Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-03-21
Horrifying Disaster at McCur-
tain, Oklahoma, is Caused
Either by Accumulation of
Gas or Coal Dust.
HUNDRED MEN WORKING
WHEN MINE BLOWS UP
Of This Number but Thirteen
Escape, Several of These Be-
ing So Badly Injured They
Cannot Survive,
my Morning journal Special Leased Wire. !

(By Morning journal Special Leased Wire.
Fort smith, Ark, March 20.-Forty
miners are known to have been killed
today as the result of an explosion in
mine No. ., of the Sans Bois Coal
Company. at McCurtain, Okla, thir-
ey-seven miles west Of here, and hope
that forty seven others entombed In
the mine are alive, has been abandon
ed
Thirteen of the miners escaped
shortly after the explosion occurred.
Several of these are 50 seriously in
jured that it is believed they will die.
A systematic search of the wrecked
mine began early tonight, under the
direction of government experts ana
up to . O'Clock live bodies had been
recovered and thirty-five others found.
Al that hour the rescuers had reach
ed the eleventh level, but here their
progress was retarded by a mass of
coal, earth and twisted timbers.
The explosion occurred shortly af-
ter . O'Clock this morning.
According to an official statement
from the offices of the Fort Smith a.
Western Railway Company. owners of
the property, about one hundred men
were working in the mine at the
time. 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 stables and
made their way to the surface
through the passage used for the cars.
fiVyt ~ ,f ,sn1t In py ten
the mine at noon, found five men
seriously injured in a wrecked entry.
Three of these probably will die.
After their first survey of the
wrecked mine. government experts eN-
pressed the opinion tonight that ali
the men imprisoned are dead and
seventy five coffins were ordered.
Mayor Burland, of Fort Smith, has is
sued an appeal for aid for the fani-
lies of the victims.
one hundred and five lives is ac-
copted late tonight as an approxi-
mately correct estimate of the human
toll in today's mine explosion.
OF 116 men of the day shift. only
eleven are known to be alive. while
The others are entombed behind the
lebris. In the opinion OF government
Experts and other officials they are
lead and special train which
brought physicians and nurses from
Fort smith. Arkansas. today returned
onight Several of the physicians re-
nained,
Among those unaccounted for are
members of surveying party headed
~ w D. Roper. of Clio, South Caro-
ina. Forty-three Americans were
Employed in the mine
Those on the surface heard n faint
umble and an earth tremor. When
cached the opening cloud OF dust
nd smoke belched forth.
Then came tense moments Of wait
ng for those in the mine to emerge.
Frank Field, a miner. was the first
% stagger out. He was walking In an
ntry and heard the explosion. he
aid He jumped into a side room
pening. Nine other miners escaped !
through IA man way"
A rope rider. VINO was coming to
he surface when the explosion oc- |
urred. was the eleventh man to es-
ape.
The first rescue party could proceed ,
% farther than the sixth Level be-
ause of the accumulation of debris.
hey returned to the surface with I
he body OF John Colwas. j years old.
Rescue work WAS halted this after
oon until the arrival II mine experts
rom the government station at Nc
lester. Oklahoma. Systematic work
as begun tonight. half hundred
sscuers working In relays. They
rought out four bodies. blackened.
urned and practically unrecogniz-
BILE
Late tonight u was reported a res
iing party had found sixteen more
odies which would be brought out
n the first trip of the rescuing
arfy tonight.