New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-22
PRICE THREE CENTS.
EIGHT MINERS SUFFOCATED
OVERCOME BY GAS IN GREENBACK COL
LIERY.
THE LIVf~ LOST n An ArTEMPT TO sUBDUb FIKs
IN THE BUCKRIDGE SLOPE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO rue TnaBUyE.I

IBn TELEGRAPH TO THE IBAsUNEl
SHAMOKIN, Penn, Aug. 21.-Greenback Colliery
which was taken possession Of by the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company only yester-
day, was the scene of an accident this morning,
which resulted IN the death of eight miners. The
fire at the BuckrIdge slope, a report of which APP
pcared in THE TRIBUNE yesterday, has assumed
alarming proportions. and all the plans that mining
engineers and experts can suggest to check its pro
gress. only seem to increase its fury and tonight
the roaring and cracking of the fire can be heard
some distance from the slope, and the indications
are that it will result in the ruin of the Greenbaek
and Buckrldge COllieries. Chief Engineer Whiting,
mining experts Luther. Williams. Veith, Doyle and
Booth were at the mine all day, and decided that
the best means of accomplishing sthe most by way
of checking the fire would be to drive a hole from
the Greenback gangway, through which stream
of water could be forced into the mlne Seven or
EIGHT skllful miners were selected, and under the
direction of Superintendent Williams and Booth,
the work was begun.
The miners were well aware of the danger they
were exposing themselves to, and consequently
worked cautiously. The work was so rapidly and
successfully pushed that the coal and iron COM
panys officers entertained the hope that the extn-
guishment of the fire was only a matter OF atew
days or a week This morning however, after
Superintendents Booth and Williams, who were
constantly with the men driving the hole, left them
for the purpose OF examining the fire at the SLOPE
Peter Welker the stable boss went down tho
Greenback slope to feed fifteen mules. which were
working inside On the way down, Welker noticed
a peculiar iarring of the car which he was riding
He became frightened and jumped from the wagon,
and was horrifed to find the form of man lying
across the track, with oustretched hands. trying 10
grasp the rail. Welker signalled the engineer 10
stop and before he could see who the man on the
track was, he was overcome by the deadly gas. but
fortunately fell the car. into which lie
crawled He then grasped the bell and sgnalled the
engineer to hoist. The soon reached surface, Dnt
Welker who lay inside. was unconscious. lie was
taken from his car and restoratiyes applied, which
had the effect of bringing him to. when he told his
story This was the first knowledge any one had Of
trouble inside Frank Wadrop and Valentine
Depner miners, volunteered to enter the slope, and
learn the fate of the men inside Ropes wera
securely fastened around their bodies and they
slowly descended the treacherous hole. They went
down several hundred yards when they signalled
to be hoisted up and not moment TOO soon.
Almost dead they were hauled ~ and properly
cared for. This was conclusive evidence that tho
eight miners and fifteen mules inside htd perlshed.
The accident, as explained by the experts, was
brought Oh by the accumulation ol a large Douy
of gas in the old workings which forced tseli down
to were the men were working, choking them tOdeath,
| the mules meeting the same tate he names ol
l
of age, wife and three children; William Clark, 5o
| years old, wife and two children Patrick liealy,
| IL years old. wife and four children; William
Shankweiler, 80 years Old. wife and SIX children
| William Taylor II yeaIs old. wife and one enid; {;
George Beck, 36 years old, wife and two children;
| William Fox 80 years old, wife and two children,
| and Robert White. the ID year old son of inside
! superintendent White, all of whom lived at what
| is known as tie Greenback Patch, only snort dis
| tance from the ill-fatcd mine. . ,
| The news of the accident was quickly hcraded
| throughout ShamOkIn and neighborug towns,
causing the greatest excitement. several thousand
| people soon assembled at the mouth Ol the slope,
| among whom were the families of the victims
The scene Is one long to be remembered, the little
ones closely clngng to the broken hearted
| thing that was being done toward the recovery Of
the dead, winch may probably not Ice until tO-nor-
row Much credit is due 10 General Maua-er
| Whiting and his assistants vino are U>En2 tuelr
| own lives and spaTlng no expense tD accomplish
this though 1t Is certain death to any one to at
| tempt to enter tie mlnc from which Issue tho
deadly gases in large quantities. A. last resort,
| it was resolved a I O'Clock this afternoon 10 open
| the bottom slope at the Buckrldgc co,lery, which
would change the current Oi air at the i'ieenDack,
| and by means of tan force II back 10 tu" Buck
ridge If this plan can be successfully carried out,
| the bodies may be reached tonight.
| The loss 10 the Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and front ompauy may reach 500 VOO, aud the en-
| pOycs who number 700 or 500 m3n ant boys VIII
| be forced into ideness for eight OF ten months.