Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1877-05-12
Il Story Of a Welsh Colliery.

IRE men were on the point of leaving
the Tynewydd mine, near Pontypridd,
the roar of rushing water was heard
and the galleries and tunnels began to
fill. The water had broken through
from an abandoned and flooded mine,
and Of course rose IN the main shaft
and the lateral workings until it found
its level. Most of the men made their
escape but when the roll was called
fourteen were missing. An exploring
party went down to look for them
They found all the galleries within a
few hundred yards Of the bottom FL
led to TIE roof, but a knocking behind
the wall of coal indicated that some
of the missing men were imprisoned
alive in a gallery which sloped up
ward, its mouth being under water
The wall was few yards thick. Vol
unteers went ont with their picks !;
the prisoners worked from within in
few hours they could hear one an
others voices But the moment a
hole was broken through, the confined
air, kept under such great pressure by
/ the rising water, burst out with ter
rife explosion, and one of the impris-
oned miners was shot into the open
ing as if he had been blown out Of a
gun. He was taken out dead. Four
others in the chamber with him were
rescued uniJured. Knockings, how
ever We're heard further on, and it
/ arpetleI that other missing men were
in 1t similar but still worse Iredica-
/ nent-shul into chamber of com
pres, ed air 1t is with the efforts to
release the second party that the story
begins.
The wall behind which they were
confined was in q healing that was
flooded and nothing could be done
with the pick until the water had been
pumped out Drivers first attempted
the perllous feat Of reaching the open
Tag troln the main shaft through
half a mile of water, and it was after
ward asctrtained that one Of the men
within had tried to escape in the same
way. Thi. however, was in possible
1t Was not until Monday, the fifth day,
that the volunteers were able to begin
digging. The work went on day and
night with an eagerAess that seemed
like desperation, and yet it was so
slow! Cutting through solid coal, in
q gallery not more than three feet high,
where the water, only kept down by
constant pumping, threatened every
moment 10 rise and engulf them, with
trouble from gas and the danger of an
other explosion of air always before
them, the rescue parties took their
lives in their hands whenever they
went into the nlne, and their wives
followed them with sad eyes ss they
entered the shaft. doubling if they
would come up alive. And the hope
Of saving their comrades, shut up so
long without food, was at best but a
forlorn one. TO reduce the danger
from the sudden liberation of the air
danger not only OF a violent explo-
sion but of sudden rise of the water
in the chamber as soon as the pressure
should be relieved-alrtight doors
were constructed in the the cutting,
and an air pump was set in operation
to establish AN equilibrium on both
sides of the wall. On the eighteenth,
a week after the accident, voices We're
heard, and the working party were
cheered by a faint cry Keep to the
right side, you are nearly through y
| On the 18th the work had made such
progress that an iron tube was forced
eight feet through the barrier of
coal, and an attempt was made, but
without success, to introduce milk
through it to the furnishing prisoners.
The miners learned then that there
were five of their comrades in the
chamber, all alive but two of them
nearly exhausted.
On the night of the 10Th there re-
manned only eighteen inches to he
cut away, aud the excitement rose to
,ever heat. An enormous assemblage
oi people surrounded the moui h OF the
ulHe; rhysicians were in readiness ;
It temporary hospital Was prepared,
and u house nea: by Was put i'll order
Ter r1ie sutcrcrs, il happily they should
be got ont alive. I he state of the
work was discussed in Parliament,
aad bulletins We're flashed at short in
lervals o the furthest ends of the king
dom. But just when it seemed that
few strokes of the pick might CON-
pi5te the labor, an eruption took place
and the working party had to run for
their lives. In time, however, the aiE
Was renewed and the work went on
1T last, on the afterno N Of Friday,
the both, hole was knocked in, and
one Of the cutting party entered the
cavern. All Was still; in their weak
condition the agitation Of the moment
made the imprisoned men speechless.
| I he Iescuel felt about, and, not find
ing any one, shouted, Don't be
afraid The answer came, "All
| III ht we are not afraid" and then a
pair of rough arms were thrown
about his neck. The first to be taken
out was a boy named Hughes, and it
is related that when the car came to
the surface and the long suspense was
over the vast crowd Of spectators did
rot cheer, nor use any OF the ordina-