Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-10
A TALE OF TERROR.
EXPERIENCES or THREE MINERS
sNromBsc FOR DAYS.
p.,onea On n Three Inch Flank In Utter
parkness-.Their Pincky Rescue
Their sufferinEs.
nav ielogrnph % tpe pispaich


rBy telegraph 10 the Dispaich.l
wuxFspARRx. Pa, February 9.-lntense
;ox and excitement prevail in the little
hamlet of Grand Tunnel this morning over
fba rescue of three entombed miners, I'M
nrisoned by water rushing into the gang
ways and breasts Of the Susquehannan
Company's colliery at that place Wednes-
day of last week after firing blast. since.
the men were lost experienced miners de-
clared that their rescue alive was impoSsi-
hle and they were practically given mp.
The whole community was IN mourning
over their supposed sad fate; Inc names
of the men are Michael Sheiank, mhlah
Cragel and John Rineer-all well-known
,n;ns,S Thev were found alive in the
nnner WORKINGS near the outcrop, the
vgater being unable to reach them after
they managed to get out OF its swirl, wnen
il was rushing through the mine. Inc
comnany's employees have exerted every
effort 10 got the water out, and by press
inc into service the mammoth pumps they
were able to lower the water sufnclentlv 10
lei the rescung party III TINS morning.
The men were found in an almost exhaust,
ed condition from their one hundred anu
6fteen hours Imprisonment. IL Will re-
ouire care to bring through. Their suiter-
incs have been intense. but they were
ouoyed by the hope OF being rescued, ana
the outcrop workings being fairly wei
ventilated they we're able to secure enough
pure air to keep them alive.
STORY OF THE RESCUE.
The immense pumps used TO clear water
from the inundated portion were run 10
their utmost capacity and during last
NIGHT the water receded very much. When
snfHciently low this morning raft was
constructed, and on this the rescuing
nartv managed 10 get through the gang,
WAYS 10 point in the vein where tne coai
had a pitch of forty degrees. Inc ratt was
turned into cross-headlng anu we llien
,,.ara found mn above the water sitting on
the cross-tinber. whittier they had gone
Immediately after they discovered the wa
fer coming in upon them on "Wednesday.
BEFORE they had advanced many steps the
peter was M to their necks and they were
carried along by its force.
EXPERIENCE OF THE ESToMBED MEN.
BEING aware of the pitch in the vein
they happily selected the only point In the
workings where they could have gone IN
safety and perched themselves on the TIM
beers high above the food. Their only
lamp lasted three hours, and from ABOUT
O'clock Wednesday they sat on this timber
until their rescue this morning. Two
of them became crazed at times. and with
the greatest difficulty their single compan-
ion managed to keep them from leaving
the cross-heading during the long, weary
hours that interviewed. Their position was
beyond all description, and but for the
knowledge that their liberated companions
IN the mines would do everything to rescue
them the men would have gwen up IN de
spair. A.,
company is praised on every hand for the
exhaustive measures they took to rescue
the unfortunate men.
A REMARKABLE STORY.
The story of the escape of the miners is
O remarkable one. After they had reached
a point of comparative safety from the
flood 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 cross-cut. When they found
an incline cut in the vein and climbed up
its almost perpendicular passage they
managed to press into service piece OF
loose timber which they had picked up IN
their hasty retreat, and this they placed
across the opening OF the tunnel, ana atter
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 they determined from its CUR
Cling sound that it had gained the greatest
altitude it could.
ON A THREE-ISCH STICK FOUR DAYS.
There they were sitting on 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 1t, the
men dared not even rest against 1t. BY
changing the oil in their lamps and econo-
MIXING they were enabled to keep a light
for a few hours, but this supply had an
end, and after q short time they. were COM
PEELED to sit in absolute darkness with
hardly enough room to hold themselves IN
an upright position.
CRAZINEss APPEARS.
John Rineer, the most experienced of
the miners. an employe OF many years
standing in the colliery, was able TO keep
his head in their long imprisonment, but
both Cregel and Shilling at times became
craZed. Cregel imagined he saw q mine
car and Jumped down INTO the water to
ride TO the slope upon it. He was res
cued and got back on the perch by Rineer.
Shilling was more easily managed, al
though he was sobbing considerably.
Wednesday night passed and Thursday
came and then the men lost track OF time.
THE FIRST WELCOME SOUND
reaching their ears was the "plunk" Of
the pump, and then the men knew that ac-
tive 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 loosened particles
held in check behind them. A creaklng
sound showed that the coal was becoming
loosened and every moment they expected
a slide of coal which would envelop them
and carry them into the lower part of the
cross-heading. BY gradually throwing
away the loosening pieces they kept the
opening clear and so fingered and waited,
listening to the sounds of the work Of the
resculng party.
ANYTHING TO KEEP WARM.
And while they sat there in the cold they
rubbed one another and adopted every
method they could conceive tokeep warm.
The first communication with the i'm
prisoned miners was had at O'Clock this
morning and at o'clock the water had
lowered so they could be taken out one
by one on the raft. They were wrapped
in blankets and given warm milk as their
first refreshment and then carried home.
They will have to live on beef tea for q
few days but will then be all right.
AVEROiCT OF mot GUILTY"
A Call to Rev. j. l.. white-Mr. aud Mrs.