Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-30
ANOTHER MINE HORROR
Twenty-eight Men Meet Death
 by Rush of Waters.
THE ACCIDENT LONG LOOKED FOR,
Eighteen of tine Men Managed to Escape. PitIful Scenes Among Relatives of the Unfortunate AIIners-suIts to He Brought Against the operAtors-List of the Dead.

PitIful Scenes Among Relatives of the
 Unfortunate AIIners-suIts to He Brought
 Against the OperAtors-List of the Dead.
 CRYSTAL FALLS, Mich, Sept. 30 With . terrific rush the water Of the Michignmme river broke through bed, weakened by mining, into the Mansfield mine Thursday night, drowning 2S men who were at work directly under the cavein. There were 4C men in the mine when the accident oc. cured, but Is of them, who were working in the lower levels, managed to escape.
 None of the bodies have been recovered, and it is believed it will be necessary to di- vert the channel of the river before they can be secured. It is believed to have been the worst disaster that ever occurred in the Lake Superior iron region. When the night shift went on duty, it was noticed that more water was coming into the mine than usual, but no alarm was felt by the men at the pumps, as they managed tC keep the drifts free. The miners pursued their work as on every night when they started in to pass the F hours under the ground earning bread for their families. Suddenly there was a loud report and an overpowering rush of water, and the men felt themselves being overwhelmed by an avalanche of mud, ore and water.
 Trapped and Drowned Like Rats.
 oO IhSL CStlllt Nne llOOu Judb lI Is whether the men on the upper levels had time to drop their tools and run for their lives to the old shaft. Had any of them reached the perpendicular opening, how ever, it would have availed them nothing, for the shaft known as Old No. 1 col lapsed as soon as the water reached and undermined its base. This occurred at precisely 9:30, and it was then known to those in charge of the mine that the men in the upper level had been trapped and drowned like rats by an accident which had long been expected. Had there been time the men might have descended by some means to the lower levels and crossed over to No. ? shaft, but the inrushing flood came too fast, and it is thought that most of them met death within five minutes after the break occurred. The men at work in the lSwer levels were warned in time to escape. A few minutes after 9 they heard an ominous roar, and at once suspecting the cause dropped their picks and fled for their lives. The water, pursuing as it did the devious course necessary in running from one level to another, was already ankle deep in the lower levels when the men reached the shaft and were drawn up from what seemed certain death.
 Cry of Horror Went Up.
 The news of the disaster sped on swift wings throughout the little hamlet, and q wild cry of alarm was voiced by the inhab- itants as they rushed from their homes, gathering about the shaft just as the last one of the Is men was brought to the sur. face. When the cause of the accident was explained to the anxious inquirers, a cry of horror went up, as they realized that the long expected and much dreaded accident had taken place ut last and brought with it the results so long feared by the wives and mothers.
 There was n call for volunteers, which was at once answered, to descend the only available shaft and succor if possible any miners who might possibly be found alive But the courage and strong intent of the hardy miners was of no avail, and the wa ters had already reached the lower level shaft, and the angry roar which greeted the would be rescuers as they peered over into the dark channel at once precluded all hope of rescue, and the 2S men were given up.
 All night the water poured into its new foand bed, and not until 9 o'clock in the morning did it resume its natural course after having effectually filled every cavity and crevice of the great mine.
 End of the Mansfield Mine.
 The death of these 2S men marks the end of the Mansfield mine, for unless the river can be forced to seek another channel the bodies cannot be secured, nor can this rich
 
 The Mansfield mine is situated on the banks of the Michigamme river about six miles east of Crystal Falls, the county seat of Iron county. It has been worked between three and four years and has shipped about 6GO, 600 tons of bessemer ore
 The depression in the iron trade has closed practically all the mines in the Crystal Falls district, and the Mansfield was almost the only one from which any l,.,s., product enabling it to keep on working The ore lenses dipped rapidly beneath the stream, and for more than two years the chief workings have been directly under the bed of the river There has been much trouble with water, and predictions have not been wanting that the river would some day break through the roof of the mine. No measures looking to a rescue o1 the bodies of the dead have yet been deter mined. A careful survey of the ground by ! competent engineers will have to be made and the first step toward getting into the | flooded workings must be to divert tenn porarlly or permanently the course of tho Michigamme river and then pump out the mine.
 List of the Dead.
 The names of the drowned miners are;
 Sam Peters, married; James Strongman | married; w. II. Pierce, married; Charles Pohl ! married; Ole Carson, married; Joe kohla, mar | ried; Swan Johnson, Mike Harrington, Franl | Rocko, Al Tnrresani, Frank Johnson, San Johnson,- Shellimo Zadra, Peter Furry, Ncol, l Fontani, John Rcgula, John Holmstrunl, JorI l kirsche, John Warner, John Arc3ngelo, Angus l Bologna, Vigilis Zeadra, John Randala, Qsca l LundQuist, Anto Steffano, 0. Constant. Celest | Negri and Ross Fortunate.
 Already talk of suits for damages agains | the operators by relatives of the dead meI is being heard. The mine was being oper | g. of Cleveland. The money loss will b S600O00.
 | Twin Sisters Lost.
 l HlNGHAM, Mass, Sept; 30.-The twii daughters of w. II. Clark are lost' The,