The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-03-13
FATAL. UTAH
Mine BLAST
ReSoueTS Recover Charred VIC
tins of Explosion That En-
tombed 175 Coal Miners.
II CREWS SEARCH WORKINGS
Deadly Gas and Debris From Cave
ms Hinder oIunteers-FamiIiss
HuddIe in Cold-Red Cross and
Salvation Army Give Aid.

Castle Gate, Utah.-The finding of
twenty-eight bodies in the Utah Fuel
Company's Mine No. 2 here almost
ended hope for the rest of the IT'S
miners who were entombed by the ex-
plosion that wrecked the workings
and filled them with deadly gas.
Twenty of the bodies were sighted
at point still inaccessible because Of
obstructing debris. The eight bodies
brought out were so charred and mutt
lated by the blast that only five could
be identified. All five were married
and had families.
All plans of the rescuers were
thwarted when fire broke out 5000
feet within the entrance Of No. Es-
capeway. A crew of forty-one men
constantly fought the blaze till it was
extinguished Then seventy-five res
cue men entered the tunnel.
Despite the fans, now again in oper-
alton, the mine is flooded with carbon
monoxide gas. Several of the helmet
men were overcome and had to be car
ried out, but all were revived. George
Wilson, leader of a rescue crew, died
from asphyxiation. Volunteers are not
lacking to brave the gas peril for the
sake of their comrades and their he
roic efforts continue day and night.
Cave-ins resulting from the force OF
the explosion, which blew huge tim
bers a mile from the pit mouth, block
ed the search at various points, but
the crews continued to dig their way
through in hopes of finding survivors
behind bulkheads built to stanch the
poisonous fumes.
Hope of finding life within the mine
was renewed twice. Once it was Wher
a rescue squad found pile of tools
which indicated the possibility thai
one crew dropped them to find ha
ven of safety. Another time pile o
lunch boxes was found, showing an
other possible united effort to escape
death.
The rescue crews have penetrated
one and half miles into the mine ant
must yet traverse about 1000 feet he
fore they reach the inner workings
There are many small dips and pas
sages to be explored before the searci
can be completed.
Governor Charles r. Mabey arrived
in an automobile from Salt Lake Cit!
and went Immediately to the min'
with o. F. MacShane of the State In
dustrial Commission. The Goyerno
placed every facility of the State a
the disposal of the community and thu
mine management.
! 81 realize that mine officials ant
rescue workers are doing everything
possible in the emergency" he said
but l want to offer you any help tina
the State can give"
The Governors first thought was t.
/ get General superintendent Littlejohl
| to take some needed rest. Two Ma
tional Guard officers also came to tn
scene and proffered aid, and Fedora
officials arriving on two Bureau o
| Mines rescue cars took a hand in tn
work.
The Red Cross Chapter from Pric
has sent assistance and officers of tn
Salvation Army are administering t
the needy. The women Of Castle Cat
are bearing their part o. the common
tragedy as courageously as the me-
who battled underground hour afte
hour They have organized kitchen
where the families Of the missing me-
are cared for and have taken over al
old hotel to shelter the wives and chi
dren of the foreign victims of the dis
aster.
All the bright but bitter cold da
thousands have gathered about tn
streets, before the temporary morgut
at the barricade, which held them fror
the portals of the mine They cam
from all parts of the State, many @
them relatives and friends of familie
whose loved ones are behind the poi
tails of mystery in the earth.