The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-09-30
LIKE RATS IN A TRAP.
Terrible Drowning Accident in a
Michigan Iron Mine,
TWBNTY-BIGHT LIVES SACRIFICED.

The Men Were az Work Under a River
When the Roof of the Mine Caved In.
Only Those the Lower Level Sue
ooeded in Escaping.
CRYSTAL FALLS, Mich, Sept. 3O-With
q terrific rush the water of the Michi-
CANINE river broke through q bed weak
ened by mining into the Mansfield mine,
drowning twenty eight men who were at
work directly under the cave in. There
were fortysiN men In the mine when the
accident occurred, but eighteen Of them
who were working in the lower levels ,
managed to escape.
The names of the drowned miners are;
Sam Peters, James Srongman, w. II. |
| Pierce, Charles Pohl, Ole Carson, Joe
| kOhla, Swan johnson, Mike Harrington, !
| Frank Bocko, Al Torresani, Frank John !
/ son, Sam Johnson, Shellino Hadra, Peter
| Turry, Nicolo Fontani, John Regula, John |
! Holmstrum, Ross F0Itmato j ohm Kirche, |
/ John Randall, John Warner, Oscar Lund- |
quist, John Arcangelo, Arto Steifano, |
| August Cologne, o. CONSTANT, Vigilis |
| zldra and Celesti Negr The first six |
were married and leave large families.
! None Of the bodies have been recovered, |
and it is believed it will be necessary to !
| OlNtEb llC Ghhlhtl Oh INC IlNGI btlOIb IutN
can be secured.
1t is believed to have been che worst
disaster that ever occurred in the Lake Su-
perior 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 b the men
at the pumps, as they managed to keep
the drifts" free. The miners pursued
their work as on every night when they
| Started In to pass the twelve hours under
the ground. Suddenly a few minutes after
@ there was a loud report and overpower-
ing rush of water and the men felt them
saves being overwhelmed by an avalanche
o. mud.
So fast came the flood that it is doubt
full 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,
} however, it would have availed them
nothing, for the shaft known as "Old
Number Onep collapsed as soon as the
water reached and undermined its base.
| This occurred at precisely 9.3O and it was
then known to those in charge of the mine
] that the men in the upper level had been
trapped and drowned 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. 2 shaft, but the in
rushing flood came too fast and it is
thought that most of them met death
within five minutes after the break oc-
CURED.
The men at work in the lower levels
were warned in time to escape. A few
minutes after they heard an ominous
roar and at once suspecting the cause
| drained tbpir ,ipIo nd HgI l,;y
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
The news of the disaster sped on swi t
wings throughout the little hamlet and a
wild cry of alarm was voiced by the in
habitants as they rushed from their homes
and gathered about the shaft Just as the
last one of the eighteen men was brought
to the surface, When the cause of the ac-
cident was explained to the anxious in
qulrers a cry Of horror went up as they
realized that the long expected and much
dreaded accident had taken place at last,
and brought with it the results so long
feared by the wives and mothers.
There was 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
waters had alrea 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 twenty-eight
men were given up
The death of these twentv-eight men
marks the end Of Mansfield mine, for un-
less the river can be forced to seek another
channel the bodies cannot be secured, nor
can this rich deposit of iron ore be worked
again.
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. 1t has been worked be-
tween three and four years, and has
shipped about $50 900 tons of Bessemer ore.
MARQUETTE Mich, Sept. 3O.-John NJ
Longyear Of this city, is one Of the chief
owners of the Mans field property. His be-
lief is that the disaster was caused by
"robbiug' the mine That is, by working
in reckless manner and taking down
Ipillars of ore i'm the upper levels that
should have been left to support the roof.
The mine inspector of Iron county will
conduct a most rigid investigation.