The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-07-10
SCORES lose THEIR lives
Explosion of Firedamp in a Mine at
Hanna, Wyo., Buries Many
Miners in Its Depths.
OVER TWO HUNDRED PROBABLY KILLED.
Main Shaft Filled with Broken TIM
beers and Earth, and Work of Res
cuers stopped by Gns-Shock Hear
for Miles and Attracted People to
the Scene.

Hanna, Wyo., July IA terrible ex-
plosion of fire damp in mine Nc. l of
the Union Pacific Coal company at
1890 o'clock yesterday is believed to
have caused the death of 236 miners
and caused the destruction of a large
amount of property. Forty-eight men
were taken out during the afternoon,
all badly injured. Two OF them died
after reaching the surface.
The explosion completely shattered
the timbers of the main shaft and the
other entrances and filled the work
Ing with broken timbers and huge
masses of earth and coal brought
down by the shock. Those of the min
ers who were not killed outright by
the explosion were buried alive, it is
believed.
Heard for Miles.
The explosion, was heard for many
miles around and attracted people
from the MISUNDERSTANDING. Huge
,timbers and railroad iron We're hurled
from the mouth of the shaft a dis
tance of 200 or 800 feet. Supt. e. S.
Brooks and a large force of men at
once went to work to remove the de-
bris from the shaft and reach the en-
tomhed miners. Their progress into
the mine was blocked by the foul
gases. and several times they were
forced to return to the surface.
Taken from the Mine.
The rescuing party was increased
from time to time by the arrival of
ranchmen and others from nearby
towns, and a large number came on a
relief train sent out. from Rawlins at
two o'clock in the afternoon. About
one o'clock in the afternoon four men
were taken out alive, and a half hour
later they were followed by "A others.
Gas Delays Work.
Then the Fescuers were driven out
by the gas and-were unable to pene-
trate farther into the mine until an
additional opening had been made to
permit fresh air to reach the lower
levels.
An expert who went almost to the
seventeenth level says the mine cannot
possibly be cleared for a month. 1t is
feared that men in the lower levels
were torn to pieces by the explosion,
which hurled. great timbers high over
the town and LOO feet beyond the
mouth of the slope.
Some of the miners that escaped
said they saw 20 dead bodies in one
entry. They reported that many of
the men were crazed by the explosion
and ran hither and thither in the
mine.
Considered Dangerous.
The Hanna mines are among the
best on the Union Pacific system,
being established in 1878. The town
was named for Senator. Mark Hanna,
when he was interested IN the Union
Pacific Coal company. Mine No. / is
practically a new property. 1t has 26
entries, Is miles of workings, 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 yer
tilation has been S o good that an ac-
cident was not anticipated.
All Hope Abandoned.
Hanna, Wyo., July 3.-Of the 234 men
entombed by the mine explosion on
Tuesday the bodies of only five have
been recovered and all hope that any of
the others are alive has been aban-
doned. Fire and smoke are prevent
ing exploration of the lower workings,
and it is feared that many, if not all, of
the bodies now in the mine will be CON
sumed.