The state herald., 1891-02-13
IMPRISONED IN A MINE.
Three Miners Rescued After Five
Days of Terror.

| tnro0 Mlnero HeSCueo RtoT RVS
Days of Terror.
A dispatch from Nantioke, Penn,
rays: The most dramatic event that has
occurred In the coal mining region about
hero In many years was tho rescue Mon.
lay morning Of tho three men, John River,
William Craglo and Michael Shelllcut,
from the flooded mine, in which they have
been imprisoned since last Wednesday.
On that day five men. the three above
famed and two others, Thomas Lewis
and Daniel Davis, were at work for the
Susquehanna Coal Company. They were
sngagedl In robbing pillars In an absn-
doned portion Of the mino. In this chamber
Lewis and Davis were at work, and to
loosen tho coal resortod to q blast. The
explosion rent asunder the walls separatt
Ing tho chamber In which they were
engaged from IN old abandoned working,
which has been used In storing abandone
mine water. The imprisoned water burs
through tho great hole made by the bias :
IN furious torrent which nothing could
resist.
Lewis and Davis were ierked OF their
feet and tossed about like corks. Even
heavy coal cars wero lifted and whirled
before tho flood rs though they had been
forks. Lewis and Davis were fortunately
swept TO tho rangway. Here they got u
footing and with the flood tearing after
them they fled for their lives. AT one
time tho water enveloped them up 70 their
nccks, but they made final despairing
effort and got beyond its clutches.
| Davis and Lewis were saved, but their
three companions were left behind. There
was hardly ray OF hope that they could
DO alive. There was lust q chance that
they might have got IN elevated foothold
beyond the roach Of tho water. Those
who first suggested It were thought to be
half mad. But still II was ghost Of q
chance and rescuers set to the work with
all the fury Of energy with which miners
20 10 the relief OF their comrades, not
knowing how soon their time may come to
uecd like effort Oh their behalf. Night
md day the work has gone on. Even II
the men escaped drowning there was small
chance of their escaping sufrocation from
the foul gas.
| Day after day passed and the energy Of
the rcscucrs never tagged, but their hope
was we'll nigh dead. At an early hour
Monday morning, however, their growing
despair was turned TO wild Joy. From far
back In the mine there came faint cry.
For moment the men ceased their work.
They could hardly bcliovc their own cars
then again, as they stood breathless, the
weak, faint voices were heard. Tho M
swcr was wild cry, and, with sort Of
blind fury, tho men foil at their work
again.
At o'clock tho voice could be distinctly
heard; little word could be made out
The three men were alive and unhurt
but for Gods sake hurry"
| No urging was needed. In few min
utes the rcscucrs wcro almost within
touch OF them. A raft was mado and OF
IL party Of men CROPPED their way In tn,
darkness to the little crampcd space IL
which the three poor fellows had spen
their i've horrible days. In little hole II
tho top OF the cross heading they were
found. The water was almost up TO thcii
feet In u jifiy they were pulled down
md onto the raft, and after few minutes
they were out In the sunlight with thcII
comrades, who were hugging them and
kissing them like women and welcoming
the dead rs coming 10 life again.
The experience Of the men is most thrill
ing. After they Ind reached = point Of
comparative safct, from tho Hood the,
found that only u slender piccc OF wood
served to keep back tons OF loose coal tina,
Ind fallen into the mouth Of tho croascut.
When they found the Incline cut In the
vein and climbed up Its almost pcrpen-
dicular passage they managed to obtain
piece Of loose timber. This they placed
across the opening OF the tunnel. and after
getting II safely lodged, climbed upon It
for seat There they sat on this piece OF
timber, scarcely three inches wide, fol
over four days. Behind them was the
immense body OF coal held In place by q
small piece OF prop" ind fearing u
dislodgo 1t tho mou dared not even res,
against IT, In short time their supply OF
oil gave out md they were In total dark
ness.
Minccr, tho most experienced of the mer
was able to keep his head In their long
Imprisonment; but both Cragel and Schill
ing at times became crazy. Crage
imagined he saw mine car and jumped
Into the water to ride to the slope with IL
lie was rescued md got back 10 the percl
by Minccr. Schiiiing was moro casIi,
managed. although he was sobbing con.
stanuy.
Curiousiy enough, they did not sufel
greatly from hunger. Their greatest
misery, after their mental agony, wa,
from thirst and their eramped position Ia
which they were forced To sit