The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-14
WIVES AND LITTLE ONES MOURN


tion to Work.
WuKEsBARRE, Pa, Feb. 13.-The town
of Plymouth is in mourning tonight over a
terrible accident which occurred in the
Gaylord cOIlery this morning. Thirteen
men. all citizens of that town, lost their
lives while in the discharge of duties.
Their names are;
Mine Foreman Thomas Picton.
Thomas Jones'
Richard Davis.
John Morris.
James Kingdom.
Thomas Merriman.
Thomas Cole.
Thomas Clos.
Daniel Morgan.
John Hammer.
Peter S. Mclaughlin.
Michael Walsh.
Thomas Leyshown.
All of the victims, with the exception of
two, leave families, while one lost bis wife
only month ago. and four little children
survive their parents. Consequently, the
disaster throws ten widows and thirty
six children on the worlds charity.
The Gaylord mine is owned by Daniel
Edwards, one of the wealthiest operators
IN the anthracite region. 1t is operated
by the Kingston Coal Company. of which
Edwards is president. The best coal in
the mine was taken out years ago, and
then it was abandoned because 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 into the mine 10 make an eXami-
nation. They found matters in bad shape.
Ihe last men at work in the collery had
robbed" the pillars supporting the roof
until they were very thin. A great many
falls had taken place and the passages
were blocked by debris and the air cur
rents were poor. The mining experts gave
It as their opinion, however, that the mine
could be put in good condition again with
small outlay Of capital, and The company
decided to go on with the work at once.
On Monday morning a large number of
expert miners, carrying safety lamps, en-
tered the mine and began the work of
Clearing up the old gangwsys and prop
ping the roof. They had not been at work
long when a "squeeze" came which COM
PEELED the men to retrace their steps.
Then Foreman PictOn. with twelve
selected miners. volunteered TO go down
the shaft and see what could be done,
and the descent was made at 10 o'clock
last night
.PIcton's object was TO get as near as pos
sible TO the most dangerous part, where
the squeeze" was greatest, in order to
stay its progress by beaming the roof with
heavy timber.
The efforts of Picton and bis men did
not prove successful. as the cave extended
far beyond the danger limit and to 6 much
greater distance than where the men ex-
pected to be safe if they retreated at the
first indication of a heavy fall. This is
shown by the vast area of the caye-in, for
no one is left to tell the story. The sup
position is that the men were busily al
work tim beTipg when the rock roof came
'tum bling down upon their heads, crushing
them out Of all 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 il the
men could be reached in a reasonable time
they could be saved. This was a false
hope. however. and the rescung party had
been in the mine only a short time when
they were obliged to retreat on account OF
further caving
- A second resculng party, under Superin-
tendent James w. Davis, went down the
shaft this aftern oOn, but soon came back
thoroughly disheartened, and at o'clock
~ all hope Of Tescuing the men alive was
given up. The news that hope had been
abandoned soon spread, and the wives and
children of the men in the mine, who had
assembled at the mouth Of the shaft ex-
pecting any moment to see the loved ones
brought up alive, set up most pitiful cry
of distress, and two women tainted and
had to be carried away by their friends.
There was one way in which the men
may have escaped instant destruction, but
only to meet death in a slower form by
imprison ment and starvation. Opening
from the gaugway are number Of cross
headings leading to an old gangway. If
the men had few moments warning they
are possibly now in these workings walt
ing for help. The distance to this old
gafigway from the foot of the shaft is
about 900 feet, through closed up passages
which must be reopened and retimbered
before they can be traversed.
Gangs are working toward the old gang
way with feversh haste and hope to get
through by midnight. Ii the men are not
there it is thought there was a possibility
OF their having had time to escape in an
other direction into other workings, and
efforts at these places are also being made.
Inside Superintendent Picton. whose son
was IN charge of the missing party, says
ne VIII not give up hope until the dead
bodies are brOupht mt