St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-14
A MIME CAVES I'M.
a Possibility that NINE Men lost
Their Lives In The Nisasier

Their Lives in the Disaster
SCRANTON, Pa. Sept 13.-The Marvipe
shaft coiliery of the Delaware & Hudson
Canal company was the scene of an extern
slve cavern this morning, by which. it is
feared number of men lost their lives.
How many it is impossible to say the sup
positions varying from six to nine There
seems to be but little question of the death
OF one OF them, an old man named John
Shafer. A number of men were cut and
bruised by the falling of rock and coal in
making their escape. For several weeks a
squeeze has been going on in the chambers
On the left hand side of the mine, the right
nand size being safe. as supposed. This
morning about sixty men went to work in
the right hand chamber. After they had
been at work some time it was noticed that
the squeeze was extending in the direction
OF where the men were at Work, and they
were at once notified of the danger and all
started for the foot of the shaft. Two falls
occurred and it is snot known whether the
missing men were caught by the falls or had
returned to the back part of the mine. Ii
they returned there is hope of their res
cue, but If they continued toward the foot
OF the shaft they were undoubtedly killed.
The caye-ln covers five or six acres
The door was found to be already fast
ened IN its frame by the squeeze and it was
necessary to use force to open it, The
men had just succeeded in forcing the door
open when the fall occurred behind them.
and they rushed up the slope with rocks
flying from the roof and pieces Of the rock
flying from the sides in the darkness, for
their lights were out. Before they reached
the top OF the slope another fail occurred.
1t was between the first and second falls
that the party rushing up the slope received
their injuries. Following are
THE NAMES OF THE INJURED:7 i,
Henry Shafer. shoulder bruised and three
ribs broken; Thomas Healy, laborer,
slightly hurt; Joseph Ready, driver, toes
mashed; George Mason. miner, head badly
cut; Peter Kelly. timber boss. struck on
the back of the head and on the shoulder
by falling rock. Kelly passed John
Shafer, an elderly man, at the foot of the
slope. He thinks that the rock which
struck him struck Shafer Also
But two young men who were in the very
farthest workings were behind Kelly, and
told Shafer as they passed him to hurry on
and get out. They did not look back to
see if he was following, and, as he has not
since been seen, the supposition is that he
Search for those remaining in the mine and
to ascertain the extent of the disaster was
at once commenced. The mine foreman at
once ordered the fans set going at an unu-
sual rate of speed to force, if possible, a
cut through the crevices of the
falling rock to reach the inn
priSoned men if still alive.
Materials for brattices and for restoring the
air courses were at once gathered and sent
down into the mines. The main road and
the straight road, as they are called, are
both blocked and entrance to them is as
yet impossible. There is a possibility,
however, of effecting an entrance to the
workings in the rear of the tall by means
of another heading which runs clear around
the twenty-five feet of the chamber IN
which John Young was working. This
was explained to Mr.. Vandling on the map,
and he at once gave orders to put men at
work and continue without cessation until
an entrance was effected. By working three
shifts and spelling the men every three
hours it is hoped to drill hole through
this twenty-five feet of coal by some time
tomorrow, when. by getting in the rear OF
the fall, if the missing men are alive, they
will almost certainly be found. The chances
of a rescue are very slim. 1t is Just prola-
bic that they turned back at the first fall
and made their way beyond the effects of
the second fall. If this is the case will they
have air enough to sustain life until
rescued? These are the grave questions
remaining to be answered and the case
seems so hopeless that it seems the answer
must be in the negative. So near as is
known the names Of the missing men. in
addition to Shaefer, are as follows; John
Garden, laborer, 80 years DID, married; John
Young, miner. married. has seven children;
Cormack Mcclure, miner, 55 years old,
married, has two children; Patrick Kava-
naugh, miner. aged 45 years, married, has
six children. Patrick Murphy, laborer. rs
years, single; Patrick Harrison. laborer, SIS
vaors ciDuIa