The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-12-26
xAess is . streps Presuxaptien That
Nising Laws Were Careiessly
OF Criminally DisregardeS
~ the Brasnsu Mine,

| and never in the history Of mine dis
astcrs were human beings % horribly
mutilated. It was nearly ii o'clock
before the frst i've bodies were taken
cut, 20 hours after the explosion. AZ
$3.50 three were brought 10 the sur
| face and at $50 three mere came up
In the cage of the main shaft. The
dead taken from the mine SO far are:
Henry Hager, 80 years old, leaves
wife and six children.
Peter O'Rosory, 90. leaves wife and
four children.
william Thomas, 90. leaves wife and
four children.
Michael Rohtsl. ~, single.
Samuel Aeess, 30. leaves wife and
three children.
Albert Meess, II, died after being
rescued Saturday.
Michael Aahio, 80, leaves wife and
two children.
Geogs Kohitz, 90, single.
Joseph Postsky, %, leaves wife.
Joseph Magyar, 10, single
William Aolek, ~, leaves wife ana
two children.
Paul Prolos, ~, wife and one child.
Al least II other bodies are in sight
but can not be reached on account OF
the debris.
The estimates of the number of the
dead are conflicting. A. d, Braznell,
president of the Stockdale Coal Co.,
Sunday afternoon said he believed
that but from 20 70 rs men had been
killed. Men who were working around
the mine Saturday morning give diff
ferent figures, They say from IS to
90 men were down the mine shaft in
the cages, while about 20 climbed
down the steps in the elevator shaft.
From IS 20 ~ neA were In the mine,
and of this number but u have been
recovered alive, All the rest, what
ever the number, are dead.
John, OF as he is popularity known,
Jonah Aeese, Is one of the 13 men
who escaped III The zine alive. He is
fearfuily burned. ana is wing =. nus
home with his head swathed - pam
dages. He told his story Sunday:
II was In the stable" Neese said,
"eurryinS my mule when The explo-
sion occurred. Ny brother Sam was
by my side, and his boy Albert was
standing in front of him. Then came
the crack Of the explosion. Never in
my life have heard sush terrible
report. thought my head had been
blown on. In about two seconds the
mine was Allied with daxziing light, as
the hne coal dust In the air was con-
sumed. Ny brother Sam dropped to
the ground as II shot through the
heart. He must have besa killed in
stantly. His boy Albert swayed and
fell over upon his father. being in
the back of the stable tAas is why
my face is SO terribly buyAed. 1 was
afraid to turn my back upon the
mules for fear they would stampede
and run me down. did not know
then that they had all been killed by
the explosion, for our lamps were
blown out and We were in total DARK
ness.
after I got OUT Of the stable L
heard Albert crying for help. went
back and found him and Henry At
wood, driver. proceeded, half
leading and half carrying them to
the foot of the mine shaft. They
were both deiirious and I believe
was too. Both Of them persisted in
standing up and being abs 20 walk
around. irnmsdisssly forced them
TO lie down TO gss them out of the
path of the fatal after damp, which /,
lowered about four feet above the |
ground. Then I felt myself going to |
sleep. but did not ears, although 1 ,
realized IL was the sleep Of death. I
laid down on something which could
feel, although could not see, was a
corpse. and fell asleep as calmly as
ever did In my Life. When / woke
somebody was forcing me 20 swaL
low brandy and coffee. and was try
ng to explain that IL would be need
less for me TO drive wagon, as there
had been an accident In the mine.
"The force of the explosion was ter
dhc; my face and scalp IL literally
flled with coal dust blown into it.
lust as II 1t had been shot out OF .
gun held within few inches Anoth-
n evidence Of the force of the ex-
'iosion was discovered Sunday. On
he high side, 80 feet back from abe
nine shaft, was discovered an arm
md foot. I'll y were portions OF
-ictim killed ios feet below the sur
nee and blown out of the shaft like
! bullet from . rife"
From statements obtained il seems
lear that the presence Of gas in guam
sites in the mine was perfectly well
Srown and that nsked lights were
lsrd for several dsyp before the ex~
" M According 40 credible su
.eoood "a: : si Wv Afsty isnp wss !
ana In fos csAai ale, = ~ g .1 '.'-'''''