The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-10-15

paper, took it out and found that it was
the sketch of that portion of the mine.
We felt that this little drawing was
our salvation, for without it we would
have been working bindly. After
close examination vi it, we determined
just where to start, in order to cut into
an air-hole, which was thirty feet away,
through solid coal.
After having decided upon the spot,
we began work Immediately. Only one
could work at time, and as we were
each to work fifteen minutes, in order
to tell when the time would be up, the
superintendent looked at his watch.
twelve. He said, "I thought it was
later, as it must have been almost that
when we began our dinner"
The boss responded, "Is it noon, or
night ?"
"Noon, of course )" answered the
superintendent.
We thought for time by way of de-
termining, when the boss said "Have
you watch-key?" "Yes."
"Then wind up your watch and you
can tell" The superintendent did so,
and found that his watch was almost
run down.
We looked at each other in silence.
Gould it be that we had been there
twelve hours, and no help come to us
1t must be?
1t seemed strange that we had not
yet felt the pangs of hunger but now,
our attention being called to the fact
that we had eaten nothing all day, we
| turned toward our dinner-cans with a
good appetite. We ate sparingly, how
ever, for the reason that the period of
| our immurement seemed very uncer-
tain. No thirst was felt because of the
| dampness of the air in the mine. Thus
reinvigorated, we started again at our
work, and ere long had the satisfaction
of seeing that we had made about ten
feet of progress.
While was resting and waiting my
turn with the pick, heard a confused
squealing in the lower part of the
"breast." We stopped work and looked
in that direction, and saw, to our as
tonishment, rats in great numbers,
making their way through the inter-
stices of the loose coal.
We thought at first that they had in
some way ascertained our condition,
and intended making raid on us en-
naaSse, but O moments observation
dispelled this idea, for they appeared
cowed and frightened, and, instead of
showing fight, sought seclusion under
Jumps of coal.
For moment the superintendent
looked thoughtful, then grave, then, in
utter agony muttered: "the water is
rising-we're lost |"
We stared at each other in mute de.
spair. What the thoughts of the rest
were 1 cannot tell, but my own life and
actions went into panorama beforeimy
mental vision. Sins of omission and
commission passed by in torrent, and
my offences magnified themselves, and
their blackness and size overshadowed
the good acts I had done, blotting then,
our completely.
The superintendent, thinking audi
bly,, murmured, "My wife, my child =
and we heard a deep sigh from the
boss. We turned to look at the latter,
and as we did so he fell on his face, the
blood gushed fro m under the bandage
in a stream. Hurriedly lifting him we
tried to staunch the wound, but in vain;
tie it no matter how tightly, the blood
oozed through the handkerchief. The
condensed air of the chamber forced il
from his body, and his face, which had
been livid, became pallid and wax-like,
and his pulse ceased to beat.
He was dead
The superintendent looked at his
watch. 1t had stopped. He shook il
and found that it had run down. Had
another twenty-four hours passed? II
was insupportable, this death in life.
Was there no hope for us?
We refilled our lamps, exhausted the
oil in the bottle, and with brains reel
ing and blood gushing from our finger
ends, again attacked the coal.
Hark Was not that sound We
listened and heard it again, and rap
ped back vigorously. It had CHANGED
that, for some time previously, had
been trying to learn telegraphy on the
Morse instrument, of the operator al
our Office, and I suppose that, unknow
ingly, 1, in my tapping, had made use
of their signal of "attention. The
same familiar tap-tap-tap tap-taI
was returned, and I saw at once thai
my instructor must be among those
outside.
raped: els there any hope fol
us ?" He answered "We'll try tc
save you; raincloud burst over the
shaft deluging it with water, and one o.
the boilers shortly afterward exploded
blowing up the engine house." How
did you get in ?" I asked. "We are
in an airhole which communicates will
the surface" "What time is it p
"Three o'clock, Sunday morning"
| IT, 10 lo -, IL
Would We escape?
A short silence, and he raped
Chow far above the water are yoI
working ?" turned to look. 1t wa
within five feet of us. The condensed
air was exhausting our strength ou
lamps gave a final flicker and burnt out
reached down for water to battle IN,
throbbing temples and felt something
soft resisting. 1t was the body of tn
Boss. 1 drew back with shudder. 1
rat crawled up my leg; it made m.
blood curdle.
1 put my hand towards the waite
again and felt several rats floating; tn
air, with pressure of at least three at
mospheres, had killed them.
And now we heard the sound of pick
and bars on the other side. They ha'
sent outside for them. 1t re-inspirite'
us and we worked for life.
The water was within three feet of us
They soon signaled from the other sid
that they were going to blast. We await
ed the shock and could almost hear th
fzzing of the fuse.
Crash !'-the thunder nearl
deafened me.
I called the superintendent by name