The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-01-27
croat Alarm in Wilkesbarre, Pa.
uousss I'm Danger of TumbIinS into a
Coal Mine.

,UsD,ppr Ian. pa few minutes be-
fore 6 O'Clock this morning the residents OF
t6n Second ward, one of the outlying corners
oftbis CITY. were startled from sound summers
nv roar resembling the shock OF an eareh-
onake. Great alarm prevailed, anu III d 10"
9n;nutes the streets were filled with men;
women. and children in various stages Vi
fright. all in scanty garments, anu many
facing the zero breezes OF the early hour III
their night clothes only. The hrst shock "ao
foIIowed a few minutes later by another as
Loud and as alarming. As the people ran out
Of their homes, the ceilings of many OF winch
were tumbling about their heads and the eartn
fa;rIv rockinG beneath their feet, the widest
noncternatio3 prevailed. Mothers caught up
tbo;r babies and with wild cries rushed out
into the cold, dark morning without stopping
tn throw mantle or other protection ABOUT
their forms. Children joined with their shrlll
screams, and for a time perfect pandeino-
Mum prevailed, the stout hearted miners nav
ing their hands full in their attempts to qulet
the apprehensions of the women ana cnliureh
T., +be mean time lanterns and miners lamps
we're procured, and little squads fitted here
and there to ascertain what the trouble was.
| As the early explorers passed along tho nam
street they discovered many zlgzag gaps, from
two to five inches in width, running dlagonaliy
across the thoroughfare and under the houses
that line the street. These seams were threat
eninp in character, and tended to greatly IN
crease the alarm The lantern bearers were
followed by excited crowds, many OF Whom
were women, who, on the discovery OF each
new seam, gave supplementary evidences Oh
| their fright.
When the first streaks of dawn came stream
ing over the hills everybody in the ward Tor
! got breakfast, and the matutinal labors OF the
! dav were entirely suspended. The streets
were crowded and the air full OF the most
conflicting reports. Little by little the exact
condition of things was revealed, and nothing
like it was ever seen i'll the coal helds before.
1t was discovered that the foundations OF
hundreds of dwellings were torn apart by WIDE
seams, balconies removed from their bearings,
| ceilings destroyed chimneys careened, side
walks thrown over as though by an explosion,
and many small bridges wrecked. A large
brick public school house was fairly surround
ed with wide gaps and may tumble at any
moment Several big brick stores are SINH
| larly situated.
The territory embraced by the cave in is
! fully forty acres in extent, and is mostly COW
cred with dwelling houses. The transverse
assures are not more than rod apart and
are crossed by others running at right angles,
the surface being fairly broken up into squares.
/ Three hundred feet below the surface are the
worked-out colieries belonging to the Della
ware and Hudson Canal Company. The coal,
when taken out, was from what is known as
! the Baltimore vein, which is fifteen feet thick.
A few years ago it is said that the company
ordered the pillars to be what is technically
termed "robbed is, to remove the
natural columns of coal left standing for the
support of the roof, and put timber props IN
their places. The theory of to-day,'s disaster
is that these props have rotted. and are now
beginning to give way. Experienced, miners
apprehend the dropping down several feet of
the entire surface, in which event great de-
struction of life and property must inevitably
! follow. Much excitement prevails all over
the city. Families living about the threat
ened district have been fleeing. from their
homes since morning. Most Of the houses
are owned by thrifty miners, and represented
their sole earnings for years. Their distress
is great.
At 10 o'clock to might all was quiet at the
scene of the cave in. The families who have
removed from their homes have secured safer
quarters, The damages to the property OF
private individuals cannot be ascertained at
| present. though estimated at $4,000.