Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-05-21
DISASTER IN HUNGARY.
Eighty or a Hundred Coal Miners
Drowned at Their Work.
Many Men, Alarmed at the Approach OF
the storm. Refuse to Descend aud
So Sava Tbcfr Lives.


Many Men, Alarmed at the Approach of
the storm. Refuse to Descend aud
SO save Their Lives.
Dispatches from Fuenfkirchen, in Hungary,
say that a waierspout hurst over the mines
near the city and flooded them. and that
between eighty aud one hundred miners. If
not more, have been drowned.
The flood came shortly after noon. The
atmosphere had been hesyy aud the tempera-
ture high all the morning. An hour before
the w%aterspoat burst the wind, which had
been from the south, shifted to the east aud
dove up over the mountains near Peesvsrad
a huge mass Of clouds, at first yellowish gray,
but quickly deepening to dead black. The
clouds were whiTlei aloug the osest Of the
mountains by the wind, which rose to a gals
until over the mountains skirting the coal
fields on the Mouth they had assumed the form
OF an enormous e5ne. with its adex almost
resting On the mountain tops The men at
the mouth Of the pits ceased work. and tao
gangs o. meu from the pit nearest the noun
tam became alarmed aud refused to descend
They started Cor their homes to wait for the
tiNtlA 10 GLOW over. CMNIkNNN tue Mlnu
shifted 20 the north, tho darkness increased
and the eoue was swept directly over tho
C~pileries. IL burst Il moment later aud the
water came down in a deluge, sweeping the
men from their feet wrecking the shaaties
aud pouring ia ioods down the shafts,
OLarge buildings were swept from their
foundations, the roofs were crushed IN, and
furniture aud tools were scattered through
shattered doors aud windows by the wind
and water. Several men standing at the pit
entrances disappeared With the first rush OF
the Hood. aud are supposed TO have been
carried down the shalt with the water and
wreekage.
In the mines The full force Of men were at
work. The total number is said 20 NpproNi.
mate 500 or 400. They had absolutely no
warning OF the coming disaster, as the men
ON the surface had refused 10 descend alter
the waterspout began i0aming, The lower
galleries in several miucs ARE said 90 have
been completely Hooded. although the water
did not rise 10 the uppe galleries. In one pit
there are hi,ecn dead, ia another seven, ia
another uinv.
The volume Of water broke With a rushing
report that alarmed the whole city, aud
within thirty minutes thousands OF inca and
women were hUrrying out 20 the scene OF
destruction. Volunteers were called Tor at
AL the pits, and men from the night shifts
were sent down The shafts. which had hceu
I lEAN NNNfNAAOAN NAAfa 10 NtfAh VT AANtNA hWNAlN hANNs
The first descent was made ia the mino
where about fifteen men we're at work on tho
lowest level. The men In the upper galleries
we're found uninjured aud we're carried 10 the
top. Nobody Ia the lowest gallery was alive
TO tell the story Of the disaster. The min0
WAS Hooded ut that level, aud several bodies
were found floating in the water and were sent
M. The number Of dead 10 this mine may
reach twenty.
Al another pit the entrance Of tho lowest
gallery was under water and no bodies could
be OuuI. On this level at least seven men
we're at work. Il is the pit where the miners
refused 70 70 down when they saw tho water
spout coming, sud therefore but oGe.third the
usual number were nj work.
ln the pit where the niue men are known
10 have been lost there may be twenty or
thirty more dehd. Tor the wafer rushed into
the lowest two galleries. II completely sub
merged the lowest gallery drowning evety
soul there.
At other shafts The number Of Head is csti.
mated all The way from ten to forty.
The whole mining colony il IA the helds
awaiting the results OF the work Of rcscue
Women are sleeping with their children on
The wet ground, intent upon getting the IRE;
news us 70 the inte 81 their husbands aud
brothers. A government official hns heeu
sent from Pesih 20 help superintcnd the reliei
of thoye rendered homeless OF ialhefless by
the storm.
An imperial courier has been dispatched 10
Fuenlkifchen with the Empefors contribu-
ton Tor tho rcliUl Of the most pressing wants
OF the stricken families. The contribution IL
snid to be 5000 guldeu and u promise Of more
in case the work of rescue reveals greater loss
VI lie than is now apprehended.