The Detroit times., 1910-02-02
SO LIVES LOST III
MINE EXPLOSION
IN KENTUCKY
Two Others Are Missing In Browder
Workings Of Elk Valley Coal
Co. Near DrakesbCro--
Six Injured.
Accident Is Due To Miner Going Into
Abandoned Section With
Uncovered Lamp.

DRAKESBORO, KY, Feb. a..
Thirty-three dead, two missing and
half a dozen injured, one fatally, com
pletes the list OF casualties In the ex-
plosion at the mine OF the Elk Valley
Coal Co., at Browder, near here. late
yesterday.
Only the names Of few OF the dead
have been learned, as the bodies OF the
victims are so mutilated that recogni-
ton is practically impossible, and a.
may be some hours before the identity
of all the victims is established. The
partial list OF the dead includes:
Ray Bennett, white; Mac English.
Lloyd, white; Will Richardson, white.
boro; Warder Johnson, colored; Berry
Cash, colored.
In addition, Pete Kelley, mine fore
man. is missing. One other man -
missing, but his name is not known.
Five or six men are injured. one.
Jessie Jenningan. is the only fatally
hurt, II is believed
The explosion is supposed to have
been caused by one OF the miners gn-
ing into an unused portion OF the mine
where gas had accumulated. His lanip
Is believed TO have set fire to this.
causing an explosion OF such terrific
force as to cause the immediate death
of ell those working in the eastern
wing of the mine.
There were about fifty men In the
workings when the explosion occurred,
and a number of them succeeded IN
making their way TO places OF safety.
but nearly forty miners were thrown
to the earth by the shock and before
they could make an effort to escape
were either smothered to death or.
burned by the fierce flames.
Will Reno, the colored eager, was
found dead at the bottom OF the shaft.
and II Is not known whether he was
killed while trying to reach his cage
and take the miners to safety or
whether ne was blown there by.sthe'
force of the explosion. The rescuers.
worked steadily all through the day
and night. General Manager Hogg only
coming up at intervals to get some
fresh air. though the other men worked
In shifts.
As each dead body was brought 10
the surface the crowd around the shaft
pressed eagerly forward to see II any
OF their loved ones had been rescued.
most of the victims being married men
with families. The scenes In the vicin-
ity OF the disaster were terrible.
women and children who ran from
their homes at Drakesboro stand
ing around screaming and crying, fran
tic with grief Each body was closely
inspected by them and when the look
ers-on found a member OF their family
1t was heartrending sight
The crowd remained around the
mine until this morning when the last
of the bodies, save two were brought
out
Fortunately FOR the rescuers, the ma
chinery OF the mine was not injured
TO any great extent by the explosion
and the fans which were started az
soon after the explosion as possible
were In working order all the time
and Kept the air in the shaft pure
enough to allow the men to remain IN
the mine for several hours at a time.
Each shift that went into the mine had
more volunteers than could be used.
and some OF those were so anxious to
aid in the work that they were kept
back by force.