St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-10
The JAWS OF DEATH.
Thrilling Rescue Of Three I'M
prisoned, Starving Coal
Miners.
For Days Their Comrades
Worked for Them Hoping
Against Hope.
But at Last Their Growing
Despair Was Turned to
Widest Joy.
Several Lives Lost in Ne
braska During the Late
Severe Weather.

NANTICoKE, Pa, Feb 9.-One Of the
most dramatic eventS that have Oc-
Cured in the oal.mining region about
here in many years was the release this
morning. of the three men, John River,
William Cragle and Michael Shellicut,
from the flooded mine i'll which they
had been imprisoned since Wednesday
last. On that day five men, the three
above named and two others, Thomas
Lewis and Daniel Davis, were at work
in No. 3 mine of the Susquehanna Coal
company. They were engaged in rob-
bing pillars in an abandoned portion of
the mine. In the one chamber Lewis
and Davis were at work, and to loosen
the coal reSorted to blast. The eX-
plOsiOn rent asunder wall separating
the chamber in which they were en-
gagged from an old abandoned
working which has been used
for storing abandoned mine water.
The imprisoned water burst through
the great hole made by the blast in a
furious torrent which nothing could re-
siSt. LOWS and Davis were jerked off
their feet and tossed about like corks.
Even heavy coal cars were lifted and
whirled before the flood as though they
had been cOrks. Lewis and Davis,
fortunately were swept to the gangway.
With the flood tearing after them they
fed for their lives. At one time the
waters enveloped them up to their
necks. but they made a final despairing
effort to get beyond its clutches, and
were saved, but their three companions
were left behing. There was hardly
A BAY of Hope
that they could be alive. There was
Just chance that they might have got
on some elevated foothold beyond the
reach of the water. Those who first
suggested it were thought to be half
mad. But still it was a ghost of a
chance, and reScuers set to work with
all that fury of energy with which
miners go to the relief of then comrades,
not knowing how soon their own time
may come to need like effort on their
behalf. Night and day the work has
gone on. Even if the men escaped
drowning there was small chance of
their escaping SutfOcation from foul air.
Day after day passed, and though the
energy of the rescuerS never Tagged
their hope was well nigh dead. AT an
CQI llOul UllO llOnOtCls OllCll
growing despair was turned TO wild joy.
From far back in the mine there came a
faint cry. For moment the men ceased
their work. They could hardly believe
their own ears. Then. again, as they
stood breathlesS the weak, faint voices
were heard. The answer was wild
cheer, and with a sort of blind fury the
men fell to their work again. At 3
O'clock this morning the voice could be
distinctly heard; little later words
could be made out. The three men were
all alive and they were unhurt.
ssBut, for Gods Sake. Hurry.''
No urging was needed. In a few
moments the reScuerS were almost with
in touch of them. A raft was made,
and on it party of men Proped their
way in the darkness to the little cramped
lows had spent their five horrible days.
In little hole in the top of the cross
heading they were found. The water
was almost up to their very feet. In
jitfy they were pulled down and went
on the raft, and few moments later
they were out in the sunlight, with
their comrades hugging them and kiss
ing them like madmen, and welcoming
them as the dead come to life again.
There have been many touching scenes
around the black mouths of the mines
hereabouts, but seldom one that moved
mems hearts more than did the
wild demonstrations over these poor
rescued miners. They are the heroes
of the day, and for long time to come.
until some other great disaster has over
shadowed their adventure, they will
have to tell over and over again the
story of those five awfnl days of dark
ness and despair. Curiously enough,
they did not suffer greatly from hunger.
Their greatest misery, after their men
tai agony, was from thirst and the
cramped position in which they were
forced to sit. Milk was given them to
drink and they quickly recovered their
strength. 1t was after o'clock this
morning, however, before they were
thought to be sufficiently strong to be
carried to their homes.