Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-03-05
OUT OF THE VERY JAWS
OF DEATH.
STORY OF HAzLEroN's HORROR.
Rescue ofFour Miners Alive After Be-
ing Entombed I'm the Blackness of
Despair for 10 Days and 10 Hours.

HAzLEToN, Pa, Feb. 34.-Following
Is the complete story of the rescue OF
the four miners alive:
The intense excitement of last night
is increased tenfold today at the III
fated mine of Jeansville. Four of the
victims of that fatal Wednesday of
Feb. 4were found alive after period
of 10 days and 10 hours entombed from
the outside world. Last evening about
$50 o'clock, while the exploring party,
consisting of Superintendent Macfar-
lane, Joseph Kelshaw, VIM. Hale, Alex.
Morton, james Sterling and David Mel
son were making another effort to reaLh
the bodies of the four remaining victims
of the flood, they were inexpressibly
gladdened to find that the men they
sought were alive. They had again de-
scended into the lower lift by means of
the dog-hole. The gangways, while
empty of water, were impossible be-
cause of the mud, debris, wrecked cars,
etc. They took their perilous journey
down the man-way again by means OF
ropes, and when once upon the lower
lift began to investigate the portion of
the mine where the "Huns" worked.
The air was
TERRIBLE WITH BACK DAMP.
They gained access to the northwest
gangway and began to explore the
breasts. No. 4 was that of John Tomas
kusy: No. 5 that of Rosco Frinko and
No. @ was the breast of the big boarding
boss, Joe Mastuskowitch. The explor-
ing party, wading through mud and
water, waist high, sought entrance to
the No. 6 breast and were driven back
by the foul air. Again they sought
entrance and again were forced to re-
treat before the terrible damp. Thrice
did thew make the effort and thrice
were they repulsed. Supt. Macfarlane
was certain the men were in one of
those breasts and was anxious to reach
their bodies. His zeal seemed born of
inspiration. Turning to his men he
said: "Boys, we must gain access to
those breasts" and the men responded,
"Aye, aye" They then went to No. 5
breast and renewed the effort again
when they were met by their deadly
enemy, the black damp. Macfarlane
and his brave men-every one hero
passed up through the damp for 10
wards and their lights were extin-
Suished and they were being rapidly
overcome by the black damp. Retreat
was again certain and in the vain, al
most hopeless idea of receiv-
ing response, Supt. Mcfarlane
called out aloud to what he supposed
were the occupants of the breast, al
ready cold in death. To his and the
party's surprise the call met with re-
sponse.
'ATTHE JOY OF THAT MOMENT
life after all hope is abandoned, they re-
turned to the good air, again lit their
lamps and again made a desperate eff
fort to reach the very head. Failure
again crowned their heroic efforts al
though Superintendent Macfarlane
went through the black damp a dis
tance of 60 feet without light or any
thing to guide his footsteps. Again the
attempt was renewed after breathing
SMELL, and the Providence that had dealt
so kindly with the men entombed ana
had directed the rescuers thus far did
not desert them, for after an almost
superhuman effort the rescuers battled
their way through the deadly damp
and got above the water line into fresh
air. Again they called and again came
the response and this time close at
hand, On they pressed guided by sound
of the voices from the dark tomb and
kent to the top of the breast of No. in
a crossheading, eleven yards in length,
between breasts 4 and 5, were found
the bodies of the four men in narrow
cell 4 by 4. They were
Joe MastuskiOwitch
Thomas Tomaskusky,
John Berno
Bosco FrinkO.
JOY OF THAT TERRIBLE MOMENT.
Pen fails, Imagination itself cannot
do iustice to that terrible scene. Nut
tered PRAYERS were at once offered up to
the power who doeth all things well,
and Immediately every man dropped
on his knees. The men were all hud-
died together as iftrying to keep warm.
Limbs and heads were so intermingled
that with difficulty only they were
separated. Called Williams and Mine
Inspector Lewis, who were following
closely, were shouted to go for blankets,
nourishment, physiciansand the priest.
This was done at once; Drs. ID. W.
Mears and J. w. Bowman were hasti-
lv summoned from Audenreid, and J.
w, Cole and Howard Mcclure from
Hazelton. They, with J. j. j. Cum
misky, were at once lowered down into
the mine. Then the men were moved
to the pump house at the bottom of the
slip. To do this they were again COM
pelled to bring them up the man-way
and through the dog-hole.
ITwAs AN AWFUL JOURNEY
down through the deadly black damp
of the breast, through mud and water
into the dog-hole, where for 200 feet the
men were compelled to walk STOPPING.
At length they reached the pump house
at the bottom of the slope. Here the
men were placed on beds of straw in
blankets and cared for by the physi-
clans and miners. They were very weak
but all conscious.
They were brought to the surface this
morning at 5 o'clock and taken to Sons
of Temperance hall, at Jeanesville,
where Mrs. J. s. Hayden and party of
ladies administered to their wants.
Lime water, beef tea, milk and wine
were given the men in sparing quanti-
ties.
The Associated press representative
was on the ground at o'clock this
morning, when the four men were
brought up from the mine. An i'm
mense crowd, wild with excitement
thronged the mouth of the mine.
PRAISE Con.