The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-01
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| III HQVduCS.
GIDEON & CO. Washington, d. C.
we can die!' He then took his son, and embraced
his friends, and all exertio1s seemed to be at an
end, when Collins son, feeble child, as if in
spired, exclaimed: "You act like children, follow
the orders Of my father. We must persevere in
our work, and show to those who shall survive Us
that we had courage even in dealt"
This speech from mere child terminated the
men, and they began drift in the fifth board,
which they had scarcely done, when they heard
the joyful sounds of people boring and blasting in
the strata before them. Notwithstanding this an
nouncement, that people were straning every
nerve to relieve them, Collins men ex-
hausted on the Sunday night that they again
refused to work, saying that they had as
soon die one way as another. Coffin entreated,
menaced, and compelled, and but for him most
certainly all would have persisted.
On the Sunday night the candles went out
from want of oxygen in the ar--A sad index of
what the captves must have suffered from the
same cause. The darkness added to the gloom Of
the men, as they had to work in the dark. Two
orphan boys fattered themselves they should not
perish, because their father prayed for them in
heaven. The boy Coffin showed the most remark
able herosm. He frequently came to his father,
clapped him on the back, and exclaimed: "Cou-
rage, father! all goes we'll" While others be-
walled their fate, this boy thought only his
mother, and his six brothers and sisters. "Father,
S0lQ ne, you anu i only 0dTucu uOHcy, INV 0io
they to live? Must they beg Dear father, ! know
you have hid some money in the cow-house-how
will my mother be able to find it 20
s'And you, my boy said the parent, swhere
have you hid yours?' The child congratulated
himself that his only crown was in the hands Of
his sister.
Between the Sunday and Wednesday the sounds
of people working were heard, approaching al
ways nearer and nearer. The confined men also
continued their excavation, but most of them
were incapable % doing any thing: The only ali
ment they could find was the infected water,
which they got in the darkness by creeping to the
edge Of the flood; but some of them also went
there in the hope of finding drowned comrades
body to serve us food In preference to taking
the water, some drank their own urine; and a few
candles which they had served as food to others.
Delirum attacked several; they asked their way
home, and sought salad and cabbage from Coffin.
That intrepid man never lost his courage or care
for them. He called over their names frequently,
and Gained them always with assurances OF COM
ing relief And much he had to bear, for some
of them, in their madness, taunted him with be-
ing the cause of their suHerings. The most OF
them however, chung to him as their hope, pro-
tector, and preserver
Five days and nights of misery had been passed,
when relief came We must advert, however,
before describing this deverance, to the steps
used above ground to effect it, The intelligence
of the inundation threw the families of the UNI
fortunate golfers into the most terrible agony,
and excited the most profound sensation and SYM
pathy in the whole neighborhood of Liege. M.
Matthew and M. Mgneron, the engineer and
deputy engineer of the coal works of Beaujonc,
were on the spot Immediately after the occur
renee of the accident, and took the management
of the measures, instantly resolved upon, tor at
tempting the rescue of those held captive in the
bowels Of the earth. To their honor, all the
coal proprietors and others around offered horses,
engines, and men, for the undertaking. Though
it was seen to be impossible to clear the shaft OF
water in time to do good, yet, to prevent 1t ms,
ing SO as to inundate the galleries, one hundred
horses were set to work on the fire-pump, and
much water taken out; but it rose faster than It
was evacuated, and the source was not closed
up till Sunday. However, it was on another
scheme that the chance of relief hung. M Mig
heron, at the head of body of strong men, enter
ed the headway-dilapidated unluckily-of the
Mamonster pit; and after crawling through dam
perous passage of one hundred and thlrty-One
yards long, arrived at the spot nearest to
where the confined men were supposed to be IN
the Beanionc pit. A bore, or drift, was COM
menced in the direction that seemed most likely
to do good; but all was sad uncertainty on tins
point. Only two men ut time, lying upon their
sides, could work in the drift, but they were often
| relieved. The seam of coal, besides, was hard,
and cost about three hours to make eighty inches
of way. While this drift was going on, every
scheme was tried to direct the confined mems
attention to the spot, by firing small cannon, and
making other noises. No appearance, however,
Of succeeding in this respect presented itself till
Saturday, when some slight noises were heard.
Nevertheless, no distinct indication of the quarter
in which the men were was given till the Mon
day, when it was found that the drift was going
as nearly right as possible, On the Tuesday, af-
ter almost Incredible labor, passage ffty-one
yards long was made, and boring rod passed
through into the cavity where the captives were,
but in so indirect a manner as to permit of no
other communication with them than by speech
But even this was great satisfaction, as 1t ena-
bled Coffin to announce the existence of most of
the workmen The hole mentioned had to be
stopped up, as the prisoners could not bear the
pressure of the air, which rushed in impetuousy.
On the 4th of March, (the Wednesday, at
twelve O'Clock noon, the miners broke through
into the passage begun, and carried to the length
of twelve yards, by Coffin and his companions.
This made passage in all of sixty-three yards.
When the barrier was broken down, the air rush
ing in, caused report like thunder Then did
tho captives press to the hole, and crawl out, man
by man, Coffin and his son being the last. Sew
cnty human beings were thus restored to this
world in a measure; twenty -four mon had per-
ishcd in ALL Every preparation that kindness
and skill could suggest had been previously made
for giving food and other necessaries, in proper
way, to the liberated worlxmen. Such We're the
crowds continually in waiting near the spot to
learn the result, that the military had to be kept
always guard at the place, lest the workers
should be interfered with. The air was rent with
acclamations when the liberation was announced
to tho multitude. But who can describe the Joy
of the families of the delivered, or the sorrow of
others for the lost'
Hubert Coffin, to whom the merit of saving
these men from this terrible calamity is chiefly to
be ascribed, rewarded by the kIng OF the Ne
therlands with the decoration of the Legion of
Honor. But he received far higher remunera-