Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-18
THAT NINE HORROR.
SEARCHING FOR THE BODIES OF THE EN-
TOMBED MEN.
Anxious Watchers all Night Long at the Manhole.
The Fire at the Mine Eercer, the Smoke Blacker
and the Despair Deeper than Ever.
Results Of Their Efforts.

DUNBAR, PA, June 17.-All night long
the rescuing parties remained at the mouth
of the manhole at Farm Hill mine, but
light broke upon them they We're no nearer
the unfortunate men entombed in the burn
ing mine.
At . O'Clock last evening all hope of res
cuing the imprisoned miners alive was
abandoned Efforts were made to enter the
burning slope through the Mahoney and
the Ferguson mines II was found impos-
sible to get near the men through the for
mer owing 10 the
FORMATION OF THE SLOPE,
And in the Ferguson pit the air was so bad
that il WAS impossible to travel any dis
tance. Under these conditions the most
sanguine of the workers yielded, and il was
then determined 10 cut of all fresh air and
let the mine burn itself out that the bodies
of the men might be recovered.
At the first drift solid wall of brick,
we'll plastered, was built across the open
ing. Material was wheeled down the en-
trance 10 where the men were at work, and
an air fan was set at work supplying fresh
air 10 the rescuers.
\ worker the Associated Press cor
respondent was enabled TO reach the point
where the men were working. Traces of
the fire damp still remained in the air.
Men were working like beavers to finish
the wall, The only light was obtained
from "Davy lamps" There was no vast
ing of breath in idle talk. All the strength
of the men was needed in building the bar
rier Through the inter-stices of the wall,
far of TO the left,
COULD RE SEEN
a heavy cloud Of smoke occasionally pierced
bv flames. Back Of this wall of fire lay
the bodies of the workers relatives and
companions.
At ten o'clock this morning there was
very little change at the mine, except that
the fire Yves tiercer, the smoke blacker and
the despair of the survivors deeper than
ever before The fight for the dead was
kept up bv the living all night, but the
early gray of morning only found the res
cuing party driven farther back from the
death chambers, and they could not pene-
trate within 100 feet of the place they had
reached last night.
Early this morning Martin Markey, pit
boss Of the Anchor Mines, made daring
attempt 10 reach the right driftingS of the
Hill Farm Mines from the MahOney en-
trance, one and one-half miles away, across
the hills. He crawled over drifts and fal-
len slate to within one hundred yards OF
the fatal chamber. and sounded again and
again, but listened for response in vain.
The men were either Smothered, or were
FIGHTING THE FIRE
that was now steadily encroaching on their
narrow territory, and Markey, cut and
bruised. abandoned the hopeless quest of
seeking an answer from one hundred yards
ofisohd dumb slate.
The sight about the pits mouth is all the
Ia IF tho u nnmrS a
anguish that had rolled over the heads OF
the relatives and friends OF the entombed
miners and hundreds stand steadily at the
mouth gazing wretchedly At the black col
umus Of smoke that seem 10 grow thicker
every hour, indicating that the coal was
now burning instead Of timber and roofng.
Cries for volunteers 10 relieve the work
ers were constant and responses came be
fore the sentence had been finished, Tor
there were no idlers. They are telling sad
stories about the mine to-day and they are
touching in the extreme.
Later reports say the mine is in the en-
tire charge of Mine Inspector heighley and
he is
MAKING STRENUOUS EFFORTS
to enter from the Mahoney drifts.
There seem TO be many views as to the
cause of the fire and the proper place. if
brook. who arrived here this morning, has
appointed three miners and two citizens on
a Jury. He placed the miners there be
cause they were the greatest sufferers, and
because they wanted 10 show il the remedy
could be applied. The mine is so located
that flooding the fire is impossible and
smothering IL means certain death 10 the
men below, providing any are living.
Nearly all the mines IN this region are
closed down. and men. money and provis-
ions are pouring in on every train. y res
cuiug party has iust.appeared at the mouth
of the Ferguson NINE and report the cham
bers Of that drift rapidly filling with
smoke This delays, if il does not entirely
cut of. all hope of reaching the imprisoned
men on that side.
Some slight hope was raised at noon by
the return Of Walter McCleary, one OF the
rescuing party, who reported that far down
I'm the slonc he heard "A mule braying as If
In great distress This leads TO the belief
that the men are still living. Great crowds
are arriving on every train and Hooking TO
the scene Of the disaster.
4 dream of apathy has settled over the
people AT the burning pit mouth that VIII
not be lifted until tits known toa certainty
that the - entOmbed men are either living
or dead Even the latter would be relief
from the present strain, as even knowl-
edge of the very worst is hoped FOR rather
than the dreadful thought that the men
now are reluctantly giving up
THEIR LAST BREATH
with lips touching the low water rims or
Glued 10 the heated rails in hope that the
fearful strangling damp would seek
higher level At , o'clock this afternoon
the Hill Farm pit showed but a FAINT
wreath of smoke. as if the fire within was
burning feeblv. From that time, however,
the smoke grew gradually thicker and
heavier. until now @ p. NJ II
is belching forth like torrent
ten times blacker than yesterday;
The reason given for this is that work had
been commenced in the masoning mlnes'
ana 40 feet had already been torn down by
the volunteer squads, which gave more ana
more ventilation 10 the hill mines, as TINS
nlace is honeycOmbed with drifts and mead
inps This violent drift leads again TO the
hone that the men imprisoned have reacheI
.he extreme limit of the chambers, toward
the mahoning mine, and are patiently wait
ing there for life or death. r,,,
There is no effort being made at the HlIi
Farm mine 10 offer relief, as the heat ana
smoke from the pit mouth is now unoeara-
ble and it is expected TO
BREAK INTO \ FLAME
at any moment. when the shops and small
buildings surrounding will 20 at once. All
efFoyts M rescue are now being made at the
NIahoninc mine alone, as the Ferguson Is
50 full of smoke that work Is impossible.
Ohio state Convention.
CoLrMRrs. O.. June 1.-THE Democratic
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