Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-14

WLKEsBAERE, PA, February Ia
The mining town of Plymouth is In
mourning tonight over terrible acci-
dent Hhat occurred in the Gaylord col
llery this morning. Thirteen men, all
citizens Of that town, lost their lives
while in the discharge OF their duty.
Their names are:
Bine foreman, Thomas Picton, Thos.
Jones, Richard Davis, John Norris,
James kingdom, Thomas Merriman,
Thomas Cole, Joseph Ulds. Daniel Nor
gan, John Hammer, Peter S. Me-
Laughlin, Michael Walsh and Thomas
Leyshon.
All tie victims, with the exception OF
two, leave families. One Of these lost
his wife only month ago and four lit
tie children survive them. Consequent
ly the disaster throws eleven widows
and thirty-:i1 children on the worlds
charity.
The Gaylord mine Is owned by Daniel
Edwards, one OF the wealthiest opera
tors In the anthracite region. IL Is
operated by the Kingston Coal Com
pany, OF which Mr.. Edwards Is the
| President. The best coal in the mine
was taken out years ego. Then 1t was
aba ndoned because il could not DO
OPERATED WITH PROFIT.
About three weeks ago the company
decided TO resume operations, and
| party OF expert miners were sent into
| the nine TO make an examination.
They fou3d matters in bad shape. The
experts gave it as their opinion, how
ever, that the mine could be put In
good condition sgain with 4 small out
lay OF capital.
The company decided to 90 on with
the work at once. Monday morning a
large number OF expert miners. carrying
lsafety lamps, entered the pine and be-
gan the work OF ciearingt2p the old
ganEways and propping & NQof. They
1 had mob, been at work until
squeeze" came. which q, ~.
! men - retrace their steps. roremaa
Picton, with twelve selected miners.
volunteered to go down the shaft and
see what could be done. The descent
was mado at 10 o'clock last night. Pie
toms object WAS 10 get as near as
possible TO the most dangerous part
| of where the squeeze" was the great
! est, in order 70 stay its progress by
! beaming the roof with heavy timber.
| In cases OF this kind the men get as
near as possible TO tho cAveIn and by
insertion Of cogs and drops endeavor 10
break Oft the mass OF rock overhead 20
certain point, thus relieving the
pressure on other portions OF the mine.
| 1t seems that in this instance the Efforts
Of Plcton and his men
DID Sor PROVE A SUCCESS,
as the cave extended far beyond the
danger limit and much greater dis
tance than where the men expected 90
be safe II they retreated At the first in-
dlcation Of the heavy fall. This is
| shown by the vast area OF the cavern.
| No one is left 10 tell the story. The
supposition Is that tho men were busily
at work timbering, when the rocky
roof came tumblinR down upon their
| heads, crushing them out OF semblance
20 humanity and putting a wall OF de-
bris between them and the mouth OF
| the shaft four hundred feet In thick
ness
At first there was some hope that n
the men could be reached In rcasona-
bic 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 10 retreat,
on account OF further cayiDg, A Sec
ond rescuinE party, under superintend-
ent James w. Davis, went down the
shaft this afternoon, but soon came
back thoroughly disheartened, and At
three o'clock al hope Of rescuing ths
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 assem-
| bled al the mouth Of the shaft expect
Ing any moment 70 see their loved ones
| brought up alive, set up most pitifnl
crv of distress. Mothers wrunk their
hands and tore their bair aud little
children wept bitterly. Two OF the
women tainted and had 10 be carried
away by frierds. Even stout-hearted
men. who had gathered AZ the entrances
OF the mine, wept almost as bitterly 40
THE FATHgELEss cnILDREz.
To-day's disaster is the worst that
has occurred 10 the anthracits region
since 1885 when twenty-five men per-
ished by a cave-in 10 mine No. I Of the
Susqaebanna Coal Company AZ Nanti-
coke. Their bodies were never re-
/ covered, and a monument marks tbe
spot where the men met their death.
Superintendent Edwards said to-
night that he would take care Of the
women aud children whose hrs0ands
and fathers lost their lives iD -O-day's
/ calamity.
The mine, II is now believed, Is .
total wreck