The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-08
GRATZ- Ansiria. MAY


m DIVER At 1880 o'clock tins morn.
IA( ing succeeded in reaching the
IAl party of tourists who have been
II u imprisoned in the stalacte cav
rTn at Souraich since Saturday. April
-, owing to sudden rise in the
water. which blockaded the passage
into the cave with timber and bould.
,rs. The diver found all seven OF the
tourists alive. 1t was at first believed
that eight persons were imprisoned, but
this turned out to be- a mistake. All
We're extriCat"d from their perilous
position at i45 o'clock this afternoon.
Tho news that the tourists were still
alive was received with great rejoicing
by tho crowds OF people who had gath.
cred about the cavern in order to
watch the work. The engineers. who
have been at work dav and night ever
since they were ordered to the spot
when the local authorities announced
their inability to force an entrance
into the cave. have had very difficult
task in making an opening. The en-
trance was blocked by timber aud huge
honldors buried beneath a mass Of
smaller fool debris.
CLEARED WITH DYNAMITE.
After the matter had been invazti-
gated. it was found that it was nsces-
sGry to use dynamite In order to clear
away the distinctions which prevented
thr entrance Of diver into the cavern.
With the utmost care the engineers
went to work and succeeded in exploi-
Ing several charges which disturbed
hut did not entirely remove the OBJ
s,rrctiOn The engineers were COM
p@,led to work slowly Rui with the ut
most canton. as il WAS feared that a
too severe explosion might do more
harm than good, aud perhaps bury the
imprisoned persons beneath tons Of
rock.
This morning several additional
charges were exploded, and the trees
AID rocks about the entrance to the
cave were believed 10 have been re
moved sufficiently to enable diver to
descend with some chances Of entering
The cave. When the trees were hamlet
away and all was believed TO be clear
the diver Fischer made another and
this time successful descent to the
mouth Of the cave. He was absent a
long time. The people generally be.
lleved that he would return with the
report that all the tourists were dead
Consequently there was great snthusl-
ssm when he reappesred and informed
the crowds that he had found all the
tourists alive.
Fisher told the engineers that al
though the tourists were alive. they
appeared like persons half b.reft OF
reason, as the terrible nervous strain 10
which they had been subjected had al
most driven them mad They had ap.
parently taken a considerable supply OF
provisions with them when they went
into the cavern over a week ago. as
they still had left, according 10 tn.
diver, n iittle bread and cheese and
some candles burning
a PERIOD OF ANXIETY.
The imprisoned persons told the
diver that they bad passed through a
priod OF awful anxiety and terror
They had been able 10 hear the M.
iempis made to rescue them. but the
work seemed to them to progress 40
slowly that they had almost abandoned
"ll hope Of ever escaping. The noise
made by the explosion OF the dynamite
cartridges cheered them. though thew
were in dread Of being buried beneath
falling rock.
The engineers this afternoon wideaed
the narrow channel through which
Fischer first succeeded in entering the
cavern, and at a little before ) o'clock
this afternoon nll of the sufferers were
rot ont Six OF them got ont without
assistance, but the seventh was 20
week that he had TO he helped
Emperor Francis Joseph issued in
siructions to keep him informed of
the progress of the work. He was
notified of the safety Of tho tourists
Immediately after Fischer made his
report, and in reply, the emperor tele-
graphed his satisfaction at hearing
that the rescue had been successfully
accomplished.