The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-05-17

The account of the imprisonment of the
coal miners in the Wyoming Valley, neal
Wilkesbarre, Penn, has already been pub
lished, together with some account of the
frantic labor of the population, who work
ed night and day TO rescue their fellows.
The story of the dreary watching for six
days and six nights, the fear of the flood
ing of the mine, despite the constant use OF
the pumps, the presence of the gas in large
quantities and the knowledge that the mine
had been OH fire at the west end, the day
succeeding the calamity, has never been adj
equately summarized. Seven mon were con-
fined in the mine from Wednesday morning
until o'clock Monday night.
We append from tho New York Herald
an account of the first tidings of the rescue:
1t was Just four minutes to 0 o'clock
when strong knocks in rapid succession
were heard upon the trap door that leads
to the dismal abyss. The utmost silence
prevailed. Men with bated breath awaited
the opening of the mouth of the messenger
| 1t might be voice freighted with excessive
| Joy; it might be weighed down with the
bitterest woe. Tho familiar head garb of
miner appeared at the hole. 1t was
Daniel Lewis, and he cried out, "They are
all alive!" Never have the rock-ribbed hills
| of Sugar Notch echoed with joy as they
did in response to this isintelligence. Huzzah
after huzzah was waited out on the atmos-
phere, and the people in the valley came
out of their houses and gazed up to the
place where the devoted men had been
laboring upward of six days IN succession
without stoppage for the rescue of their
fellow men. Speedy messengers were dis
patched to Ashley for physicians and re-
storatives. Miss Riley sister of one of the
rescued men, tainted. While men raised
their voices in exultation, women cried
with Joy and thanked God for the blessing.
Old Mr.. Green, upward of 20 years of age,
started off at once for his home with the
glad tidings. Despite his old age and in
irmities he bounded over the hills with
step as light as youths. There was rejoic-
ing all around, and all gave expression to
their feeling and congratulated one another
upon the result of their protracted search
''HERE THEY COME"
Hardly had the cheers died away before
another rap was heard at the trap-door, and
another miner came up with the shout upon
his tongue, "Here they comel' Twas
true, one after another of the imprisoned
men was helped through the trap. AS fast
as they come up they fell into the hands of
friends with unalloyed pleasure. The
meeting was one of those scenes that can
not be faithfully portrayed. To the friends
who had waited so long for their return it
seemed as if the dead had risen. The res
cued felt then, if never before, the bless
ings of friends and the gloriousness of
Cons sunlight. They were all strong and
healthy notwithstanding their long impris-
onment. They had heard the efforts of
their comrades on Thursday while blasting
the block of coal, and on that day killed
the mule, and prepared some of it to be
eaten. The air in the mine was good, and
the men were enabled to cook their mule
meat by fire. When they came up they
brought up some pieces of the meat and
the stones upon which it was cooked.