The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-19
ENT0MBED MINERS.
A Pennsylvania Mine Flooded-Fifteen Men
Imprisoned-Efforts for Their Rescue.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Dec. 1S.-The water in
the Susquehanna river at Nanticoke broke
through the workings of No. slope of the Sus-
quehanna Coal Company, this morning, and at
noon there was about six feet of water in the
slope. An alarm sent through the workings
when danger was apparent, and all the men, ex-
cept seven Hungarians, who are believed to have
been drowned, hurried to the mouth of the slope
and were rescued. The mules and most Of the
tools were saved
Accounts from Nanticoke are conflicting.
Advices received this afternoon were to the
effect that thirty nine men employed on rock
work. In No l slope, were imprisoned in the
upper lifts by the rapid rising of the water.
Several miners entered the slope at 8 o'clock,
with boat, intending to use every means to
rescue the men, A dispatch received here, at 6
o'clock this evening, stated that sixty of
the miners were unaccounted for, and that it
was supposed they were drowned Later ad-
vices state that all of the men are reported out
of the NINE except twenty four. The fate of
these is as yet unknown.
LATER-The disaster is more serious than
was at first supposed. The theory that the water
broke through the bed of the river has been dis
PEELED by the fact that the place whence the
water came is over 1000 feet from the SusGue-
hanna 1t followed the rock to fault in the
seam, ran into the gangway and slopes thence
to the lower working of No l slope When the
water discovered rushing into the slope,
there were nearly a thousand men and boys at
work in the various openings but at the particu-
lar spot which IL first appeared there
were not over thirty persons 1t is supposed
there were about thirty men in the face
of one of the gangways who are shut in by the
water and rubbish that have accumulated in the
west gangway of the second lift of the Ross
mine. 1t is impossible to say what their fate
will be. A rescuing party will follow the face
of the chambers, with hopes of reaching them
some time during the night. The Off
the men suffocating, as they will get
plenty Of air from the faces of the chambers that
are not clogged. The pumps were put into op-
Grafton to-day. 1t is expected that the mine
will be clear by Monday next. Old miners are
will be rescued alive. The names OF the en-
tombed miners, far as can be learned, are as fol-
lows:
Oliver, Frank and William Kivler, brothers;
William Clifford, William Donahue, William
Elke, |. Sharps. D. Lowery, j. Shut J. Hawks,
j. Labar A. Vitual, E. Hareraves j. Shinsky.
A. Lewis.
Additional pumps are being rapidly put up.
Another force of men have been sent down the
air shaft, who will endeavor to get through to
the spot where the imprisoned men are believed
to be. This work will be kept up night and day.
until the fate of the entombed miners is known
Information received here at 1l:30 P. NJ. says
that the water has subsided. and large force of
men are at work removing the qucksand that
blocks the gangways The rescung party are
now within forty feet of the men, and there are
strong hopes Of reaching them by morning. The
damage to the mine will be extensive, and it will
be some weeks before work will be resumed.