The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-02-18
ENTOMBED ALIVE,
THRILLING SITUATION OF TEEEe
MINERS IN A COAL MINI

THRILLING SITUATION OF TGSEe
iAiNER5 IN a COAL MINI
l:e>tacd IN an Almost Exhausted Condi-
ton .:o,n Tneir Onc Hundred and i'if-
vecn Hours .mrr:soumcnt--Tw" Of
Tncm Go Crazy.
WLLKEsBARRE, PA, Feb, 9.-ln-
terce 10Y and excitement prevails in the
little hamlet Of Grand Tunnel this morn
inc over the rescue there OF the en-
tombcd miners imprisoned by water
rushing into the gangways and breasts
Of the Susquehannah CompanY's col
liery at that place on Wednesday oflast
week. After firing the blast, since the
men were lost, experienced miners de-
clared their rescue alive an imposslblllty
and they were practically given up and
the whole community was in mourning
over their supposed sad fate. The
names of the men were Michael Shell
bank, William Craget and John Rlnecr,
all well known miners. They were
found aliye in the upper workings near
the outcrop, the water being unable to
reach them after they managed TO get
out of its way when it was rushing
through the mine. The company's en-
ployees had exhausted every effort to
get the water out. and by pressing into
service mammoth pumps were able to
lower the water sufficiently to let the
rescuins party in this morning. The
men were found in an almost exhausted
condition from their one hundred and
fifty hours imprisonment. 1t "ill re-
ouire care to bring them through. Their
sunerings have been intense but they
were buoyed by the hope OF being res
cued, and the outcrop workings being
fairly well ventilated they were able to
secure enough pure air to keep them
alive.
The immense pumps used to clear the
water from the inundated portion were
run to their utmost cap aclty and during
last night the water recedcd very much.
When sufficiently low this morning a
raft was constructed and on this a res
cl,ing party managed to get through Tie
cancwavs. Alta point in the vein where
the coal had pitch Of 10 degrees. the
raft was turned into cross heading and
the men were found up above the water,
sitting on cross timber whittier they had
cone Immediately after they discovered
the water coming IN upon them on We'd
uesday. Before they had advanced
many steps water was up to their necks
and they were carried along by its force.
Being aware Of the pitch in the vein they
happily selected the only point III the
workings where they could have gone in
safety and perched themselves on the
timber high above the flood.
Their only lamp lasted three hours,
and from about 6 O'Clock Wednesday
they sat on this timber in total darkness
without {. morsel to eat until their rescue
this morning. Two Of them became
crazed at times and with the greatest
difficulty their single companion man
AGED to keep them from leaving the cross
heading during the long weary hours
that irtervened. Their position was be-
yond all description, and but for the
knowledge that their liberated COM
panions IN the mine would do every
thing to reach them, the men would
have given up in despair. Intense e.
citement prevails and the company is
praised on every hand for the exhaustive
measures they took to rescue the untor-
tunate men
The story of the escape Of the miners
is a remarkable one. After they had
reached a point of comparative safety
from the flood they found that only a
slender piece OF wood served to keep
back tons of loose coal, that had fallen
into the mouth or head OF the cross cut.
When they found the inclined cut in the
vein and climbed up its almost perpen-
dicular passage they managed to press
into service a piece of loose timber which
they had picked up in their hasty retreat,
and this they placed across the opening
OF the tunnel, and. after getting it safely
lodged, climbed upon it for seats. The
men then found that their feet rested IN
the water below them, but soon after de-
termined from the gurgling sound tnatlt
had gained the highest altitude 1t could.
There they were sitting on slende-
piece OF timber three inches wide Tor
over four days. Behind them was an
immense body Of coal held in place by
a small prog" and fearing to dislodge
1t the men dared not even rest againstlt.
BY changing the oil in their lamps and
economizlng they were enabled to keep
light a few hours, but this supply had an
end, and after short time they were
compelled to sit in absolute darkness !
with hardly enough room TO hold them
selves in an upright position. John Ri
neer, the most experienced OF the miners,
and an employee of many years in the
colliery, was able 10 keep his head in
their long imprisonment. but both Cra-
get and Shelbank at tires became crazed.
Crase ct imagined he saw a mine car and
Jumped down into the water to run to
stop it. lie was rescued and got back
on the perch by Rine"r. Shelbank was
more easily managed although. he was
sobblns considerably. Wednesday night
passed and Thursday came. and then the
mer lost track Of time.
The first welcome sound reaching
their cars was the ''plunk" Of the pump,
and then the men knew that active work
had commenced towards their rescue.
But while this welcome sound reached
their ears the men were almost over
come by the dreaded sound Of the work
ing of coal and the loose particles held
in check behind them. The creaking
sound showed that the coal was becom-
inc loosened and every moment they
expected slide Of coal Which would
envelope them and carry them into the
lower part Of The cross heading. BY
gradually throwing away the Ioosened