. Mayor Bourland OF
Fort Smith has issued an appeal for
aid for the families of the victims.
Thirty-Nine Bodies Recovered.
McCurtain, Okla, March 21.-At
noon to-day thirty-nine bodies had
been taken from the Sans Bots
mine. which caved in here after an
explosion of gas or dust yesterday.
Many of the bodies were so badly
mangled as a result of the force of
the explosion or so badly burned
in the fire that broke out few min
utes later that Identification prob
ably will be impossible.
Twentv-four miners were rescued
alive. Estimates of those remain
ing in the mine vary between TWEEN
ty-nine and ffty-three. Experts or
the ground hold out little hope that
any in the mine at noon to-day
would be brought out alive.
Fourteen Rescued.
McCurtain, Okla, March I'll
Fourteen more miners ertombed b!
the explosion and cavern at Sans
Bots mine No. here yesterda!
We're rescued to-day. This makes
the total number who have com,
forth alive twenty-five, out of thu
shift of men at work at the time o
the disaster, the estimates of the
number of whom varies between
ninety-two and lie.
Total of iO7 Recovered.
McCurtain, Okla, March 2l.-A
midnight tonight 107 of the IL
men at work in Sans Bots mine Nc
2 when the property was wrecke
by an explosion yesterday had bee
accounted for. Twenty-six OF tn
number we're rescued alive, one ha
since died, fifty-two bodies hay
been recovered and twenty-nin
have been located.
Ralph Kenny, 16 years old, son
a local minister, was a member
the party that was rescued alive to
day. Partly insensible at first, h
shortly came to himself and smile
as he told of the night in the sma
pump room. where he and fonrtee
other choking men fought for gasT
of fresh atmosphere from air pipe
Then a pallor spread over n
face, his form quivered, and pefor
outstreSched hands could seize MIN
mis- body sank to the foor- Helper