The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-03
A Heart-rending Scene in Mine.

A terrible accident has just occurred at
the Empire mine, near Scranton. Two
men, named John Mooney and Patrick
Quinn, were employed in slope laying
track, a distance of about two miles from
the other workmen. When they least
dreamed of danger there was sudden con-
vulsion overhead, and they were over
whelmed with fearful fall of roof. The
terrible accident put out their lights and
they were in utter darkness. Mooney,
after considerable difficulty, succeeded in
extricating himself from among the massive
boulders, which fell about him in such a
way as to form O sort of cave, and upon
freeing himself his first thought was for his
companion. He called aloud for Quinn, but
received no answer-only the echo of his
his own voice beaten back by the rocks.
He felt himself growing faint and realized
that he was very seriously injured, but was
determined to ascertain the condition of his
fellow miner. After calling aloud il; vain
for some time he CROPPED about in the dismal
place among the rocks hoping to find Quinn
fearing that he was dead. AT length he
touched him, but the poor fellow was pin
ned fast by big bowlder which lay upon
one of his mangled legs. The other leg
had been completely severed from the body
by the fall. To release him was hard
task, but Mooney, forgetting his own in
iuries, set about the work with will, and
succeeded in setting Quinn free.
How to carry him to the light of day was
the next trial, but he was determined to do
it; and, taking him upon his back, he began
cropping his way through the pitchy dark
ness in the direction of what he consider
ed was the foot of the slope. For two
hours he wandered about his living tomb,
with his dying comrade on his back, moan
ing in the most piteous manner. The stu
alton was awful, and after roaming thus
for long time Mooney was disheartened to
find that he had come back to the same
point from which he had set out, and
where the accident occurred. He summon
ed up his fast fading strength and made
another effort, still tak.og Quinn on his
back, but after proceeding short distance
| he grew faint, and was unsble to go further
with his burden. Then laying the dying
man down in as comfortable position as
he could, Mooney crawled on his hands and
knees toward what he thought was the
slope. A party of miners, while proceed
ing down a slope, were startled by the APP
partition which their lamps revealed. 1t
was Mooney crawling slowly up the slope
| on his hands and knees, his face black and
bloody. and his whole body sore from con-
tact with the jagged pieces of coal and rock.
| His eyes were at first daZzled by the light
he had been in darkness so long and trying
to see, and he was speechless with joy fol
some seconds to find relief at last
This was eight hours after the accident
happened, and they were eight hours o.
mortal agony. AS soon as Mooney found
words to speak he related the story in brief
and begged the party to hasten to the as
sstance of Quinn, who might yet be saved
They hurried to the spot indicated aDd
found the unfortunate fellow in the condi
ton already described, with one leg severed
from his body and the other crushed tc
pieces. He was still alive, and they tool
him up in their arms to carry him to thu
slope, but he never reached it alive. Ht
died in the arms of his comrades. Mooney
who is severely wounded is expected to re
cover. He played the part of hero in thu
unselfish manner in which he risked his owl
life trying to save his comrade.