The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-10
SNATCHED FROM A TOMB.
A TRIO TAKEN FROM A FLOODED
PIT AFTER FIVE DAYS.

by Nearly Everybody-R by q
Raft and Found Perched on Timber.
Two Of Them Crazed by Their Suffer-
ings.
WLKEsBARRE, Pa, Feb. 9.-Intenss Joy
aud excitement prevailed in the little hamlet
Of Grand Tunnel this morning over the
rescue OF three entombed miners, who
were imprisoned by water rushing
into the gangways and breast
OF the Susquehanneh oompany's
week after firing . blast. Experienced
miners had declared that thei- rescue alive
was impossible. and they were practically
given up. The whole community was in
mourning over their supposed sad fata
Their names are Michael Schlenk. William
Craget aud John Rines, all well known
miners
WHERE THEY WE'RE FOUND.
They were found alive IN the upper work
ings near the outcrop, the water being un-
able to reach them after they managed to
get out OF Its swirl when 1t was rushing
through the mines. The company's en-
ployes have exerted every effort TO get the
water out by pressing into service
mammoth pumps, and were able 10
lower the water sufficiently TO let
rescuing party IN this morning. The men
were found in an almost exhausted condi-
tion from their 115 hours imprisonment II
will require care to bring them through.
Their sufferings were intense, but they were
buoyed by the hope of being rescued, and
the outcrop working being fairly well ven-
tilated, they were able to secure enough
pure air to keep them alive.
WENT IN ON A RIFT.
The immense pumps used TO clear the
water from the inundated portion were
run TO their utmost capacity, and during
| last night the water receded very much.
When sufficiently low this morning a raft
was constructed and on this the rescuing
party managed to get through the gang
| ways to point in the vein where the coal
had pitch of forty degrees.
cross heading and the men were found
| up above the water sitting on cross tim
ber. whittier they had gone Immediately
| after they discovered the water coming In
| upon them on wednesday. Before they
had advanced many steps, tho water was
up to their neoks and they were carried
along by its force. Being aware Of the pitch
in tho vein, they happily selected the only
point In the workings where they could
have gone in safety and perched themselves
on the ttmbers high above the food.
A HORRIBLE SITUATION.
Their only lamp lasted three hours, and
from about o'clock Wednesday they sat on
this timber in total darkness without nor-
sci 20 eat until their rescue this morning.
Two OF them became crazed at times and
| with the greatest difficulty their single COM
panion managed to keep them from leaving
the cross heading during tine long weary
| hours that interviewed Their position
was beyond all description, and
but for the knowledge that their
| liberated companions in the mine
| would try 10 reach them the men would
h.xxs extt fR Aecn INT
| ment prevails and the company Is praised
on every hand for the exhaustive measures
they took to rescue the unfortunate men.
A NEW DANGER.
The story of the escape of the miners is a
remarkable one. After they had reached
point OF comparative safety from the food
they found that only slender piece of wood
served to keep back tons OF loose coal that
had fallen into the mouth or head Of the
| inclined cut in the vein and
climbed up its almost perpendicular
| passage they managed to press into service
| q piece of loose timber which they had
| picked up In their hasty retreat, and this
they placed across tho opening Of the tun-
mel and, after getting it safely lodged,
| climbed upon 1t for seats. The men then
found that their feet rested in the water
below them, but soon after determined
| from its gurgling sound that it had gained
| the highest altitude It could.
THE HIGHT OF DISCOMFORT.
| There they were, sitting cn a slender
piece of timber, three inches wide. for over
| four days. Behind them was an immense
body Of coal held In place by small prop,
and, fearing to dislodge it. the men dared
not even rest against it BY changing tho
oil In their lamps and economizing, they
| were enabled to keep a light for fsw
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 themselves in an upright
| position.
John Rineer, the most experienced Of the
miners, an employe OF many years In the
colllery, was able TO keep his head In their
long Imprisonment, but both Cragel and
Shilling at times became crazed. CragsI
imagined he saw a mine car and jumped
down into the water to ride TO the slope up
on H. He was rescued and got back on the
perch by Rineer. Shilling wos more easily
managed, although be was sobbing consider
ably. Wednesday night passed and Thurs
day came, and then the men lost track Of
the time.
THE FIRST WELCOME SOUND.
The first welcome sound reaching their
ears was the ''plunkn 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 overcome by the dreaded
sound of the working Of the coal and loose
| particles held In check behind them. A
| creahing sound showed that coal was
becoming loossnsd, and every moment
they expected q slide of coal which
would envelop them and carry
| them into the lower part OF the cross head
| ing. By gradually throwing away the
! loosened pieces, they kept the opening clear
| and SO fingered and waited listening to the
sounds OF the working of the rescuing parry,
and while they sat there in the cold they
rubbed one another and adopted every
method they could conceive to keep warm.
| The first communication with the imprisoned
miners was had at 3 o'clock this morning,
| and at O'Clock the water shad lowered SO
| that they could be taken out one by one on
the raft. They were wrapped in blankets
and given warm milk as their first refresh
ment and then carried home. They will
have to live on beef tea for a few days, but
will then be all right.