Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-08

CAUGHT LIKE RATS IN A TRAP
How Mine Foreman Battle and -Four
Others Did Everything Possible
10 Save Themselves
Especial to the "NewaD

Hanna Wyo bee. 1T was "a pa
thetlc sight that met the gaze OF the
relief workers when they removed the
last brattlcc separating the main slope
from little chamber at the very bot
tom Of mine No ! Of the Union Pacific
Coal company IN which a terrific ex-
plosion on June 30 last wrecked the
interior workings Of the property and
snuffed out the lives OF 1859 miners ana
others employed IN the colllery for In
that small compartment one and one
half miles from the mouth Of the slope
We're the remains OF five brave men
who had fought herolcally for their
lives A battle waged against great
odds, but one that was waged with a
determination born OF desperation and
of the thought that where there Is life
there is hope,
The rescuing party made up Of the
more experienced miners In the em-
Hoy OF the company, almost all Of
whom had worked steadily day after
day since the explosion and had ear
ried out the remains OF over $50 victims
Of the awful accident. had become fa-
miliar with the CHASTITY finds which
were made almost daily, and where at
INST they were overcome with feelings
OF pity they soon became hardened and
the finding OF a number of bodies, part
~ decomposed and In many cases noat-
Ing In the underground waters caused
no more change Of feeling than would
be created II so many dead cattle were
found,
A FRUITLESS STRUGGLE,
But the sight IN the little chamber
at the bottom of the mine had not
been equalled during the weeks and
months Of search In the hundreds OF
chambers, and every member Of the
resculng party was moved to tears as
he gazed about and saw the evidences
OF the fruitless struggle of the Ave men
caught like rats IN trap
John Battle, mine foreman and as
sistant to Supt, Brooks, Flreboss John
Cox, Fireboss John Massey 10 miners
John Norkana and Axel Latson had
penetrated to the utmost depths of the
mine on the morning of June 30 and
when the awful explosion came they
We're at work on new air shaft. the |
positions Of the men and tools showed
mat they had done little work that |
morning prior to the explosion. But |
mere were evidences of plenty of work |
having been performed after the ex-
ploslon
All were experienced miners. and
battle ana Cox were probably two OF |
the best miners in the state. The
former had been in charge of coal
mines FOR many years, had been In any |
number OF explosions and othei mine |
accidents, and he knew just what to do |
and when to do IT,
Tho spp1fffn, ar IA, ,,,. n
bers Ia the lower workings showed thai
the force of the explosion In the room
occupied by Foreman Battle and his
companions had not been of sufficient
Iorce to inJure them, but Il was sufi-
cient 70 convince them that they were
cut Off from the rest OF the workings
and that all avenues Of escape had been
closed.
ERECTED A BRATTICE.
Probably under the supervision of
Foreman Battle the men quickly erect
ca brattce across the entrance OF
,he'r ehamber TO prevent the after
uanip entering, There was onlY one
ilece OF canvass, or regular brattice
material, at hand, and this was moi
large enough to cover the opening so
the men rolled huge chunks OF coal
up to the entrance. nlled in with small.
Ir pieces, and strung the small and now
niece Of brattice across the
opening Probably to the chngrln of
The poor fellows they discovered there
was insufficient material at hand 10
complete the hrattlce and make if mir
tsht, and the feelings Of the men AT
lnis time as the after damp crept I'm
upon them, can at once be realized But
some on. of the party was seized with
a lucky ,nought and quickly the prIs-
ohels Invested themselves OF Jackets
pVrralls and other extra clothing, and
these now precious bits OF wool ana
cotton were pressed into service and
made TO supplement the regular brat
lice material And with the clothing
of the men the brattlce was completed
ana the foul air shut on
RESCUE WHICH NEVER CAME
What followed can only be imagined
Tor there was nothing TO do mt SIT
down and walt for the rescue maj
never came The men evidently lived
.or several days They were without
food, except the regular noon .day
luncheon aud this was probably pleced
'ut and lasted as long as did the limited
supply of fresh air