Evening star., 1903-07-01
COAL MINE *sD|SASTER
Terrific Explosion Of Fire
Damp in Wyoming.
TWO HUNDRED DEAD
PROPERTY OF UNION PACIFIC
COAL COMPANY.
Nearly All the Dead Miners Were Mar
ried-only Forty-Two Rescued Out
of ESQ in the Mine.

The following dispatch was received last
night from Hanna, Wyo.: Hanna was the
scene Of terrible disaster at 1890 Am. to-
day. An explosion of fire damp in mine No.
/ of the Union Pacific: Coal Company snuff
fed out the lives of 234 men, injured scores
Of others and caused the destruction of
vast amount Of property.
The mine was not fired, as was stated in
the earlier reports, but the explosion was
terrific. and completely shattered the tim
bers Of the main shaft and numerous en-
| frances, filling the workings with debris,
and those of the miners who were not killed
outright by the explosion were buried alive.
Force Of the Blast.
The explosion was heard for many miles
| around, and attracted people from the ad-
joining settlements. Huge timbers and
railroad iron were hurled 300 feet from the
| mouth of the shaft. Superintendent E. S.
Brooks and a large force of men began
the work OF removing the debris from the
shaft that they might reach the entombed
miners. Their progress into the mine was
blocked by the foul gases and several times
they were forced to return to the surface.
All day the rescuing party worked, the
force being increased from time to time by
the arrival of ranchmen and others from
nearby settlements, and by those Of a re-
lief train sent out from RawlinS which ar
rived at o'clock in the afternoon. About
l o'clock this afternoon four men were
taken out alive, and half hour later they
were followed by forty-two others. Many
were unconscious and had to be carried
from the workings. Several are in serious
condition, but it is believed all will recover.
Rescuers at Work.
Two hundred and eighty-two men went
down in the mine at o'clock this morning,
and up to a late hour tonight only forty
eight have been accounted for. OF this
number two are dead 1t was some time
after the explosion occurred that the first
man was brought to the surface. He was
followed by others until l o'clock when the
last of the forty-e1ght was brought out.
The rescuers were unable to penetrate fur
ther into the mine as 1t was necessary to
make another opening to permit fresh air
to reach the lower levels.
Horses and scrapers were put at work
hauling debris away from the shaft. The
work is progressing slowly. owing to the
narrow space in which the rescuers are
compelled to operate, but by daylight the
mine should be opened sufficiently to per-
init of deep explorations and the recovery
of the dead bodies.
Late tonight a party reached four mules
that were alive. and this caused renewed
hope. 1t is a faint hope. however, for eX-
perienced mine bosses and miners say that
when the imprisoned men are reached all
will be found dead. Some Of the miners
who escaped said they saw twenty dead
bodies in entry No. II.
Men Driven Crazy.
They reported that many of the men were
crazed by the explosion. and ran hither and
thither in the mine. Many of these could
have escaped. but they lay down. buried
their faces in their hands, and gave up the
fight. OF the 234 dead about 175 were mar
ried and leave large families About 100
were Finlanders, fifty were colored and the
rest were Americana.
The Hanna mines are among the best on
the Union Pacific system, being established
in 1878. The town was named for Senator
Mark Hanna when he was a member of
the Union Pacific Coal Company. Mine No.
I is practically a new property. 1t has
twenty-six entries, fifteen miles of work
ings and a main incline shaft of one and
one-half miles in length.
The mine has been recognized as a dam
gerous property for some time on account
of the large amount of gas, but the system
of ventilation has been good that
cident was not anticipated.