The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-02-13
raFes cut alive.

NASTICoKE. Pa, February 9. There
Is great rejoicing IN the little mining
village of Grand Tunnel, across the Sus-
uuehanua river from this place.
The doIfbt that has prevailed since
last "Wednesday over the fate Of
the three men who were caught IN the
mine 10y the on-rushing waters from an
underground reservoir, Is now removed,
gladness reigns in the homes where
gloom existed and the good news has
made every miners heart in the COM
munity leap for JOY.
William Cragle, John w. Riner and
Michael Shelarski are alive The inst
message between them and their rescuers
passed over the flooded gangways short
ly after 9 O'Clock this morning, the
water then being down to such point
that men on RATS could float by the
clogged brattice work and get over the
level to the gangway ON the other side.
Back through the gloomy pasSagcway,
! illnmined only by the flare of the min
ers' naked lamps, came resounding the
| glad shouts of the rescuers: The men
are found. They are aliver' The shout
was taken up by those at the pumps and
sent up the slope TO where Others OF the
toilers were at work The men at the
bottom of the slope could not restrain
themselves, and many of them plunged
into the murky waters to wade and
swim across the abyss.
The work of reaching the imprisoned
men WAS daringly accomplished 10y
George Bendel, who, when he found hi:
progress stopped by low timbers, dipped
his raft under them, following by diving
He lost his hat and lamp, but William
| Bowen, who was swimming the gang
way, passed his lamp through breal
over the timbers and Bendel went OF
with his search. As he went along th'
brattice he heard Riner's voice saying
For Gods sake hurry up, boys, ant
get us out of here; we are yet alive.
This was the message that Bendel sen
back over the murky waters to the othe
rescuers. He could not reach the mel
without going through the brattice, on
hundred feet, and wading IN water tw'
and three feet deep.
When he found Riner, Gragle ant
Shelarski they were up in the cross head
ing, perched on Logging, and at tn
highest point they could reach IN tn
mine This was just a tritie more thai
six feet above the elevation reached b.
the flood, and here they were, wIthou
food since Wednesday morning, heal
} ing the throbbing of the pumps, an
knowing that efforts were being mad
to rescue them.
; At $50 O'Clock the water was dow
enough to allow the men to be takel
: out. This was done by lifting them on
ut time, on the raft across the fioode
gangway, their imprisonment maxim
? them too weak to risk the danger of tn
t water. They reached the pumps safel,
t and were wrapped up in blankets, hay
? first been given some milk IN hgf
5 quantities as nourishment-
5 When Bendel, Jones and Brown reaci
ed the men, { h latter clasped thel
about their necks and wept with JOY
, their rescue from place which eVel
: one believed TO be living tomb IL
: men said they had spent the most
1 their time almost continuously In pra,
3 ing; that neither of them stopped m
: ment, but all were hoping and watchlr
Il for help from the outside, and wine
4; they heard the first pounding again
! the brattice they began to call out whe
o they were.
IA The men suffered very little fro
hunger but very much for something
h drink, quenching their thirst as be
e they could by pressing against the rib
It the cross heading and sucking the wat
o as il dripped down the sides