McCurtain, OK Mine Explosion, Mar 1912

MEET DEATH IN PIT; FORTY MINERS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN KILLED AS RESULT OF EXPLOSION

Hope Has Been Abandoned For Sixty-Five Others Entombed In Mine, The Tragedy Being Caused By Coal Dust Or Gas Explosion

Fort Smith, Ark., Mar. 21 -- Eighty-one miners were killed Wednesday as the result of an explosion in mine no. 2 of the Sans Bois Coal Company at McCurtain, Okla., thirty-seven miles west of here.
Eleven of the miners escaped shortly after the explosion occurred. Several of these are injured so seriously that it is believed they will die.
Twenty-six men were rescued on Thursday after undergoing frightful experiences. Many of the miners who lost their lives are supposed to have died after the explosion, the foul air causing their deaths.
The explosion occurred shortly after 9 o'clock Wednesday morning. According to an official statement from the offices of the Fort Smith & Western Railways company, owners of the property, 116 men were working in the mine at the time. Whether gas or coal dust caused the explosion has not been determined.

The Manti Messenger Utah 1912-03-29
----------------
Listing of the Dead in the McCurtain Mine Disaster, March 1912
List found on rootsweb.com/okleflor .. a wonderful site well worth a visit for any historian.
NELSON BARTON, 17, single.
THOMAS BRUNSKILL, 30, wife and 2 children.
PAUL BESSA, 40, single.
ED CAMPBELL, 27, single.
F. W. ECHOLS, 28, single.
JOHN GOLWAS, SR., 54, wife and 3 children.
RALPH KENNY, 15, single.
STEVE LUCKENISH, 31, wife and 4 children.
ANTON MAIDIE, 28, wife and 2 children.
RUTLEDGE POOLE, 17, single.
W. D. OPER, 24, single.
JAMES PHILLIPS, 31, wife and 1 child.
OLLIE PARENTI, 47, wife and 8 children.
D. W. RUTLEDGE, 33, wife and 2 children.
WALTER THOMAS, 32, wife and 3 children.
GEORGE GREGO, 38.
WILLIAM STEELE, 22, single.
OLIVER SMELZER, 17, single.
W. A. THOMAS, 35, wife.
ABE SKINNER, 47, wife and 5 children.
JOE WEBERGER, 40, wife and 3 children.
CHARLES SABIO, 38, wife.
R. D. WIMBERLY, 27, wife.
F. W. WOODWARD, 37, wife and 3 children.
FRANK MARTIN, 36, single.
B. McGUIRE, single.
BENJ. NELSON, 41, single.
ALEX OASIS, 26.
W. C. PERRY, 28, wife and 3 children.
HAL PHILLIPS, 37, single.
SAM PHILLIPS, 35, wife and 5 children.
JOHN PERKO, 41, wife and 4 children.
JOE ROMANIO, wife and 4 children.
ENOCH KATCHUNIS, 41, wife and 4 children.
JOE MAROSCO, 33, wife and 4 children.
THOMAS KOKOT, 54, wife.
FRED HEINZ, 51, wife and 3 children.
JOE KOMINSKY, 41, wife and 7 children.
TONY LAVANA, 28, wife.
ED McGUINNES, 44, wife and 1 child.
PETER MATTIS, 43, wife and 5 children.
WILLIAM FARRIMOND, 38, wife and 4 children.
JOHN GOLWAS, JR., 17, single.
JACK GRADIS, 42, wife and 4 children.
CHAD GOUGH, 21, wife and 1 child.
JOE GUSSIO, 23, wife.
JOHN GOUGH, 26, wife and 1 child.
T. J. IZETT, 33, single.
ERNEST HANKINS, 18, single.
SAMUEL HICKS, 17, single.
FRANK ALDMAN, wife.
TONY BENCH, 36, single.
FRANK CROOKS, 40, wife 5 children.
A. L. COOK, 50.
ENRICO CARBELLO, single.
CHARLES COWARDIN, 39, wife and 2 children.
JOHN GOTTO, wife.
JOHN DAY, 29, wife.
CRILL A. EMBERTON, 31, wife.
CLEVELAND FIELDS, 27, wife and 1 child.
DAN DANIELS, 46, wife.
DANIEL COMPTON, 22, single.
CHARLES CONNERS, 22.
ARTHUR BUCKANNAN, 53, wife and 3 children.
OMAR THOMAS, 18, single.
N. BARDISONIO.
ALBERT BONNER, 35, wife and 2 children.
WILLIAM CROSS, 29, wife and 1 child.
OSCAR ADAMS, 44, wife and 4 children.
ARTHUR ANDREWS, 21, wife.
GEORGE BELL, 38, wife and 6 children.
WILLIAS ANDREWS, 40, wife and 4 children.
W. G. BIRDSONG, 36, wife and 1 child.

__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!