St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-06
PLUNGED IN GRIEF.
Crowds Gathered at the Mine
Where Men Were Drowned.

HAzLEToN, Pa, Feb. 5.-The awful
mining disaster has plunged the COM
munity into grief and mourning. Great
crowds have gathered to-day at the un-
fortunate mine, which is about mile
and half from this place. tits certain
that the seventeen missing men are all
dead, and that most of them were
drowned IN their chambers. The
water On the pitch of the slope
has raised 800 yards, which is a
higher point than any Of the
breasts reached. Even though they
were not drowned, they would die from
SutfocatiOn long before the water can be
pumped out. The large inside mine
pump, which was stationed at the bot
tom of the slope to keep the lower level
free from water. is covered with water
and is useless. Two smaller mine
pumps have been placed side by side in
the gangWay of the first level and the
work of removing the vast body of
water was commenced at O'Clock last
evening. 1t was at first reported that
the water had broken through from the
abandoned workings of the old No. S
shaft. This gangway had been stopped
in vault of solid rock, and, according
to the maps of the engineer, was about
seven feet higher than the gangwdy of
the lower level. and was separated from
it by seven yards of solid rock.
1t is believed that while Charles Boyle
and Patrick Coll were drilling hole in
the face of their breast, they uneXpect-
edly broke into the old abandoned work
ings Of No. s shaft. and that the water
instantly tore away the intervening
rock and rushed in upon them. Some
of the miners and officials are inclined
to doubt the correctness of this theory,
however, as upon examining the old
workings flom the shaft. it was found
that the water was disturbed but very
little, if at all. Another theory adj
vanced is that the water is from Carriers
old mines, better known as the Cole
rain. These mines have been aban-
doned for many years, and were filled
with water, and the lines between the
works run very close together, Until
is impossible to tell how soon it can be
removed as they cannot ascertain the
amount of water that will yet run into
these works as it is being pumped out
of the slope.
LET Womelsdorf, the mining engi-
neer from P0ttsville, who did the sur
veyiDg for the firm, arrived at Jeanes-
vile to-day. He descended into the
mine and made an investigation for the
firm, but declined to give any informa
ton for the public or any idea as to when
the bodies of the men could be rescued.
Sentiment in the town of GAINESVILLE,
as well as in the region, is somewhat
divided. Conservative miners are will
ing to await full investigation before
passing cenSure Oh the firm of j. G.
Hayden q Co., whose mines have been
very carefully operated, and accidents
have been very rare, and danger re-
duced as low as 1t is possible in mining
coal. Others there are who see nothing
in it but carelesSnesS, or still more GRIM
inal negligence. These are outspoken
in their assertions that the mining en-
gineer has not visited the mines as fire.
QuentIy as the occasion demanded, rely
ing upon assistants who were young
and inexperienced, and who did not un
derstand the work or realize the respOn
sibilty resting upon them to do the
work.
1t is certainly clear that thorough
investigation into the cause of the dis
aster will have to be made either by the
coroner of Carbon. who was notified
promptly of the accident, or by an in
vestigation committee from the legisla-
ture similar to the one now investigating
the Erick mine accident.
AS soon as the bodies are recovered
the coroner will empanel jury, and a
rigid inquiry will be made into the cause
of the accident