Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-25
Bodies .of Braznell Mine Disaster
are Horribly Mutllated.
SHAFTS WERE DISABLED.
mining Laws Were CsreIcssiy and
Probably Crtustnsiiy Disregsrded
MANY widows aud Orphans.

intensity with every hour. The number
of the dead IN now estimated at forty.
and may pass that figure. Al the same
time arere In a strong presumption that
the laws regulating mining wcr care
iessiy and probably criminally diBre-
gardcd.
Today the first bodies OF the victims
were brought out OF the mine. and
never In tho history Of mine disasters
were human beings no horribly mutt
lated. II was nearly II o'clock before
the first bodies were taken out. twenty
eight hours after the explosion. At
$50 three more were brought 10 the
nurface, and again at $3.50 three came
up In the cage OF the main SHAFT. The
dead taken from the mine so far are;
The dead are:
Henry Hagar 30 years old. leaves a
wife and six children.
Peter orosory. SO. wife and four chill
dren.
william Thomas. 80. wife and four
children.
Michael Rohteii, "a, single.
Samuel Mecs. 30. wife and three chill
dron.
Albert Mces. 10. died after being res
cued yesterday.
Michael Mahio. IS. leaves wife and
two children.
George Kovitz. 40 years OF age. sin
gle.
Joseph Potsity. 2e leaves wife.
Joseph Magyar. 10. single.
William Molok. 80. leaves wife and
one child.
Paul Proioc. "a. leaves wife and one
child.
At least twelve bodies are In sight
but cannot be reached on account OF
the debris.
Missing: Among the men missing and
known to be dead In the mine, are the
following Hungarlans. Michael Para
HEX. and Andrew parahek. brothers;
Paul Laundis, Thomas Kuhlek and An
drew Tousiszlk.
The estimates OF the number OF the
dead are conflicting a. u. Bragnell.
president OF the Stockdale Coal Com
pany. this afternoon said he believed
that but twenty to twenty-five men had
been killed. Men who were working
around the mine yesterday morning
give different figures. They say thirty
fivo TO forty men went down the mine
shaft In the cages, while about twenty
climbed down the Steps In the elevator
shaft. From fifty-nvc 10 sixty men
were In the mine and OF this number
but twelve have been recovered alive.
All the rest. whatever the number. are
dead.
John. or ns he In popularity known.
Jonah" Mccs. IL one OF the thirteen
men who escaped from the mine alive.
lie Ia fcarfully burned and Is lying at
his home with his head swathed In
bandages. He told this story:
u was In the stable" Mces snid.
"currying my mule when the explosion
occurred. My brother Sam was by my
aide and his boy Albert was standing In
from, OF him. Then came the crack of
the explosion. Never In my life have
heard such a terrific report. l thought
my head had been blown on. In about
two seconds the mine was filled with
dazzling Hight rs the fine coal dust In
the air was consumed. My brother Sam
dropped Go the ground as N shot
through the heart. lie must have been
Killed instantly. His boy. Albert,
ewayed ana fell over upon his father,
began TO back out OF the stable, that
Is why my face ls so terribly burned. I
was afraid to turn my back upon the
mules for fclr they would stampede
and run me down. I did not know then
that they had all been killed 10y the ex-
ploslon. for our lamps were blown out
and We were In total darkness.
After ] not out OF the stable heard
Albert crying for help. ! went back
and found him and Henry Atwood. a
driver. proceeded, half leading and
hah carrying them. to the foot Of the
mine shaft. They were both dellrlous.
and ! believe ! was. too. Both OF them
persisted In standing up and began TO
walk around I Immediately forced
them TO lie down. TO get them out OF
we path OF the fatal after damp. which
lowered about four feet above the
ground. Then felt myself going 60
ttep but did not care. although re-
Sntei that II was the sleep OF death. !
,y down upon something which I
could feel. although | could not see,
was a corpse. and fell asleep as calmly
as ever did In my life. When I nwoke
ZONE one was forcing me TO swallow
brandy and coffee. ana was trying to
explain that II would be needless for
sne TO drive u wagon, as there had
osen an accident In the mine.
The force OF the explosion was ter
.ihc. my face and scalp IL literally
nl.d with coal dust blown into II, lust
~ u II had been shot out of a gun held
within few inches"
Another evidence of the force OF the
she hillside. fifty feet back from the
nam SHAFT was discovered an arm ana
loot. They were portions of a Vie
YIN Killed los feet below the surface.
mo blown out OF the shaft like a bull
Yet from rife.
From statements obtained today Il
SEEMS clear that the presence OF gas In
Quantities In the mine was perfectly
WI known and that naked lights were
used Tor several days before the explo-
SION According. 90 credible authority.
not q single safety lamp was used In
INC mine by the working crew since
' tuesday morning. four days before
we explosion.
srlre Boss James Radcliffe whose
s.u'y " was to look after the safety OF
~ nine. and upon whose care and In
snsenee the lives OF the diEgers de-
bsnued In large degree. told his story
Mteline has not yet recovered from
posa said
y believe that the explosion was
aused by n sudden fall which occurred
ust before the explosion, I do not be-
se 'hat there was enough gas In the
,e 10 be dangerous. As a matter
y tnct, the coal itself gives OF little
w, nut the gas comes chiefly from the
NY, uut OF the pit. After the explosion !
heht into the mine with Jones. the pit
Dss, ! went from the entrance OF the
vn alh SHAFT toward the air shaft. 100
ss,us away. Everything was filled with
yer damp and smoke. Jones gave out
10 a lew minutes and ] dragged him
me bottom ~ the main shaft. where
"vte was a little air."
nnlollffe said the explosion must have
mVurfed within 200 or 500 feet Of the
alh shaft. He says the mine was well
'unplled with air.
,.rlt was awful" said the fire boss,
ine men Were framed there like rats