The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-19
OFFICIALS PLAN
TO INVESTIGATE
Mine DISASTER
Gold Mine Giving Up Bodies of
FOrty-Seyen Men.
Gas Causes a Delay in Bringing
Bodies to the Top.
DIED FOR LACK OF AIR
FeebIy Serawled Messages
Show Death Came Quickly.
Built BuIkheads in Vain Effort
To Save Themselves.
DIED FOR LACK OF AIR

Jackson. Cal, Sept. 19.-Two or
three days may elapse before the last
of the forty-seven bodies of the vic
Tins of the Argonaut mine disaster
are brought to the surface from the
4,350-foot level of the gold mine in
which they were found huddled last
fort to reach them
B. o. Pickard, head of the United
States bureau of mines crew, and
leader of the exploration party that
found the bodies, stated that the first
of the bodies would hardly reach the
surface until late today.
The condition of the bodies and the
difficulty in transporting them from
the spot they were found to the Ken
nedy shaft, thru which they will be
brought to the surface, is the cause of
the delay.
Will Hold Inquest.
Mrs. Lola Potter, Nader county
coroner, will hold an inquest as soon
as the last of the bodies reaches the
surface
The mine rescue workers are find
ing the recovery work most difficult.
Only a snaiPs pace is possible in drag
ging the wire stretcher basket thru
the narrow pasSagewayS.
Hoists which will assist in handling
the bodies are being placed at the
Kennedy shaft and the bodies then
prepared for the surface.
The Argonaut stamp mill will serve
as temporary morgue.
Additional coffins will be supplied
from San Francisco this afternoon
twenty-six having been sent hereto
fore-showing Jackson's hopes to the
last that some of her sons would be
found alive.
jackson, Cal. Sept. 1s:--Tile golden
crypt of the Argonaut gave up it's dead
today in the same silent manner that
the lives of forty-seven miners were
snuffed out three weeks ago.
Work of bringing up the bodies of
the forty-seven miners found dead last
night behind hastily constructed bulk
heads, began early today.
Gas conditions were reported to
have delayed the work of sacking the
bodies and the possibility existed that
all might not be brought to the sur
face until tonight. 1t was reported
some officials favored holding all of
the bodies under ground until they
could be brought up tonight.
Definite burial plans have not been
iannounced, altho it is understood the
interment will be handled by the min
ing company under the Jurisdiction
of the state health authorities.
The possibility of both state and
federal Investigations of the disaster
loomed today with the receipt by B.
o. Pickard, head of the United States
bureau of mines rescue crew, of a
telegram from D.. H. Foster Balm. di-
rector of the United States bureau of
mines, in which he declared the safety
codes prescribed by the laws of many
states are inadequate. Clarence Jar
wis, representing Governor w. D.
Stephens. had already announced
there would be thoro state inquiry
] following the completion of the rescue
work.
All persons were ordered off the
| Kennedy mine property thru which
: the Argonaut disgorged from its
gold-lined depths the remains of its
| victims.
Bodies Decomposed.
Coffins were taken below in which
| to bring up the bodies. All the dead
were found behind two, bulk heads
which the entombed men had con-
structed in vain effort to save them
selves. The bodies were decomposed
so as to make Identification difficult
Not one of the forty-seven had re-
mained alive after the first few hours
OF the fire which broke out in the
Argonaut shaft at midnight on August
81. They were driven from passage
| to passage by the deadly fumes of gas
and finally made a last stand on the
F., 1850 foot level of the Argonaut be-
hind two makeshift bulkheads. And
there. one by one. they gasped their
! last breath and died for lack of air
Today, the mining town of jackson
mourned it's dead. The knowledge
that the men were dead hours before
! the first shovelful of earth was re-
Q D