Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-06-24
25O MEN ENTOMBED IN NINE.
Only IA Alive Out of so Rescued
from Alberta Mine.

Lethbzridge, Alberta, June ia
mighty explosion to-day eniombed
2h0 Miners employed in mire No. 20,
of the Hillcrest collieries, limited. or
the so miners rescued only IA were
living tonight.
Despite the efforts of two score
mine experts, laboring amid the pois-
oned gases and debris, hope of rescu-
ing alive the 200 men yet in the
mine was remote.
There were 900 men i'm the mine
when the explosion occurred, $50 of
whom escaped. Fifty were rescued,
and Of this number SO died later.
There are supposed to be 200 miners
still entombed, most OF whom were
probably killed by the explosion.
The explosion, which happened
about 9 a. M, shook the countryside.
lifted roofs from many cabins and
demolished numerous small build
in2s. A moment after the explosion
score of panic-stricken surface
workers rushed from the mine, fol-
lowed by dense cloud Of smoke and
poisoned fumes.
Appeals for Help.
Appeals for help were dispatched
to many towns. and residents organ
lied an emergency crew and began
the work of rescuing.
When the first rescue crew arrived
large force of men set about to
clear the shaft, working desperately,
as the means Of the entombed men
came feebly from the mine. The
means became fainter and fainter,
and finally ceased.
Thousands of tons Of rock have
fallen into the mine, and it is feared
the men. even had they escaped death
from the poisoned fumes, probably
were crushed to death by falling
debris. Most OF those entombed
were working about 400 feet inside
the mine.
No Information as to what caused
the explosion has. been given out, but
1T is believed it was caused by gas.
Thos. Quigley, uperintendent of
the mine, is among those entombed.
Early tonight two trains filled
with expert mine workers, doctors.
nurses and officials Of railways ar
rived and the work Of rescue was
begun in systematic way. The eX-
perts found, iumbled in a chaotic
mass, timbers. wagons and mining
paraphelmalia, indicating the force Of
the explosion. The eXplosion tore
both ends of the pit and blocked up
the interior Of the WORKINGS, making
1T almost impossible to gain en-
trance. The fire, which broke ont
following the explosion, later died
out but the gas fumes made it i'm
possible for the rescuers TO worl,
effectively for several hours.
Most of thp man or.a f,,.o;un I>o..>
Rescue Work Progressing.
Rescue work progressed rapidly,
and late tonight the entrance had
been cleared. Several miners were
rescued alive near the entrance and
little farther on a few bodies were
found
Mine experts said tonight it might
be week before some OF those en-
tombed could be reached.
The mine in which to-day's disas-
ter occurred is but mile from
Frank, Alberta, where q disaster oc-
CURED ten years ago. The mines
have been operated at intervals for
twelve years. Because Of the dan
ger in working them it has been diff
cult to get men.
This is the third great disaster i'm
the mines Of this region. Four years
ago 35 men were killed in Bellevue
mine, and ten years ago Frank was
wiped out by the neighboring noun
tain topping over and burying 1876
inhabitants.
181 Bodies Recovered.
Hllcrest, Alberta, June 22.-The
majority Of bodies recovered from
Fridays mine disaster were buried
quickly to-day without effort to dem
tify. They were burned beyond rec
ognition. Nearly 100 out of 1876 who
lost their lives in the explosion have
been recovered.
Government rescuers are of the
opinion that many bodies are buried
beneath tons Of rock, more than
| 900 feet from the mouth of the
mine, and will never be recovered.
The generally accepted theory is
that the explosion was caused by ac-
emulation Of gas in lower levels.
Fifty bodies found in one tunnel
to-day brought the total recovered
from the mine disaster up to 1S1.
Eighty grave diggers are busy pre-
pairing graves.