Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-27
One Hundred or More Believed
Killed in Mitchell Workings,
Near RoyaIton, III. :,
FLAMES ARE PRECEDED
BY TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
No Hope Held Ont for Men in Lower
Level Cut OF From Rescue
by Blaze.

ROYALTON, ILL.,. October 27-one
hundred or more miners were killed. it
is believed. in the Mitchell coal mine near
here today when a terrific explosion oc-
Cured in the lower level of the mine
soon after 800 men had begun work.
OF those who entered the mine about
100 escaped. but thirty bodies were soon
brought to the surface and more than
100 other men were known to be impris-
oned in lower level. cut Off from res
cue by fire 1t was thought that all OF
those shut off by the wall OF fame in
the interior were soon burned to death.
Royalton is mining village eighty
six miles southeast of St. Louis, on the
ST. Louis. Iron Mountain and Southern
| railroad.
| The mine is a mile from this town.
and the explosion was distinctly heard
| here. Every one In town, except the
telephone operator, hurried to the
mine and aid was summoned from
Puquoin and Murphysboro. A rescue
| car also was sent from Benton.
Work of Rescue Quickly Begun.
| The work of rescue began quickly.
| and within less than two hours sew
eral bodies had been taken from the
workings.
No hope is held out for the 100 men
on the lower level. The flames make
it impossible for rescuers to reach
them. and it is thought here that all
are dead.
All the men taken dead from the
upper level had been overcome by gas:
none had been burned. General Supt.
Mitchell said the men in the lower
level doubtless had been overcome by
| the gas before it exploded, and that
IL they regained consciousness the fire
that followed the explosion would pre-
vent their escape.
| The blast occurred in the northwest cor
ner of the mine where from $50 to 800
men We're working.
Men in the southern part OF the mine
heard the explosion and hurried to the
cages, which took them to the surface
| This part of the mine was separated
from the section where the explosion &C.
CURED by thick walls Of coal.
Fifty Had Not Entered Shaft
Three hundred and seventy-two men
were employed in the mine, but about
fifty had not entered the shat
Up to IL o'clock the rescue parties
were unable to penetrate more than
1900 feet in the workings. but at that
hour the rescue car came from Benton.
| ILL.,, with four hours supply of oxygen.
This made possible further penetra-
ton of the mine by the rescue parties.
|
| account for the explosion. as the mine
| had been in contiguous operation and
| no gases had been detected.
| Lines of hose were carried down two
| shafts of the mine and an attempt
was made to direct streams of water
| through cross shafts to the burning
level. The gases made it dangerous for
them to approach close enough to fight
the flames effectively. Experts said the
fire could be controlled only by sealing
| both entrance shafts and pumping wa
| ter into the mine until all Chambers
were flooded.
This, however, will not be done until
all hope of rescuing the imprisoned
miners is abandoned.
Twenty physicians accompanied the
| rescue car from Benton and when they
| arrived they had their hands full look
| ing after the wives and daughters OF
| imprisoned miners who had become
| hysterical or had tainted.
| The mine belongs to the Franklin
County Coal Company.