Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-11-20
SHUT UP IN A NINE.
A Cave-In Near Pottsville, Imprisous Eight
men-Hopes for Their Rescue.

cave-in occurred this forenoon at the
Hazel colliery at Centralia operated by
L. A. Riley 81 Co., whereby eight are
now imprisoned in the mine, beside Two
others, who have just been taken out
badly injured. This coliery is situated
about two miles from Ashland and Is q
very large concern, shipping Its product
over the Lehigh Valley road.
Very little timbering has been done
OF late i'm the Hazel workings, and what
was done from time to time has suffered
from dry rot Former operators OF the
Hazel and Fricks claim that eighteen
inch timbering that was used there
was so badly affected that it necessi-
tated renewal every year. This, IL IS
feared, has had considerable to do with
the cave in.
Everything was moving along as usu-
al 10 the Hazel works this morning
and outside of little more water than
usual no signs of danger were visible
until 10 o'clock, when cracking In the
roof of the mine was heard, and the few
pillars remaining in that part or the
mine started to run, and before the
miners could reach places OF safety the
roof fell in.
Those who escaped say the sudden
ness of the cave in is almost unparalled
and gave them no time to do anything
but fly for their lives. Very narrow es-
capes were made by Ira Rothermel and
his son William. Both were badly used
up. They say that shortly before 10
o'clock they fired rather heavy shot
which started pillar OF coal run
ming and at the same time
opened large body Of water
which had accumulated in a
breach from yesterdays storm. AS the
pillar ran and the water forced itself
through it brought the roof with 1T,
aud at the same time came in so great
volume that it washed Rothermel and
his son 100 yards to the mouth OF the
drainage tunnel at which point they
were rescued. The only exit from the
part Of the workings where the cave-in
occurred was at the point where the
fall occurred, and as the mammoth vein
is 45 feet thick and about 300
feet from the surface it was
calculated by practical miners
that there were 700 feet
of coal to be cut through before the raen
can be reached. The removal OF the
enormous amount of 100000 tons OF
coal and earth was therefore necessary.
This seemed great undertaking, but
the operators Of the mine and the
bosses began the task and turned the
streams of water used in washing the
coal into the cavern, with the hope OF
washing away the barrier, WHICH en-
closed into living tomb eight precious
lives.
The ablest mining engineers and
mine experts have been on the ground
to-day, and after a thorough examina-
tion of the workings had been made
and the great danger attending the re-
moval of this mass from the inside had
been considered it was decided that the
hydraulic power was the safest and by
far the quickest means Of getting at
the men.
The work OF rescue was under the
direction of Supt, Edward Williams.
The correct list of the entombed men is
as follows:
JOHN KELMAN, Jr., single, driver
boy.
ROBERT SrAHLER, miner, wife and
two children.
JOHN RYAN, miner, wife and four
children.
ALLEN HOFFMAN, miner, widower,
two children.
HENRY MARTIN, miner, single.
FRANK RYAN, door boy, single.
THOMAS MCDONALD, miner single.
A PoLANDER, single, name not
known.
All these reside at Centralia, aud the
deepest gloom prevailed in the little
town. This gloom was turned TO the
widest kind of JOY shortly before 4
O'clock by the announcement from the
mine that the washing away OF coal and
dirt had progressed so rapidly that the
rescuers had been enabled TO communi-
cate with the imprisoned men. The
driver boy, Kelman, acting as spokes-
man, announced that all were uninjured
and well and waiting for rescue.
They were shut up in cave-in, and
to this fact is due their escape from In
slant death.