McCurtain, Oklahoma
Mine Explosion
October 20, 1922
GAS BLAST IN COAL MINES KILLS EIGHT
Survivors Believe Gas Became Ignited From Lamp
Worn by Fire Boss Who Was Killed by Explosion.
McCurtain, Okla., Oct. 20. – With eight dead
and one additional miner missing, as the result
of a gas explosion which wrecked mine No. 2 of
the Progressive Coal company near here today,
steps were under way tonight by federal and
state officials for a thoro [sic] investigation
of the cause of the blast.
The Dead.
F. E. SATON,
president of the company.
A. C. GREENWALD.
JOHN SANDERS.
W. A. “BILLY” TAYLOR.
BOB EDWARDS.
MARK CRAUSE.
A. T. IRVINE.
BURT SPROUSE.
The Injured.
Henry Warner.
Roy Caldwell.
A. E. Everett.
Preliminary investigation had not shown the
cause of the explosion, but it is believed that
a shot fired by one of the thirteen men in the
mine to loosen coal caused the blast.
Another explosion given by the survivors is
that the gas become ignited from a lamp worn by
EVERETT SEATON,
fire boss of the mine, who was killed by the
explosion.
Rescue squads reached the entombed men shortly
after the blast as the mine is shallow.
When first reports of the disaster reached
McCurtain and surrounding territory, hundreds of
persons rushed to the scene and assisted in the
work of rescue.
Four men entombs were found still alive. They
were given first aid and rushed to a hospital.
The wrecked mine was a slope, built thru an
abandoned strip pit, in which coal was found
about 500 feet from the opening. The explosion
tore down the interior for a distance of nearly
100 yards. Fire did not follow the blast.
The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE 21
Oct 1922
BLAST KILLED EIGHT MINERS, INJURING FOUR
BLAST IN THE PROGRESSIVE COAL COMPANY IN
OKLAHOMA CAUSE CAVE-IN
Rescue Squads, with the Assistance of
Volunteers, Soon Dug Into the Shallow Hole and
Reached Miners.
McCurtain, Okla., Oct. 20. – Eight miners
were killed and four seriously injured in an
explosion in the Progressive Coal Co. mine near
here today.
The explosion entombed the workers.
Rescue squads reached them shortly after the
blast but eight men were already dead.
Reports from attending physicians said the four
injured had but slight chance for recovery.
Only twelve men were working in the diggings
when the explosion occurred. The mine is a
shallow affair and rescue of the entombed men
was easy.
Hundreds of persons rushed to the mine when
reports of the disaster spread. After frantic
diggings into the cave-in, rescue squads of
miners and volunteers brought out the bodies of
eight dead workers.
A shot fired by one of the miners to loosen
the coal, was believed to have caused the
explosion.
EVERETT SEATON,
fire boss and foreman of the mine, and a veteran
worker, was among the dead.
The twelve miners were pioneers in this
field. They were operating the workings on a
co-operative basis.
The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe,
MO 20 Oct 1922
OPEN LIGHT ON CAP WAS CAUSE OF FIRE,
REPORT
McCurtain, Okla., Oct. 23. – An open
light carried on the cap of
F. E. Seaton,
president, mine foreman and fire boss of the
Progressive Coal company at No. 11 mine, caused
the explosion last Friday which killed eight men
including SEATON, and injured four others,
according to Ed Boyle,
state mine inspector.
Nevada State Journal, Reno, NV 24 Oct 1922
Transcribed by
Jenni Lanham. Thank you,
Jenni!
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