The record-union., 1894-02-14
Humanity.
Special to the REcoRp-uN1ox.

WILKESBARRE, Feb. 13.-The mining
town of Plymouth is in mourning to-
night over a terrible accident that oc-
Cured in Gaylord's colliery this morn
ing. Thirteen men. all citizens of that
town, lost their lives while in the dis
charge of their duties. Their names are !:
Mine Foreman Thomas Picton, Thomas
Jones, Richard DAVIS. John Morris,
James Kingdom, Thomas Merriman,
Thomas Cole, Joseph Olds, Daniel Nor
gan, John Hammer, Peter S. McLaugh-
lin, Michael Walsh and Thomas Leyshon.
All the victims, with the exception of
two, leave families. One lost his wife
only month ago, and four little children
survive them. Consequently the disaster
throws ten widows and thirty-six chill
dren on the worlds charity.
The Gaylord mine is owned by Daniel
Edwards, one of the wealthiest operators
in the anthracite region. 1t is operated
by the Kingston Coal Company, of which
Edwards is President. The best coal in
the mine was taken out years ago. Then
it was abandoned because it could not be
operated with profit.
About three weeks ago the company
decided 10 resume operations, and party
of pert miners was sent into the mine
TO make an examination. They found
matters in bad shape. The last men at
work i'll the colliery had ''robbed" the
pillars supporting the roof until they
were very thin. a great many falls had
taken place. The passages were blocked
by debris and the air current shut off.
The mining experts gave an opinion,
however, that the mine could be put in
good condition again with small outlay
OF capital. The company decided to 90
on with the work at once.
Monday morning large number of
expert miners. carrying safety lamps, en-
tered the mine and began the work of
clearing up the old gangways and prop
ping the roof. They had not been at
work long until squeeze" came. which
compelled the men to retrace their steps.
Foreman Picton, with twelve selected
miners, volunteered to go down the shaft
and see what could be done. The descent
was made at 10 o'clock last night. Pic
toms object was to get as near as possible
10 the most dangerous part where the
squeeze was greatest i'll order to stay its
progress by beaming the roof with heavy
tim bers.
The efforts of Picton and the men did
not prove Il success, as the cave extended
far beyond the danger limit, and much
-
pected to be safe if they retreated at the
hrst indication of heavy fall. This is
shown by the vast area of the cave-in.
No one was left to tell the story. The
supposition is that the men were busily
at work tim mbering when the rock roof
came tumbling down upon their heads,
crushing them out of the semblance of
humanity and putting a wall of debris
between them and the mouth of the shaft
fOur hunQrn6 feet in thick ness
At first there was hope that if the men
could be reached in reasonable time they
could be saved. This was a false hope,
however. The rescuing party had been
in the mine only a short time when they
were obliged to retreat ON account of
further caving. A second rescuing party,
under superintendent James w. Davis
went down the shaft this afternoon, but
came back thoroughly disheartened, and
at 3 o. 'clock all hope of rescuing the men
was given up.
News of the abandoned hope soon
spread, and wives and children of the
men in the mine, who had assent bled at
the mouth of the shaft expecting any mo-
ment to see their loved ones brought up
alive, set up most pitiful cry Of distress.
Two women tainted and had TO be carried
away by friends.
There was only one way the men may
have escaped instant destruction, but
only to meet death in slower form by
Imprisonment and starvation. At the
opening from the gangway are number
OF cross headings leading to the old gang
way. Ii the men had few moments
warning they are possibly in these work
ings waiting for help. The distance to
this old gangway from the foot OF the
shaft is about 900 feet, through closed-up
passages, which must be reopened and
retim pered before they can be traversed.
Gangs are working with feverish haste,
and it is hoped to get through by mid
night. If the men are not there it is
thought there was a possibility of their
having had time to escape in another di-
rection into other workings, and efforts at
these places are also being made. Inside
Superintendent Picton, who son was in
charge of the missing party, says he will
not give up hope until the dead bodies
are brought out.