South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-07
GAS OVERCOMES
VICTIMS WHILE
HUNTING EXITS
Trained Rescue Forces Ex-
plOre Workings for Trace
of Living Men
ABE CRAIG Is HERO
Saves Dozen Lives by Presence
of Mind - To Remove
Bodies of Dead Later


lieved 20 have lost their lives in an
explosion in Reilly mine Of sthe
Reilly Coal Co.. near here this
morning. Exploration Of the work
ings by trained rescuers was being
continued tonight. None OF the
dead had been brought 10 the sur
face al 1880 O'Clock.
Thirty bianched survivors from
the Reilly Coal Co.'S mine-most or
them young men. lay on a double
row OF cots in the miners hospital
here ton ght anxiously watching the
entrance 10 the big room. They
were the known survivors OF the
"a miners who went into the mine
this morning a few moments be-
fore terrific explosion The exact
number of dead was still undeter-
mined although il was the opinion
or rescue leaders that perhars 90
or so had lost their lives.
The vigil began when the frst
eight were brought 90 the hospital
The entrance of stretcher bearers
meant that another comrade hsd
been dragged from an underground
sea OF gas.
At 1880 o'clock this morning the
explosion occurred fin the heart OF
the mine. AS soon as the miners
from neighboring pits could reach
the mine preliminary work OF rescue
began and IL was supplemented
later in the day by trained engineers
from the United States bureau or
mines IN Pittsburg and the rescue
crews of neighboring mines
The rescue men all told the same
story as they came 20 the surface
They declared bodies were scattered
through the workings for more than
500 feet
Within 100 Feet OF AIR.
The sad part OF it," said one
/ sturdy miner. lis that at least 90
Of the victims were within a hun
dred feet of fresh air when they
were overcome by the gas
Every effort tonight was beinc
made to locate all OF the Twins
! AS soon as that has been done the
work OF removing the dead viii
/ commence.
Men, women and children by the
score crowded the police lines near
the shaft. Many had been there
since they heard OF the explosion
early IN the day and there was no
indication they would leave their
posts until the last body had been
/ brought out
on the cot or honor" az the hos
pital rests a youth OF %. His name
is Abe Craig His GOODNESS saved
at least q dozen lives
There isn't much 20 tell said
Craig. we went down al seven
O'Clock and entered heading 40. 10
on the left A few minutes later
there was a crash. told the boys
that meant a cave-in. and we had
better get out Then there was "a
rush Of gas Luckily our door was
open. or the explosion would have
knocked f. down. ] slammed 81 and
about p Of Us waited % see what
I would happen.
Outside there were Wells and one
OF our gang shouted 20 tell them
1 there was fresh air in our place. I
/ opened the door and three or four
men staggered IN. The boys rush
ed out and dragged ia others. We
revived them.
After-damp Rolls In.
Then 1 looked out again. All
I could see was bodies. The after
damp was rolling through the head
ing I jumped inside and closed
the door. There was nothing 10 do
but wait for rescuers.
From 1890 until about 2 o'clock
I ma
men were getting faint Young
fellows were holding ont pretty
we'll Nobody had very much 20
say some Of the boys were pray
ing
Finally the after-damp worked
It's way around and under the door.
there was only one thing 20 do. I
told them we would have 20 make a
run for H. We opened the door and
ran down the heading To was a
tough dash. stumbling over bodies.
We began 10 choke. Some % ths
boys fell. but those OF US who had
any fight left kept on.
We ran into fallen rock between
the seventh and ninth heading.
That probably was where the ex-
plOsion took place
had a hunch that 10 we got %
the sixth heading we would get
fresh air. 1ut you can believe me
that the last hundred yards was
Something awful Coughing and
strangiing we kept on. and finally
L ran slap beng into the ar. Vas
dizzy, but / screamed 20 the boys
Most OF them who got 20 the sixth
heading keeIed over
Rescuers save Men.
Then I heard men coming. and
7 knew they were rescuers They
got Ne out Only the young men
made Il. I am afraiG all the older
men lost their lives
Three times Craig stopped his
story. Each time a silent form was
brought IA on a stretcher. Physic-
ans said Craig and all others IN
the hospital would recover. A
number. Il was added owed their
lives % prompt treatment given by
rescue parties underground
Rescue forces were made Up of
skilled miners from Spangier and