The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-04-24
Survivors TEL Of Companions Over.
come BY Gas Little Hope
that Others in Mine
are Alive
RESCUE WORK
PROVES DIFFICULT
Ninety-Three Of 2l5 in the Mine
Escape Government Forces
at Work Hoping to Save
One Or Two Men
Telegram BY United Press.

Telegram BY United Press.
Finleyville, Pa, April 24.--rhe gor.
ernment rescue forces today fought 10
save one Or two men who were pennea
dead Or alive far back in the mine AZ
. result Of yesterdays explosion.
Ninety-three Of the 215 werkingmea
at the time OF the explosion escaped
without serious injury. Thirty dead
bodies had been recovered up to )
o'clock this morning.
The stories Of survivors ten how
they crawled for three miles over de.
bris while their companions we're
overcome one by one BY gas. whiuh
Indicates that there is little hope for
the men yet in the mine.
It was reported today that the gov.
ernment relief stating that Pittsburg
offered aid to the mine officials when
they first heard Of the explosion, but
the company replied that it had a r.
liable first aid company which could
cope with the situation.
However until government helmet.
men arrived at z o'clock last night no
progress was made toward rescuing
the imprisoned men. Gas drove the
company rescuers back and the hel.
metmen were unable to successfully
fight the fumes.
Although watchers this morning
abandoned all hope Of rescuing any OF
the entombed men and estimate tho
dead at Ill. experienced rescuers ex.
pected that many would be found alive
and believe the dead list to be under
a hundred.
The bodies were recovered from the
entries nearest the entrance. The
mine beyond is reported badly wreck.
ed.
Helmetman Mccullen. the first %
enter the mine. was twice overcome Dy
afterdamp. He was revived once BY
companions and was found later in a
pool OF water.
The explosion occurred Wednesday
afternoon in the Cincinnati mine Of
the Monongahela Consolidated Coke
and Coal Co. Most Of the victims were
foreigners.
Robert Carten, track layer who
escaped, told the following story
7 had been working at the head 81
No. 16 empty After eating lunch.
resumed work at 1890 aud had driven
only two spikes when the explosion
occurred The concussion knocked ms
down and was unconscious for fiji
teen minutes. Others quickly arrived
where I was. Followed by about 2
men | started down No. motor road
one OF the main roads for the mine
We had not gone far before we founs
i there was so much smoke we coulg
60 no farther We tried No. 7 mota
road and found this also ehoked witt
smoke and debris. Less than one han
dred feet in No is entry we found oi
way blocked We turned back and hsl
penetrated No. is entry some distaas
when we were again blocked by x
bris.
T found a hole al the top 81 th
debris l crawled through this on d,
stomach for q distance Of 200 feet an
the others followed. Finally I reach
) ed No. motor road, which was cleaI
| could not hear those behind Ala
d time. y reached the surface.
Later the other men reached IL
Z opening All were in and dazed y
I account Of the fumes
i The Cincinnati mine. 1t Is alleges
has been knowngas being gaseoa
Thirty years aso there was gas e
plaslon by which mine cars wei
blown through The tlpple and hall Va
across the Morongehela river Tt
: mine Ia among the eldest N the II
, nongahela valley having been % ore
; alton at lcasi eighty years
Conditions IN the mines as faf as
J could he penetrated, Indicates =
3 most Of the men were not killed hs s
Continued pa rage TWo