The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-26
GOLD Hill
Particulars of the Terrible Calamity
at the Mines Baked in the Red
Hot Shafts Scenes Below
the Surface Grief of
Wives and Children.

fSo'a the Virginia (NerddG) EiltoypTtae, Apr} G.
As it known that the mines were on
nre, and that large number of miners were inn
pfsoned below, the most intense excitement pre-
vailed, both in Gold Hill and this city. The wives,
children and relatives of the lost nocked to the
such as local to cause tears to course down the
cheeks of the most stort-hearted. Father
NonOgue and several other Catholic clergymen
did ali that could be done to comfort the weeping
women and children, but even the reverend fathers
The poor women with their weeping children
clingfhg about them, stood about with hands casped
rocking themselves TO and fro yet scarcely uttering
an audible sob-they seemed perfectly astounded and
overwhelmed at the suddenness and awfnness of the
calamity. Turn where they would there was comfort
for them At the Yellow Jacket, all but one man
known to be below had been brought up dead, yet
no smoke issued from the shaft, While at Kentuck
and Crown Point shafts there arose thick and
sitting column OF smoke, mingled with the pungeut
gases generated from the burning wood and heated
ores below. No person who stood at the mouth OF
either OF these shafts and experienced the choking
effect of the smoke and gases issuing from below,
could for moment entertain the slightest
the mine could be alive yet wives ana
thing and in every direction almost super
BY closing up the shafts and turning down into them
the steam from the several hosting works, the fire
but to do this almost equivalent TO say that all
are dead below-and would, indeed, have been death
to any that might have been hving-besides the
order would have drawn from all present at all
interested in the fate of those below such wall
no one would wish TO hear
No one could have lived to descend twenty feet
into either the Crown Point Kentuck shafts, but
the Yellow jacket shaft being cooler, the gallant
fremen and equally gallant miners descended 1t and
bravely began the battle with the fire. long string
OF hose was attached to hydrant on Main street
and carried down to the 500 feet level, when the
work began. The fremen would advance as far as
possible, eXtnguishing the burning timbers, and
when cave occurred or the timbers seemed about
to give way the water would be shut off and the
miners would go to the front and make all secure.
The walls OF the tunnels heated that it
was very frequently found necessary to fall back
even after the burning tmbers had been eXtngulshed
and play the stream upon the rock in order to cool it
down, and in places water nearly boiling hot stood to
the depth of two or three inches on the floor Of the
tunnel Then the air was bad, and with the steam
and gases almost sufiocatng, it was found necessary
to lead an air-pipe from the main pipe OF the blower
ring this fight several caves occurred; when the
miners came to the rescue and when the ground
was made secure, the firemen would again 90 for
ward with their stream 1t was such work as few
firemen in the United States have ever undertaken,
and such as none but the firemen Of mining coun-
try could have DONE
SCENES BELOW THE SURFACE.
Some OF those who were below, and who were
escrpons of the scenes Which ocurreS far DOWN
in the drifts Of the lower levels. All agree in saying
suddenly s % and tina that at6oHgh 9 they they rushed ' at
once for the shaft there We're many who sank
crowded upon the cage that it was detained
nearly hye minutes the statlon,man fearing
men We're in danger of being torn to pieces. young
man who came up on that cage told us it was the
most fearful moment or his life. one man, unable
TO find stand upright, crawled upon the cage,
and thrusting his head between our nformants legs,
begged to be allowed to remain there and go up. AS
the cage ascended those left behind were heard to
throw themselves into the shaft, and some were
heard falling back on the noors. Another young man
told us that in rushing for the shaft it suddenly
occurred TO him that he might fail into it, when
he got down and crawled upon his hands and knees
feeling his way. till he knew he had reached the
shaft While lying at the shaft he says that three or
four men came running from behind, and pitched
headlong into the shaft AT one lowering of the cage
man, who went down to rescue the sufferers, md
ing that there were more persons below than could
be brought up that trip, himself got of into the DRIFT
and put on board young man who was so suffo-
Gated that he hardly able to stand. We were
unable to learn the name OF this man, but were
safe and sound.
FIREMEN UNDERGROUND.
This is strange country and strange things occur
here giving rise to strange necessities; but our peo
pie are equal to all the requirements OF the sltua-
ton," as was well proven yesterday. We have above
given it opinion that few iremen in any part
of the United States would have had the heart to
'tacken fire 500 1000 feet below the surface of
the earth, and we now wish to state that all did
their duty most cheerfully, even striving to be
allowed to go below. 1t was comical to see
the ''shfts"-for they frequently changed-of
five laddies with their big hats on going down
stream Kept in the s00feet level all day, and
about9 O'Clock at night, as 1t was found the fire
rising, q second stream was put on at the 700-feet
level. The fire finally so far subdued as we
learned about ~ O'Clock last night, that the work
men were able to reach the bodies of some of the
unfortunates who lost their lives by this terrible
accident, We understand that number of bodies
were brought to the surface about II O'Clock, and
feet level. The fire was not yet out though about
conquered. This is the greatest mining calamity
that has occurred the Pacific coast, or in any
mines in the United States.