New Orleans daily crescent., 1861-09-02


To-, On the 18th Julya coal pit at KelEfnside, near
Glasgow was inundated Several persons were
drowned; but on the 2lst three Of the GOLFERS
John Johnson. Thomas CARNEY and hichaelDaly-
were rescued alive. The Glasgow Herald gives
the following account Of the marvellous ciEcunl-
stances under which these men escaped death :
The three men had not been more than FIVE min
utes In the pit when the accident occurred but they
did not discover it tor several hours. They then
proceeded down the sloping side to the edgeot the
water which was now, however, forcing its way
into the upper working. They retIeated, and pro-
ceeded along the passage till they had again
reached the level part OF the coarse; and went
down the opposite slope. The water was forcing
its way up that side also--not pure water, but q
pntrd, sinking flood, that made them almost re-
coil.
The moor fellows found themselves thus walled
in between two foods, forty fathorns belewsthe
surface of the earth. When they had recovered
from the first shock of CONSERVATION they began
to watch the water, which they were able to do
for two days by the aid Of their two lamps. They
had about two days. oil with them, and thus man
aged in some measure, to compute the time. AT
first they thought that they could not exist beyond
few hours but still believed they might calculate
on a few hours. They kneeled down. and in an
ticipation of certain death, commended themselves
to their Maker For the two days during which
their oil lasted, they watched the water closely
aud eagerly onward came the pntrd mass with
awful Certainty and rapidity. The three slices of
bread which DAILY had taken down with him had
been divided among them and a little well of pure
water which fortunately in the workings, furnished
the means of quenching their thirst.
The progress of the water, which seemed for two.
DAYS to have been marching steadily on to engulph
them, became gradually slower. At last the food
paused. With new excitement they watched the
water again. 1t seemed to be retiring, and they
knew from that time that exertions were being
made to save them They did not hear the opera
tions until what they understood to be Saturday
morning. When their light failed them the men
placed q stone at the edge of the water and watch
ing the rate at which the water was diminishing
for, they thought, several hours, calculated that
they would be relieved on Sunday morning The
water seemed to them to fallat the rate Of a foot
per hour. The air was for some time close and
sutfocatiag, but as the operations progressed the
movement OF the water caused by the immense
pumping apparatus, produced continuous undul-
alton, which made the air much,more agreeable.
The men had never felt the paugs of hunger,
but they became very weak ana were oppressed
all the time, with unquenchable thirst, which
had not yet left them. They were in the habit of
sitting side by side to keep themselves warm, and
when the one in the middle had reached a higher
temperature than the others, he gave way for his
right or left neighbor, who, in due time, would
make way for the third. They slept also close to-
gether upon logs of wood, and covered themselves
with piece of oil-cloth which had been. found in
| the working. 1t appears that the water had been
reduced belowthe Goorheads some time before the
de, cent was made, for Johnston esesaY, the shaft
three hours, as calculated, before they were found
| but could not make himself heard. They went
back into the wsr&isg to wait nutil relief came;
but the three, overcome with their anxiety and
watching fell asleep, and were found so by fhe
| men who had been sent down to search for them.
| The men, though still weak, are doing well: but
some of them are now beginning to suffer q little
! pain from their long abstinence from food. There
is doubt that few days careful treatment viii
restore them to their wonted strength.