The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-12-30
THE DISASTER AT BRAzNELL.
crossing SlOwly-A Sad Christmas
Tide for h stricken People.

Brownsville, Pa, Dec. 25.-Work al
Braznell mines is progressing very
slowly. The. country roads from
Brownsville to. the mine are almost i'm
~passable,. and there is no telegraph or
telephone connections with Braznell,
SO all news from the mine has to be
brought overland.
Four n Bodies Recovered.
Four more bodies have been recov-
cred, but not identified. Some of the
families of the doomed men are in sUf-
fering condition, and provisions are
being sent out by the Brownville mer-
chants as well as from Uniontown. The
men who have been working since Sat
urday to recover the bodies are almost
exhausted, yet they refuse TO give up.
and keep at the grim work doggcdly,
though more dead than alive.
The Hand of Providence.
The fact that last Saturday was
pay day at the mine and thatthere were
no empty wagons to load, accounts for
many not going into the MINI that
morning. Had the accident occurred
any other day there would have been
more than a hundred men III the mine
and the result woIld have been even
more appalling than it is.
H-eartrending Scenes at the Morgue.
The scenes about the morgue yester-
day and last night were such as to
wiring. tears from many a stout heart.
AS the burned and bleeding bodles
were carried from the shafts, WIVES
and children would fight frantically
to get to the corpses, and when held
back by strong arms, would weep
pitifully and plead to be allowed to
enter the morgue and find their lost
ones. It is an occurrence that can
never be forgotten by anyone who wit
messed it. Some of the bodies have
been removed to their homes, and will
be buried to-day.
Sad Story OF Little Albert Mcese.
A pathetic story is told of little AL
bert Meese, who died after being res
cued. He lived only a few steps from
the shaft. He went to the window
Saturday morning md looked out, say
ing to his father:
Papa, 1 guess there is no use of me
going to work this morning, as there
is no loadening."
The father said he had better GO
and help him feed the mules. They
both started out together and never
returned to their home alive.
A Sorry Christmas Day.
Sad, sad, is this Christmas day to
many a family about BraznelI. In
fact, the excitement caused by the ter
rible accident has driven all thought
of the holiday festivities from the
homes of all who live in the neighbor-
hood, ever those who had no friends
The search for the bodies still
goes on.
Number of Missing Unknown.
The mine officials admit hat two Or
more bodies are still in the mine, but
representatives of the Slavonic society
have made a ho~use-to-house canvass,
and report that eight of their number
alone are in the wreck, and how many
others they do not know.
Naked Lights and Unlocked Lamps.
That naked lights and unlocked safe
ty lamps were used in a dangerous
mine was officially confirmed yestcr-
day, by Pit Boss Thomas Jones, who
made n statement which forms the
most sensational chapter on the man.
rnr.,p% ~f @Ln rna xrI.ah L,- go l.,
Mr.. Jones was asked if ii was
rue that on last Tuesday morning he
n general order that the miners
,ould dispense with safety lamps:
A SENSATIONAL Interview.
Eyes sir" was the reply.
why did you issue the order?"
Il considered that the mine was safe
IS the break through had been nxed
Ip."
Safety lamps were used before
YES"
rs it true that some safety lamps
n use in the mine were not locked"
YES, it is true that some were not
ocked, because l thought the mon
we're competent to carry them ur-
WAS thatnot contrary to the regula-
''Oh, there may be a regulation. but
lei sometimes carry unlocked lamps
where it is known hat they are en-
erienced miners"
Mine Supt. Poyer, when informed
f the statement of Pit Boss Jones,
aid:
II know nothing of the order issued
n Tuesday, but consider Jones a cara-
lc man who knows his business, anG
suppose he used his Judgment"
A. S. Brasnell, manager of the mile,
aid:
81 know nothing of such IN order.
have no part in the direct manage
tent of the mine, as our pit officials
re the responsible parties. The com
any has no statement to make"
Street Cars Burned.
Canton, o., Dec. 26.-Fire started in
n electrical heater in one of the Can
,n-Massillon cars Sunday night, after
l the cars had been run into the barn.
My three cars were taken out intact,
l. l.-- H..