The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-22
LEFT TO DIE In THE MINE.
The Cap-Sheaf of Horror Added to the
Recent Disaster at NanticOke.
Continued Falling of Sand and Rock and the
Presence of Fire-Damp COmpe. .he Res
cuing Parties to Abandon tb, Work.

WILKESBARRE, Dec. 2L-There have been no
developments since 2 o'clock this morning in
regard to the entombed miners. The latest
Official message received at that hour was that
the rescuing party, who are working in the gang
way from the air-shaft, had reached the first
chamber, in which it was hoped some Of the men
would be found. The air was good and appar-
emily fresh, but no sign of any living person
was to be found. There are six other chambers
along the gangways, and it is thought the men
may be found in one of them. A new gang of
sixty men went into the mine at 6 o'clock this
Emorning, and are pushing forward with the most
INTENSE ~exertion, but it is hard to say when the
next chamber can be reached. 1t is now fully
believed that the missing men were caught in
ethe sand and culm at the time the caveln took
place. ana that they are now dead.
The last messenger connected with the explor-
ing party came out of the slope at 11:20 o'clock
bthis morning. He reports that none of the men
have. as yet, been discovered, and all hope of
ever seeing their comrades alive again has been
abandoned. They are making a vigorous search.
but it appears almost certain that the %unfortu-
mate men have persisted, and that when their
bodies are found they will be under the mass of
sand and culm
At 1:3O this afternoon the relief party were
still pushing towards the imprisoned men. and
have been spurred on by a signal they had re-
ceived which indicates that there is life beyond.
The tapping upon an iron air-pipe was heard by
the rescuers, and they naturally conclude that
there is yet good ground of hope that at least
some Of the men may be rescued alive. 1t Is
the opinion Of some of the best miners that they
cannot reach the men for some days, owing to
the extent of the distractions. Others are san
guine enough to expect that they will reach the
men within the next ten hours.
Little change was observed in the condition Of
affairs tonight. The miners at Morgantown
quit work to-day and joined the relief party at
Nanticoke. Forty men have been at work on
eight hour shifts at No. l slope. and one hun
dred men at the air.shaft, being relieved every
Blk hours. It is in reaching the i'm
prisoned men by this way that the
only hope is entertained of ever saving
them. Fifty cars Of rock and sand
are sent out every eight hours from the slope,
but the treacherous quicksand, mixed with culm,
keeps pouring in, 30 that it is impossible to form
al idea Of the %vastnesS OF the work that lies
before the relief party. The fan is kept running
night. and day, but experienced mine bosses
doubt whether there is sufficient power to cause
fresh air to penetrate the obstruction filling the
.gangway of No. l slope.
= About 9 o'clock tonight the work of the rescu.
6ng party was suddenly interrupted by another
fall of sand, rock and culm. The men were
working on q steep incline. They fled for their
lives, and several of them had very narrow es-
lcapes. The work of digging is, for the time be-
ing, suspended. The fall did not come from the
surface, but from an upper chamber. The officials,
in charge after an exploration. thought it could
be overcome with a few hours work, and at l1:2O
r.. M, a new gang of ninety men were ready to
20 down. Three men, JAS. Turner, John Alb
ealom and Jos. Warner, were caught in the fall
ing sand and rock. Though not badly injured,
they were extrlcated with great difficulty. The
men vino were at work are now afraid to re-en-
ter the mine, and there appears to be no posi-
BILE hope of rescuing the imprisoned men alive.
FThey have been imprisoned since Friday morn
ling. 1t Is believed that it will take several days
TO penetrate the mass Of earth now obstructing
the passages.
The excitement round the mine is indescriba-
-ble. Women and children who have hardly
closed their eyes since Friday are made nearly
crazy by the fresh calamity. Screams and walls
of anguish from the women rend the air, while
around the mine in sullen despair. Crowds Of
people for miles around are coming to view the
scene Of desolation. The town of Nanticoke is
o placs of universal mourning.
Late tonight the mine officials decided to
abandon work in the air-ehaft on account of the
cavern and the presence of fre-damp. All at
tempts to get the missing men out alive have now
been abandoned, but the work through the tun-
mel will be pushed steadily forward. It will
probably be two weeks before the bodies are re-
covered.