The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-05

GRRAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND LOSS
OF ONE LIFE AT PINE BROOK coLLIEnY-A
REMARKABLE ESCAPE or TIE, MINERS OF
FAIRLAwN NINE.
lex TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
SCRANTON, Pa, Sept. 4. 1878.
A terrific thunder storm, accompanied ny lightning
and ram, prevailed in this section last night
and this morning, causing considerable havoc along
the stream; cuiverts and bridges were swept away,
housss overturned, trees torn from the emban s
and several families whose houses lad been flooded
narrowly escaped. The most destructive feature
OF the storm was the flooding OF Fairlawp
and Fine Brook mines this afternoon. The Pho
Brook, which The mouth OF slope leading
10 Fairlawn colIicry. broke from its bounds, aud.
rising hcighth OF fifteen feet from It's ordinary
leve, tore away tresting and embankncnt aud swept
like a torrent into tue mine, whero about Atty men
were at work. An immense lake which had co lccted
the h.ts near tho coliery found vent In
rushing into the slope. carrying driftwood and
debris OF all kinds Ia It's wnke and producing thrill
log scene. People ran from their houses in dismay
they ihodg OF tho tate Of their friends, 800
below The The news sDread like wildhre and
hundreds were soon Mt the scene looking In helpless
despair NJ the roaring Hood that dashed the
MINERS ESCAPED.
Tho suspense intensified when 1t was thought
that there was other means OF escape for the i'm
prisoned miners: but relief cam0 at last About a
quarter OF u mile from where the river ran down tho
sope cou pie OF miners emerged through small hole
IN tho grmy hlllsice, ana bore tho joyful
tidings that tney thought most OF their companions
would escape from the iiood rney know not what TO
do when they first f0und the mino 1lllns rapidly,
and unable TO estimate tho extent OF tho cx,as
trophe; but they soon learned that escape by tho
slope, which formed the regular means OF oxrcss,
Impossible The rush OF waters. bearing mine Of
railroad ties and lumber OF various kinds through the
oiA the '' men and boys with In terror and
produced panic, as they spashsd up
TO their arms In the eacnerous current, that swept
along with groat velocity. Al last some OF tho
experienced led tho way to an opening communicat-
ing with The Pine Brook coliiery of the Lackswanna
Iron and Coal Company. Through this they managed
TO reach the muieway, from which they emerged II
many hours TO calm the fears OF those having
friends IN Fnrlawn mine, and rumors o, the widest
nature set anoat AS TO The number OF lives lost
THE PINE BROOK coLLIKRr
The same cause to winch tho FalrIawn mon owed
their escape carried death ana destruction into the
adj cent Pine Brook cOlliery The lator being on
lower level The 1ood after ravcrspg the otoer nine
swept Ia the direction OF what ID known a. tho dip,
whero = number OF men were al work. They heard
grew very much alarmod Thoy were not kept in sus-
Depsc long. The dark, cold current soon reached
them and he scene which followed Is ihdescripabls
Tho pan cstricken miners cried out with fear ana
tenstneo the tcrrors OF tho gloom.
STRUGGLE IIyR.
A pump runner named oh Davis working alone In
tho slower DIP" heard the crics OF hts comrades
with dismay, started up; the food thon upon
hun. He did havc time snatch mis- coat and
watch, close oy, but breasted swift current for
dear life. HIS dog, which no kept IN the mine i0!-
lowed closely, but was swept away. aud o. various
times Davis had 10 grasp the jagged sides OF the tun
mel TO prevent bain2 swept on hisfceI Another dan
COR presented In the rising of the railroad Tho
surface Of tho current, ties and rails are usually
laid loosely In the mno nad these hoated In the Hood
Several times the werc forced TO dive 10 escape
somc obstacle, ana reach the foot OF the midway al
ready alluded TO. Tho most awful advsntnrc OF all
was that Of John H. Davis who with Two driver boys
named roes'er and Fasoh, and an old man named
Busche struggled up to the slope wpero the food
strongest On several occasions he was almost
powered by the obstacles striking against him
tho swi.t current, but he stood bravely
by MS charge while struggling 10 cscaps
tangled mass Of ties and dritwooi.
frankie Fasold was swep, IRON bis grasp and
red back In tho darkness, where hts crics Tor hcip
sined n the water Mr.. DAVIS was power
loss to render The poor boy any sssisanee anu ne
lost All tho ohors. inr as can nov be ascoraincd,
made their escape II was sad To see Inc mother OF
the missing boy asking the crowd at the mouth OF
led away In great distress, aad At hslf-pass tour
O'Clock the body OF tho boy was brought up by Nine
Inspector Jones Reese urn'sns Reese Dsooks sna
found body 400 fcot from tho loot OF tho slope.
where tho boy had boon caught In the railroad track
NARROW ESCAPES.
Among the families narrowly escaping tho snecrs
OF tue food roar sho mouth OF the minc was that OF
william Thomas, whose WHO and children had barely
time to run up siairs when tho rose almost
reached tho ceiling on tho hrst hoor. man named
Giltoy swan TO thsir assstance aud sncccedsd In
cu'pg them. others were compelled TO run from
their houses and ioavo Their furniture TO the food
PAlRLAwx MINI DAMAGKD.
Tho damage done to tho Fairiawn minc, which 10
worked by Hos,e sons, IL great. IL Will DO IN
working order again tor long time.
OTHER MINES
An effort, partially successful. was made this atcr-
tho current oil the Pine Brook into another
or apneI The water has almost subsidized and caunct
Tho Pine Brook MAE, although considerably dam.
sgsa by tns nood, can be plsced Ia working order
shortly.
Jermyn's mine 10 also slightly flooded, ana mum.
ber OF accidents Of lesser nature reported all
round the city.