Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-02
THROUGH THE CRUST
Some OF the Inconvenience Of Living
Over An Anthracite Coal Mine.

Correspondence of TIE EVENING srw.
WILKEsBARRE, PA, December %.
Readers Of The STAR have been informed by
Geographic dispatches of yesterdays disastrous
cavern" Of q mine near Wilkesbarre, Pa. So
common and 30 exaggerated are many of the
reports concerning these ''droppngs" that the
outside world has come to look upon the in
habitants of the coal regions as peculiarly un-
fortunate and miserable beings who, living
upon a very thin crust of honey-combed terra
:-the-frma, are in hourly dread of being
precipitated to the bottom OF some deep mine.
Your correspondent does not deny that some
times singular and provoking things may
happen when a part of an apparently solid
earth drops almost out of sight, but give the
coal reSl Jns their due. No person. as far as
know, at the surface has been seriously injured
oy a cave OF mine nor has much prop
erty been destroyed nor Q very large area
OF ground been affected. The story SO piquautly
given in some of the New York papers to the
ehect that a daughter, while inside certain
house conversing with her mother. who was
sitting outside upon q step, was startled
by not receiving an answer to q ques-
ton and upon investigation found
that her unfortunate parent had dropped out
OF sight and was afterward found uninjured
many feet below the surface, is, as far as l
know, after patient and persistent investiga-
ton. unsupported by any probable facts But
the story told about three years ago of a horse
and wagon tumbling into a mine, together with
m III and woman who we're out for a drive, is
Iua. The accident took place in the same
NIT town and not very far from the spot where
yesterdays cave-in appeared. This took place
near an outcrop, which is the point Of a coal
sea, cominT 10 the surface. and fortunately
the fall was only from twelve to fifteen feet I
passed this 81 OF today while ON my way to the
newest cavity. SO near was the mine to the
slrtnpa Ia ln,h
OF the mine was in plain sight, and the horse,
dropping to the floor of the mine, was safely
conducted through the workings and led out
about mile from the scene of his unexpected
drop. The man was not hurt at all and the
woman was lifted to the surface by ropes, also
unlnjured.
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The little borough the scene of yesterdays
cavern is about three miles from Wilkesbarre,
on the main road to Pittston, the next largest
town in the vicinity of Wilkesbarre. rapid
talf hours walk brought me into view of the
place. Near the top of hill, the highest place
In the neigh oorhood, stands a large frame
church. This is near the center of the town
and well covered with houses The church
from distance did not appear to be at all
affected, but from long distance large house
next to the church seemed to be very lop-
sided. On close inspection the road was found
to have sunk about six feet. An area of ground
affected. The foundation wall of the church
was broken in front but the church was not
otherwise damaged, although the press dis
patches enormously said that the building was
tipped up and badly damaged. The parsonage
next to the church proved to be the building
so badly cut o. plumb. One end of this large
frame structure was tipped over, while the
back was lifted up from its foundations, the
clustering was cracked and some other damage
done to the foundation wall The house is still
& N tEa cnrfon nd H. ,,>,,,
to it. The pastoral residence is not almost a
ruin, the dispatches to the contrary notwith-
standing. l succeeded in getting a few min
utes' talk with the servant girl who was in the
kitchen OF the house when the ominous crack
ing and settling began to occur. Some few
things were broken. she says, and she naively
added that she did not wait to see how much.
The roadway has several cracks, but not very
serious, and notice that the vehicles avoid
this part OF it. peered into the cellar of the
church and the house, but found, with the ex-
ception of the walls nothing very serious had
happened. And yet the area of cavern may in-
crease. If 1t does then a large number of
houses will be affected and doubt, even now
II very many of the houses in the vicinity will
have sound slumbering occupants for the next
few days.
WHAT CAUSES THE CAvE-INs.
The cause of all this dangerous state of
affairs is an old story in these regions. The
pillars of coal which should be left to support
the roof of the mines avein O: coal becomes
worked out are, in the vernacular of the mines.
robbed and the weight of the superintendent
earth crushes the scanty column left and the
earth drops into the vacant chambers. The
Mill Greek colliery has been working this mine,
and at the point of the cave-in the mine is
probably within fifty feet OF the surface
The whole township of Plains is honey
combed by the workings of the mines. and no
doubt there is much danger in certain spots to
property. But not very great area in this re-
gion is in similar danger. At least we are in the
habit of quieting any fears may have by the
fact that the most of the region around is still
unmned and that extraordinary care is gener-
ally required and given to supporting the sur
face above the mines and that it is the exception
to find coal near the surface except in spots,
and that in case of deep coal mining no danger
need be anticipated from cave-ins. The people
in the Wyoming valley also may remember that
the coal below their fields and towns is gener-
ally far removed from the surface. He'd.