The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-07-03
HUNDREDS WERE
KILLED AT HANNA
Number of Dead Is Now Placed
at 234, Most OF Whom
Are Married.
WE'RE ALL BURIED ALIVE
Explosion Of Fire Damp Cut All Means
of Escape and the Men Are Sup
posed to Have Smothered-
Rescue Work Slow.

Omaha, Neb., July "A special to
the World-Herald from Hanna, Wyo.,
says:
Hanna was the scene of a terrible
disaster at 1880 o'clock Tuesday
when an explosion of firedamp In mine
NO. of the Union Pacific Coal COM
pany snuffed out the lives of 234 men,
injured many others, and caused the
destruction of vast amount of prop
erty.
The mine was not fred, as was stated
In the earlier reports, but the explosion
was terrific, and completely shattered
the t1mbers of the main shaft and num-
erous entrances, filled the workings
with debris and those of the miners
that We're not killed outright by the
explosion were buried alive. The ex-
plosion was heard for many miles
around, and attracted people from the
adjoining settlements. Huge timbers
and railroad iron were hurled from the
mouth OF the shaft, a distance Of two
and three hundred feet.
Superintendent e. s. Brooks and a
large force of men went to work with
Will to remove the debris from the
shaft and reach the entombed miners.
Their progress into the mine was
blocked by the foul cases. 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 relief train sent out from
Rawlins which arrived at o'clock in
the afternoon.
About 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon
four men We're taken out alive, and a
half hour later they were followed by
forty-two others. Many were uncon-
tn Io no, "a
workings Some We're injured but
none fatally. Several are in serious
condition, but it is believed all will re-
cover.
Nearly 500 in the Mine.
Two hundred and eighty-two men
went down in the mine at o'clock
and UP to a late hour last 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 1 O'clock
when the last were brought ont. The
rescuers were unable to penetrate fur
ther into the mine until additional
fresh air to reach the lower levels and
clear away the foul gases. Horses and
scrapers were put to work hauling de-
bris away from the shaft, and cars
were pushed down the incline, loaded
and hauled back up the tipple and
dumped.
The work is progressing slowly, ow-
ing to the narrow space in which the
rescuers are compelled to operate, but
by daylight the mine should be opened
sufficiently to permit of deep explora-
tions and the rescue Of the dead bodies.
Some Slight Hope.
Late last night q party of rescuers
reached four mules that were alive,
and this caused hopes to arise in the
anxious women and children gathered
about the shaft 1t is a faint hope,
however, for experienced mine bossea
and miners say that when the impriss
oned men are reached all will be found
dead.
Some of the miners who escaped said
that they saw twenty dead bodies in
entry No. II. They reported that many
Of the men were crazed by the explo-
sion and ran hither and thither in the
mine. Many Of those could have es-
capped, but they lay down. buried their
faces in their hands, and gave up the
fight.
Of the 2a4 dead about It's were mar
ried and leave large families. About
100 were F'inlanders, fifty were col
ored, and the remainder were Amer
leans.
The Hanna mines are among the best
on the Union Pacific system, having
been esta ablished in 1878. The town was
named for Senator Hanna, When he
was a member of the Union Pacific
Coal company. Mine No. i is practically
a new property. 1t has twenty-six en-
tries, fifteen miles of workings and a
main shaft Of one and one-half miles
in length. The mine has been recog-
nlzed as dangerous property for some
time, on account Of the large amount Of
gas, but the system of ventilation has
been SO good that an accident was not
anticipated.