The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-01
GREAT MINE HORROR
2s2 MEN WE'RE CAUGHT IN A
DEATH TRAP.
RESCUERS BROUGHT UP 4s.
OTHERS IMPRISONED BY THE RAG
ING FLAMES.

Wyoming - Explosion Shattered
Timbers-Escape of the Miners Cut
OR-Heartrending Scene at the
Mine, Where Work of Rescue Is
Being FeverishIy Pushed-WOrk-
ers Flew TO the Relief of the
Miners.
Hanna, Wyo., June 3O.-Hanna was
the scene of a terrible disaster at 1890
o'clock this morning, when an explo-
sion of fire damp in Mine No 1 of
the Union Pacific Coal Company snuff
ed out the lives of 234 men, injured
scores of others and caused the de-
struction of a vast amount of property.
The mine was not fired, but the ex-
plosion was terrific and completely
shattered the timbers of the main
shaft and numerous entrances, filing
the workings with debris, and those
of the miners that were not killed out
right by the explosion were buried
alive.
The explosion was heard for many
miles around and attracted people from
the adjoining settlements. Huge tim
beers and railroad iron were hurled 300
feet from the mouth of the shaft.
Supt. E. S. Brooks and 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.
Rescuers Work Hard.
All day the rescuing party worked,
the force being increased from time
to time by the arrival of ranchmen
and by those of relief train sent out
from Rawlfns, which arrived at 2
O'Clock in the afternoon.
About l O'Clock this afternoon four
men were taken out alive and a half
hour later they were followed by forty
two others. Many were unconscious
and had to be carried from the work
ings. Several are in a serious condi-
ton, but it is believed all will re-
cover.
Two hundred and eighty-two men
went down in the mine at o'clock
this morning, and up to late hour to-
night 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-eight was brough out.
The rescuers were unable to pene-
trate further into the mine, as it was
necessary to make another opening to
permit fresh air to reach the lower
level.
Live Mules Give Hope.
Horses and scrapers were put at
work hauling debris away from the
shaft. The work is progressing slow
ly owing to the narrow space in which
the rescuers are compelled to operate,
but by daylight the mines should be
opened sufficiently to permit of deep
explorations and the rescue of the dead
bodies.
Late tonight a party of rescuers
reached four mules that were alive,
and this caused renewed hope. 1t
is a faint hope, however, for expert
enced 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. 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 es-
capped, bait they lay down, buried
their faces in their hands and gave
up the fight.
OF the 2S4 dead, about 175 were mar
rled and leave large families. About
100 were Finlanders, fifty were colored
and the rest were Americans.
Mine Considered Dangerous.
The Hanna mines are among the
best ON the Union Pacific system.
being established in 1873. The town
was named for Senator Mark Hanna,
when he was a member of the Union
Pacific Coal Company.
Mine No is practically a new
property. It has twenty-six entries,
fifteen miles of workings and a main
incline shaft of one and one half miles
IN length The mine has been recog-
MED as a dangerous property for
some time, on account of the large
amount of gas, but the system of ven
ulation has been so good that an ac-
eident was not anticipated.