Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-16

: The.poor fellows must have perishe
with hunger, for they only took on
: loaf of bread with them into the mine
Shut mp in the confined space, de
prived of resplrable air, they mus
have long waited the moment of pre-
servatiOn with q holy resignation
then, aware that the light Of da,
would never shine upon them more
they had themselves arranged thei
own funeral, and in their lingering
agony had, In some measure, studied
to die decently. Their lamps weri
found still full of oil, hooked on, to 1
wagon. More than once the miner.
lamp, which in some localities re
minds one of the sepulchral lamp o
the ancients, has in this way done Jus
tice to its form"
| THE SHAFT AT MARLFs.
At Marles, in the Pas de Calais,
/ there was a similar accident. D
which was not a fatality owning TO
what will seem, to those acquainted
with mines and miners, q miraculous
provision on the part of the engineer.
He had observed the dangers arising
from the weakness of the woodwork
of the shaft, and had withdrawn all
the workers, numbering some 900.
The Y horses employed were left be-
hind. After vain attempts to prevent
the catastrophe by repairing the weak
walls, 1t finally occurred. M. Glepin,
the constructing engineer, who at
tempted to ward of the destruction Of
the shaft, describes his feelings while
suspended in It for the purpose of
making an examination. 81 have
lived ten years in quarter OF an hour;
my hair turned white in this peril0us
descent, which shall never forget a.
long rs live" No lives were lost
there, but what would have been the
result If an Inspiration, as It would
seem, had not directed the engineers
attention to the weakness Of the side
Of the shaitP
A TRICMPH 0F SCIENCE.
Somewhat analogous to these har-
rowing disasters WAS another which
threatened to be fatal, but which,
owing to the energy and scientific
skill Of those out of the mine, was
fortunately nothing more than a Sc
we're lesson to those who were tempo
rarily caught by their own criminal
careleSsneS5. It may be lesson to
others. Some thirty years ago, in the
collleries of the Loire, party of
miners were driving in the direction
of the old workings. The levels were
driven careleSsly, and without any
precautions to secure them. The result
was that the water fraIG the old work
ings rushed in upon them. They ran
up an inclined gallery, and were thus
saved from drowning, hat there was
no exit to the gallery, and the water
was rising to where they were. Al
though il was doubtful 10 fhH-s-S above
their companions were dead
-sutfOcated or drowned-Or, happily,
alive, efforts were Immediately made
20 Rescue them. Here 1t was that the
scientific working of the mine proved
OF such mighty advantage. The sur
Veys Of the mine had been well exc
cuted, and furnished "a ground plan
and vertical section OF the workings.
The plan gave the precise position of
the stall in which the miners were
working, a9d consequently OF the
sheltef which they might have sought |
The section, on the other hand, made
known the vertical depth of this
point from the surface, and therefore /
tile degree Of inclination between a /
given spot and the place of refuge. /.
The remedy, therefore, was to drive
4 gallery in the direction of the sup
posed point. Blows were struck up /.
On the rock as signal TO those with I
In. No answer was at first heard, nut
. flor Soma fiTna y 4, inf GnonLgiror car.,a &
in r8r3N. At last even voices were (
heard III the distance. The baFeF was /
then brought into use. 1t soon en-
ahled those outside 10 ascertain that 4
those within were all alive, and that /
they wanted light aud air. By means /
Of the bOrer they got both, and after I
/ while even ssiiin tube was passed !
1n"%F1, through which bOantiful /.
supply Of both vas poured into the
mouths of the famished miners. AT I
last they were released. They had |
eaten their candles and leather straps,
yet their first prayer was for light, /
and not for food. NJ. Simonin's !
Dwn teacher, NJ. Duhaut, had assisted 4
IT this rescue. NJ. SimOnfR tells of /
another such accident and rescue, in /
which the rescuers worked 50 earn /
astly that In three days they removed /
Is much rock as would have taken a 1
labor under ordinary circum- /
three bottled up" in the mine, OF /
these, two were rescued.
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
These men gave the most exact de
tails Of their terrible experience. |
They were at work In heading when I
The water was was heard coming +.
in upon them. They then ran TO the /
upper end Of the gallery, which was q
narrow, slippery place, being much |
inclined. VITA their hands and the .
book OF their lamps they dug a place .
in the shale to SIT down In. The /.
water reached to their feet and they I
were In a sort of bell in which the
was compressed four times !
more than the external air. The /
usual seqsati0ns In such circum- I
stalles were felt. They lost their
voices and felt singing In their ears.
AT last their lamps went out and they
were in darkness. They signalled ON /
the side of the gallery With their (
boots, but they had knocked for (
twenty-four hours before they were
heard. Nevertheless, they felt satis- /
ied that help would come at last, and
the oldest of the three shed tears of
Oy; but, as tate would have it, he
never lived to enjoy again the light OF
lay. Another, maddened with thirst,
descended into the level with the
water up to his arm-pits, in an effort
70 make his way through the rubbish.
The Youngest, who was but a lad of
seventeen, frequently fell asleep, and
vas only saved from drowning by his
holding him. At one
lime they heard the noise OF the
used by the reScuers, this
hey supposed was the rush OF the
waters, and despaired. The old man,
y ho had bee MOST actlvein his efforts,
was overcome by them. He lost his
hold, slipped into the water, and was
drowned without moving limb or
altering a cry. " Frozen with h0r-
-or, held motionless in their places,
he two Others dared not 90 down 10
ais assistance, even to raise his head. "
The man overcome with thirst went
iown afterwards to take drink, but
.ouching the dead body, he shrank
back again. His feelings must have
been like that of others who, on
similar occasion, said that drinking
he water seemed to them like drink
ng the blood of their drowned COM
-ades. At last this man was driven
ielirious, but help eventually came,
and the two living men were rescued.
m ., Lod M aanSafs0n of time. fhox, ]