The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-31
miners Saved FROM FIRE
Fourteen Men Imprisoned Eight Hours
Behind a Barricade.
NOBLE ACT OF FRANK BENNIE
Passed Mass of Flames to Notify tho
Miners of Their Danger-Rescued
by Band OF Forty
Picked Men.

| tourteen miners had q thrilling eX-
perience and narrow escape from
death in the mine Of the Lackawanna
Coal company at Olyphant Friday
nigN While portion of the mine
near the hoisting engines was a mass
OF flames the men remained behind a
barricade erected to protect them from
the smoke and flames. They were in
this perilous position for eight hours.
Frank Bennie, the engineer discov
cred the fire in the engine room after
his return from the workshop on the
surface where he had gone to procure
bolt. Dense volumes of smoke filled
the gangway and the engine room was
seething furnace.
Then occurred an act of herolsm
which undoubtedly saved the lives of
fourteen men and will put the name
OF Frank Bennle on the list of anthra-
cite mine heroes. At the risk of his
| life he ran past the flames and into the
mine beyond where the men We're work.
ing.
Erected n Dnrrlcade.
After the alarm was given 1t was
found impossible to get out, but the
men remained cool and held a hurried
council as to the best course to pursue.
| Charles w. Williams, Patrick II. Bren-
nan, William 7. Evans, Frank Nc
Cabe and Engineer Bennie, each an ex-
perienced miner, decided upon erecting
barricade of culm, rock and coal to
protect themselves and nine Hungari-
ans from suffocation and cremation.
1t was between Z and o'clock Friday
evening that the fire started, but not
until II o'clock were the flames dis
| covered and word carried to the sur
| face. During the three hours preceding
the imprisoned men were powerless to
give the alarm and were kept behind
their barricade until help arrived at 5
| o'clock in the morning.
David Miles, a miner, discovered the
fire while on his way to work on the II
p. IN. shift Outside Foreman William
| Harper and Inside Foreman j. X. Burk-
| helser Immediately called forty select
ed men into service and began opera
| tlons FOR the rescue Of the men inside
Mine Inspector Roderick, who arrived
on the scene from Providence soon af-
ter being notified Of the fire, and Fore
man Burkheiser led the rescuers down
an air shaft nearly 5000 feet from the
main opening.
Descended on Ladders.
The descent of about 175 feet was
made by ladders and upon reaching the
bottom the party was led by experts to
the point where the fourteen imprisoned
men lay. The barricade was torn down
and at o'clock Saturday morning res
cuers and rescued safely reached the
surface.
The Olyphant and Priceburg Hose
companies meanwhile had willingly re-
sponded to the call for service and after
considerable difficulty a long line of
hose was carried into the mine. At
o'clock Saturday night the flames
were under control and two hours later
were practically subdued o. S. John
son, superintendent of the company.
was on the scene all day Saturday.
John ). Jones was severely burned
He was the only person injured.
Many of the timbers supporting the
root We're burned and large quantity
OF rock and coal has fallen. The place
where the fire occurred is at depth of
l65 feet, 200 feet from the foot of the air
shaft and 2,7OO feet from the main shaft
and at the head of what was known as
No. / plane.
beginning tomorrow work In the
mine VIII be resumed, excepting in that
portion where the falloccurred in thirty
| chambers.