The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-02

Hanna, wyo., April between 80
and 10 men lost their lives in two ex-
plosions In coal mine No 1. owned by
the Union Pacific Coal company.
The explosions were caused by gases
and coal dust, and each was followed
by fire. The first occurred at 3 o'clock
Saturday afternoon, when IL mine
workers, including a superintendent
and three bosses, were killed. The sec
ond explosion occurred at 1880 o'clock
Saturday night, snuffing out he lives
OF from 40 to 80 members Of rescuing
party, including State Mine Inspector
D. M. Elias.
Fire started in the colIiery last Sun
day, since which time attempts at regu-
lar intervals have been made to exttn-
guish it.. Saturday 1t was deemed I'M
safe to send the miners down the work.
ings, and they were notified MOI to re-
port for duty. superintendent Briggs,
with a team of picked men, the best
and most experienced men In he camp,
went into the mine to fight the fire,
but at 2 o'clock the flames had become
beyond their control, and at 3 o'clock
connected with the walled off gas and
a terrific explosion followed.
The victims are all below the 10th
level. and it is likely that the flames
have consumed the cOrpses
1t was while Superintendent Briggs
ana Is companions were H6lLlIiB TIC
fire at the 10th level that he first ex-
plosion occurred. But man is
known to have escaped death who was
with the party. This was Charles
Harris, colored. After going to his
home to notify his family Of his escape
Harris returned to the mine with the
rescuing party organized by State Mine
Inspector Elias to recover the bodies
OF ms unfortunates who met death in
the first e%xplOsiOn.
Harris name appears In the HIST re-
sulting from the second explosion.
According to the story of Campbell,
who reached the entrance Of the mine
with the bodies of Warburton, Mum
son and Perry, killed in the first ex-
plosion, and thereby escaped death him
self. Inspector Elias scattered the MEM
bers OF the rescue party through the
entrance for a distance of 1900 feet,
removing wreckage and making tenn
porary repairs of damage caused by
the first explosion.
The fire at the 10th level was rag
ing furiously II Inspector Elias and
several others with aim discussed the
wisdom OF bratticing No. 8 entrance.
It was decided hat this would be sui
cidal, as the a would be forced back
onto the fire at the 10th level and
would probably cause an explosion
more terrific and direful than the one
which had already snuffed out the lives
Of nearly a score Of their comrades.
The party continued to work their way
slowly toward the fire and abandon
ing h idea of closing No. 8 entrance.
1t is thought, however, that some OF the
stragglers in the rear. struck with the
same idea OF cutting off the spread of
the flames by closing the entrance, i'm
mediately put the plan into effect with
the result as reasoned out by Inspec-
tor Elias and his immediate followers.
A carefully prepared list OF the missing
as a result Of the two explosions contains
ftfty-eight names, and Of his number five
dead bodies have been recovered. Seventy
collins have been ordered. Before fur
Their attempt at rescuing the lead can
be made the fire in the tenth level, which
was the direct cause Of the two explosions.
must be eXtinguished.