Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-26

found him and Harry Atwood. driver
/ Proceeded half leading and half carry
ing them 20 the foot Of the mine-shait.
They were both deliriOus and believe !
was too Both Of them persisted m
standing up. and began 20 walk around. /
Immediately forced them 90 lie down, 10
get them out OF the path Of the fatas
after-damp which lowered about four feet
above the ground. Then | felt myself go
ing 10 sleep. but / did not care, although
| realized that II was the sleep OF death.
/ laid down upon something which | could
feel. although / could not see. WINS
corpse. and fell asleep as calmly as ever
! did In my life. When ] aw)Se somebody
was forcing me 10 swallow brandy and
coffee. and | was trying to explain that
IT would be needless for me to drive a
wagon. as there had been an accident in
the mine"
Evidence Of the force of the explosion
was discovered to-day. on the hillside 50
feet back from the main shaft were dis
covered an arm and foot. They we've
portions OF victim killed 100 feet below
the surface and blown out Of the shaft
like a bullet from a rifle
From statements obtained to-day 10
seems clear that the presence Of gas IN
Quantities I'm the mine was perfectly well
known. and that naked lights We're used
for several days before the explosion. VII
liam PastoriOus. a driver i'm the mine. tells
a sensational story. lie has lived I'm
Brownsville for many years ana is re-
garded as "a man Of intelligence.
'"rhe miners always prefer tO use naked
lights" said Pastor.0us whenever pOssi
bic as they give better light and are more
easily handled. I have been working here
"a gf ha u fnf
lamp until last Tuesday morning At that
time mine safeties were I'm use by drivers
and others who were constantly moving
about the mine and therefore, exposed 60
greater risk than q digger i'm "a room.
Contrary Co the mining regulations, the
safety lamps I'm use We're In many cases
unlocked. The safeties were provided by
the company as usual. and they should be
locked. so that 10 D. impossible Tor "a miner
10 open them while az work. Ny lamp
was unlocked. and l frequently opened
and closed a. on Tuesday the pit boss.
Mr.. Jones. issued an order that the men
could use open lamps, and they, of course.
discarded the safety, which made a poor
er light About 100 yards from the bottom
Of the main shaft there was a fell which
had been boared up. and IN which the
gas stood against the roof. j think 70 was
this gas which exploded
superintendent Boyer, who IS The supe-
TiOr OF Pit-BOss Jones. when told OF the
above statement said. ~ know nothing
or the order 10 dispense with safety
lamps" He would make no further state
meut
NAKED LIGHTS AUTHORIZED.
BROWNSVILLE. PA. December o.
The search for bodies OF the dead in the
Braznell mine stih go ON. Four more
bodies have been recovered, but have not
been identified. The mine officials admit
that two or more bodies are still I'm the
mine. but representatives. of the Slavonic
Society have made a house-to-h0use can
vass. and report that eight of their num-
Der alone are i'm the wreck, and how many
others they do not know.
That naked lights and unlocked safety
lamps were used i'm a dangerous mine was
officially confirmed to-day by Pit-Boss
Thomas Jones who made a statement
which forms the most sensational chapter
Of the management Of the mine which has
yet developed. Mr.. Jones was asked 81 e
were true that on last Tuesday morning
he issued a general order that the miners
could dispense with safety lamps
"Yes. SIR" was the reply.
"Why did you issue the orderg'
81 considered that the mine was safe, as
the 'break-through had been fixed up"
safety lamps We're used before Tues
day?'
ayes"
SAFETY LAMPS UNLOCKED.
as It true that some safety lamps in
use I'm the mine were not l0cked?'
eyes IL is true that some were not lock-
J e3. becauaa-I thought the n'ol who used
them were competent To- carry them UNI
| locked"
"Was that not contrary TO the regula-
| tons?"
con. there may be q regulation, but men
sometimes carry unlocked lamps where
! it is known that they are experienced
miners"
Mne-superintendent Boyer. when in-
formed of the statement made 10y Pit
Boss Jones. said: 81 know nothing of the
order issued on Tuesday. but consider
| Jones capable man, who knows his busi-
ness. and ! suppose he used his juds-
ment."
COMPANY DENIES RESPONSIBILITY.
a. $. Brazneu manager Of the mine.
said: Il know nothing of such an order.
have no part in the direct management
of the mine. as our pit officials are the re-
/ sponsible parties. The company has no
statement 10 make"
PATHETIC INCIDENT.
A pathetic story IS told Of little Albert
| Meeso. who died after being rescued. lie
! lived only a few steps from the shaft. Tie
went 20 his window Saturday morning
! and looked ont saying 10 his father:
Papa. ] guess there is no use in my
going TO work this morning, as there i5
no loading" The father said he had bet
ter go and help him feed the mules. They
! both started out together and never re-
turned TO their home alive.
A SAD CHRISTMAS
! Christmas-Day was sad one 10 many
family about Braznell. in fact, the exc
/ element caused by the terrible accident
/ drove an thought OF holiday festivities
from the homes OF all who lived ia the
neghb0rhoOd even those who had not
friends killed
The revised list of recovered dad IS
fifteen. and there are twelve missing.
steamer fremont Disabled.