The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-19
ALL HOPE IS ABANDONED.
Rescuing Party at Plymouth Have
Given Up the Thought Of Find
ing the Entombed Miners.

WILKES. BARRE, Feb. 1S,-A visit to
the scene of the mine horror at Ply.
mouth today by the United Press rep
resentative disclosed the fact that there
has been no cessation of effort on be
half Of the rsseuers VINO are digging
for the entombed men. Being Sunday,
the vicinity of the mine was crowded.
Thousands of people from nearly every
mining town in the valley had come to
take look at the scene of the disaster.
Many Of them were miners employed
in the various colli4ries hereabouts
and the general opinion among the
most experienced was that the thirteen
victims would never be rescued alive.
A wild hope was borne in the breasts
of the victims friends last night when
word came that supply of blankets
had been ordered to the shaft but it
soon died out upon investigation. The
order was given merely rs a precau-
tionary measure, in case the rescuers
should come upon the doomed men
unexpectedly, All day today the res
cuers worked csaselessly, gang succeed.
ing gang at regular intervals The
task is not only hard and dangerous,
but positively discouraging No sooner
do the men gain twenty feet or so, than
the top settles down again and they are
compelled to retreat In this way on ly
a few feet at time can be gained and
little progress is apparent to the casual
observer. The.rescuing party have al.
ready had many close calls and the pre-
diction is freely made by the old miners
that more lives will be sacrificed be-
fore the victims are reached.
Although the air is filled with ru-
mors Of every description. the simple
fact is that no one, not even the Off
oials, know when the men will be
reached. The work Of tunnPllins
through the fall is OF such a nature
that no calculations can be made
Were the rescuers driving through
solid coal or rock the exact hour when
they would reach given point could
easily be ascertaned But with a mass
Of loose coal in front of them, aud a
roof which threatens at any moment
to crash down upon and bury them out
of sight forever. the men tiud it hard
to foretell the result with any degree
of confidence
Superintendent Edwards, who has
charge Of the night shift of rescuers,
did heroic act this afternoon, at the
same time taking,his life in his own
hands, He crawled through an open
place situated near the roof on the
plane in the Gaylord mine on his
hands and knees with only safety
lamp hanging by his side to give
what little light there could be had.
He managed to get over 800 feet fur
ther into the mine than any other per-
son who has so far dared TO venture.
On returning tonight he said that he
was of the opinion he had been near
the spot where the men were supposed
to be, but others think that he nC
doubt passed over the bodies as he was
on top OF the debris and the men un j.
der
1t is reported late tonight that the
rsscuers have reached plnce in the
shaft $50 feet from the foot of the
plane, and they find the cross headings
almost clear. Five brave miners al
once went into this portion later on,
and are now making thorough search
for the men. Superintendent Rosser
who has charge of the dav shift, is oI
the opinion that they will find the men
very soon If they are in the place where
they are supposed to be.
Superintendent MscFarlan says from
his knowledge of the disaster the mel
are, beyond doubt, dead, and he car
see no chance where they had any ave-
nus to escape from under the fall