The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-24

had among them that of miner
named Mccullough, who mad Voiun-
| teered for rescue work and was know
as one of the best and most care1uI
miners in the district. He was among
| the first to enter the mine AFTER tne
| explosion. He is believed to have been
killed by fall from the roof as ne
was provided with helmet and was
| in no danger from gas.
Rescuers this morning reported the
bodies of 81 mules had been seen, the
majority of them having been killed
! by the explosion.
Latest estimates of the dead are
near the hundred mark as it is known
that 179 men went into the mine ana
about 79 are known to have MADE
their escape. 1t developed early that
the first rescue crew to enter the mine
today had come upon other dead, ana
the bodies were being brought to the
openings. The telephone system in
the mine is being repaired and re-
ports from the most advanced parts
will be received at the opening as soon
as linemen can complete the connec-
tions.
Men Came Up in Bad Condition.
But few of the miners who reached
the surface were in condlt1on TO TAX.
Suffering from burns or fright, the
miners only knew that an explosion
had occurred and that a large number
of men were either killed by the ex-
plosion or asphyxiated by the after
damp"
Several hours after the explosion
seven foreign miners crawled from one
of the entrances of the mine. All were
seriously burned. They could give no
connected account of conditions In the
mine or their individual experiences
They all said that the mine was
full of dead people"
A Track Layers Story.
Robert Carten, track layer, who
escaped, told the following story:
81 had resumed work at $3.50 ana
had driven only two spikes when the
explosion occurred. The conclusion
knocked me unconscious. After re-
covering. 1 met Assistant Foreman
Brown who told me to get out of the
mine as quickly as possible. Other
men quickly arrived where l was.
Followed by about Is men,
started down No. motor road of the
main roads of the mine. We had not
gone far before we found there was
so much smoke we could go no further:
We tried No. motor road and found
this also choked with smoke and de-
bris I then told Assistant Foreman
Brown 1 was going to try No 10 en-
try He told me 1 could not make it,
Followed by the rest, I tried less
than 100 feet in No. entry. We found
our way blocked with debris. We
had turned back and had penetrated
No. Is entry some distance when we
were again blocked by debris.
After investigating. I found hole
at the top of the debris. 1 crawled
through this on my stomach for 200
feet and the others followed. Finally
reached No. motor road, which was
clear. 1 stopped and negro was be-
side me. We listened for the others,
but could not hear them. After a time
we started for the surface. Before
reaching there we met Tom Thomp
son, the night boss, whom We told
what had happened.
Thompson started back into the
mine to lead the others out and we
continued on down the slope to the
open air, 1900 feet from our starting
point
Three Entries Choked With Debris.
Three entries of the mine are entire
Iy choked with debris.
Rescue parties have reported that
some of the men were alive behind
heavy falls of earth and coal. Sounds
resembling rapping and cries could be
heard.
Two-thirds of the dead are foreign
ers. Elmer Boyle, George Vickers,
Harry Parker and Peter Mercer, all
fire bosses, are among the known dead.
Conditions in the mine. as far as it
could be penetrated indicate that most
of the men were not killed by the ex-
pl psion, but were caught by after
damp.
Death Toll 1880 in 1912.
Washington, D. c., April 24.-Coal |
mine accidents took a death toll last |
year of 1850 men, according to a |
statement made public today by the |
United States bureau of mines. The |
statement says, however, that the fig
ures represent a death rate of only |
3.15 in every thousand men employed,
the smallest rate of mortality since
1899.
There are at present, according TO
the statement, 10000 r,en employed
in the industry. Figures are given to
show that although 10000 more min
ers were employed in 1912 than in
1907, there were S37 fewer fatalities
last year. The falling off in the loss
of life in the opinion of Frederick w.
Horton, mining engineer of the bu-
reau, is largely due to the educational
conducted by the govern
ment and to the advanced means en-
plcyed by the bureau of mines in res
cuing the victims of mine accidents.