The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-21

Competed 10 Give y IN despair
Heartrending scenes at the Mouth
of the Pit-Namcs of the Victims.
WILKEsBARRE Pa. Feb. 1s-Ths
mining town Of Plymouth is in mourn-
ing tonight over a terrible accident that
( occurred in the Gaylord colliery this
morning Thirteen men. all citizens OF
that town, lost their lives while in ths
discharge Of their duties. Their names
are:
Mine Foreman THOMAS PICTON.
THOMAS JONES.
RICHARD DAVIS.
JOHN MORRIS
JAMES KINGDOM
THOMAS WORKMAN.
THOMAS COLE.
|, JOSEPH OI.DS
DANIEL MORGAN.
JOHN HAMMER
PETER ATLAUGHLIN.
MICHAEL WALSH.
THOMAS DEYSHON
All the victims. with the exception Of
his wife only a month ago and four little
children survive them. Consequently thu
| disaster throws eleven widows and thir<
| ty-six children on the worlds charity.
The Gaylord mine is owned by Daniel
| Edwards. one Of the wealthiest opera
| tors in the anthracite region. It is OPP
| Grated by the Kingston coal company, OF
which Mr. Edwards is the 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 to resume operations aid party
| of expert miners was sent into the mine
To make an examination. They found
matters in bad shape. The last man az
work in 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 the debris and the air current was
poor. Mining experts gave it as their
opinion, however. that the mine could
Be put in good condition again with a
small outlay of capital The company
! decided TO go on with the work at once.
Into the Fatal Pit.
Monday morning a large number OF
| expert miners carried 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 de-
scent was made at i o'clock last night.
Picton's object was 10 get as near as
possible to the most dangerous part OF
where the squeeze" was the greatest in
order to stay its progress by beaming the
roof with heavy timber
In cases Of this kind the men get -
near as possible 10 the cave-in and by
Insertion of cogs and props endeavor to
break of the mass Of rock overhead 10 a
certain point thus relieving the pressure
on other portions OF the mine 1t seems
that in this instance the Efforts OF Ptcton
and his men did not prove success, as
tie cave extended far beyond the danger
line and a much greater distance than
where the men expected to be safe II
they retreated ar the first indication OF
the fan. This is shown by the vast area
of the cave-in.
No one is left TO tell the story. The
supposition is that the men were busily
at work. tiTnberinS. when the rocky roof
came tumbling down upon their heads,
crushing them out Of semblance 10 hui
1nanftv and putting a wall of debris be-
tween them and the mouth Of the shaft
800 feet in thickness.
At first there was some hope that IL
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 short time
when they were obliged TO retreat on
account of further caving.
All Hope Given In.
\ second rescuing party under Super.
intendent James W. Davis went down
the shaft this afternoon. but soon came +;
back thoroughly disheartened and at
o'clock all hope of rescuing the men alive
was given up. The news Of abandoned
hope soon spread and the wives and
children Of the men in the mine who
had assembled at the mouth Of the shaft
expecting any moment to see their loved
ones brought up alive. set up most pitt
ful cry Of distress. Mothers wrung their
hands and tore their hair and little chill
dren wept bitterly. Two OF the women
tainted and had to be carried away by
friends Even stout-hearted men. who
had gathered at the entrance Of the
mine. wept almost as bitterly as the
fatherIess children.
Today's disaster is the worst that has
occurred in the anthracite region since
1885, when twenty-five men persisted by
a cavern in mine No. / OF the Susoue-
hanna coal company at Nanticoke.
Their bodies were never recovered and a
monument marks the spot where the
men met their 6Sath.
Superintendent Edwards said tonight
that he would take care Of the women
and children whose husbands and fathers
lost their lives in today's calamity The
mine, it is now believed. is a total wreck.
Schooner Fortune Wrecked.
PROVINCEToWN, Mass. Feb "a
The wrecked schooner Fortuna has gone
10 pieces on Race Point and the debris
strews the shore for miles. All the crew
have been taken i'm charge by the Sea-
mems benevolent society. The names OF
the drowned are:
JAMES ArLEAN Of Glocester. married,