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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