The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-07-09
DIE IN MINE HORROR.
MANY LIVES BELIEVED TO HAVE
BEEN LOST.
Death List May Number 234 Men
Result of an Explosion-Union Pa
cific Shaft at Hanna, Wyo., Wrecked
and Set on Fire by Gas.

Two hundred and thirtyfour men are
believed to have perished in an explosion
which wrecked Hanna Mine No. l o:
the Union Pacific Coal Company at Han
ma, Wyo.. shortly after 10 o'clock Tues
day morning. The property loss is enor-
nous.
About l o'clock in the 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 workings.
Some were injured, but none fatally. Sew
eral are in a serious condition, but 1t Il
believed all will recover.
Two hundred and eighty-two men went
down in the mine at O'Clock in the
morning, and up until a late hour only
forty-eight had been accounted for. OF
this number two are dead.
The mine is one of the largest owned
By the Union Pacific Coal Company, aud
employed 2S0 men. The explosion came
with terrific force. The earth fifty feet
back to the mouth of the slope and heav.
timbers piled near were thrown in every
direction. No one was working outside
near any Of the openings of the mine to
receive injury, but the workings have
caved in, burying the miners. Those
who were not killed instantly in this
manner have since perished from the
gas. 1t has been impossible for rescuing
parties to get into the mine where the
greater number of men were employed.
The manway and a number of the air
courses were closed by the earth caving
In.
Cause of the Explosion.
1t il generally believed that the explo-
sion was caused by one of the miners
opening condensed air chamber. Those
of the survivors who are able to talk
believe that gas had formed in the cham
ber and forced out-the air. When the
miner opened the door his lamp set>fre
to the gas.
q. s. Brooks. superintendent of the
mine, and William Pascoe, stable boss,
entering soon after the explosion, were
overcome by the gas at the fourth level
and but fog immediate assistance would
have persisted In few moments.
There are several miles of workings in
the mine, and the men were widely scat
tered. At the seventh level sixty-fve
men were employed. The underground
WtIc diSO lOCdlcu thiS
and forty-fve mules were kept in them.
1t was impossible to go beyond the sew
enth level going down the main entrance,
this being perhaps 600 feet from the sur
face.
A party of five men entered from an
air shaft half mile away from the main
entrance and succeeded in going in about
three-fourths of mile. They found
many dead men and mules, some of the
bodies being blown into atoms. The gas
at this point was very strong. Before
the men could retreat they became ex-
hausted, and but for assistance rendered
by a party who followed them closely
never could have reached the surface.
They found many of the air shafts closed
and passageways obstructed by the walls
caving in.
The Hanna mines are among the best
on the Union Pacific system, being estab
lished in 1878. The town was named for
Senator Mark Hanna when he was a
member of the Union Pacific Coal Com
pany. Mine No. is practically a new
property. 1t has twenty-six entries, ff
teen miles Of workings and main In
cline shaft of one and one-half miles in
length. The mine has been recognized as
dangerous on account of the large
amount of gas, but the system of ventila
tion has been so good that an accident
was not anticipated.