The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-11
GAS EXPLOSION
WRECKED MINE
First Report Was That One Hundred
Men Had Been Trapped But
Company Says only
Nine.
TWO MINERS RESCUED
Government Rescue Car Rushed to the
Scene and inspectors Start
From Dozen
Points.

| UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
MOUNDSYILLE, w. Va, July IL
A gas explosion wrecked the Panama
mine of the Franklin Coal Company,
mere today, and for several hours it
was believed more than one hundred
miners had lost their lives. After In
vestigation. however, the officials Of
the company issued a statement say
Ing that there were only nine men in
the mine at the time of the explosion
and that two Of them had been res
cued, although probably fatally burn
ed. The others are believed to be
dead.
AS soon as the explosion was re-
ported the rescue car Of the United
States mine bureau at Pitcairn was
ordered rushed to the scene At the
same time mine inspectors were hur-
ried to the scene from dozen points.
Despite the statement of the com
pany the report persisted that there
We're more than 100 men imprisoned
IN the shaft. 1t was, however. irnpos-
slble to verify this and the only Off
cial conclusion obtainable up to ii
o'clock was that which came from the
mine officials.
There were 100 men working in the
mine at the time but only nine OF these
were In the entry where the explos-
lon took place and two OF these were
rescued within an hour, probably fatal.
lly burned As soon as possible after
the explosion the cage was brought to
the surface and on 1t they found an
unconscious miner who had ran prob.
ably half a mile from the scene of the
explosion and fallen unconscious on
the cage. He has not yet been revived
to tell his story and it Is believed that
he will die as his burns are over the
entire surface of the body and head
and face. An hour later when the
cage WAS again lowered second in
jured man was found standing at the
foot of the shaft.
He had come half mile in a semi
conscious condition but had life
enough left to give the lowering signal
and stand until the cage reached him
when he. too fell unconscious. He
was brought to the surface where
physicians worked over him but they
have very little hope of his recovery.
At noon today one additional victim
iof the explosion was brought out in
the cage. He proved to be David
Brooks, an American who was terribly
burned all over the body and uncon-
scious. He was removed to the hos
pital and the attending physicians
have no hope for him. C. E. McCabe,
manager of the Fort Pitt mine across
tho river, who led the rescuing party
that brought Brooks out, was overcome
by the noxious gases and was brought
up In the cage in an unconscious con-
dition. He is not believed to be fatal
ly affected.
If the men were not killed and have
the presence of mind to seek some
shelter from the afterdamp there may
be some hope for them, although the
condition of the three men rescued
holds out little hope for the six men
still in the mine. They are between
three and five thousand yards from
the cage and with the after-damp so
deadly that entrance cannot be made
even with fresh air going in advance
from artificial means it is very unlike
ly that any of the six men have sur
vived.
There was report at noon today
that, twenty-five men were in the entry
where the explosion occurred but this
is denied by the company officials.
Rescue Car Sent.
WASHINGTON, July lion learn
ing of the Moundsville disaster, the
United States mine bureau today i'm
mediately ordered one of its rescue
cars now at Pitcairn, Pa. sent to the
scene of the explosion. The car car
ries the full rescue equipment of the
bureau, and is in charge of Mining
Engineer ]. T. Ryan, Engineer Dixie
and two experts, Reynolds and Rou-
denbash, are members of the car
crew.
The bureau estimates that the res
cue car will reach Moundsville early
this afternoon. Government dispatches
confirmed the belief that many min
ers were entombed in the mine.
atf1 Tho nai1,- Hofo C,fr IN