New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-25
BRAZNELL lime HORROR.
LIVES LOST NOW BELIEVED TO NUM-
BER FORTY

Pittsburg. Dec PA dispatch to The Post"
from Brownsville says that the horror Of the
Braznell mine grows in intensity with every
hour. The number Of the dead is estimated
at forty. and may pass that figure. There is a
strong presumption that the laws regulating
mining were carelessly and probably criminGly
disregarded To-day the first bodies Of the vic
Tins were brought out Of the mine and never
before in the history of mine disasters were
human beings more horribly mutilated. It was
nearly IL o'clock before the first five bodies
were taken out twenty-eight hours after the
explosion. At $50 three were brought to the
surface and al $50 three more came up In the
cage Of the main shaft. The dead taken from
the mine so far
HAGAR Henry. aged 40 iert wife and six children.
KOVITz. George. aged forty. single
MAGYAR. Joseph. aged nineteen. single.
MAHIO Michael aged tventy-eirht. left wife and two
MEFsE Albert aged thirteen died after being rescued
MEEsE. samuel aged thirty nine left wife and three
children
MoLoK William. aged thiry-,hree ef, wife and two
oROsoRY Peter AGED thrtysix left wife and four chill
PosTsKY. Joseph. aged twenty two left wife.
PROLOC Paul aged enty four eft wife and one child
RoHTELL Michael aged twenty-siI. single.
THOMAS william. aged thirty-three left wife and four
children
At least twelve other bodies are in sight but
cannot be reached on account Of the debris
The estimates Of the number Of the dead are con-
ficting. A. p. Braznell. president Of the Stock
dale Coal Company, said this afternoon he be
lieved that only twenty or twenty-five men had
been killed. Men who working around the
mine yesterday morning give different figures
They say thirty-fve 10 forty men were down
the main shaft in the cages while about twenty
climbed down the steps in the elevator shaft
From ffty-fve 10 Sky men were in the mine,
they say. and Of this number only thirteen have
been recovered alive. All the rest, whatever the
number, dead.
GAS KNOWN TO BE IN THE NINE.
From statements obtained to-day IT seems
clear that the presence Of gas in quantities in
the mine was perfectly well known. and that
naked lights were used for several days before
the explosion. According to credible authority
not a single safety lamp had been used in the
mine by the working crews since Tuesday morn
ing four days before the explosion The fire
boss. James Ratcliffe. whose duty it was to look
after the safety Of the mine, and on whose care
and intelligence the lives Of the dggers depend
ed in large degree, told this story. Ratcliffe
has not yet recovered from his narrow escape
from death. He said
believe that the explosion caused by a
sudden fall which occurred just before the ex-
plOsiOn. ] do not believe there was enough gas
in the mine 70 be dangerous. As a matter or
fact the coal itself gives off a little gas, but
the gas comes chiefly from the roof Of the pit
After the explosion / went into the mine with
Jones The pit boss ! went from the entrance
Of the main shaft toward the air shaft one hun
dred and fifty yards away. Everything was
filled with after damp and smoke. Jones gave
nj in a few minutes, and | dragged him TO the
lFhottom Of the main shaft where there was a
little air The explosion must have occurred
within two hundred three hundred feet OF
the main shaft. The men were trapped there
like rats and there Is no hope that a single man
Is alive The two shafts were both disabled
and there was other exit. l have never seen
a more terrific mine explosion Stone stoppings
two feet thick and cemented together were ut
terlv DESTROYED Not even particles OF rock re-
melned The stone was blown into dust
SAFETY LAMPS DISPENSED WITH.
William Pastorious. driver In the mine tells
a sensational story. Pastorious, who has lived
in Brownsville for many years and is regarded
as a man Of intelligence, says that the pit boss
Jones, on Tuesday morning issued a general
order that all safety lamps might be dispensed
with and in their stead the miners were per
Pa sfO