The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-07-02
THE MINERS WERE BURNED
On thcSlope and their Bones Will
Never be Recovered. r..
Tho Terrible Experience Of tho Res.
cacrs Who Risktl Their Llyes-A
Vile Nightmare Of n Search In.
10 II Practical Hell = The n
Pathetic Incilcnts. z

Hope and work were abandoned this
evening q. six o'clock, and the dust or
ashes OF the 81 imprisoned men may
rest beneath the Dunbar hill till the last
day shall come. Tonight the caskcts
which were carried mp to the mine were
brought back. The exploring party
started in the mine at 9 o'clock. When
they came out tho sun was going down
and ii was near I o'clock. 1t is seldom
that such m expedition meets with the
aame results as this. Three OF them re.
turned 10 within a few hundred yards
Of q burning subterrapean fire and found
the dinner buckets OF two OF the men
and their blouses. ....
ALMOST, OVERCOME.
They were nearly overcome by heat
aud black damp, and it was only by the
most extraordinary exer,ion that the
men came out alive. ~ 81.
The PARTY started in and guards were
place d all along the entry. In the morn
ing the rtscueis had been driven back
from the Hill Farm mite by the dense
smoke which met them twenty yards
from the break they had made. Through
The heading they toil-d. The first on
stacle met was heavy fall OF slate.
which reached nearly to the roof, and
over this the three men inspector
keighley, Secretary Watchorn and
Mine Hoes Doran) climbed on their
hunds and knees for about 700 feet.
What wild nightmare OF rescue trip
1t was, with the roaring OF the fire in
the distance ahead OF them, fed by the
breeze which was giving them air.
A HELL ON EARTH.
The darkness was most intense.
Added 10 all this was the stencil of
burning flesh, and that known to be hu-
man. 1t was trip to the very gates OF
the most realistic and practical hell that
could bs found on this earth. What
did they gain? The most absolute
and overwhelming knowledge that NIL
the men were dead and that further
search was useless. They visited the
plnces where the men were known to
have been nt work. Two tin dinner
pails were found with the diuners un.
touched and but little OF the tea drank
and two coats. The picks and shovels
were al lying jus. as man would drop
them as he started off on dead run for
his life. One mule was found dead and
purified. Otherwise no trace OF the
men could be found.
After the return OF the party, they
gathered at tho lower slope to consider
what was to be done. Secretary Watch
orn, as President Of the exploring expe-
di,ion, presided. Each one OF them was
OF the opinion that further attempt to
find the remains oi the men would be
'loolhatdy. A sud silence followed.
DESPAIR AND ABANDONMENT.
Mine Inspectors who had the nerve to
push forward the work OF rescue under
the most dangerous conditions faltered
and choked as each OF them tried to
move that the work OF recovery be aban.
donrd. At last the motion was made
and seconded by Dr.. Mullen. Peter
Wise, tho labor leader and organizer OF
the United Mine Workers. was the only
QUO who voted against the motion. He
acknowledged that the attempt was use.
less, but he wanted to try once more.
Secretary Watchorn said: III you wait
till morning you cannot get within 500
feet OF where We were to-day. 1t is hard
to have to give up at this point, but
gee no help for it" So
AS Secretary Watchorn and Inspector
Keighley came into the open air, carry
ing the tin buckets and the blouses
there was rush OF excited miners to
the epot, and in second dozen men
had recognized the buckets and coats
In another minute perfect babble Of
voices were asking questions and It took
half m hour to answer them. In the
meantime Superintendent Hill had
Joined the crowd and attempted to an
.swer some questions.
A PATHETIC SCENE.
In moment all was hushed. Tht
Superintendent tried TO speak, but hi
voice choked and great tears stood il
his eyes. After great effort the Super
;ntcndent said: II thank you one aut
all ior the support you have given ns
II any OF you have work to do go and d'
it; il not, 20 sea.ch it, mud l wish 20.
the best luck. Thuraday we VII! pa.
you what We promised, net what yo'
earned. We can never pay yoa WIN
YOU have earned" Then the Superln
tendent bade his men goodbye. The,
shook bands with him and soon Wer
scattered OH every side. Then came tn
oood.byes among the inspectors, and tn
greatest rpscuing attempt In Wester'
pennsylvania wss ended. Siiii (.
1Esa5,s' wusS THE MEN DIED, ,f.;
m. aa..I..,, so,,;,;o,l amono III
/, Lug seae,A up'u.,A 1oae ~, ~