The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-28
From a StaG Correspondent.


6PHE lives of four men, two miners
and two laborers, were without
warning crushed ont in the
u Northwest colliery of Simpson &
Watkins. at Simpson, three miles
above this city, at 3 o'clock this after
noon.
Their mangled remains. as near as
can be ascertained, lie beneath "a fall
of rock which is ten feet wide. six feet
high, and extends for at least sixty feet
in the gangway off from the third
slope of the mine.
Superintendent Crawford at Scran-
ton was Immediately notified of the
catastrophe and came here at once.
Harry P. Simpson with three of the
compnny's engineers and a TRIBUNE
reporter arrived on the train leaving
Scranton at T. 30 o'clock. Investigation
by Mine Foreman White aud Superin-
tsndent Crawford. however, showed
that not even remote possibility 1e-
mained OF finding the men alive, and
after seeing that force of twenty
miners had been set at work clearing
tie gangway the Scranton party re-
turned shortly before midnight.
The killed are
WILLIAM B. MITCHELL, Englishman,
miner, aged 42 years, leaves a wife and
six children.
JOHN j. flaming, lrish-Welshman,
miner, aged 43 years, single.
ANDREW CLAPKosKY, Hungarian, laborer,
aged 35 years, single.
q GEORGE BARNEY, Hungarian, laborer, aged
Is years, single.
Willis MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Tug Willis, a driver, was the only
witness of the horror. and his escape
seems almost miraculous. He was sit-
ting alongside the track waiting for a
car to be loaded by the ill.fated men,
when, without warning, the roof of
the gangway fell with a deaf ening
crash within three feet of him.
Without halting, he ran to the head
of the slope. followed by a track layer
and two miners who were working in
the vicinity and gave the alarm.
Mine Foreman White descended TO
the scene of the accident which is
about $50 feet beneath the surface. Two
miners accompanied the foreman and
the trio pounded on the fallen rock and
shouted, but received no answer
The ill-fated men had been robbing
on the last breast and were taking a
skip off the last pillar next to the north
line between the Simpson g. Watkins
and the Delaware and Hudson hold
ings.
The outside Of the fall is 100 feet
from the facing and is supposed to ex-
tend about so feet. leaving only 40 feet
OF the gangway open up to the facing
Mine Foreman White thought there
might be possibility of the men being
alive back of the fall near the facing
and with 40 feet of open space and air
along the gangway In which they
might live for considerable period.
When no response came to Whites
signals he formed the conclusion that
the awful crash occurred in few
seconds of time and caught the four
wretches in sudden embrace of ter
rible death.
Possibly they were aware of their
danger and dropping their tools had
started on mad but tardy race for
life. At the outside end of the fall the
gangway is 10 feet wide hut had been
widened to possibly IL or 16 feet where
the men had been working on the pill
lar.
THE FALL EXAMINED
II. P. Simpson, three of the com.
pany's engineers and THE TRIBUNE re-
porter, under guidance OF two miners,
entered the mouth of the upper slope at
9.15 o'clock tonight, Superintendent
Crawford was met on the second lift
and returned with the party to the
gangway off the third slope in what is
known as the Upper Carbondale vein.
The air was heavy and laden with the
smoke OF over score Of miners
lamps. Timbers laid strewn about and
the din OF Ratchet and saw was nm.
csasing in the mems vigorous work of
preparing props and the timber work
necessary to support the roof prepara.
tory to getting out the fall Of rock
The miners were in ignorance of the
hopeless fate OF their fellows and eyed
the surveying intruments and maps of
the engineers with glances almost
akin to tenderness, thinking perhaps
thar these articles were the key to the
delivery of four imprisoned unfortu-
mates, who really lie mashed beyond
all hope Of recognition beneath 300
tons Of solid rock.
About six feet above the fall appears
narrow seam of coal, possibly three
inches thick. The rock which fell be-
tween this seam and the vein is what
is known as a sand slate or fire clay. A
slant had possibly been uncovered aud
the crash followed. Judging from
practical mining indications it will oc-
cupy five or six days to remove the
mass 1t is not improbable that the
-four bodies will be reached in less than
that time.
As soon as Mr.. Crawford learned of
the accident he wired Mine Inspector
Roderick. Of the Second district. who
was engaged on business at Wilkes
Barre. He reached Carbondals at 10 30
o'clock this evening The news of the