The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-31
For The DlSpatrH
Firc-Danp Explosion in SIR 1Ony.

For The Dispatch
Ftrc-Damp Explosion in Sa@0ny.
Translated from LA lIou!llc " newspaper Paris
OF August TO- 1909.
A frightful catastrophe occurred on Mon
dav morning, August I'd, III collicry OF
the Planen district, near Dresden, belong
ing to Baron Burght-an explosion OF
fre-damp, the terrible effects of which de-
stroyed the lives of more than three hum
dred miners. The following are the details
as furnished US by our correspondent
At 5 o'clock on the morning of August
I'd the whole shift, composed Of 32G miners,
had descended two shafts, with communi-
cations between them, called Segen- GotteS
SchacM (banleiue of Kleinaundorf) and
Neuc HofWng (banleiue Of Hanrichen)
The miners had already got into the gale
lies and drifts, where they were employed,
when, at little before Il quartcr-past )
o'clock, q frightful explosion was heard,
and thick column of smoke appeared
above the surface, coming from the Segcn-
G0tteS shaft.
In few hours after the explosion it was
impossible TO enter the works either 10y way
of the shafts or by a foot-road which COM
municates with both. 1t was o'clock be-
fore circulation of air was restored through
the Seqen- GoHes shaft, and at about 9
O'Clock il was practicable to enter the gale
ries.
From the first shaft the bodies of the
senior master miner and two master miners
were ecovered-they having been doubt
less caught while holding q consultation on
the days work. On advancing further, the
force of the explosion was made evident by
the ruins of coal cars, six of which formed
one mass Of rubbish, twisted and torn into
splinters. A side gallery of massive arched
masonry, l26 toiscs from the surface, was
found practicable, its smooth surfaces hay
ing offered but little resistance to the cur
rent; but the galleries entering it were
crushed in, and three more bodies we're
found at the entrance of one of them.
Meantime endeavorS were made to force
an entrance into the Hofuung Sch0cM by
the foot road leading from the surface, but
the current of foul air drove the life-party
back .; and only at about 3 O'Clock p. Nj.
the body Of one master miner WAS brought
out, while two other c0rpses in sight had TO
be abandoned.
At present there is no doubt that all of
the three hundred and twenty-six miners
who went down into the mine have per-
ished-either by the direct action of the ex-
ploeion or by sudden asphixia by the car
bonc acid gas formed by the burning of the
gas.
The lahors, which were Immediately or
dcred, and have been pushed vigorously,
arc carried on with the main object of
clearing the wrecks, and already some
Of the workings have been cleaned out, but
the same ruin appears beyond there. The
search for and recovery of the corpses will
require at least ten days or two weeks.
AS TO the cause OF the explosion, all are
agreed upon ore point-viz., that by reason
OF the recent excessive heat and the weight
oil the atmosphere the noxious gases had
accumulated al the ends Of the galleries,
and especially inthe old, abandoned work
lhss' Inc usual reeeptacles of fre-damp; but
the immediate cauae of the inflammation OF
the gas is unknown, and will, doubtless.
ever remain so.
Was the diminution OF atmospheric pres
sure III this case, AZ in that Of the last