The Montana plaindealer. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1906-1911, 1908-04-03
EXPLOSION KILLS 70.
COAl Mine HORROR NEAR
HANNA, Wyoming.
TWO Explosions Occur in Mine No. 1
Owned by Union Pacific Coal Com
Pany- superintendent and Three
Shift Bosses Among KiIIed-WiIdest
Excitement Prevails-Rescues Slow.

HAS' WyO., March 30.-Be
tween 55 and 20 men lost their lives
IN two explosions in eoal mine No. 1
owned by the Union Pacific Coal com.
pany' at Hanna, Saturday. The ex.
pIoslons were caused by gas and coal
DUST and each was followed bv fire.
The first occurred at 3 O'Clock whom
10 mine workers, including a superin.
'enueht and three bosses, were killed.
Inc second explosion occurred a few
hours later, snuffling out the lives of
from 40 to so members of a rescue
pdrty' including State Mine Inspector
u. NJ. Elias. The names of the men
Killed n the first explosion were as
certalned from the company's books.
out those of the rescuers were not
KnoWn, as no record was kept of those
VINO volunteered for this dangerous
work.
Inc widest excitement prevailed to-
Gay in Hanna and at the mine. where
hundreds are congregated Including
WIDOWS, children and other relatives
or the victims. Many women are run.
ming about, w%ringing their hands and
crying, While many little children. SEN
arated from their mothers in the semi
panic that prevails are sobbing and
trembling in fear of another explosion
ana appeals were made to all sur.
rounding towns for assistance. One
Train is being rushed west from Omaha
carrying officials of the Union Pacific
and the Union Pacific Coal
company.
Rescue Work Hazardous
The regular force of men employed
at Mines No. 2 and 3 was pressed into
rescue work, which has been extreme
ly difficult and hazardous. The bodies
OF four of the Is men who lost their
lives in the first explosion, were locat-
but owing to the ever increasing
volume OF gas, which threatened to
explode at any moment, no effort was
made to remove them to the surface. |
superintendent Briggs, with a team
picked men, the best and most ex-
perlenced hands in the camp, went into
70 mine to night the fire, but at 2
o'clock the flames had become beyond
49, - IN at D u LUCK COLI /
nected with the walls OF gas and a
terrific explosion followed. The vic
Tins are all below the tenth level, and
It is likely that the flames have son
5umed the corpses.
Particulars of Explosions.
A Republican special from Hanna,
Wyo, says that a carefully prepared
list of the missing as a result Of the
.wo explosions yesterday in mine No
of the Union Pacific Coal company,
contains SO names, and Of this number
i've dead bodies have been recovered
}efore further attempt at ~rescuing the
lead can be made the fire in the 10th
eVel, which was the direct cause of
he two explosions, must be extinguish-
ID.
1t was while Superintendent Briggs
nd II companions were fighting the
re at the 10th level yesterday after
Don that the first explosion of gas oc.
urred. But one man is known to have
scaped death who was with this par.
This was Charles Harris, colored.
That none hesitated in responding
0 the call for volunteers in the rescue {
f their fellow workers after the first
xplosion is shown by the fact that
OF a working official of the three
hines of the Union Pacific Coal com
any in this camp is left. They went
ITO the mine to aid their stricken
when the second explosion
r~ansfornied mine No. l into a
handle.
A further evidence that the leaders
f the men of the camp were loyal is
hown by the fact that several officials
+ the local lodge of United Mine
Workers or America are missing, sup
osedly dead in the mine.
Today's disaster brings the number
f victims in mine No. l during the %
ears Of it's operation to the n%eighbOr
God OF 300. The greatest previous
lss of life occurred on June 30, 1903,
,hen 169 men fell victims to deadly