New-York tribune., 1899-12-24
THIRTY MINERS LOST.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN A PENNSYL
yANIA COAL NINE.
SMALL HOPE ENTERTAINED FOR EN-
ToMBED MEN-sHOCK FELT FOUR
MILES AWAY.

MILES AWAY.
RrownsvilIe Penn. Dec 23-An explosion oc-
Cured at the Braznel Coal Works. four miles
from here to-day. Thirty men are reported en-
tombed Word from Braznell by train says only
one man has come out Of the mine
The mine is owned by the stockdale Coal
Company
The explosion is likely TO prove the worst since
the Hill mine disaster at Dunbar.
The explosion was terrific. and was heard
plainly here. three miles distant. The main
shaft was totally wrecked and rendered helpless
About four cages OF men had gone down 70
work Thomas. the cageman, on MS fourth
trip went to the bottom with fourteen men, ana
gave the signal for the cage to rise when the
explosion occurred. The cage was blown with
terrific force to the top OF the shaft, and fell
back 10 the bottom. completely blocking access
10 the mine Timbers were hurled hundreds OF
feet The lower ring OF brckwork in the air
shaft was completely wrecked. and had to be
tumbled 10 get into the mine at all Eleven
men and boys have been got out One. Albert
Meese aged fourteen, died after reaching the
air One hand and foot and one shoe were
blown from the mine and found on top Of the
shaft.
After tunnelling the wreckage at the bottom
OF the alrshaft two men in the underground
mule stable found alive, but almost suffo-
Gated from bad air.
OFFICIALS ON THE SCENE.
The mine inspector, James Blick. OF Mononga-
hela is on the ground. is also Mr. Seldom, Of
the Albany Mine. and s. H. Pesrsall and James
l. Thornton. OF the Knob Coal Works Drs.
Smith. Richard and Shoemaker, Of Brownsville,
are there ready 10 relieve the suffering.
One man OF the rescue party went TO the bot
tom Of the airshaft and brought up by a
rope almost dead so there is little, If any. hope
for the forty or fifty men yet in the mine The
machinery is in such shape that the fan cannot
be worked which prevents forcing fresh air TO
the entombed men 1t is thought they are all
dead as the bad air and smoke issuing from the
mine indicate terrible condition inside. The
work Of rescue is necessarily slow. as the res
cuers have TO dig their way into the men, so
great was the force Of the explosion. thou
sand people are about the mouth Of the mine,
awaiting anxiously any bit Of news that may
come from below and wives, fathers. mothers
and children weeping for loved ones make many
pathetic scenes. One year ago. just the day be-
fore Christmas a number were killed in a mine
explosion at the Umpire Mine, and again many
homes will be saddened on Christmas Day un-
der similar circumstances.
LATEST NEWS UNFAvORABLE.
Pittsburg. Dec GA special dispatch to The
Post" from Brownsville. Penn. says:
There is scarcely any hope that any man in
the rit is now alive" These the words of
Mine Inspector James Blick uttered by him at
10 o'clock tonight as he stood at the mouth of
the Braznell Mine in whose depths thirty men
are entombed
That they will get out alive is exceedingly i'm
probable and o-night mothers wives and sis
ters mourn them as dead. Since early this
morning the imprisoned men have been without
any air or food. They are separated from eager
searchers by walls OF debris. which fell when
liberty Al 40 o'clock this morning the death
dealing blast was loosened Owing to a short
age Of cars less than the usual number of men
entered the pit.
The Braznell Mine lies near a station Of that
name on the Redstone Creek branch OF the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad At o'clock this morn
ing Fire Boss James Radcliffe went through
the mine as usual and found gas or fire damp
in two places. He detected about four inches
Of gas in the main entry. about a hundred yards
from the main shaft and about an equal guam
titv In a room on a side entry, short dis
tance away The fire boss reported the pres
ence of the gas but informed the superin-
tendent that II was all right for the men TO
enter.
The men were lowered into the mine in the
! cage descending the main shaft. which is verti-
| cal From forty 20 fifty men had entered the
| mine and dispersed through II when the gas
| gnited In some manner not yet ulscoVerd-
| BILE.
| A tremendous explosion occurred. Its force
! must have reached every man in the mine. The
! cage in the main shaft which was at the bot
| tom was blown into splinters. and the hoist
| ing machinery wrecked.