The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-10

M\NE Of the most disastrous cave.
ms that has ever occurred in this
WI city took place yesterday in the
Bellevue slope BY it two hu.
man beings were imprisoned in liv.
ing tomb and vast amount of prop
erty damaged The scene of the dis
turbance is in what is known as the
Park Hill section OF the city.
The unfortunate men are two Polish
miners known as John and Frank.
They were working in cham Der
which is in close proximity toor directly
in the district affected by the fall.
Richard Evans, a miner, who was Mt
work but a snort distance from the
Folanders, saw thom last as tie roof
began to work He shouted to them
to run for their lives and then started
for the foot of the shaft Looking back
he beheld the Polnndcrs making for
their chamber, hlving been cut off
from escape by the rock, Which began
falling just as they were starting to
follow him. Evans would have I'M
doubtediy been eau ;ht had his cham
her been farther in towards the head.
Luckily he was working just at the
edge OF the cave-in, and by his timely
discovery Of the roof being in action,
he escaped from beneath the fall.
LOCATING THE MEN.
As soon us word was received at the
Delaware. Lackawanua and Western
coal Office that the men had been i'm.
pri5oned steps were taken for their r.
covery. Engineers and surveyors re-
paired to the scene and with the as.
sistance of Evans and the charts and
maps OF the mine workings it WAS as
c-rtained that the chamber OF the
imprisoned men, where they were
most likely shut in. was located direct
iy beneath the Wagner property on
Hampton street.
This property was not affected by the
disturbance, although the houses on
the opposite side OF the street were
badly shaken. There was bare posi-.
bility that the two men had not been
killed and might yet be in the cham
bsr General Manager Storrs resolved
to work on this meagre hope and at
once telegraphed to Ii. p Simpson, at
Wyoming, for steam drill. The word
was sent ut ). 80 and within three hours
the men and machinery were on the
spot. The setting up process was i'm
mediately begun and at midnight the
drill WAS ready to be set in motion.
1t will be necessary TO go down only
seventy-tive feet TO reach the cham Der
where the men are supposed to be- 1t
was decided that a inch hole should be
drilled, and under the most adverse cir.
cumstances it will not take over thirty.
SIX hours to reach them. II the condi.
tions are favorable it is thought this
time can be lowered to half that num-
| b.r OF hours.
Al a late hour last night Thomas D.
Davis, general mine superintendent of
the Delaware, Lackawanna ami West.
crn, with gang of men entered the
slope and 10y making lengthy detour
succeeded in reaching point twenty
II thirty feet from the chamber where
the men are supposed to be. A pillar
Of the thickness of possibly twenty feet
was between them and the PolGnders
chamber
MEN FOUND ALIVE.
They raped on the coal AN received
an answer. Word was sent to the sur.
| face that the men had been found and
alive, ana in Iwinking large force
of volunteers organized to dig them
out. 1t was decided to drive "a tunnel
through the fallen rock, as the mon
could bereached quicker that way than
by going through the solid pillar. The
drill hole FROM the surface WAS dis
pensed with, although the drill was mo-
taken away.
Every hope is now held out that the
men will he rescued alive md the time
it will require to reach them all de-
pends on the condition of the block d
gangway. II no unforeseen obstacles
are encountered they will undoubtedly
be reached before the sun goes down
today.
No cave-in of recent times If indeed
of any period, ever left such traces on
the surface. The topography Of the
| disturbed district is entirely changed.
Hampton street, which sustained the
severest shaking up is hilly where it
was heretofore level and where it for
merly dipped towards the south the
grade is In the opposite direction. Lots
that were quite level before the cave
in now have the appearance of hill
sides and in some places the earth has
sunk lower than the surrounding sur
face, making pits and gullles of vary
ing dimensions. AS for tissures, the
ordinary surface cracks, which we in
the coal regions are accustomed to see-
lug, they are everywhere,
Not house in the locality escaped
being damaged. Some were affected
more than Others, but all bear the effect
of the terrific commotion. Cracked
foundation walls, floors covered with
broken plaster, cnimneys toppled over,
houses leaning this way or that porches
torn from the houses, buildings moved
from their foundations, fences twisted
and broken, sidewalks uneven and flags
standing on end, cellars flooded from
broken water pipes. wells dried up and
scores Of other evidences of the earth
quake were to be seen on all sides.
The disturbed district covers an
area Of about fifteen acres, The most
violent effects Of the settling ar,
noticeable In the region embraced