Evening journal., 1892-05-14
DROWNED IN DARKNESS.
Nearly One Hundred Miners
Perish in Hungary.
BURSTING OF A BIa wATERsPOUT.

The Threatening Cloud sweeps Down I'm
the Form of Great Cone, suddenly
Bursts and Floods the Mines in which
the Men Are ~ work.
VIENNA, May Dispatches from Fuenf-
kirchen, in Hungary, say that a waterspout
burst over the mines near the city and
flooded them, and that between eighty and
a hundred miners, il not more, have been
drowned An hour before the waterspout
burst the wind drove up over the noun
tains near Peesvarad huge mass Of clouds
at first yellowish gray, but quickly deepen
ing 70 dead black. The clouds were whirled
along until over the mountains skirting the
coal fields they had assumed the form OF an
enormous cone The men at the mouth OF
the pits ceased work and two gangs Of men
from the pit nearest the mountain became
alarmed and refused TO descend They
started for their homes to wait for the
storm 20 blow over Suddenly the wind
shifted to the north, the darkness increased
and the cone was swept directly over the
collieries
The Great Cone Bursts.
A moment later the great cone burst and
the water came down in deluge, sweeping
the men from their feet, wreclling the shan
ties and pouring in floods down the shafts.
Large buildings were swept from their
foundations, the roofs were crushed in, and
furniture and tools were carried through
shattered doors and windows by the wind
and water Several men standing at the
pit entrances disappeared in the first rush
Of the flood, and are supposed to have been
carried down the shaft with the water and
wreckage
In the mines the fun force OF men were
at work The total number is said 70 ap-
proximate 800 to 400 They had absolutely
no warning Of the coming disaster as the
men on the surface had refused TO descend
after the water spout began forming. The
lower galleries IN several mines are said 20
have been completely flooded although the
water did not rise 20 the upper galleries.
In one pit there are fifteen dead; in another,
seven; in another, nine.
The Work of Rescue.
The volume Of water broke with rush.
ing report that alarmed the whole city and
within thirty minutes thousands Of men
and women were hurrying out to the scene
Of destruction Volunteers We're called fol
at all the pits and men from the nigh
shifts were sent down the shafts, whicl
had been left reasonably safe, to rescu
their comrades The first descent wa
made in the mine where about fifteen mel
were az work on the lowest level.
The men in the upper galleries were foun'
uniniured and were carried 10 the top
Nobody in the lowest gallery was alive u
tell the story Of the disaster. The min
was flooded az that level and several bodie
We're found floating in the water and wer
sent up. No more can be done before tn
pumping out Of the mine. II is reporte
that the number Of the dead in this min
may reach twenty. Other mines shared tn
same fate and nearly every man at wor
was drowned.
Women Waiting for Their Dead.
The whole mining colony is in the field
awaiting the results Of the work of rescue
Women are sleeping with their children o
the wet ground, intent upon getting III
first news as TO the fate Of their husband
and brothers The authorities Of Fuen
kirchen have sent out fuel and food and bi
I fires have been built near the shaft eI
frances An imperial courier has been di
patched 20 Fuenflirchen with the emperor
contribution for the relief of the most pres
/. ing wants Of the stricken families. TIL
contribution is said TO be 5000 gulden, an
a promise of more IN case the progress {
the work Of rescue reveals greater loss c
life