The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-04
Whistling In the Mines.

In 1910 there was great mine disaster
near Carbondale, Pa. Several miners were
buried in one Of the Delaware and Hudson
Canal company's mines by sudden cav
ing in Of the roof. Although the cause Of
the caving was known to have been u
lack of proper support by pillars and tim
bers, at least one old miner, survivor of
the disaster, still living here, has al ways
maintained, and still maintains, that 1t was
caused by ''dare-dcvil MINER" named
Jack Richards, whistllng in the mlne while
working with his gang, against the pro-
tests of his comrades. Richards was
skeptical young Welshman, who ridiculed
all the superstltions of his fellow workmen.
With the old miner mentioned above and
fifteen others, he was working in the mine,
mile from the entrance, on the day Of the
catastrophe. The mine was well known
to be scantlly propped, and the miners
were "robbing'' it preparatory to it's aban-
donment. He is described as having been
merry fellow, fond Of teasing his COM
panions. On this occasion he suddenly
laid down his pick, and announced to his
fellow workmcn in the chamber that he
intended to "whistle them up the rigs O.
Barley" Tho miners were sghast at the
thought of Richards thus deliberately flying
In the face Of mine luck, and they begged of
him not to chase tho good luck spirit away.
He laughed at their fears, and with clear,
loud notes made the chamber ring with tho
lively Scotch air. Not content with that,
says the old miner, shuddering at this late
day over the sacreligious temerity of the
merry Wclshman, he ratified off a jig known
by the miners as tho "Dcvil Among tho
Tailors," and ended by telling the good
luck spirit to stake dance TO that, and
be blowcd to it," None of the miners
could speak for some time. Some of them
tried to go to work again, but the fear of
disaster was 30 strong upon them that they
all made preparations TO quit the mino.
Tho old miner who recalls this incident
says that lie had brother and son work
ing In another mine, and he mado up Ills
mind to 60 to them, tell them of Jack
Richards foolhardiness, warn them of It's
consequences, and escape with them from
the NINE. Jack Richards could not con-
vince any Of them of the childshness of
their intended course.
Suddenly, while they were gathering up
their tools, noiso like the sound of dis.
tant thunder came - the cars of the agila-
| ted miners. They knew too well what tho
| sound presaged The roof was 'sworkinv,
| bHu CaFo-lu ItlICt' nc 0lllc rs
turned to Jack and charged him with bring
ing disaster upon them by his defiance of
the good luck spirit of the mine. Jack re-
piled thatif the roof was falling, 1t was
because Of insufficient support, and, not
because of his whistling, and knowing the
danger that encompassed them all, hc corn.
seled his comrades to lose no time In "get-
ting atop" But before they could lako
the first step toward reaching the surface
second shock ran through the mine. This
time 1t was like clap of thunder near the
earth. 1t was foil wed by a crash that
could be made out by tho falling masses Of
rock and coal from the roof, and by a gust
Of wind hat hurled the miners against tho
Jagged walls Of their chamber. Then the
mine fell In all about them, and the seven
teen miners and the car-horse were impris.
ohed behind wall of fallen coal and rock,
n space II ~ more than forty feet square.