The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22
A SHOUT IN THE NINE SHAFT
SAVES a SCORE AND A HALF OF cosE
MINERS FROM 4 FRIGHTFUL DE4rH

| auee by Cnn,bIne the Oozy sides Of tn.
SHAFT to the top-Thr Hing Situation. :.
| the Duck Depths Of the Mine-The Dr,.
| matte Incident that Prevented "a Trastsv.
CARDoNptLE. Pa. April 1S.-The Simrsona
Watson Coal Comrany's Harry =. miao -
Broderick reaches what is known as tns
eleyen-foot coal vein at depth OF 25U fcet.
From that vein the shaft is being sunk deeper,
ana is now 1875 feet below the eleventh
vein. The mir shaft OF the mine IL 400 .eet
deep. On ono side Of the shaft from the eicvrn.
foot vein TO the surface ia what is called In the
parlance OF the miner the bunting ceats FAST
ened to the tmbers and forming rude TER.
pcndicular ladder 25O feet In length. Tho
shaft, with the exception OF the glmmct OF
daylight for lew feet vt tho top. Is one long
line OF absolute darkness.
As at all mines Of the kind the men employeI
at this coliery are lowered + o nd hoisted from
the depths OF the mine on tho platform or cage
on which the mine cars are lifted and lowered
to and from the breaker Tho machinery Is
run by an engine at the top. tho power for
which lie furnished from q nest Of six boilers In
boiler house adjoining tho breaker. Zach one
OF these boilers was 30 feet long and 3 !eot in
diameter. On Saturday afternoon. about
o'clock, one Of them exploded. Two
fremen. Thomas Fleming and Thomas
Nhlbn, WeT6 IN tne DoileT mouse at inc
time. With half dozen riecos OF the
boiler and a shower Of aplintered thinkers.
they were hurled through the air nearly
100 feot. where they were projected feet
first against the side Of n hill OF culm. or mine
refuse. into which they were forced to their
waists. piece Of the boiler. com prsinR one.
third OF its entire dim on sions. was carried 300
feet By the great force OF the EXPLOSION. The
boiler house was complete wreck. and the
other five boilers we're forced from their posi-
tions and tumbled about promiscuously. Fire.
men Fleming and Walsh. notwithstanding
their long aerial flight and partial intermcnt
in the culm pile. received only few scratches.
The direct damage from this sudden col-
lapse o. the colliery's motive power was se-
rious enough. but the catastrophe brought
about situation still more serious. The ma
Hundreds Of feet below the surface men were
At work in the dark Enthusiastically. as
for t5sro was NC no coal mining being Gons
that that , day. the work on hand being shalt
Tine former ops e Si we're 81 at ff t So
tom Of tho main shaft, $50 feet below
the surface and in the air shaft 400 feet down.
The ganGway driving was In the eleven-f foot
vein. go feet under ground. Half u dozen
men were at tho bottom OF the main shaft. ten
eleven loot vein. Although the report and
shock OF the boiler exrlosi ion were heard and
mon in the mine. It was not long before
r." the great fan at the mouth OF the air shaft
was no longer drawins foul air ont and fore
ths to With no. shs Ts
machinery continued motionless fo- no long
time that the men knew 1t was not merely
voluntary stop. to be soon over. but forced
one. caused by some serious piishap ut tho
toy; They were i'm r isonei in the mine,
haustinR. and hazardous climb Of $50 feet up
but the men Mt the bottom Of the, shaft and in
the air shaft. far below them. had not even
der below the eieven. i VEIN The men iaT ia
the latter chamber resolved to rescue their
ment before seeking their own safety Hae.
THY lifting up rope and tackle from the always
aeundE nvn mine ne ap5paEtepanSes they lowered
there Clinging to the ropes with tenacity
made possible only by the knowIcdge thattheir
the men were hoisted from the lower depths
safely to the eleven foot vein: Then began the
der. tine terminus of which was marked by the
circle Of light at the shafts mouth. a circle
appearing from the mine depths no larger
TO climb ladder $50 feet high straight up
and down; each round strone aud clean and
sound. and with regular interspaces. and with
the full light OF day upon 1t. would seem to bs
nerved of men would not care to undertake..
Here was ladder wrapped in darkness that
the : faint; fieEerng flames Of tho miners
rough cleats nailed to the timbsrr at Irregular
Intervals SLIPPERY with the black ooze OF the
with its dampness. 1t was by that PREACHER:
Gus way this score and hal, OF imperilled
@srine 50 lar ABOVE them ps; That help from rom
above would be sent them they did not seem
The explosion OF the boiler at the surface
had quickly brought to the spot the entire
waillng women who had husbands. brothers.
pr sWeethearts IN Peril IN the mine-a scene
about the CreaEer The outside men VENTS Went 10
work with will to improvise means TO rescue
he mine. A. last 'e hand md windIass Was aot
ready. a platform securely fastened to the
r9ps and the platform swung oyer the mouth
of tho shalt TO be let down into the mine.
-, The FIRST one to mount the bunting side Of
otRers fol lowed him as they could. owen was
stout and sure footed. but he was thres.quar-
20 place where the Dlackness OF the snaft
Vas Givlng way before the penetrating light
iayIight disappearing. Glanoing upward he
vas almost frozen with horror on discoyering
he. plat Or% Witch the men at the
'urface had rugged to send down TO
,aw Instant that iStsnton as si0 that in T tSs
veil planned means for their rescue there was
terrtsiS engine 81 Tor II ne plat,
iDYaSsd toward The opspins ana hun ths%R
"a
his flashed through Owens mind and with
III his strength In his Voice he shouted;
" Hold IN there. for Gods sake"
The shout was heard. Quickly the heavy
platform. which In another second would have
zone sliding down the shaft carrying death
o those II Was journeying to save, was drawn
Jack from tho mouth OF the mine. and men
,eerlng down into the darkness saw the white
md terror stricken face of owen turned to-
ward them. and stretching on below him the
on line OF Pickering lights that told at once
he story of that toilsome journey toward
liberty, and how narrowly 1t had escaped being
no to death.
A few minutes later Owen was lifted out at
he mouth OF the mine. and one by one his
elbow tOileTs followed him. the last one reach
nR the surface more than an hour after he had
Mounted the bunting in the depths OF tho
haft Tragedies OF the mines and heroic
seds OF miners in the coal regions are beyond
lumber. but old miners say that no happening
5 on record so full OF thrilling dramatic in
idsnt as this at the Frederick mine.
Abraha am LIleOIa Dayis's Reformation.
TTmns =, LaSis R,TlJJis
bra han I hag for