The record-union., 1899-12-25

been Killed by the eXplOSioil, TOT our
lamps were blown out and we were in
total darkness.
After I got out of the stable heard
Albert crying for help. Wen- back
and found him and Henry Atwood, a
driver. I proceeded half leading and
half carrying them to the foot of the
mine shaft. They were both delirious,
and believe was too. Both of them
persisted in standing up and began to
walk around. 1 Immediately forced
them to lay down, to get them out OF
the path of the fatal after damp, which
lowered about four feet above the
ground. Then I felt myself going to
sleep, but 1 did not care. although ]
realized that it was the sleep of death.
I laid down upon something which I
could feel, although I could not see,
was a corpse and fell asleep as calmly
as ever did in my life. When I awoke
someone was forcing me to swallow
brandy and coffee, and I was trying to
explain that it would be needless for
me to drive wagon, as there had been
an accident in the mine.
1.-THE force of the explosion was ter
rifle, my face and scalp is literally
filed with coal dust blown into it, just
as if it had been shot out Of a sun
held within a few inches. Another
evidence of the force of the explosion
was discovered to-day. On the hill
side, fifty feet back from the main
shaft, was discovered an arm and a
foot. They were portions of a victim
killed 10S feet below the surface, and
blown out of the shaft like a bullet
from a rifle"
From statements obtained to-day it
seems clear that the presence of guam
titles of gas in the mine was .cer-
fectly we'll known and that naked lights
were used for several days before the
explosion. According to creditable au-
thority not a safety lamp was used in
the mine by the working crews since
last Tuesday morning, four days be-
fore the explosion. Fire Boss James
Radcliffe, whose duty it was to look
after the safety of the mine and uron
whose care and intelligence the lives
of the diggers depended in a large de-
gree, told his story. Radcliffe has not
yet recovered from his narrow escape
The fire boss said:
Il believe that the explosion was
caused by a sudden fall which occurred
just before the explosion. / do not be-
| lieve that there was enough gas in the
mine to be dangerous. AS matter of
fact the coal itself gives off little gas,
but the gas comes chiefly from the roof
of the pit. After the explosion I went
into the mine with Jones, the pit boss
l went from the entrance of the main
shaft toward the airshaft, 150 yards
inc !,
damp and smoke. Jones gave out in a
few moments and I dragged him tc the
bottom Of the main shaft where there
was a little air.
Radcliffe said the explosion must
have occurred within 200 or 300 feet
of the main shaft. He said the mine
was well supplied with air.
1T was awful" said the fire boss.
The men were trapped here like rats
and there is no hope that a single man
is alive. The two shafts were both
disabled and there was no other exit.
have never seen a more terrific mine
explosion. Stone copings two feet thick
and cemented together were utterly de-
stroyed. Not even particles of rock
remained. The stone was blown into
dust"
william Pastorios, a driver in the
mine, tells a sensational story. Pasto-
rios, who has lived in Brownsville for
many years, and is regarded as = man
OF intelligence, says that Pit Boss Jones
on last Tuesday morning issued a gen
eral order that all safety lamps might
be dispensed with and in their stead the
miners were permitted to use naked
BaSfOrinS a CT
lamps We're unlocked, contrary to regu-
lation.
The miners always prefer to use
naked lights" said Pastorios. when
ever possible, as they give better light
ana are more easily handled 1 have
oeen working here a couple of months
and used safety lamp until last Tues
DAY morning. AT that time mine safe
ties were in use by drivers and others
who were constantly moving about the
NINE and therefore exposed to greater
FISK than digger in a room. Contrary
10 the mining regulations, the safety
ramps IN use were in many cases I'm
locked. The safeties were provided nv
the company as usual and thew should
De locked so that it is impossible for a
miner to open them while at work. NV
lamp was unlocked and I freouentlv
opened and closed it. On Tuesday the
pit boss issued an order that the men
could use open lamps and they of
course discarded the safeties. which
made poorer light. About 100 wards
from the bottom of the main shaft
there was a fall which had been board
ed up and in which the gas stood
against the roof. I think it was this
gas which exploded"
superintendent Roger who is the su-
PEI lor of Pit Boss Jones, when told of
the above statement said:
Il know nothing of the order to dis
pense with safety lamps"
He would make no further statement
CANADIAN BATTALIONS.