Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-30
Disaster Leaves 141 Orphans
and 62 Widows to Mourn
for Fathers and Husbands
Lost in Catastrophe.
INSURANCE AGENTS TO
RELIEVE DISTRESS
In Some Families as Many as
Ten Children Are Bereft by.
the Results of Tragic Acct
dent.

Hastings Colo. April 29-Sixty
hours after the explosion which en-
tombed 120 men in the Hastings mine
of the Victor-American Fuel company
here. only eighteen bodies had been
brought out and only three more had
been located in the mine. A heavy
fall of rock beyond the fourth north
entry is blocking the way to the face
OF the mine, where it is believed most
Of the men were at work when the
explosion occurred. Experienced min
ers say there can be no doubt but
that all the men are dead
Two Bodies Recovered.
Only two bodies were brought out
of the mine today. Every body re-
covered was carried by the rescuers
th~aas'E : ...ie Of tunnel, ,-oetr l4liien
rock and across obstruotioas brought
down by the explosion.
One hundred and forty-one orphans
and sixty-two widows is one result of
the explosion. In some families as
many as ten children were left father
less, Representatives of the state in
oustrial commission and of the insur-
ance company in which the company
carried employers liability insurance
arrived today and began survey of
the needs Of the dead mems families.
Definite figures of the amount of in
surance that will be distributed are
not available but unofficial estimates
place it at between $150.000 and
$4,000.
No Hope Left.
Although mine officials have not
admitted thkt the last hope
of finding any of the men alive has
been abandoned, steps taken since the
helmet crew came early today lead
to this belief.
Until today the helmet men have
been pressing forward as rapidly as
possible to find if any of the entombed
miners were alive, to locate obstruc-
tons in the main stope, and in the
air course, and to search for indica-
lions of the center and cause of the
explosion.
Try to Improve Conditions.
But the last two crews entering the
mine have devoted their efforts to
leaks in the air channels and
TO improving emergency devices set
up by earlier shifts so that as much
air as possible can be forced into the
mine. Until this is done the air sup
ply beyond the fourth north entry,
4 mn foot from n ha
improved and only helmet men can
work beyond there.
The mine is badly damaged beyond
The north fourth entry and considera-
bic rock has fallen from the ceiling,
miners say, and there are many OBJ
in the main stope. Air can
pass these distractions better than
men, and in case any of the entombed
miners still are alive at the face of
he workings, the present methods
seems likely to give them the best
,hance for escape, mine officials said
Will Make Another Dash
AS soon as the air deep in the mine
main stope have been cleared away
to permit men to pass,
t is planned to have helmet crew
lash in an effort to reach the face of
he mine, fully 1000 feet farther than
my of the rescuers has yet pene-
rated. This dash is expected to pro-
luce definite information concerning
he situation at the extreme inner end
If the mine; find any men who may
De alive and give mine officials infor-
nation upon which to base further
action.
The situation in Hastings is much
he same as yesterday. The town con-
.inues quiet, although there are indi-
yidual instances of hysteria, especially
lmong the women. Such cases, how
,ver, are remarkably few.
A carload of coffins was received
oday and the bodies in the morgue
we're placed in them. 1t was planned
o take all the bodies to Trinidad to.
light or tomorrow, but funeral ar
still are indefinite and
will not be completed until all the
lead have been recovered.