Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-02-27
RESCUED ALIVE.
Thrilling Experiences OfThree
Imprisoned Miners.
Shut Up in a Nanticoke PENN
Colliery for 10 Hours.

SneClOQS, Cno Cnro3 men C1uSuG Oy a nIu5
food in slope of the Suslushanna Coal
Company at Grand Tunnel, opposite Nanti-
coke, Penn, were rescued alive from their
underground prison. after being confined lis
hours. The point where they were found
was fully 1000 feet from the mouth OF the
slope, and almost 800 feet from the main
gangway where the wate- rushed in upon
the place in which they were at work. Here
they remained captives in the Hooded mine,
without food or drink, and in total darkness,
for lis hours. The story Of the rescue, as
told by George Bendell, who was the first to
reach the three men, is thrilling.
When the mine pumps had got the water
down to a point which would allow the use Of
a boat Bendell, finding no boat available
got upon a raft constructed OF brattlce
boards and pushed along through the
gangway. He managed to get under two
low sets of timbers by lying. fat
along by the roof of the nine. Reaching a
third timber set he found it so low that
there was scarcely room for the raft. But
on looking between the water and the ROOF,
he noticed that just beyond the timbers was
rise in the top Of the gangway. There
upon he slid into the water from the raft,
showed the raft under the timber,
swimming alongside, and so passed the OBJ
struction. He lost his lamp in the attempt
and called for light. In answer William
Bowen and Anthony Jones plunged into the
murBy abyss, wading part Of the distance
and swimming the rest to where they could
reach Bendell.
Bowen got to him first and pushed his
lighted lamp over the top Of the timber.
With this Bendell pushed on to the other side
of the dip and got out of the water. AS he
went up along the bratticework, about sixty
feet from the timbers, he heard call:
For Gods sake hurry up, boys, and get
us from here"
1t was Rineer calling to him, and he re-
sponded: ''All right, men; we are coming as
fast as we can"
Then he ran back through the water te
where he could call to Bowen and Jones'
Il have found the men; they are alive,
alivew he shouted, and the cry was picked
up by the men at the pumps and sent on up
the slope to where other men were resting
from their many hours OF hard work, for
some of them had not been out of the mine
since beginning the work of rescue five days
before
Then Bendell went back to the men. The
first one he reached was Rlneer, who threw
his arms about him and cried with joy, and
said;
God bless you, George. How is the
water?'
Being told that it was nearly low enough
to permit their escape out, the men all
offered up thanks to God for delivering them
from death.
1t was nearly o'clock before the men
could be taken down from the cross-heading
where they had found a refuge. They hOated
one at time on the raft across the gang
way, and then were carried to place where
they could receive medical treatment. The
only nourishment allowed them was milk in
very small quantities.
At o'clock the men were taken from the
mine and removed to their homes-Cragle
and Rineer to West Nanticoke and Shetlong
to Grand Tunnel.
he
of the men, who had been 81 ven up for dead
by the mine officials and all familiar with
the working of the mine, excepting those
who had slight hope the men might have
escaped into the airway. This they could
not do. however, and their lives were only
saved by narrow margin. The story told
by the rescued men is as follows:
They were at work off from the main gang
way about one hundred feet when they
heard the distant roar of the rushing water.
They feared there was danger, and drop
ping their tools, ran from the gang
but when they reached the door the
volume of the torrent fairly burst
upon them. It was race for life, as they
turned and ran back to the point they came
from, the water in swelling pillows reaching
now and then to their feet, but with hasten
ing step they kept safely ahead Of it until
they reached a cross heading, running from
Rineer's gangway to the old workings of the
mine, and about ninety feet from the point
where they had been at work. This cross
heading is sixty feet in length, and runs up
at pitch of forty degrees. Its head was the
highest point in the mine the men could reach.
Beyond it the old workings pitched down in
either direction deep into the mine, but there
was no way of escape through them.
Up the pitch they crawled to get away
from the water, and up the slope it came
after them until they reached the top of the
heading. 1t was useless to go further, and
they prepared themselves to meet the fate
which seemed in store for them: One
miners lamp, still fickered and cast
its dim light about them, and
looking down the heading they could see re-
flected in the water dance of light as the
food kept creeping toward them. On and
on it came until it was almost within their
reach, until it was within eight feet Of them.
Then it stopped, and finally settled until il
stood about ten feet below them
Shut in by water on one side and no way
of escape on the other, the men still hoped
that help would reach them from the outside.
They believed that their fellow workmen
would leave nothing undone to rescue them,
ard in this faith awaited the signs that would
tell them the work of rescue was under way.
After time the great mine pumps 600
feet away, were heard throbbing and draw
ing on the water. The moment was a
thrilling one to them, and gave them
great encouragement. Then the solitary
lamp winch had guided then in their
flight from the food gave out, and they were
left in inky darkness. They now did not dare
to move from the logging that gave them
rest. for single misstep upon the rough
mass OF broken rock that clutered the head
ing would have plunged them down into the
abyss which was flied with water Sleep
deserted them. and together they waited the
time that would bring them succor
In the first few hours of their Imprisonment
tney 1elt the pangs of hunger, but this soon
ceased, and the greater one OF thirst came over