The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-03-10
.Mutilated
Bodies of
7. Located
Blaze on 3,000.Foot Level
Stops Rescue Work-One
of Party Killed
by Gas.
Fate Plays Queer Part
BY Universal Service.

Salt Lake City. March 9.-Rescus
work in the Castlegate mine, wher.
173 men were entombed Saturday, was
halted suddenly tonight when fire was
encountered at the 3.000-foot level.
Hope of rescuing any of the en-
tombed miners alive has been prac-
tically abandoned.
Seven bodies had been recovered be-
fore the rescue crews came IN contact
with the wall Of fire. Fer "a hours
II rescue crews worked in relays. hop
ing to push through the debris and
gas before death claimed the victims.
But even as the rescuers fought
their way into the mine death was
with them. Ten were overcome By
gas. one died. The others are under
medical care and in serious condition
The knights OF Pythias hall has
been converted into a hospital and
morgue.
The bodies recovered were badly
mutilated The victims had died from
wounds. One was decapitated. They
were all in the main shaft OF mine
No. ., where the explosion occurred.
Blast Caused by Gas.
The mine is owned by the Utah
Fuel company. Its workings were
modern. II was considered safe. The
explosion that shattered the openings
and wrecked the fanhouse. shutting
of the giving air. was believed TO
have been caused by an accumulation
! OF gas.
There were three blasts. the first a
| low rumble like distant cannonading.
then a minute later a terrific explo-
sion that hurled debris across the
mile-wide valley. shattering telegraph
poles and damaging the farmhouse.
| Twenty minutes later there was an
| other terrific conclusion. II blew out
| the main entrance and completed de-
| struction OF the fanhouse.
| Most Of the entombed miners had
families. Women and children crowd
ed about the blackened shaft through
out the night. striving with tear-filled
eyes TO pierce the awful gloom thai
enshrouded those they loved.
Guarded by Piekefs.
Mine officials and captains OF rescue
| ltd4llS tdl41 q COAftA -
pickets about the mine. pressing back
spectators who were not Immediately
related TO the imprisoned men. The
barricade is half a mile from the
shaft and no one is allowed 20 60
beyond that line.
Two stations for relief work have
been established In the mine.
The main tunnel has II branch
passages, leading 10 rooms In each
Of which two men work digging and
leading coal. II is believed there was
a cave.in between two Of these entries
that blocked the air passage and al
ether in the main. entry. II il here
that fire was found
Fate Plays Part.
Fate played her part. Here is the
story OF a few Of those on whom she
smiled-and frovned.
Oscar Carlson. a nlachinist. went
into the mine TO work. but returned
to the surface because he forgot his
tools He was outside when the blast
came.
John Thorpe. mine inspector.
entered the shaft just before the ex-
piosion. His broken body was among
the first 10 be recovered.
William Llttlejohn. general superln-
tendent. and Robert Schultz. civil
engineer. had gone TO lodge meet
ing Friday night. Returning az I
saturday morning. they over slept
and did not get 10 work AT the usual
lhour The hiz~t came as they wer<
hurrying TO the mine.
John Davis. mine foreman. WAS IN
the mine with his men when the
blast came and Is believed 70 have
rerfshed