South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-27
Explosion in Shaft of Franklin
Coal and Coke Co. Near Her
rim, Ill.,, Traps Workers and
Death Toll May Reach 130.
RECOVER 80 BODIES;
275 ARE SAVED ALIVE
Flames Are Spreading Rapidly
Through Underground Pas
sage Sealing Doom of I'm
priSOned Men.

HERRIN. H., oct. 27.-Thirty
bodies have been recovered from
mine No. 1 Of the Franklin Coal and
Coke Co, 10 miles from here. and
100 more are believed doomed as the
result Of an explosion in the under
ground workings this morning. Two
hundred and seventy-tive men es-
capped after narrowing experiences,
fire which broke cut in the mine i'm
mediately after the accident spread
ing with great rapidity. The rescue
work is going on franucally against
huge odds.
The explosion occurred At 7.25 to-
day. II was Immediately followed hy
fire, the flames now raging In the
west drift in which the 100 men are
trapped. Little hope is felt for their
safety. Three hundred and seventy
two men were entombed by the first
explosion.
say 100 Died i'm Mine.
The mine rescue crew from Benton
III, at 1870 a. m. confirmed the re
port that 100 men had died IN the
mine.
Frantic efforts are being made hy
members of the mine rescue staffs.
who arrived here In their rescue cars
at II o'clock. and a corps of volun-
teers to penetrate the burning en-
trance.
The explosion occurred shortly aft
er the men had descended into the
west entry TO start their days work
Fifty men were waiting at the top to
join the workers below when the
blast occurred.
Appeals were at once made for vol
unteers to descend for the entombed
u an
air was forced into the mine, and the
rescuers attempted to descend.
Their initial efforts were bafiied 10y
a rush Of flames Shortly afterward
the air from the fans forced the
flames from the bottom OF the shaft.
and the rescuers descended 10 find 1 5
bodies in a heap at the bottom.
Crowds Hamper Work.
Rescue work was hampereo by
frantic crowds OF women and child
ren, who surged about the top Of the
shaft. They were finally roped back
by mine officials and prevented from
descending into the drifts.
The rescued men were found in
groups near the bottom OF the shaft
Many of them were seriously burned
or injured as a result Of the explosion.
James Harris. a volunteer rescuer.
father Of Russell Harris. one OF the
enIOm ueQ miners descended with the
first rescue crew in search of his son.
He failed TO find his son but dis
covered % dazed and injured miners
in a pocket in the burning drift and
led them through the mine and out
an adjoining drift untouched by the
flames.
That there is no possibility that the
miners now entCmbed are alive is the
l belief Of the rescuers. The fames
they declare, are raging through the
entire west entry and rescuers have
been forced tC abandon Efforts TO
! penetrate further than a short dis
tance from the immediate bottom OK
/ the shaft.
In Rich District
The mine was one OF the largest
and richest IN the Big Muddy district
/ Of southern Illinois. producing the
finest quality OF coal in the riddle
west The shaft was compare lively
4 new, having been sunk less than 10
( years ago.
; It is near the famous Liter mine at
Zeigler. which was wrecked several
years ago by an explosion charged t.
] persons connected with labor disturb
anCes while the mine was being oD-
Grated by nOn-union men.