Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-10
TAKEN OUT ALIVE
FROM THE FLOODED COAL NINE OF NAN
TIC0KE, Pa.
The Gallant Rescue Of the Three Miners VINO
Have Been Imprisoned for One Hundred and
Fourteen Hours-ROw They Passed the
Weary Days and Nights.

NANTICoKE, PA, February 0.-There
is great rejoicing in the little mining
village of Grand Tunnel, across the Sus-
quehanna river from this place.
The doubt that has prevailed since
last Wednesday over the fate Of tie
three men who were caught in the mine
by the on-rushing waters from an un-
derground reservoir, is how removed,
gladneSs reigns in the homes where
gloom existed and the good news has
made every miners heart in the commu-
nifty leap for JOY.
William Cragel, John w. Riner and
Michael Shelarski are alive. The hrSt
message between them and their res
cners passed over the flooded gang
ways shortly after o'clock this morn
ing, the water chen being down TO such
a 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 passage
way, illumined only by the flare OF the
miners naked lamps, came reSoundlng
the glad shouts of the rescuers; The
men are found They are aliyen' The
STOUT 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 themSelye: 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 by Geo.
Bendel, who, when he found his pro-
gress 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 Il break
over the timbers and Bendel went on
with his search. As he went along the
brattice he heard Riuer's voice saying;
For Gods sake, hurry up boys and
get us out Of here; we are yet alive.
This was the message that Bendel
sent back over the murky waters to the
other reScuerS. He could not reach the
men without going through the brattice,
100 feet. and wading in water two and
three feet deep.
When he found Rincr, Cragel and
Shelarskl, they were up in the cross
heading, perched on Logging. and at
the highest point they could reach in
the mine. This was Just triile more
than six feet above the elevation reached
by the flood. and here they were, with
out food since Wednesday morning,
hearing the throbbing Of the pumps,
and knowing efforts were being made to
rescue them.
At $50 o'clock the water was down
enough to allow the men TO be taken
out. This was done by lifting them one
at "a time, on the raft across the Hooded
gangway, their Imprisonment making
them too weak to risk the danger OF the
water. They reached the pumps safely,
and were wrapped up in blankets, hav-
ing first been riven some milk in light
quantities as nOuriShment
When Bendel. Jones and Bowen
reached the men, the latter clasped
them about their necks and wept with
10Y at their rescue from place which
every one believed would prove IA living
tomb. The men said they had spent
their time almost continuously in pray
ing: that neither of them stopped mo-
ment. but all were hoping and watching
for help from the outside, and when
they heard the first pounding against
the brattice they began to call out where
they were.
The men suffered very little from
hunger. but very much from something
to drink, quenching their thirst as best
they could by pressing against the rib
Of the cross heading and licking the wa
ter as it dripped down the sides.