The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-24
EIGHT MINERS KILLED
ENTOMBED IN THE EMPIRE MINE
All BROWNSVILLE, PENN
SYLVANIA
GAS AND FIRE DAMP EXPLODE
nAeh were In the Mine at
the Time of the Accident. Manv
OF Whom Escaped by Grooming
Their Way Through n Tcnu IT..
foreground Passage-A Panic
Among Miners Families,

BROWNSVILLE, Pa Sept. 23-Seventy
men were entombed today in the Empire
mine OF Snowden, Gould & Co., one-fourth
Oh mile below town, as the result of an
explosion of gas, followed by another ex-
plosion Of fire damp. Of the number en-
tombed all escaped or were taken out by
rescuing parties except eight, who were killed
names OF the dead are: George Haiston
miner, aged thirty-fve coored leaves wife
ana two children Salem Haiston, miner, his
brother, aged twenty-five, single Robert
Davidson, miner, aged forty-eight white no
family. John Bennett driver, aged twenty
Two, single. William Pritchard, miner, aged
1tty, wife and seven children Henry Hagar,
orlver' aged seventeen. badly burned. John
Cartwright, miner, aged fifty, married but
no children. James Hall, miner, aged TWEEN
ty-seVen, unmarried.
The injured are Joseph Baker miner
burned about face and breast. John Baker,
slightly burned Samuel Mcintyre cut on
head by fall of slate
There were seventy men at work in the
mine at the time of the disaster and at first
II seemed an impossibiity for the men in en-
tries nine and ten, where the explosion oc-
Whetzel and Walker who were near the en-
trance, managed to crawl out, and the Others
with the exception of those caught by fall
ing coal, escaped by traVersing mile and q
half OF underground passages, coming out at
the entrance near Lynn station. This point
is four miles from the opening Of the nina
on the Monongahela river.
1t Is difficult to describe the scenes of today
Shortly after the report was circulated that
an explosion had taken place at the Empire
mine, ana that many miners were entombed
water street. narrow thorOughfare leading
to 1t, was crowded with men, women and
ch1ldren, all moving at d break-neck speed
toward the mine. There were means and
sobs, and general feeling of painful appre-
hension: There were conjectures of whether
husband father, brother or sweetheart were
victims. When the mine was reached will
no waiting Everybody seemed to want to
go lntoF the mine. 1t was by sheer force that
tnQSe :, IN charge at the entry kept the crowd
out. 1t was announced that there was suf-
hcient force of men inside to DO rescue work
when weary and painful wait or hours
took place.
Just above the entrance to the mine there
Is an artlnciaI plateau up against the hill
side. From the edge of the plateau a good
h rev 20 OF t4g track leading to the mine could
pc mad Here women stood wringing their
hands in anguish, weeping and wailing Sobs.
Tears ana cries made the air ring with echoes
OF aching hearts The hundreds of people
realized that they stood at the entrance of a
iivlng tomb. 1t was several hours later
that the tnkle of the electric bell in the
cars was coming from within. The scene of
the disaster is more than a mile from the
entry: The cars are taken in and out by
means Of heavy iron cables wrapped and
unwrapped by two large spools When the
cable was winding there was suspense that
bordered on the awful. When the little
train Of cars emerged a shudder was visible
in the crowd. First there came two cars
loaded with coal. Then three cars, in each
OF which there were two bodies. In one were
two brothers, John and Salem Haiston In
the others were Robert Davidson and John
Bennett William Pritchard and John Cart
wright. James Hall was in the last car
Two wagons were in waiting and the bodies
were taken to undertaking establishments.
When the bodies were brought up from
the mines they presented a CHASTITY appear
ance. Their faces were begrimed with the
black dust of the mines. Before they were
brought out the rescuers tied handkerchiefs
around their heads to give them a better
appearance.
After the first lot Of bodies had been
brought out the excitement and anxiety grew
more intense. There were yet many men in
the mine, and there was great anxiety to
know who would be brought out next Dur
| ing the entire afternoon there was a des-
! perate wait. 1t was announced that many
| men had come out of the mine through an
| abandoned entry, nearly three miles distant
| This alayed the fears of many, and as fast
as the men were accounted for TO their
friends and families rejoicing and congratu-
lations followed.
At o'clock tonight the last of the expIor.
ers or the mine came out and announced
that there was nothing living or dead left
behind in the mine leaving the list Of fatal
tiles as given above.