The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-25

SAFETY Of the mine, and upon whose
care and Intelligence the lives Of the
dlggers depended in large degree,
told his story. RatclifTe has not yet
recovered from his narrow escape from
death. The fire boss said:
II believe that the explosion was
caused by sudden fall. which occur
red just before the explosion. do not
believe there was enough gas in the
mine to be dangerous AS a matter Of
fact the coal itself gives on little gas,
fact, the coal itself gives of little gas.
roof Of the pit. After the explosion
went into the mine with Jones, the pit
boss. l went from the entrance OF the
main shaft toward the air shaft, $50
yards away. Everything was filled with
after damp and smoke. Jones gave out
In few minutes. and l dragged him
to the bottom of the main shaft, where
there was a little air"
RatcllGe said the explosion must
have occurred within two or three hun
drcd feet from the main shaft. He
says the mine was well supplied with
air.
at was awful" said the fire boss.
THE men we're trapped there like rats,
and there is no hope that a single man
Is alive. The tive shafts were both
disabled, and there was no other exit.
/ have never seen a more terrific mine
explosion. Stone stopplngs two feet
thick and cemented together were ut
ter!y destroyed. Not even particles Of
rock remained The stone was blown
into dust"
William Pastorlous. driver in the
mine, tells sensational story. Pastor
ious, 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 gem
eral order that all safety lamps might
be dispensed with. and in their stead
the miners were permitted to use naked
lights. Pastorious also states that the
lamps were unlocked, contrary to regu-
latlon.
"Th6 miners always prefer to use
naked lights" said PastorIous, when
ever possible, as they give better light
and are more easily handled. 1 have
been working here Il couple OF months
and used a safety lamp until last Tues
day morning. At that time safeties
were in use by drivers and others who
were constantly moving about the
mine, and therefore exposed to greater
risk than digger in room. Con-
trary to the mining regulations, the
safety lamps In use were in many cases
unlocked. The safeties were provided
by the company as usual, and they
should be locked so that it is impossible
for miner to open them while ut
work. My lamp was unlocked, and 1
frequently opened and, closed Il. ON
Tuesday tie pit boss Issued an order
that the men could use open lamps,
and they, OF course. discarded the
safetIes. which made a poorer light.
About 100 yards from the bottom OF
the main shaft there was fal, which
had been boarded up, and in which the
gas stood against the roof / think 1t
was this gas which exploded"
Superintendent Boyer who is the
superior of Pit Boss Jones, when told
OF the above statement, said;
81 know nothing Of the order to dis
pense with safety lamps" He would
make no further statement.
Mine Inspector James Biick, who has
been In The mine almost constantly
since last night, came out tonight and
gave graphic account of It's condi-
tIon. Inspector DlIck said:
"At the bottom Of the two shafts the
mine is a complete wreck. Only enough
debris has been removed to allow Of
the bodies being brought out. There
are more bodies in the mine, but how
many cannot be determined. There are
undoubtedly a number Of corpses unoer
the wreckage. The lower parts Of the
mine are flooded, and the water is rls-
ing as the pumps are disabled. The
pumps will not run for day or two.
os the six-inch pipes draining the mine
have been twisted and broker Ike
raeds penetrated to the face OF the
mine To-day and saw two bodies there,
but the after damp was thick, and l
had to return quickly. Nothing fur
,her will he done to remove the debris
urtu the water has been pumped out.
None of the men can possibly be alive
II will require several days TO clear the
mine The bottom OF 1t is wrecked but
the roof and sides are intact There
Is no fire in the mine"
Rough but revcrent hands carried
IN. bodies of the victims when they
cached the top of the shaft to the tenn
no,orv morcue on the hillside, 100 feet
awov OF cne man, Peter CROSBY. but
n norton OF the trunk and the back
=, the skull remained. and that was
yIr,pnIly but a cinder. He was ldenu-
Ged by n shred of his shirt that had
hccn blown into his flesh. OF the
,woIvc dend there was but one that
wos mt A hIdcous spectacle. Among
,bo men at the Braznell mine to-day
wore many who had been at other ex'
n,oslons but never had they seen such
mnngled, burned and distorted bodies
Or. N. II. Taylor coroner OF bRyet'e