Show I BLAST IN MINE MINEI I TRAPS CREW OF 23 TO 33 MEN Rescuers Expected to Get Getto Getto Getto to Victims During Next Few Hours 22 OTHERS MAKE ESCAPE Smoke Gases Hinder Operations Operations Operations Opera Opera- for Relief D B Br United Press POCAHONTAS W. W Va Feb Rescuers fighting fallen slate and poisonous poisonous poisonous poi poi- gases In the interior of the wrecked explosion-wrecked Boissevain mine near here reported shortly after noon that they would be ab able e to reach a score or more of or trapped men by p. p m. m The explosion believed caused by ignition of powder occurred in the basin main section of or the shaft about two miles from the surface It was as believed that between 23 and 33 men were entombed in the shattered section sec see tion Two men escaped from the section and 20 men escaped from a higher level just before when the explosion shook the mine and shot billows of ot smoke up through cavernous cavernous cavernous cavern cavern- ous passages Edward Kirtley 37 negro dragged Henry Watkins 31 negro from the basin main CHOKED BY SMOKE S We were choked by smoke about a a. a m. m Kirtley said I didn't know where the was from Continued on Pate Pace Two Tho BLAST IN N MINE TRAPS CREW Of 23 TO 33 MEN Continued from p Poc c One Just before we got to the surface I heard an explosion Kirtle Kirtley 33 men were in inthe inthe inthe the damaged basin I Officials o of oC the mine said the inc number number num nuni- ber might be that thaL Additional rescue crews were ordered ordered or or- dered from rom Coalwood Gary and Jenins Jen- Jen kins kini ins Jones Va The mine was near the he border between Virginia and West Virginia Twenty-five Twenty rescuers were In the shaft The They encountered fallen slate after passing the mile and a half level Several Sc were overcome by gases and carried to the surface Gas masks were worn by those in inthe inthe the he deeper recesses They carried electric torches into the swirl of smoke that would not clear from the tight ight lower levels Thomas Stockdale of ot Bramwell W. W Va district inspector was in charge of rescue operation He was under orders of Robert M. M Landie Charleston Charleson Charles Charles- ton on state mine inspector CROWDS PRESS FORWARD Roads from adjoining towns were choked with motor cars winding to the scene which is deep m in the Allegheny Allegheny Allegheny Alle Alle- foothills A throng thron milled near the mine A special officer established a barricade as the crowds pressed forward Women among those waiting cried out periodically It was necessary to restrain them from breaking through the he barricade They were relatives of the men whose fates would not be learned earned until th the dangerous task of clearing the deep shafts was com com- Rescuers said there was no possibility possibility of determining whether any of the he entombed men still lived a |