New-York tribune., 1877-05-03

the peTllOuS feat or redcnlng INC opening hoh
the main shaft through half a mile OF water
and it was afterward ascertained that one OF
the men within had tried to escape In the
same way. This, however, was impossible. IL
was not until Monday, the fifth day, that the
volunteers were able to begin digging. The
distance to be cut was 100 feet. Inc Work
went en- day and night with an eagerness that
seemed like desperation, and yet 1t was so
slow. Cutting through the solid coal,
i'm a gallery not more than three 1eet
high, where The water, only kept down by
constant pumping, threatened every moment
TO rise and engulf them, with trouble from gas
and the danger of another explosion OF AR
always before them, the rescue parties took
their lives in their hand whenever they went
into the mine and their wives followed them
with sad eyes as 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 n fOrlOrn
one. To reduce the danger from the sudden
liberation of the air-danger not only OF a
violent explosion but Of sudden rise OF the
water in the chamber as soon as the pressure
should Ee relicvcd-air-tight doors were
constructed in the cutting, and an alr-pump
was set in operation to establish an equl-
liblium on both sides of the wall. On the
18Th, week after the accident, voices were
heard, and the working party were cheered by
faint cry, ." Keep to the right side, you are
Z" nearly through 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 sue
cess. TO Introduce milk through it to the fam
isbing prisoners. The miners learned then that
there were five of their comrades in the cham
Der. all alive, but two Of them nearly eX-
hausted.
On the night of the 10Th there remained
only eighteen inches to be cut away, and the
excitement rose to fever heat. An enormous
asscmblago OF people surrounded lhe mouth ol
the mine; physicians were in readiness; tenn
porary hospital was prepared, and house near
by WAS put in order for the sufferers, If haply
they should be got out alive. The state OF the
work was discussed in Parliament, and buile-
tins were flashed at short intervals to the fur
tbest ends of the Kingdom. But just when it
seemed that few strokes of the pick might
complete the labor, an eruption of Gas took
place, and tho working party had to
run for their lives. In time, however,
The air was renewed and the work went
on. At last, on the afternoon OF FIJI
dav, toe 20th Il hole was knocked in, and
one of the cutting party entered the cavern.
All WIS still; in their weak condition the
agitation of the moment made the imprisoned
men specchless. The rescucr felt about, and,
not finding any one shouted, "DOn't be
"afraid.n The answer came, 'All right; we
q. L ,,I n IN If
arms were thrown about his neck. The first
to be taken ont was IL boy named Hughes, and
If is related that when the ear came 20 the
surface and the long suspense was over, the
vast crowd of spectators did not cheer, nor
use any of the ordinary means of showing
enthusiasm all seemed too serious for that"
Cases of life preserved without food for ten
days, and even longer, are not rare, though
the period of abstinence which these Welsh
miners endured is considered the longest which
man is capable Of sustaining under ordinary
conditions. They were able to drink the dirty
water in the mine, and water, it is we'll known, |
has a great influence in retarding the effects |
Of starvation. They obtained a little sustcnance
also by sucking the grease that stuck to the |
bottoms Of their candle boxes, but they ate
nothing during thc whole ten days. Still they
retained 50 much strength that when the iron
p.pe was pushed through the wall and the water
began TO rise in consequence of the escape Of the
air they were able promptly to plug mp the
apcrturc and one of the men even wished to
walk when be was taken out, but The doctors
refused to let him. There was only one Of
the five about whose recovery any doubt was
expressed at the date of our last adyices.
There are still four men to be accounted for
out of the fourteen who failed to make their
escape when the waters broke through, and
these are undoubtedly drowned.
The abuse heretofore exposed in The TRIBUNE as
,,t nc tie traffic in DOstaee s(ampS Is but a