New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-26
CAUSE OF COAL NINE EXPLOSION.
OPEN LAMPS USED AT BRAzNELL BY AU-
THoRITY-MoRE BODIES RECOVERED

OPEN LAMPS USED AT BRAZNELL BY AU-
THORITY-MORE BODIES RECOVERED.
Brownsville. Penn, Dec. 25.-Work at the
Rrazner mine is advancing slowly. The coun-
try roads from Brownsville to the mine are
almost impossible and there is no telegraph or
telephone connection with Braznell, so all news
from the mine has to be brought overland
Four more bodies have been recovered. but not
identified Some Of the families of the doomed
men are in a suffering condition. and provisions
are being sent out by the Brownsville mer-
chants as we'll as from Uniontown. The men
who have been working since Saturday to re-
cover the bodies are almost exhausted, yet they
refuse to give up, and keep at the grim WORK
dogsedly though more dead than alive.
The facts that last Saturday was pay day at
the mine and that there were no empty wagons
10 load account for many not going into the
mine that morning. Had the accident occurred
on any other day there would have been more
than a hundred men in the mine and the result
would have been even more appalling than II
is The scenes about the morgue yesterday ana
last night were such as to bring tears to many
stout heart. AS the burned and bieedlns pooles
vere carried from the shaft wives and children
would fight frantically to get at the corpses'
and vhen held back by strong arms would weep
morgue to find their lost ones
A pathetic story is told Of little Albert Meese'
who died after being rescued. He lived only
Gov, s+ens from the shaft He went to the win
dow Saturday morning and looked out saying
IN bis father: Papa I guess there is no use
NJ NV going to work this morning. az there Is
no loading" The father said he had better go
and help him feed the mules They started OUT
together and did not return TO their nome aiiVe.
The mine officials admit that Two OF InoIe
hodies are still in the mine but representatives
~ the Slavonic Society have made mousse TO
house canvass and report that eight OF their
number alone are In the wreck, ana no" ina"S
others they do not know.
we're used in a dangerous mine was ofnclaiy
confirmed to-day by the pit boss, Thomas JONES'
who made a statement which forms the most
educational reflection on the mine management
which has yet developed. Mr. Jones was asked
e II were true that on last Tuesday morning ne
issued a general order that the miners couiu
dinpense with safety lamps.
eyes sir" the reply
"Vhv did you issue the orderT
'I considered that the mine was SAFE, as the
.break through had been fixed up.
safety lamps were used before tuesday,
Yes"
as II true that some safety lamps in use In
the mine were not lockedE
ives IL is true that some were not lockeu oe-
cause I thought the men who used them were
competent to carry them unlocked.
WAS that not contrary to the regulations
ooh there may be a regulation, but men
sometimes carry unlocked lamps when 1t Is
known that they experienced miners.
Superitendent Boyer, when informed or the
statement made by Jones, said: Il know nothing
of the order issued on Tuesday, but consider
Jones a capable men, who knows his business
and l suppose he used his judgment s. .r
RrazneIl manager of the mine. said: Il
know nothing Of such an order have no part
in the direct management of the mine as our
nit officials are the responsible parties. The
cnmnanv has no statement 70 make