Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1903 — DIE IN MINE HORROR. [ARTICLE]

DIE IN MINE HORROR.

MANY LIVES, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST. Death List May Number 234 Men— Result of an Explosion—Union Pa* cific Shaft at Hanna, Wyo., Wrecked and Bet on Fire by Gae» Two hundred and thirty-four men are believed to have perished in an explosion which wrecked Hanna Mine No. 1 of the Union Pacific Coal Company at Hanna, Wyo., shortly after 10 o’clock Tuesday morning. The property loss is enormous. f About 1 o’clock in the afternoon four men were taken out alive and a half hour later they were followed by fortyJwo others. Many were unconscious and had to be carried from the Workings. Some were injured, but none fatally. Several are in a serious condition, but it is believed all will recover. Two hundred and eighty-two men went down in the mine at 7 o’clock in the morning, and up until a late hour only forty-eight had been accounted for. Of this number two are dead. The mine is one of the largest owned by the Union Pacific Coal Company, and employed 280 men. The explosion came with terrific force. The earth fifty feet back to the mouth of the slope and heavy timbers piled near were thrown iu every dlrection. No one was working outside near any of the openings of the mine to receive injury, but the workings have caved in, burying the miners. Those who were not killed instantly iu this manner have since perished from the gas. It lias been impossible for rescuing parties to get into the mine where the greater number of men were employed. The manway and a number of the air Cannes Were closed by the earth caving in.

Cause of the Explosion. It is generally believed that the explosion was caused by one of the miners opening a condensed air chamber. Those of the survivors who are able to talk believq that gas had formed iu the chamber and forced out the air. When the miner opened the door his lamp set fire to the gas. E. S. Brooks, superintendent of the mine, and William Paseoe, stable boss, entering soon after the explosion, were overcome by the gas at the fourth level and but for immediate assistance would have perished in a few moments. There are several miles of workings in the mine, and the men were widely scattered. At the seventh level sixty-five men were employed. The underground stables were also located at this point, and forty-five mules were kept in them. It was impossible to go beyond the seventh level going down the main entrance, this being perhaps GOO feet from the surface. A party of five men entered from an air shaft a half mile away from the main entrance and succeeded in going in about three-fourths of a mile. They found many dead men and mules, some of the bodies being blown into atoms. The gas at this point was very strong. Before the men could retreat they became exhausted, and but for assistance rendered by a party who followed them closely never could have reached the surface. They found many of the air shafts closed and passageways obstructed by the walls caving in. The Hanna mines are among the best on the Union Pacific system, being established in 1878. The town was named for Senator Mark Hanna when he was a'member of the Union Pacific Coal Company. Mine No. 1 is practically a new property. It has twenty-six entries, fifteen miles of workings and a main incline shaft of one and one-half miles in length. The mine lias been recognized as dangerous on account of the large amount of gas, but the system of ventilation has been so good that an accident was not anticipated.