The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-29
ANOTHER HORROR !
A FIRE IN A COAL SHAFT.
Twenty.one Miners Rescued
Alive.
Sixteen Perished in the Mine.

PITrsToN, Pa, May 27-3 P. NJ
Black 4 Co.'S, shaft is on fire. Fifty
men are in the mine with no possible
way to get them out alive. Another
Avondale horror is inevitable. The
Nayang steamer is now on its way to
this place from Scranton to assist in
subduing the flames.
LATER.
PIrTsToN, May pa fire broke
out at 2 o'clock this afternoon at Blacks
mine in West Pttston, caused by a
heated journal at the top of the breaker.
The breaker was totally DESTROYED in
less than two hours. At the time the
fire broke out about sixty men were at
work in the mine. but a number have
since been taken out in safety, and now
there are thirty-seven men below, five
being Of one family and three of another.
The last time the carriage was let down
it came up empty. 1t is supposed the
signals had not been noticed. The scene
on the ground where large number Of
women and children have gathered
together is heart rendering.
$50 P. M.-The fire is almost out.
A log has been let down and after
remaining a few moments was drawn
up alive. The symptoms are more
favorable and it is hoped that some
lives may yet be saved.
9P. M.-The Superintendent Of the
mines has gone down for a distance OF
twenty feet and reports it COOL He has
strong hopes of being able to get the
men out if they are not drowned. The
mine will fill in twenty-four hours.
Steam engines are here from Scranton
and Wilkesbarre, but are doing but
little service on account Of the scarcity
of water.
lOP. M.-The mouth OF the shaft
is now clear, and it is expected that
number of bodies will be brought ont
by morning. Whether dead or alive,
however, none can tell. Thousands of
people are anxiously waiting for the
result.
1l:30 p. M.-Two men have just
been down the shaft a distance of 100
feet, and have returned safely. They
report that they think the men in the
mine are still alive. There is some
prospect of getting them out before day
light, and preparations are being hns'ly
made for that purpose.
PIrrsroN, Pa, May 2S.-Ihe excite
ment during all last night continued in
tense. At half-past twelve o'clock a
car which had been figged up reached
the bottom. At one o'clock the first
man came up alive. The next two
that were brought up were dead. The
car continued making the trips up and
down the mine as fast as men could be
found to 90 down until one o'clock this
afternoon, when the last man was
brought up. Although sixteen who
had been brought up ahead OF him
were dead, the last one was living:
There were 81 men left in the mine, and
all have been brought out Twenty.
one of them were brought up alive and
sixteen dead.
1t is thought that the deaths were
caused by suffocation, although some
assert that two or three Of them were
drowned. The men were found in the
extreme western portion Of the mine as
far back as they could get. Their sut-
ferings must have been terrible. MIR.
William Abbott, one of the Pennsylva-
MIA Coal Company's men says that when
he went down in the mine this morn
ing, he found that the water was but
three or four feet deep but the air was
so bad that it was only by the most
strenuous exertions that he was able TO
retain strength sufficient to get the men
out, He had two assistants who were
almost unable to aid him in the least.
The people here, while sorrowlng for
the deaths cannot help giving vent to
feelings OF thankfulness that so many
were saved. ,,
During the day people from Wilkes
barre, Plymouth, Scranton, Carbon,
dale and all the surrounding towns and
villages have visited the scene OF the
disaster, and it is thought the total
number of visitors has not been less
than ten or twelve thousand: 1t is
thought that several Of those who were
brought out alive cannot live, but all is
being done for them that is possible Tor
any human being TO do. AT the
Churches and Sunday Schools to-day
the attendance was so meagre that the
regular order of exerciss was not at
tempted. The feelings Of the comm,u-
nity can better be imagined than de-
scribed, and now that all anxiety for
those in the mines is past, every one
seems to be looking for the welfare OF
those living, yet so near death.