The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-01-23

siou, WHO uSu IeuguI IN oTuliSn SoihsuueSs
for chance to come up from the food be
low. The trolley rolled up to the level ant
a hundred hands were stretched to rescu,
them.
Breewood went into the engine. house
The place was deserted by the fireman anG
engineers, who had gone to see who hae
been saved. Indignant at this neglect il
such an emergency, be went back to thu
door and called for the fireman.
A big fellow, black with coal-dust, shooi
his fist at him and cried
:" Who be you? Be yon the boss ?''
"No. But mean to be. Go back IL
your work at once and raise more steam ,
The man put bis hands In his pockets
and turned sulleDly away. Breewood rec
ognized that If anything was to be don,
he must be master. He looked over th,
bridge and saw a thousand frantic mel
and women rushing in terror up tn.
mountain side. In moment there woulC
be a senseless and helpless mob, and
meanwhile, perh APPS men were drowning
in the darkness 800 feet under the streetl
of the town. He went out on the plat
form about the pits mouth, and spring
ing upon the wooden rail, he shouted, a
loud as as he could, above the babel o
voices:
"Lend hand, meD! There may b.
more left below ~
There was a momentary hush, and th,
men turned to see who spoke.
"They be dead" said some one.
"Then we must save the bodies. Come
men, lend hand and we'll save them.
He would have said more, but there
was q loud murmur Of discomfort. Who
was this-this clerk with his fire hands
What did he know about mining? HI
must be fool TO think any one alive in
the mine while the water filled the bottom
Of the slope.
"Lend hand, meu; we can save them
yet !"
A grizzly y-headsd Welshman took off his
hat and said respectfully:
"Thev be all dead, mister. It's no use
doin' thing"
There were murmurs of approval at this
but Breewood replied promptly:
"The men at the top of the slopes are
alive. The air must keep the water away
from them"
This remark won instant assent, and be
followed up his advantage quickly.
"Come. I'm going down. Who'll 60
with me ?''
A dozen hands were raised, and Bree.
wood jumped from the rail and took com
mand of the work; and with that recogni.
ton that workingmen always show to a
mind that can lead, they waited for com.
msnds.
"Let the firemen go back to the work
and get up extra steam. I've ordered uI
pump. It will be here in a few hours"
rarI he
boiler house, and the rest stood expectant
and silent.
II want stone hammer and three young
men,"
Several men stepped forward and Bree.
wood selected his men, and some one hav-
lag brought stone hammer, they four got
upon the trolley and prepared to go down
into the pit.
Count the men, and see how many are
missing. Let some OF the men 90 home for
their meals, and let full set Of tools be
sharpened aud made ready for work. Go"
At the word the trolley rolled slowly
down the steep incline and disappeared in
the darkness. Then hush fell upon the
crowd of people gathered round, and they
waited in siience till the signal shoald come
up from below. Women and children were
arriving from the village every moment, and
they seemed awed into silence, and stood
waiting for news. By that curious instinct
that effects such crowds, they felt sure that
some were still IN the mine, but who or how
many, or whether dead or alive, they could
not say.
Ten minutes later the signal bell rang
and the steel rope began to creep up the
slope. Instantly the crowd pressed nearer
to get view of the rising trolley. Sud-
denly the bell rang to stop and painful
silence fell on the people. Then a wsman
began to sob, and then another, and in a
moment several were crying.
"Whist woman ~ said one to another,
" Your man be all right. He's a-bJssin'
the job"
Then the bell rang again. The engine
turned swiftly and silently, and in mo-
ment the trolley rose into view, and the
crowd struggled closer to get view of its
Breewood was standing on the edge of
the car, and as it came to the snrface he
said:
They're alive! Volunteers to the res
cue p'
A wild shout of joy went up from tho
vast thropg that had gathered round the
pit, and hundred voices suggested this
thing and that, but Breewood held up the
stone hammer and commanded silence.
"We knocked and they replied to us.
They are caught in the top of slope. We
must cut them out"
A dozen big fellows armed with picks
stepped forward, eager for the work.
Hold on, Iuen. We must have stage
ouilt first to work from, and place for the
pumps. for the water is rising fast"
"0h, they'll be drowned, they'll be
crowned !" screamed a woman in the
,rowd.'
"No they won't. They are safe till we
each them."
These words calmsd the women and pre-
rented the infection Of excitement from
,preading, and Breewood called for carpen-
sers and load Of heavy timbers.
"Who are the missing men ?" ne asked.
"Dennis Nagls, John Smith and John
said voice in the crowd.
A momentary flush of color spread over
he young mans face, but be turned quickly
lround and hid i5 from them.
Timbers were quickly gathered and load
ID into the trolley and two men with heavy
.xes got in on top of the load. Breewood
borrowed foot rule from one Of them, and
,arefuly measured length Of rail on the
An. old man who watched him
aid:
" The last rail is half one, SIR"
"Abl yes, thank you. / was measuring
he distance from the top of the pit.
ounted the rails va passed. One hundred
md sixty-eight feet from the top is the
,lase for the stage"
" Yes, sir; and one turn of the winding
lrum takes you down % feet"
GOOD! That's just the information
rant. Go tell the engineer to let us down
tx turns.o
'sThat will" said the old man. 'sI,'s
ny son what's down there"
"We'll have him up BY tomorrow or |
ext day."
II hope to God ye will. Like as though |
70 d starve atween whiles."
''I've thought of that, and 1 mean to send |
Dod to him as soon as possible"
The like o. that will not be easy. But |
Q be boss miner can see that"
Breewood joined the carpenters on tha
rolley, and just as he started down he sd
ressed the crowd Of people that swarmed
bout the pits mouth. and said that the
,st men would undoubtedly be recovered,
ut probably not for several hours. They
ad bstter dispcrsc and wait quietly at
ONE. But the people would dc nothing
Z the kind. Some few returned to the
,wn below, but it was only to bring up
,od to those who remained.
The trolley slid quickly down the slope
~<~<~.> - - Ng.~< I;~h< f-.s~~~