Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-09

Thrilling and Fatal Adventure of a
Pair of Pennsylvania Miners--Carry-
ing Dying COlnrade Toward the
Light of Daylight Hours of Mortal
Agony.
A most heart-rending accident occur
red at the Empire mine in the vicinity of
Scranton, Pa, recently. Two men,
named John Mooney and Patrick Quinn,
were employed in No. slope, laying
track, distance of about two miles from
the opening, and a mile from the other
workmen When they least dreamed of
danger, there was sudden CONFUSION
overheard, and an instant later they were
overwhelmed by 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 powders which fell
about him in such a way as to form
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 own
voice beaten back by the rocks. He felt
himself growing faint, and realized that
he was seriously injured but was deter
mined to ascertain the condition of his
fellow miner. After calling aloud in
vain for some time he CROPPED about in
the dismal place among the rocks, hoping
to find Quinn and fearing that he was
dead. At length he touched him, but
the poor fellow was pinned 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 injuries,
set about the work with a will and sue
ceeded in getting Quinn free.
How to carry him to the light of day
was the next trial, but he was deter
mined to do it; and, taking him upon
his back, he began cropping his way
through the pitchy darkness in the direc-
ton of what he considered was the foot
of the slope. For two hours he wander
ed about the living tomb, with his dying
comrade on his back moaning in the
most piteous manner The situation
was awful, and after roaming thus for a
long time poor Mooney was disheaI tened
to find that he had come back to the
very point from which he had set out,
and where the accident occurred. He
summoned up his last failing strength
and made another effort, still taking
Quinn on his back, but after proceeding
a short distance he grew faint, and was
unable to go further with his precious
burden. Then laying the dying man
down in as comfortable a position as he
could, Mooney crawled on his hands and
knees toward what he thought was the
slope. At 81 o'clock a party of miners,
while proceeding down No. 5 slope, were
startled by. the apparition which their
lamps revealed. It was Mooney crawl
ing slowly up the slope on his hands and
knees, his face black and bloody, and his
whole body sore from contact 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 speeches. with Joy for.
some seconds to find relief at last. .a
This was eight hours after the accident
had happened, and they were eight hours
of awful mortal agony. A soon as
Mooney found words to speak he related
the story in brief, and begged the party
to hasten to the assistance of Quinn, who
might yet be saved. ago. soi 81
They hurried to the spot indicated and
found the unfortunate fellow in the con-
dition already described, with one leg
severed from his body and the other
crushed to pieces. He was still alive,
and they took him up in his arms to car
ry him to the, slope, but he never reach
ed it alive. He died in the arms Of his
comrades. Mooney who is severely
wounded, is expected to recover. He
played the part of hero in the unselfsh
manner in which he risked his own life
trying to save his comrade. -, ,.