The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-01-23
tbe nit and sbe returninr home.

master of the hour. By three O'Clock the
new drill. was flushed, and by night the
rescue drift had advanced five hundred and
thirty -fnur ires. q drcided gain on the Srst
day. So much for Reinforcement Of one
nian. The men who toiled IN the dark and
narrow heading, worked with twice the
energy when directed by the young en-
gineer.
Still he could not keep away from tine
town, and he went back regularly to his
meals. Mara was all attention, yet with
It all, was a certain fearful anxiety that
evidently came from his refusal TO take
her down the pit. He asked her pardon,
and she smiled and said 1t was of no con-
sequence. He now felt sure that he truly
loved her. How could he help 1t, when she
so plainly loved him ? Besides, was not
his rising fame, now flown over the whole
land, sure 10 win him home that would
be worthy Of her?
BY midnight, the drift had advanced
700 feet from the slope and downward
seventy one feet, as the drift was sunk on
an incline Of ten feet in 100. Work was
then stopped for the purpose of drilling
through the remaining 100 feet TO the i'm.
prisoned men, Ia uraeI That food might be
sent to them.
The problem was 20 drill a small hole
through the coal to the men below, that
food might be sent down to them. The
men were caught at the top of a sloping
gallery being below its level, and the water
being prevented from raising in the slope
by the air imprisoned with them. Ii now,
40 opening was made through the coal,
the air would escape and the water would
rise, and submerge the gallery, aud even
drown out the rescue party, for they also
were below the wateT-level. No ordinary
tool could reach the men, and Greenwood
had designed and constructed of such ma
terials as were at hand a rock drill for the
purpose. Two switchframes from the rail-
road were set up in the drift as a support
for long shaft, carrying hand-crank and
a geared wheel. The gear fitted into
another gear on a second shafr, and this
shaft turned the rock-dril. A feeding ap-
pliance was rugged up behind the machine
TO enable the man who tended the appa-
ratus TO force or feed " the tool up to
its work. At tbs end Of the drill was the
cutting. head, designed 10 break and crush
its way through the coal. To allow for the
advance OF the drill the driving wheel was
keyed to its shaft by a long key. The cut.
uer-head was made of wrought-iron PIPE
having teeth cut in the end and casebard-
ened, the teeth being "set" alternately
outward and inward, so as to crush the
coal as it advanced. This was screwed to
the end Of pipe that could be heightened
as the drill progressed, and the combined
apparatus made q powerful and efficient
boring tool.
The machine was taken in parts into the
pit and down 10 the end Of the drift, and
was there set up with the cutter-head
against the coal. A man was stationed at
the crank and another behind, where a
timber had been braced against the feed
motion appliance, and with bar in bis
hand ready TO iced or push the drill up
to it's work.
The men stood ready, silent and grim in
the murky darkness. The air pipe on the
floor whistled as 1t sucked up the air, and
there was pause. AT the word from the
president, the big fellow turned the crank
and the cutter-head began to crush aud
grind into the coal, tearing and rendIng its
way downward upon its noble errand.
II was terrible work on the men, break.
ing them down in about fifteen minutes;
but as one failed another sprang to his
place in an instant. The Herald reporter
gave ont in about four minutes, but that
did not hinder him from taking full and
careful notes of all that happened. Bree-
wood timed the tool and found that it was
moving into the coal at the rate of ninety
feet an hour. At that rate, it would get
through in about eight hours.
To record every step of this remark able
rescue would fill book. There was toll,
trouble, delay, and it was more than twelve
hours before the drill came within twenty
feet of the imprisoned men. Greenwood
was asleep at the time, and q messenger
came in hot haste TO the house. Maria,
who met the man at the door, was all eager
ness and joy to hear that the drill had
nearly reached the imprisoned men. She
would call Mr.. Greenwood at once.
When Greenwood reached the end of the
steep, dark gallery where the men were at
work, he found new danger threatening
both the lost men and the rescuing party.
The Two steam-pumps were lifting $4,000
gallons Of water an hour, and still the
water had gained on them. Ii had risen ia
the slope to within twenty feet of the plat.
form, and was, therefore, over the heads
of the rescue party below. the pressure
would be enormous, and they must guard
against an explosion OF air when the drill
broke through into the cave where the lost
men were imprisoned.
UG ldhb ~ bGbu W DlpC sudii
pipe at the side, aud on this was secured a
prcssue.gauge to indicate the pressure OF
the air in the slope below when the tool
air -locks or gates to prevent the escape Of
the air through the drill. sgr.
Suddenly the man at the crank fell for
ward, and the handle slipped out of his
hand.
The drill was through It turned freely
In the coal, and the pressure-gauge marked
o pressure of five pounds per square inch.
The men had been reached, aud If they
we're still alive, food could be sent to them.
While the drill was moving, it made 50
much noise that the knocking could not be
heard. For moment there was solemn
silence in the dark and narrow hole in
which these heroes worked. Then came
q tapping on the pipe. They were alive
They had found the drill
Greenwood went up to the daylight to get
the carriers and food, and was surprised to
find Maria waiting with soup, bread and
meat for the men. A tin carriage on
wheels was loaded with food and inserted
in the drill, and one air-lock was opened
when 1t rolled down to the second. Tie
lock behind was closed and the second
opened, and then they heard 1t roll away
down to the men below.
A mighty cheer went up from the people
who still fingered 10 multitudes aboutthe
pit when the news was sent up that the
drill had reached the men. Within two
hours, posters were up in every city, from
Boston to Chicago, announcing the fact.
Extras were published every few hours in
all the large cities, and tho progress OF the
rescue was noted by millions of readers.
The discovery Of the great pressure un.
| der which the mon were confined alarmed
the president and the mining engineers and
experts who had gathered from far and
near, and doubts were expressed AS to the
| possibility Of bringing up the men alive
| Every body said they would be lost the mo
ment the pick struck through their prison
| wall, should the air be released. The res
cuers, also, would be exposed to instant
death, as they, too, were below the level oil
| the rising water In the mine.
Greenwood bad but one reply-air-locks
These he had wisely ordered in advance
and when the work was resumed, as soon
as the prisoners below had been fed, ons OF
| these LOCKS was put In place. A daep slot
was cut In the coal all round the rescue
drift, and in this was set . stout door-fram
4 All the cracks were filed with cement and
an air-tigbt door was hinged to the frame
/ Five feet lower down second door wal
| nut up In the same manner.
| So the hours went on. The relays of mer