Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-06-20

We were running through and over the
Job In desire to get to this line leading
to the Hill Farm mine When the roof
began to cave in OF course we had to go
back and begin to timber. We are going
| it all right now. The Mahoning mine lies
about 300 feet below the Hill Farm and
is driven in the coal on parallel lines We
are now attempting to reach the line
which leads from the Mahonlng to the
Hill Farm, we have about 300 feet to go
when we reach this. We can rush it rap
idly. Then we must go through rib or
two of coal. Just before we break
through every precaution will be taken.
If there is any smoke or gas In the Hill
mine entry. We want it out before we
enter. There has been enough trouble al
ready and we are going to avoid any 10
the future. No person else must be in
iured in this affair. Don't forget that |
still have hopes. and am almost certain
we can save some of them"
{" But how long can the men stand 1T ?"
{" think they could stand it eight or
ten days. The air in the Mahoming now
is better and stronger than in the winter
In the summer it is always weaker than
in winter, but since the explosion over in
the Hill farm il is better. You see, the
draft that carried out that black smoke
brought in fresh air. hope we will
reach the men tomorrow. can tell bet
ter when come out the next time"
In the Ferguson mine, which lies to the
right of the Hill farm, men have been
busy bratticing and keeping the air
courses open. Since the fall of slate in
the Hill Farm mine the smoke has not
been pouring out of the mouth OF the pit
as it did Tuesday night. 1t is now work
ing its way over into the Ferguson mines,
and il is supposed to be awayon the surface
side of of the imprisoned men. The min
ers who are now on the outside figure
that the men in the right entry have never
hod any smoke to fight, and that the flash
was not sufficiently heavy to cause much
damp.
1t is now known that the bare hole was
tested Saturday, and that there was no
Gas in it. The hole was ten inches in di-
ameter, and was being drilled from the
top of the hill to alongside the floor of
the nnne and was to be used for pump
ing purposes. When the level of the
mine was reached the drill struck rib
| al. l,ol ha1t pr tUn
thirds full of water, and it is supposed a
little gas collected on Sunday and Mon
day. Then men were put to work to dig
into the hole, and when it was struck the
water came running in the drill hole. 1t
was $40 feet deep, and the danger from
water can readily be imagined. The hole
was several hundred feet lower on the
mouth of the pit side than the entry where
the men still are.
MIR. Laing, one of the pit bosses, said
to-day &C. If the men ran down to the
main entry to escape they were probably
caught, as they would have to pass sew
eral hundred feet of fire. If they remain
ed in their rooms or tried TO make their
way to the top of the headings thes stand
chance for being alive. | think they
have been free from smoke.
1T is also may opinion that the men
have worked their way down to that
brattice, which was built to shut off the
line leading to the Mahoning. | think
they have cut through it now. The only
danger would be from the black damp
which would accumulate on the other
side. If the men could stand it for few
minutes the fresh air would revive and
save them. You see, this was new
working and the manway had not been
extended that far down. There was
nothing left but the main entry, which
was then on fire; SO their chance is as |
said above"
Young Patsy McCleary saved d the life OF
an old man named Smith. Patsy is only
boy and was leading two or three men
out of the mainway. Smith is fleshv
man, and had hurt his knee only a day or
so before. He stumbled and fell several
times. His light went out. Patsy helped
him up. gave him a light and kept just a
little ahead, shoating to the old man,
& This way! This way! " Mr. Smith
says he owes his life to the boy who so
bravely helped him.
Mr.. Dorm is pit boss at the Hill Farm
mine He was all through the right en-
try just before the explosion. He saw
: the men at work and said scarcely any OF
them had eaten. He thinks if they are
still alive they Lad virtually the supply OF
food with which they started in. He says
the brattice, at which 1t is held the men
will be found, was strongly built, and
that there had been cave in some time
before. The men might have dug il
down.
At the mouth of the fatal pit there was
scarcely any one this morning. Ropes
stretched around kept away the few who
+ were present. A few boys were up or
5 the hillside, but there were no womer
2 there. Down at the mouth of the Mahon
. ing there was different scene. Here al
i the miners who have been watching the