Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-03-29
BLAST KILLS los
EXPLOSION IN OKLAHOMA MINE
WORKINGS CAUSES FEARFUL
LOSS OF LIFE.
ONLY ELEVEN ESCAPE INFERNO
Grief Stricken Mothers, Wives and
Children Of Victims Gather Near
tho Mouth Of Plt-Forty-Three
Americans in Disaster. /.

McCurtain, Okla.-An explosion here
in mine No. 2 Of the Sans Bots Coal
company resulted in los lives being
lost and the mine wrecked.
OF z16 men OF the day shift only
eleven are known to be alive. while
the others are entombed behind the
debris.
IL the opinion Of government ex'
perts and mine officials they are dead,
and q special train which brought ply
~siciaIls and nurses from Fort Smith,
Ark. returned.
Five physicians remained with the
faint hope that some Of the impris-
oned men might be found alive.
Among those ~unaccounted for are
members Of a surveying party, headed
by w. d. Roper of Clio, 8. @. Forty
three Americans were employed In the
mine.
Just before the explosion those on
the surface heard q faint rumble n
felt the earth tremor. When o
nearest the mouth Of the mines
reached the opening a cloud OF dust
and smoke belched forth.
Then came tense moments OF walt.
ing for those In the mine to emerge.
Frank Fields, a miner. was the first TO
stagger out. He a walking In an
entry and heard the explosion, he
said.
He Jumped into a side and the
explosion passed and he made his way
to the mine opening. Nine other
miners escaped through a "manway."
A rope rider who was coming o
the surface when the explosion oc-
CURED. was the eleventh man to es.
cape.
The systematic work of penetrating
the mine has begun. Hall a hundred
rescuers worked in relays. They
brought four bodies from h mine.
The bearers Of the bodies passed
between rows Of grief stricken rela-
tives, who clamored for a view OF the
dead. The bodies are blackened and
burned and are practically unrecog-
nizable.
Later 1t 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 an
from that structure when the noise OF
the explosion came to their ears as q
mufiied roar, soon followed by puns
OF smoke from the mouth Of the shaft.
The alarm spread quickly and for Q
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 q short distance into the
shaft when the thickening smoke
warned them that : fierce fire wal IN
progress below. These were forced
to return to the surface because Of
the deadly fumes.
within half an hour after the explo-
sion dense clouds Of sickening smoke
were pouring from the mouth Of tho
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 70 Wild
manifestations Of grief.
Here and there during the day were
to b 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 q No. 4
or the bureau Of mines ut Ottumwa.
Il. was ordered t. proceed to the Nc
Curtain (Okla.) mine. where its crew
will assist In the work OF rescue. Tho
Journey will require SO hours. The
car Ii In charge Of 8. G. Stevenson.
mining engineer.