The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-01
NEAR 800 WERE AT WORK
and ONLY f0RTY.ElGHT HAVE BEEN
ACCOUNTED FOR SO FAR.
Two Of the Rescued Unable TO Sur.
vive Their Iniuries-Entrances
Filled With Debris.

HANNA. wyo., June SO.-This place was
the scene of terrible accident at 1O:so
O'clock this morning, when an explosion Of
IRE damp in mine No. of the Union Pacific
Coal Company blotted out the lives of 23i
men. injured scores of others. and caused
{ the destruction of vast amount Of prop
defied the efforts of the rescuers. The
Ecenes at the mine are heart-rendins; wives
and children of men who are known to have
been inside eagerly hang about the shaft.
kept only by the cooler heads from plung
Ing In.
CvAaA, Neb.. June 3O.-A dispatch 70 the
W Ieraid from Hanna, Wyo., says:
"The explosion was terrific and completely
shattered the timbers of the main shaf;
and numerous entrances. filled the working
with debris and those of the miners that
were not killed outright by the explosion
were buried alive. The explosion was
heard for many miles around and attracted
people from the adjoining settlements.
srom the mouth Of the shaft, distance of
200 and 300 feet. Superintendent E. S.
Brooks and large force of men went at
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 gases and several times they
were forced to return 70 the surface.
FORTY TY-EIGHT'TAKEN OUT.
force being increased from time to time
by the arrival of ranchmen and others from
nearby settlements and by those of relief
train sent out from Rawlins which arrived
at o'clock I'm the afternoon. About o clock
this afternoon four men were taken out
alive and a half hour later they were fol-
lowed by forty-two others. Many were un-
conscious and had to be carried from the
workings Some were injured. but none ia
tally. Several are in serious condition. but
is is believed all will recover.
Two hundred and eighty-two men went
down in the mine this morning. and until
= 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 un-
ort The rescuers were unable to get furth-
er into the mine until additional opening
had been made to permit fresh air to reach
the lower levels and clear away the foul
gases. Horses and scrapers were put at
work hauling debris 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,
cuCfn IN in vvh 10
rescuers are compelled to operate. but by
daylight the mine should be opened suffi-
GENTLY to permit of deep explorations and
rescue of the dead bodies.
A FAINT HOPE.
Late tonight party of rescuers reached
four mules that were alive, and this caused
hopes to arise in the breasts of the tired
workers and the anxious women and chill
dren gathered about the shaft. 1t is faint
e hope, however. for experienced mine bosses
and miners say that when the imprisoned
men are reached all will be found dead.
Some OF the miners that escaped said they
Jaw twenty dead bodies in entry No IL
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 laid down,
buried their faces in their hands and gave
up the fight. OF the 23i dead about 175
were married and leave large families.
About one hundred were Finlanders, fifty
were colored and the others Americans
The Hanna mines are among the best on
the Union Pacific system, being established
In 1878. The town was named for Senator
NJ. A. Hanna. when he was a member of
the Union Pacific Coal Company. Mine
No. is practically a new property. 1t has
twenty-six entries. fifteen miles of work.
inss and a main incline shaft of one and
one-half miles in length. The mine has
been recognized as a 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 an
tiesoated.