The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-25

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF TWO MINERS IMPRIs-
OrED BY PAIL OF ROCK.

VIM - - hbtf VT hR~hs
CAEDoSDLE, November 14.--Tbc sensa-
ton Of the past week here has been the
thrilling experience Of two miners named
John Il. Price and Daniel NJ. Davies. who
were buried alive for twenty-iour hours in
the Watkins & Williams mine. The two
imprisoned miners were employed on the
night shift in constructing heading To
connect the old and new workings OF the
mine, when a terrific fall OF roof, about
twenty feet in extent, occurred between
themselves and the entrance, completely
shutting up their only avenue OF escape.
The heading" was about seven feel In
width and six feet high, and the
space was exceedingly narrow where
Price and Davies found themselves
with horse and coal-car, after
the terror OF the fall had passed away.
Their unfortunate situation was not dis
covered until the morning following, when
Morgan Reese and William Davis were
going 10 take their places. Thenew corners
were Mortified % find the entrance 10 the
heading barred by a rough and jagged
mass OF coal and rock, and they thought
surely their comrades must have been
crushed beneath the ruins. Reese called
with all his might, and was answered
from within by Davies, who said they
were all RICH. and in place OF perfect
safety. The news OF the accident spread
rapidly. and in less than half an hour
the people q Carbondale were hurrying
TO the scene in scores to assist in the
work Of releasing the buried miners. The
rescuiDg party went 10 work with great
caInestncss, and was making splendid
Roadway, when another crash came. tear
inc down the crumbing rock and burying
the horse beneath huge mass. IL was
surely thought that the imprisoned miners
were struck by this last fall, but the ring
Ing voice OF Davies gave hope TO the work
crs outside. Another force OF men was
then pressed into the service to sink shaft
from Tie surface, but the Welding nature OF
the earth and rock made their progress
somewhat slow. Just a. il was thought sue
cess had crowned the undertaking, and one
OF the rcscuing Iarty was in the act OF
talking tO.Davies through narrow OPEN
ing, q fresh slide Of earth filled up the
space and brought new terror to all.
Thus. all day long the excited crowds
worked for the release OF the imprisoned
men, who were finally rescued a. 5 O'Clock
lt night. As soon rs Davies and Price
staggered out Of their living tomb they
were erected with a cheer, and sur
rounded by joyous friends. Price was
unable to speak, but Davies appeared in
good spirits, and gave IN intelligentaccount
OF the adventure. He said :, The mines
closed on Monday night about II o'clock.
When we found ourselves shut up we used
short rails in the manner Of props, rs we
had 10 other timber to Use for prOpp!ng up
the edge Of the broken roof. We then
brought the coal-car from the face OF the
heading, placed it close TO the fall, took
up the road-truck, and built log sup
port on top OF the car with the tie.
All this was done i'm a few minutes.
BY this time our lights went out, and.
having no oil, we were compelled to
struggle in the dark and do the best
we could to await RELIEF. The second fall
came about y O'Clock Tuesday morning.
when the horse was caught and killed by
the crash. We were taken out about s
O'Clock Tuesday night" The scene Of the
accident is only a short distance from that
OF the forty-acrc fall of roof which occurred
many years ago, and under which several
men and mules were killed. The fall is
specially noted because Of the experience
OF tie late John Hosic, who was buried in
the mines for nearly week, and was
mourned as dead by all his friends, when
he struggled home.