The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-02-14
MISUIsILMANNO
WONDERFUL PRESERVATION OF
LIFE.

Rev H. A. Rowland, formerly pastor OF
the The Pearl St Presbyterian Church in
New York, bu, now residen, of Homes
Ihale, Pa, has sent to the Commercial Ad-
ver,iser a circumstan,ial account Of the recent
dreadful calamity a, Carbondale, caused by
the falling in Of coal mines al ,ha, place.
!, The m amer in which the life Of Mr.. John
Hosie, formerly Of New York, was preser-
we'd, is so remarkable that we cannot for
bear copying Mr.. Rowland's description:
/ Mr.. Hosie wen, into Nine No. 9, 2,intend-
ling TO join Mr.. Clarkson presently, and had
proceeded abou, mile, when Instantly the
mountain over his head descended with an
awful crash of every thing which opposed
It's progre SIS, and shot down over him, fill
ling up the road with crushed coal and bend
ling him double, leaving not foo, Of space
between the solid mass above and the crush
ed coal below. The distance descended
was The heigh, Of the mine, or from six to
eight feet So great was the pressure Of
the air that i, produced painful sensation
as il some sharp instrument had been thrust
into his ears. All was total dsrkness,e every
light in The mine being instantly exinguish-
ed. Ever and anon The thunder Of The fall
ing masses roared through the csverns. AZ,
,er waiting suitable length of lime for the
rocks to cease falling, Mr.. Hose began to
remove the loose material around him and
10 creep. He tried one way and it was
closed He then proceeded in the other
directions; and after nine hours incessant toll
creeping, removing loose Goa! and slate, and
squeezing himself past obstacles, he made
his way into the open mine. Here he tri-
ed to strike light, but his matches had be-
come damp and would not ignite. He then
felt around him and discovered by the di-
rection of the ralrood that, instead of maxi
ing his way out he had gone farther into
the mine, and was cut off from return by
the mass which had settled down upon the
road. He then be.houghl him Of the air
hole, and attempted TO reach it,; but the pas
sage had been crushed in and closed. Be-
ing in The vicinity of the mining operations,
he found some powder, and spreading it on
the floor, endeavored with pick TO ignite
liz, but could not. He found also can OF
| oil, which he reserved in case of necessity
to use for food.
All was total darkness, and The par. Of
mountain over him was also settling, throw
ing of hugh pieces of slate and exposing
him 10 eminent danger a, every step; for
but part Of The mass above had come down
at once, and the oher seemed likely TO fol-
low. Sensible of his danger, Mr. Hosle
protected himself as well as he COULD he
wound up his watch, and lel. the time by
the hands. He also, with piece Of chalk,
wrote in different places his name and the
hour when he was al lCertain points. Being
in total darkness, however he missed his
way but was enabled through his acquaint
ance with the mines to set himself right,
He frs, ried 10 re ach No. |, but after toll
ling 10 that road found that i. was also crush
ed in. His only chance seemed then TO
proceed a. right angles with The main arIer-
les of ihe mine and pass over 10 No 3, and
this he aboIed TO do in accordance with his
best judgement.
Al one time he passed through a narrow
snlrance into a chamber, and IN endeavoring
TO creep out The other side, he was caugh,
in narrow place by the hill above ssuling
ldown upon HIN, and remained in this posi-
ion-an hour, expecting 10 die there. But
another settling of The mass chushed ou,
some Ct the materials around him, and he
was enabled to free himself and draw back
Into the chamber of the mine. In returning
however, 10 :be hole by which he had els
,lcected the entrance, he found 10 his dismay
E that il was closed: and he was compelled
10 hunt a new passage, and finally to dig
E his way ou, with his hands.
Thus, after working for more than thir-
Ily-six hours, he a. length reached No. 8,
Y where he rested, and then when the hill
' had partially ceased it's working, proceeded
toward The mouth Of The mines. On his