New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-01
236 MINERS KILLED.
BURIED By EXPLOSION.
Terrible accident IN Union Pacific
Mine IN Wyom5ng.

Hanna, wyo, June 30.-There was a terrific
explosion of fire damp in mine No. I of the
Union Pacific Coal Company to-day in which
236 men were killed and scores more were in
jured. The explosion shattered the simhers
Of the main shaft and numerous entrances. fill
ing the working with debris, and those of the
miners who were not killed outright by the
explosion were buried alive.
The explosion was heard for many miles
around and attracted people from the ad-
Joining settlements. Huge timbers and rail-
road iron were hurled 800 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 en-
tombed miners Their progress into the mine
blocked by the foul gases and several
times they were forced to return to the sur
face
All day the rescuing party worked, the force
being increased from time to time by the ar
rival of ranchmen and others from nearby set
elements. and by a party on relief train sent
1ut from Rawlings. .
About.1 o'clock this afternoon four men, were
taken out alive, and half an hour later they
were followed by forty-two others. Many were
unconscious and had to be carried from the
workings. Several in a serious condition,
but it is believed that all will recover.
Two hundred and eighty-two men went down
in the mine at O'Clock this morning, and up TO
a late hour only forty-eght have been ac-
counted for. OF this number two are dead
The rescuers were unable to penetrate further
into the mine, as it was necessary to make
another opening to permit fresh air to reach
the lower levels.
Horses and scrapers were put at work hauling
debris from the shaft The work is progress
ing slowly, owing to the narrow space in which
the rescuers are compelled TO operate. but by
daylight the mine should be opened sufficiently
to permit deep explorations. and the recovery
of the bodies
Late tonight a party of rescuers reached four
mules that were alive and this caused renewed
hope. 1t is 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 say that they
saw twenty dead bodies in entry No II They
reported that many of the men were crazed by
the explosion and 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 CT the 236 dead about
10 were married ana leave large IdIillieS-
About one hundred were Finanders, fifty were
colored and the rest were Americans.
The Hanna mines among the best on the
Union Pacific system. They were esta blshed in
1878. The town was named for Senator Hanna
when he was a member of the Union Pacific
Company. Mine No is practically a new prop
erty. It has twenty-siX entries fifteen miles of
workings and main incline shaft one and
half miles long
The mine has been recognized as dangerous
property for some time. account of the large
amount of gas, but the system of ventilation has
been so good that accident not antici-
pated.