Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-22
81 STILL MISSING
IN MINE DISASTER
rs Bodies Are Recovered as
Rescuers Continue Hunt
for Others.
BY the Associated Press.


red on by the rescue alive of miner
who had been entombed more than "A
hours. rescue crews today we're pushing
their way far into the explosion wrecked
Kinloch mine in an effort to reach 81
men still unaccounted for. The list of
known dead stood at IS, i've bodies
having been recovered early today.
The fact that some Of the entombed
miners had erected canvas brattices In
the workings, in an effort to keep out
the deadly gases. led rescuers to hope
that some of the men were alive. While
pushing through the thirteenth embutt
today, more than one and one-half
miles from the main slope. rescue crew
came upon Lawrence Althouse, az, who
had been listed among the missing.
Althouse was wandering about the
dark underground tunnels when found.
His buddy-the man who worked with
him in the butt-lay nearby. dead.
Hope Is Held for Others.
Althouse, married and the father of
two children, was placed on stretcher
and carried up the slope. As he came
into the daylight he opened his eyes
wide and gazed about. He was rushed
to the nearby emergency hospital, where
doctors said his condition was fair.
The rescue crews were fighting
against great odds in the dark pits. In
addition to falls Of rock and coal, they
were encountering much water. Ira
g. ,Rr
ing, said that the rescue Of Althouse
alive, and he ordered fresh crews into
the mine with orders TO continue their
work until all the butts had been ex-
plored.
A minute after entering the enner-
yency hospital. Althouse asked doctor
for q cigarette. AS he pulled away, he
said, Gee, but it's great to see crowd
of people again. I talked with God all
night long, but it's nice to have some
one else to talk to now"
Walter H. Glasgow, State secretary
of mines, arrived at Kinloch during the
morning. He said he would appoint
commission Of six State mine inspectors
to conduct the investigation Of the blast
for Pennsylvania.
Rescuers Battle Debris.
With rescue crews battling through
the debris 1000 feet from the entrance
Of the mine, hope was revived this
morning that some Of the entombed
workers still were alive.
Two hundred and twenty-three men
escaped BY working their way out Of an
old entry.
Engineers Of the United States Blu
reau Of Mines, IS well as Ira Thomas.
deputy secretary of the State depart
rnent Of mines, said there was q posi-
bility that some Of the men listed as
missing were alive. These were believed
to be in a section from which Is miners
escaped yesterday afternoon and it was
thought that fresh air was reaching
them, It was also suggested that the
men might have erected brattices TO
protect themselves.
The entire distance of 1000 feet
from the mine mouth had been brat
ticed during the night and In fighting
their way through piles Of debris to
reach the spot where It Il now hoped
the missing men win be found rescuers
came upon the bodies Of the score Of
workers which later were. brought to the
surface. Some Of the bodies were badly
burned; others bore no marks. Appar-
emily the men had sufocated.
Investigation Is Delayed.
Lights were not extinguished In Kin
loch homes last night as members of
the miners families and friends kept
vigil . short distance from the pit
mouth.
State mine officials said that pending
recovery Of all the bodies investigation
as to the cause Of the explosion would
be deferred. Mine ofhcials believed the
explosion occurred when q steel con-
veyer chain, with which coal Is brought
from the workings, snapped and coiled
q pocket Of gas. Miners expressed the
belief that a car might have ruin away.
which also could have caused the spark.
Twelve miners lost their lives In an
explosion IN the same mine Is months
ago yesterday.
Although 1t was much colder today.
women and children who gave UP their
vigil at the pit mouth late last night
reappeared at the scene at dawn, hop
ing against hope that their loved ones
escaped the horrors of the catastrophe.
Fog blotted out part Of the landscape.
U. 8. Joins Investigators.
The Federal Government joined the
AttCctA88tAt8 UO0kCS WtlCAA 4kn4AACI
rington. chief engineer Of the United
States Bureau of Mines. Washington.
came to the mining settlement TO get
hrst-hand information on the blast.
Fifteen minutes after the rescuers
went into the drift last night one man
staggered out. practically overcome by
gas. He reported that they had sighted
Q body In the drift, and that he feared
they would meet cave-ins at the bot
tom leading TO the workings. He said
the gas was 50 heavy gas mask was
almost useless.
"It was too much for me-" he said.
I've been down In many pit where
an explosion had occurred, but this Is
the worst ever"
Soon afterward the other rescuers
came out, and when II became evident
that the crews could not work In the
deadly air 1t was ordered that timber
and canvas be prepared TO erect brat
tees.
With these canvas biockades ready
the rescuers advanced into the pit, and
continued to erect brattices so as to
carry fresh air into the workings.
An emergency hospital was estab-
lished In q structure near the mouth
Of the workings. Here Red Cross nurses
and doctors set UP cots and prepared
to care for any needing FIRST aid.
MIMIC MI Az nAcuEc