Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-09

EEsro 90 Hsseh the Ip,prIsssed rsnnssl'
vsuta ssirers, whs Are Undoubtedly Dead.

EEsru 90 Rsseh the imprisoned Psnnssl'
vsuia ssiser,, whs Are Undoubtedly Dead.
A Shenandoah penny SPECIAL says:
The excitement and suspense Mt the
Cuyler colliery, at Raven run, where
the caye-in occurred Monday afternoon,
remains unaba.ed. The attempt to
reach the ten men who are closed in by
the caving in Of the roof was continued
ali night, but without success. Super
infendent Baird, Of Kelley-Run col
licry, headed a party last night who
descended both the new and old
slopes in the hope Of reaching the
men. Mr.. Baird is considered one Of
the Quickest and hardest men who go
under the ground, but on his return he
said he never saw anything to equal
the cave-in in his whole experience Of
mining both in this country and Great
Britain. The pillars were working,
the top was cracking, and every few
minutes small falls were taking place.
The party did not get to within 800
yards Of where the men are sup
posed to be. Superintendent Baird
said the mine has been entirely
rubbed out, and that no pillars
Of any consequence have been left
standing; even the chain pillar along
the new slope was not the required
thickness, being much less than in any
colliery in the region. The honey
combing was carried on to such an ex-
tent and the strain was so great upon
the few pillars of coal left standing that
with an ordinary mining-pick one man
in a day could cut as much coal as ten
in any other mine. The coal is running
in loose strips, and it is the opinion of
experts that too much Of it was taken
out of the portion of the mine where
the caye-in occurred.
A squeeze has been going on for a
month, and the miners had noticed it
daily in going to their several chambers
to work. One Of a party of rescuers
who went into the mine this morning
compared the scene to a volcano. The
cracking coal and rock struck terror
into his heart. This morning the SUI
perintendent of the colliery put thirty
men to work. They will be divided
into three sets, each working eight
hours, and one relieving the other at
the end Of that time. They are en-
gagged in timbering, and are start
ing from the bottom of Level
No. 4. The timbers to be put
in are not supposed to hold
up the pressing roof, but to give
the rescuing party warning when they
are on dangerous ground. The timbers
will splinter and crack when the squeeze
becomes too great for them, and thus
the rescuers will be given warning to
retreat. All day to-day thousands of
people visited the colliery, all sOlicitous
to know the extent of the damages and
how soon the enclosed miners are to be
reached. Several mining engineers Of
the region who have maps Of the inte-
rior workings Of the mine arrived at the
colliery and made descent under charge
Of the superintendent and a body of
miners. According to their estimation
the caye-in extends over an area of
200 square yards. To-day the surface
for space of 100 yards has fallen
depth Of four feet, and it is expected to
go through before morning. The wives
and sisters of the Inflated men are the
bravest persons around the colliery.
They determined in body to-day,
through their frenzy and at the peril of
their lives, to descend the mine in
search of the bodies of those who are
near and dear to them. 1t was found
necessary to place a guard of police
around the opening Of the mine to keep
them from carrying out their mad pur-
pose.
The Cuyler colliery is worked on
What is known as the Buck-MoCntaln
vein. which has thickness through
Locust Mountain, upon which range the
mine has been opened, of twelve or fif-
teen feet. The coal has always been
free and the top not extra good. There
is 10 doubt whatever in the minds of
those in a position to know that the
men in the mine have all persisted.
The conclusion was so great that
loose material in the engine-house was
blown in every direction. AS affairs
look at 9 o'clock this evening there is
no telling when the unfortunate men
may be reached. Despair has taken
the place of the hope of last evening,
and, though there are many willing and
ready hands to work, life is not consid-