St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-14

Ihe gaylord Colilery at P!ym-
outh, Pa, to Clear Up the
Gangways and Prop the Roof,
Have Their Lives Suddenly
Snuffed Out.
WILKEsBARRE. Pa, Feb. 13.-The
mining town of Plymouth is in mourn
ing tonight over terrible accident that
occurred i'll the GAYLORD coliery this
morning. Thirteen men. all citizens Of
that town, lost their lives while i'll the
discharge of their duties. Their names
are:
Mine Foreman Thomas Picton,
Thomas Jones. Richard Davis, John
Morris, James Kingdom, Thomas Mer-
riman, Thomas Cole, Joseph Olds.
Daniel Morgan. John Hammer, Peter S.
Mclaughlin. Michael Welsh and
Thomas Leyshon.
All the victims with the exception Of
two leave families. One of these lost his
wife only month ago, and four little
children survive them. Consequently
the disaster throws eleven widows and
thirty-siX children Oh the worlds
charity.
The Gaylord mine is owned by Daniel
Edwards. one of the wealthiest operat-
ors in the anthracite region. 1t is oper-
ated by the Kingston Coal company. of
which Mr.. Edwards is president. The
best coal in the mine was taken out
years ago. Then 1t was abandoned, be-
cause it could not be operated with
profit.
About three weeks ago the company
decided to resume operations, and a
party of expert miners was sent TO make
an examination. They found matters in
bad shape. The last men at work in
the colllery 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 very poor.
Mining experts give it as their opinion,
however, that the mine could be put in
good condition again with small out
lay of capital. !
The company decided to go on with
the work at once. Monday morning a
large number or expert miners carrying
safety lamps entered the mine and be-
gan the work of clearing up the
old gangways and propping the roof.
They had not been at work long until a
squeeze" came which compelled the
men to retrace their steps Foreman
Pictou, 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
ton S object was to get as near as poSsi-
bic 10 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 as
near as possible to the cave-in and by
insertion of cogs and props endeayor to
break off the mass of rock overhead to
a certain point. thus relieving the
pressure ON other portions of the mine.
1t seems that in this instance
the efforts of Picton and his men did
not prove success, as the cave-in ex.
tended far beyond the danger limit, and
much greater distance than where the
men expected to be safe if they re-
treated at the first indication Of the
heavy fall.
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 timbering, when the
rocky roof came tumbling down upon
their heads, crushing them out of
semblance to humanity and putting
wall OF debris between them and the
mouth of the shaft 400 feet in thickness.
At first there was some hope that if
the men could be reached in reason
able time they could be saved. This
was false hope, however. The res
cuing party had been i'll the mine only
q short time when they were obliged to
retreat on account of further caving.
A second rescuing party under Supt.
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 as
sembed at the mouth of the shaft. ex-
pecting any moment to see their loved
ones brought up alive, set up most
pitlful cry of distress. Mothers
wrung their hands and tore
their hair, and little children
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 fatherless children.
Today's disaster is the worst that has
occurred in the anthracite region sin ce
1885, when twenty-five men perished by
cave-in in Nine No. of the Sus que
hanna Coal company at Nanticoke.
Their bodies were never recovered,
and monument marks the spot where
the men met their death.
Supt. 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 nov believed, is atotal
wreck.
Faribault Fire Department.
Special 10 the Globe.
E,b hn