Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-09-03
IN 4 BURNING PIT.
One Hundred and Fifty Miners
Buried in a Furnace.
Only Two Brought Out Alive and
They Will Die.

A FEARFUL mining accident occurred al the
the Parkslip coal-pit near Bridgend, min
ing town in Glamorganshire, Wales.
The day shift Of miners had not been long
in the mine before a most terrible explosion
was heard. The day shift comprised $50
men, and their relatives and friends rushed
to the pit-mouth to learn the extent Of the
disaster The explosion had caused the earth
and rock to fall and the mouth OF the pit was
closed Not single man of the $50 in the
mine hal made hi escape, and it is feared
that there has been great loss of life.
Hundreds of miners in the vicinity have
volunteered their services and the work OF
clearing the pit-mouth is being pushed rs
rapidly as circumstances viii permit. An
around the pit are gathered women and chill.
dren, hoping for the best yet expecting the
worst The mine officials hold out all the
hope possible, but they fail to make the
mothers and wives believe that there Is much
hope.
A dispatch from Bridgcnd saws: THOUGH
&c volunteers have been working since morn
my. II Is still imp0ssibls TO reach the miners
VINO are impris oaed IN the Parkslip pit From
the Indications it is believed that the whole
interior Of the pit was set on fire hv the OK
piosion and that th9 flames are still raging
through the mine.
As the time pa ses and the prospect Of
saving he men in The pit grows darker many
narrowing scenes are witnessed among the
throng OF relatives aud friends who have re-
NAMED around the pit mouth all day. When
y became know taat the timbers in the pit
were burning, women in the crowd went bit
terly, while others with dry ewes, wruns their
hands IN agony Of despair An knew that
II would be impossible for the imprisoned
men to 1--we with the flame and smoke filling
he pit and even the most sauguine gave up
hope Of ever seeing husbands, fathers and
lovers alive again,
Al O'Clock n reScung party asceuded 10
the surface bearing with them two men
whom they had found near the bottom Of tho
PIT. Both the men were badly burned and
unconscious. As they reached the surface
the crowd pressed forward anxious 10 identi-
fy the rescued miners, and from the women
Two rushed forward with cries Of joy as they
recognized their husbands The men were
carefully attended 10 by the physicians in
attendance, Who, however, held out little
hope OF their recovery. They say they have
evidently inhaled fire aud that death will
surely follow.
shortly after these men were brought up
the flames from the burning pit assembled
AMI set fire 30 the structures at the pithead
When the huge tongues Of fire were seen
leaping up from the pit cries Of horror and
despair arose from the throng Many Of tho
women tainted, while the shrielS OF others
were heartrending The smaller children
seeing the distress Of their mothers, began To
cry, and many Of the blackened miners
standing ..bout were seen to cover their faces
and wipe away thesr tears Whon the flames
issued from the pit all hope was abandoned.
Ii AZ n
have srtainly been suifocated or burned
to death The disaster is one OF the worst
that has occurred in the mining district for
many wears