The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-05-06
A Marvellous Rescue.

Yesterday the rescuing party succeeded
iu drilling hole through to the lower part
of the mine, thus showing that 1t was only
necessary to drive a few feet further to
effect an opening into the gapgway. Work
was then necessarily performed slowly and
carefully, as there were indications of fire
damp, which necessitated the driving and
cutting of the coal with the pick alone.
The opening was effected at eight o'clock,
aud Mine Superintendent Smith was the
first to enter. He found portion Of the
men cooking breakfast of mule steaks,
taken from the mule which the boy who
was sent TO warn them of the impending
disaster had fortunately taken with him,
and which was killed on the second day of
their confinement.
The balance of the party was engaged in
changing the direction of an air course.
Very little was said, and the entire party
used all possible dispatch in getting out of
the mine, reaching the surface shortly after
9 o'clock. The crowd that had assembled
,cheered the rescued men and their plucky
deliperers.
The men were then sent to their homes.
They state that during Saturday and Sun
day they could hear the rescuing party
firing blasts, and when the blasting ceased
they believed that the work had been
stopped, and that they were abandoned to
their fate, They also say they could have
subsisted at least two weeks longer, had it
been necessary, upon their supply of jerked
mule meat.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to
the brave men who accomplished the great
work of driving and timbering passage
way of |, 200 feet through rock, slate and
coal in the space of four days and nights;
to the bosses directing the work and to the
engineering skill displayed in locating and
directing the openings.
The men when released had been con-
lined Ave and a half days. They stood the
long confinement very we'll. The boy,
upon reaching the surface, leaped over the
enclosure at the mouth of the opening and
ran rapidly homeward.
[The following are the names of the
miners who survived this remarkable catas-
trophe William Hawkins, Edward Price,
Patrick Green, John Green, Barney Riley,
John Clark, door boy, and William NJ Kin
ney, driver boy. The mine in which they
were imprisoned was leased by the Central
Railroad Of New Jersey, and was operated
,by the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre coal COM
,pany, of which Charles Parish is president.
1t is known as No. 10 slope, and is situated
at Sugar Notch, about three miles from
Wilkesbarre. 1t has been known among
the miners of the region as very danger
GUS place by reason of the insecure roof.
Gas has also been known to accumulate in
certain sections of the mine in great guam
titles. But one vein is being worked,
which crops out on the hillside, but which
bends downward in the form of basin.
1t was at the bottom of the basin, 1900
new gangway was projected, and the men
were employed night and day in pushing it
to completion in order to open up new
breasts and chambers. 1t was something
like mile from the foot of the slope, but
large fan, driven by a powerful engine,
dissipated the gases, and reduced the dan
ger from this source to minimum. But
for several days preceding the disaster
there were marked indications of danger
from another source. Creaking sounds
we're heard through the abandoned cham
Sers the pillars cracked and bulged out
and there were other warnings that should
have been needed. At II p. NJ, on Tues.
day, the men entered the mine to work
out the night shift beginning at that time.
A few moments after three o'clock foui
men who were coming out of the mine
found about car load of coal in theii
path. They notified the two boys, who
started at once to warn the five men al
work at the head of the gangway, half g
mile distant. A few moments after the
boys started, came fall of rock, which
effectually shut i'll the whole party o.
seven. A large force of men were at oncs
put to work sinking three different pas.
sages to strike the gangway. They hav,
worked day and night since, the hope 0
reaching and rescuing alive the imprisoned
miners becoming fainter with each hour
delay. The belief that there was at leas
four feet of water in the gangway in whicl
the miners were imprisoned tended to in
crease the anxiety in their behalf, but tn
pumps were kept steadily at work and tn
danger from this source thus steadil
diminished
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, April 2S. = On