Primero, Colorado
Colorado Fuel & Iron Co. Coal Mine Explosion
January 23, 1907
TWENTY LIVES GO
OUT IN A MINE EXPLOSION OVER IN COLORADO
Trinidad, Colo., Jan 23--Twenty miners,
according to the authentic information available
his evening, lost their lives as a result of an
explosion which occurred at three o’clock this
morning in the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company’s
Coal mine near Primero, twenty miles west of
this city.
Twenty coffins have been ordered by the company
from a local undertaking establishment.
Two of the dead are
Frank Hobat, miner, and
R. J. Lumbey,
fire boss. The names of the other men killed
have not been learned, as the shift boss, who
had charge of the men who went into the mine
last night, is missing. All the men except
Lumley were foreigners, most of them being
Italians.
The explosion stopped the air fan, which was not
repaired until late today, and there is little
chance that any of the men in the mine at the
time of the explosion are still alive.
District Superintendent
Robert O’Neil
is personally directing the work of rescue.
Volunteers from adjacent mines are assisting.
Rescuers have been divided into two hour shifts
and work will be kept up continuously until the
entire mine is explored.
During the entire day excitement ran high and
relatives of the entombed miners stood waiting
at the entrance to the mine for a sight of any
of the victims that might be brought to the
surface.
The damage to the mine cannot be learned
tonight.
An attempt is being made to force air into the
mine in the hope that some of the entombed men
may be alive, and thus prevent their
suffocating.
Late advices are that the mine is badly wrecked.
The rescue party has penetrated three hundred
feet and recovered four bodies, the names not
being given.
Daily Nevada
State Journal, Reno, NV 24 Jan 1907
Trinidad, Colo.,
January 24.--- Heroically at work the
rescuing party has so far succeeded in
recovering but four bodies from the Primero mine
where the explosion occurred yesterday morning.
Following is a list of dead whose bodies have
been recovered:
ANGELO PEZITTI
FORTUNATO GRACAMATO
ENRICO STIFFLI
C. CASAGRANDA
The missing supposed to be dead in the mine are:
J. Reece Lumley,
mine boss; Madisto
Formali, Louie and Joseph Sipas, John Tokar,
John Toth, John Toth Jr., M Omadono, Angelo
Maddelena, Robert and John Fatur and Julius
Randolph.
Reno Evening Gazette, Reno, NV 24 Jan 1907
Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you,
Audrey!
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