The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-09-03
OUT OF THE PIT.
Despair Gives Way Ia JOY at fsri,i
Nar..


LONDON, Aug. 27.-All night long the
volunteer rescuinE parties kept up their
WORK at the Park Slip pit. the scene of
the disastrous explosion al Bridge End,
Nates, estelday. They worked with
Il Will and removed an enormous GUAM
tliy OF debris rom The mine. At
o clock this morning they had penetrat-
ed 800 yards into the main SHAFT. in all
this distance not Il sign of life was dis
covered, but here and there the body of
miner was found, Its attitude showing
now suddenly death had come To them.
Some OF the men had died in the Verv
act of using their picks. Ten bodies
We're recovered of men vino did not
have a seconds warming of the fate
hanging over them. All W no were
Killed IN this locality, however. had not
met with instant death. The bottles
o. two miners were found who
had apparently made frantic efforts 10
escape from the PIT. They had been
frustrated by the falling rooI OF the
mine and their DO lies weIe terribly
mutllated. Crushed 10 death they were
swept over by the raging tire tina.
burned out many of the timber sup
ports, and their arms, legs and heads,
that had not been protected by the fall
en- earth, were horribly burned.
The rescuers are divided into relies.
1t Is impossible for any OF the volun-
teers to work for any length OF time. AS
the mine Is filed with after damp.
The rescuers are showing the effects of
the heavy work they have done since
yesterday morning, but they work with
untiagglng energy.
LIKE VOICES FROM TIE DEAD.
Suddenly, while band OF the res
cuers were working their way iullher
into the pit, sound was heard that
caused the workmen to suddenly sus-
pend operations. Eagerly listening
they awaited a repetition OF the
sound. Soon It came, low and
weak, but IN sufficient volume to
make the rescuers know that somebody
behind the fallen rock and earth was
alive. With hearty cheer in response
the rescuers again bent to their task
with renewed energy. Word was
passed 10 the pit mouth, and soon wei
| come intelligence spread around the
district that some Of the imprisoned
miners were yet alive, and that they
would be saved.
In short time there was q scene cf
the widest excitement above the pit
mouth. Women and children who had
| stood about all day yesterday waiting 10
see if the bodies of husbands and
| fathers would be brought to the surface,
| ran to the pit and In eager, strained
| voices asked the official II the news was
true. hen assured that some OF the
men We're surely alive, the scene was
about as affecting as that of yesterday
| when everybody believed that ell IN
| the mine had met their d cath.
| DUG \ Tunnel.
| ra- below the surface Of the ground
the sturdy rescuers continued Their diff
cult task. Slowly they dug their way
forward, careful ever that the debris
! did not fail upon them. at last they de-
| termlned 10 change their operations
and 10 dig a sort of tunnel. Creeping
and sometimes lyiIg Hat on their stom-
achs, they advanced, while those behind
kept the tunnel clear. For many yards
| they thus dug FORWARD, uhvcIcd ana en-
| cOuraged by the sounds At a-d now and
then, showing the survivors knew they
| were approaching.
Some of the women fell on their
knees and prayed that their husbands
might be among those whose lives hai
been spared. Others, still doubling the
good news, stood perfectly still and
gaZed with fixed eyes on the burned
| and blackened mouth of the pit. as
| though they expected 10 see the sup
posed lost men emerge from It.
| FOUND A GRoJr OF SUFFERERS.
At last the separating bank of rock
and earth fell inward and the resCuers
| following entered an open space in
which were huddied together u mum
Der of the miners who had
been imprisoned since yester-
day morning. 1t was as though
the grave had given up It's dead. The
res,cEge.rs. found tDat gost of their, com,
rades had been badly. sVlred ana
burned. SO serious, indeed, is tls,.'
| condition, that special aTrangeme nts
Will have to be made to get them from
the pit. Siings and other appliances are
| being hastily, yet carefully, prepared TO
raise the saved men from the pit.
BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE.
| At half-past O'Clock this afternoon
another dispatch was received from
| Bridge End stating that thirty nine of
| the Imprisoned miners had been res
cued and brought 10 the pit head. The
| scene when they reached the surface
was indesCribabie. When they were
recognized by their wives mothers or
sweethearts, they were trantlealIy en-
| braced and kissed again and again. IheIr
| arrival at the surface, though 1t brought
| ION 10 HlAHN HcdIiS, bfDVGHl uttp Sbl
| row and despair for others. 1t was
painful to witness the looks ofhop"less-
ness and despair on the faces Of some
of the women and children when they
| saw their husbands and fathers were
not among the rescued. Sadly they
turned away, and with heavy hearts
walked 10 their homes. Their despair
was not hopeless, however, for the res-
cue OF thirtv-nine led to the belief that
perhaps others in the far workings OF
the pit had escaped and were awaiting
the COmIng OF their resCuers.
STORY or ONE OF THE RESCUED.
One of the rescued miners said
Eighteen of Us got together in a level
after the explosion. We could hear the
flames roaring through the mine. AIT
er time we tried To get out, but were
driven back by the sulphur fumes.
Three of the men thought they could
| rush through the level. They crawled
and picked their way until they reached
comparatively clear space, when they
started to run. They had gone only Il
short distance when all three were
overcome bv the Eas and fell. 1T was
impossible to save them, and they died
where they fell"
The aiteriamp is so bad that the work
of rescue is often retarded, the yoiun.
teers being driven out of the excava
tions until the air improves.
1t is needless to say that everythln.
possible is being done. not only II
rescue the living, but TO recover the
bodies Of the dead.