The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-23

WILKEsBARRE, Pa, December 19.-The
outlook at No. stope this morning is
irightful. Mine Inspector Williams says
hours they will be found alive. Total ex-
haustion will not occur before then, but
this morning the chances OF rescue are very
slim from the fact that the air circle has
been broken. This was ascertained from u
second rescuing party working at the op-
poste end from the first party in stope
No. l.
PROBABLY DEAD FROM SUFFOCATION.
Superintendent Morgan finds that there
are sixty feet OF quicksand, culm and
earth to be dug away. This is wedged in
between the mine timbers which have
wedged in and crossed. presenting an al
most nsurmountable barrier. Shifts are
now changed every two hours, but the
culm and quicksand, by it's very nature,
fills in the place of that which was taken
out before. Competent authority says it
will require five or six days to dig through.
This ends all hopes OF the twenty-nine men
imprisoned, who, it is believed, died within
the first twelve hours, from suffocation.
Sixteen English, Irish and Welch and thir-
teen Polanders and Hungarians are now
known to be entolnbed in the chamber OF
death.
1t has been definitely decided that the
Coal Company at Nanticoke, was caused
by the caving in of the roof and the rushing
in of Il large body of water which had ac-
cumulated on tn e surface from natural
drainage. This water brought with it
vast quantity Of coal dirt, which blocked
the gangways and passages and cut OF the
escape OF a number of men in the upper lift.
The cave-n was caused by blast OF one OF
the men now in the mine. The exact num-
ber OF men imprisoned cannot even now be
exactly told, but at 6 o'clock this evening
it was believed, on what seemed good
grounds, that twenty-nine persons were In
the mine. OF these eighteen are Welsh, Irish
or American and the rest Polish or Hun
garian laborers Whether they are alive or
dead cannot be told. If they have been
enabled to obtain fresh air they are un,
doubtedly sill alive, and there is GOOD
hope of recovering them. Many experienced
miners believe. however, that in their opin-
ion they cannot get any new supply OF air,
and that having exhausted what little was
in the workings, they
MUST NOW BE PERIsHING
from suffocation. Measures for the relief
OF those still in the mine were begun soon
IA the other men had been brought to the
surface. At first little could be done, Tor
the wafer was five feet deep and it was I'M
possible to begin digging away the quick
sand and culn which blocked up the gang
way. Last evening. however. the wafer
subsided having run OIL TO the lower 'evel'
Of the mine and effective work was com
m.nced in earnest. Two gangs Of men were
set to work excavating from different points
to where it is believed the men are. One
party. sixty strong, commenced WORK loln
The f1,t Of the air shaft. This is the near
est noint to the place where the men
are. but great difficulties are encoun.
tered. There is no hosting appaIa.uis
at the air shalt. Men anu Ouo's
are 1hi;ged to throw behind them the ma
ter;,I thev excavate, and this hinders them.
The yanpway being blocked at one eho'
they could get
NO CIRCULATION OF AIR
n,ti, tubes were brought and the air iorced
through them from compressor useu .,n.a aoa
roct drills to the place where the tnen W." VI
at work The workers are working WIN W.
the greatest possible energy to-nlgh1. 1: 10
thought that their comrades are Pell'nnSS
on the other side OF the mass OF roch and
dirt, which nerves every arm VIII Will sverv
strength, The gangs are reheVeo 49,
four Hours and sixty men have been con. y
stantlv at work since last evening. a. tla', s.M
oclocI this evening it was believed :ney
had nenetrated to within fifty or silly
feet of where the imprisoned men "iG' IL
Another marty are working from tne u.,
rection OF the stope towards 't In have
point They have further to go. ouv 70,
better facilities. There is httie erUa'b pe aban.
hope, but all efforts Will no' o0
doped until the fate OF
THE IMPRISONED MEN
is determined. The people OF Nani.; Nath;ua ;s
thought of or talked OF but Ine u J +he
Business is partially suspended anu nar ".,.
collery is surrounded by hundreds % 20 ~
sons, among whom are many reiaS,,t tnw the m
the imprisoned men, eager to learn no honf
work goes on below and to gain y ma;nIs n
that their friends may be rescued. vnos e g ~
of the company state this evening 'ne.S r",t
twenty-four men in the fatal stops an Thex
twenty-nine as generally unders'oUu wos nre
state further the disasIei 4. massage
cipitated by collapse OF one pte"f pdef q
way Of the tunnel to the exlemU ,uh, ~
five feet causing depression wnlcn "
down into the tunnel ho1 vein ~
LAKE OF QUlcKsASD. roa tef
The vacuum created by this break .,ras =, !,
an arch and through the heavy nssa atad a. n
the roof mass OF culm, eeu ,,ond q
5000 tons. with the contents OF ~ ~ noO
water overhead containing over NJ
900 gallons, poured in, floodlns uo +he tuu
and No. 2 slopes, and choking ~ up miner
mel and carrying with IL my these mel
who were working there. VI ,:4., LIE cauph
twentyfour were in all probability Sers uat6 t6a
before they could gain the chambers ha,nDased it t.
pitched upward, and they are sopp'''
be in this quicksand and culm.
"
A Big Blaze in Montreal. ,,;se
Moxrrr,I December 19.-The pre%n,s1I ls1e
Of the McDougall-Losie ComPariy' ComPniy burne ~r