The Portland daily press., 1899-12-25
Permission Given Not to
Use Safety Lamps.
This is Denied by Mine
Official.
Mine

ial to the Post from Brownsville, says:
1.-The number of the dead in the Braz-
nell mine is now estimated at 40 and
may be more. There Is "A strong pre-
sumption that the laws relating to min
ing was carelessly and probably crimi-
nally disregarded. Today the first bodies
of the victims were brought out the
mine, horribly mutilated. II was nearly
II o'clock before the first five bodies
were taken out, Is hours after Tho ex-
posion. At $50 three were brought to
the surface and Ut $50 three more came
up in the cage of the main-shaft. The
| dead taken from the mine so far are:
Henry Hager. 30 years old. leaves wife
| and six children.
Peter obosory. 80 years old, leaves wife
and four children.
Michael Rohtsll, q, single.
Samuel Messe, 80, leaves wife and three
children.
| i. Albert Messe. IS. died af ter being
rescued yesterday.
Michasl Aahlo, IS. leaves wife and
two children.
George Kolvtz, 40, single.
Joseph Postsky. %, leaves wife.
Joseph Magyar. 10. single.
William Molok, 80, leaves wife and two
children.
Paul Proloc, "a, wifs and one child.
Among the missing and known to be
In the mine dead, are the following
Hungarians:
| Michael Parahek, Andrew Parahek,
brothaIs; Paul Laundis, Thomas kuelak
and Andrew Toursizki.
| Rough but rsvsrent hands carried the
bodies Of the victims when tn ey reached
the top of the shaft 10 the temporary
morgue. or one man. Peter Crosby, but
a portion Of the trunk and the back Of
the skull remain and that was virtually
but cinder. He was identified by q
shred OF his shirt that had Desn blown
into his flesh. OF the twelve dead there
was but one + hat was not hideous
spectacle. The inquest will to held
at Uniontown as soon as all OF the
bodies have been recovered.
| At least twelve other bodies are In
sight and cannot DO reached on account
Of the debris. The estimate of the num-
| Der OF dead are oonilioting.
| A. b. Brazneil. president OF the
Stookdals com pany, today said he be-
lievsd that between 20 to rs men had
bsen killed. Men who were working
around the mine yesterday morning. give
different figures. They say SO to 40
men went down the main shaft in the
cages. while about 90 climbed down the
| h. al haff hat ~
TO 100 men were in the mine. OF the
men entomhed but ia have been recovered
alive. All the reRt whatever the number.
are dead.
From statements obtained today ID
seems clear that the presence OF gas In
quantities In the mine, was perfectly
we'll known and that naked lights were
used for several days before the explc-
sion. According to credible authority,
not "a single safety lamp had been used
In the mine by the working crews since
last Tuesday morning. William Pastori-
Gus, a driver IN the mine, who has lived
In Brownsville for any years an d Is re-
garded as a man of intelligence. says tbs
Dit boss, Jones, on last Tuesday morn
ing, issued a general order that all safety
lamps might be dispensed with and In
their stead the miners were permitted to
uss naked lights. Pastorious states th at
the lamps were unlocked. contrary to
regulation.
"1hs miners always use the naked
light" said he. whenever possible, as
they give better light ana are more easi-
ly handled. have BEEN working here a
couple Of months and used safety lamp
until last Tuesday morning At that
time nine safeties were In use BY driv-
ers md others who were constantly NOV
ing about the mine and therefore exposed
to greater risk than digger in room.
The satellites were provided by the oom-
pany as usual and they should be locked
SO thai 1t is impossible for miner to
open them while at work. My lamp was
unlocked and / frequently opensd and
closed it. On Tuesday thu pit boss issued