There were a dozen Johns and several Joes who walked into Frontier Mine No. 1 a mile north of Kemmerer on Aug. 14, 1923.

There were also names like Marion, Oswaldo, Eino and others with surnames such as Kawasi and Ojima, Rodriguez and Andratta. The 135 workers represented eight nationalities as they headed into the 6,000-foot coal mine to go to their work assignments on levels 28, 29, and 30 deep inside.

Acting fire boss and shot firer Thomas Roberts had matches in his pocket, his flame safety lamp on his head and breakfast in his hand, intending to eat after he started his shift — as was his daily custom.

As fire boss, Roberts' job was to find any gas that could cause safety issues in the mine, and he had reportedly been in the mine earlier and had found gas at the face of room 45 at t

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