New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-30
ELEVEN MINERS KILLED
CRUSHED BY FALLING ROCKS.
ANOTHER DISASTER IN THE TILLY FOS-
TER IRON MINE.
WEAKENED by RAINS. HUNDRED TONS OF AN
ovERHANGING ROCK WALL SLIDE INTO
THE PIT MANGI.TNG THE wORKMEN-
NINE MEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.

NINE MEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.
Brewster. ~ Y, Nov 29.-Nineteen years ago
fifty tons OF rock fell into the open pit at the Tlly
Foster mine. killing six miners and manning
three others for life The six who met death were
so horribly crushed that their bodies were taken
UP In shoyels, thrown into canvas sacks ana
hoisted to the surface From that time until to-
day the hanging walls which rise 400 feet above
the working level Of the pit, have undergone daily
inspection. II this inspection revealed any
crevice or other sign Of danger work was aban-
doned until the threatening overhang had been
dislodged. The extreme caution exercised pre-
vented many accidents. In fact, the few fatan-
ties In the mine excited the admiration and won
der OF the many expert miners and geologists
throughout the United States and Europe who
visited the mine at frequent Intervals tor the
purpose Of obtaining specimens and to inspect
the machinery and appliances used In raising the
ore.
The Is taken from an oren pit The open
ing at the surface is about Ave hundred feet in
its greatest length and 400 In its greatest width.
One hundred feet below the surface the mass OF
ore measured exactly 522 feet in length. The
width of the centre Of the pit was something over
two hundred feet. Years ago the method or MIN
ing was In the usual way, by shafts and drifts
opening into rooms about 25x100 feet and rs feet
high. The pillars left to sustain the roofs were
OF solid iron ore and OF about the same dimen-
sions as the rooms. When this method Of min
ing had continued down 20 the 4O0foot level 1t
was decided to rob the mine-in other words, htt
to the surface the rich pillars and hoors, whlch
were formed entirely Of ore carrying not less than
62 per cent of pure iron. This work had gone on
down to the 40O-foot level. Big derricks with
long booms supported the heavy cable with car
attached which was dropped to the working level
loaded and by the power Of huge engines and re-
volving drums hosted to the surface.
BURIED UNDER A HUNDRED TONS OF
ROCK.
This afternoon about thirty men were at work
on the 400-foot level breaking ore and loading
the cars sent down by the cable. About $50
o'clock the entire northwest wall. apparently con-
tanning over 100 tons OF rock fell into the pit
killing not less than eleven men. ana lniiicuhs
serious injury upon nine others. William Aspell
and four others ran and escaped. Five Italians
also got out alive The cable and Its car were
not injured Aspell and his companions. as soon
as the bowlders stopped rolling down the slope
looked over the wreck. They saw Patrick H.
Muriha struggling TO get up He was pinneo last
by a rock They assisted him. The caple-car
brought down three Italians. who rendered
car. hoisted TO the surface and taken home.
where he died thirty minutes later. Just as the
resc, ing car started on the return trip more
rock fell and 1t is reported that one OF the three
italians VINO went down in the car was killed
The second downward trip brought Patrick II.
Kelley and James McGinn. They organized the
miners left in the pit, secured tools, and began
to take out the bodies Rocks were thrown on
the bodies OF Michael Cannon. Thomas Dennis,
John Fagan an Austrian, known as NO. Zo4' anu
two Italians Nos $40 and 394 All were dead
and horribly manged. Mark Crtchley, who
seemed to be suffering from fracture OF tne
spine. probably fatal was taken nome as aiSo
was Patrick Burns who will recover
Superintendent Tompkins and Foreman Lyncn
received the bodies upon the surface. and suo,
mitted them to the view of Coroner Penny and
a Jury Then two undertakers cared Tor them
AS the relatives and friends directed.
REscUERs IN DANGER.
Darkness came on rapidly and the falling rocks
continued to threaten the rescuing party wheh
Mr. Tompkins ordered all hands TO the surface
The work Of taking out the bodies will be re-
sumed at daylight tomorrow morning Inc
bodies believed TO be In the pit are those OF
James Fox bachelor, better known as james
Smith, James Clark. stranger VINO oesan
work on November IS. and four Italians, NOS la
56. 33l, and 234 ~ A.,
aster FIRST came the relatives Of those VINO
lived in the hamlet. and then followed hundreds
from Brewster and Carmel AS the car raised
body after body to the surface the walls ana
means Of the bereaved ones melted 10 tears the
strong hearted men OF the rescuing party ana
touched with sorrow the hearts OF hundreds OF
OnoOkers. ,
Al the time of the accident Foreman Lynch
was preparing to go down to the working level
He was ready to take the next descending car
and stood facing the northwest wall when tne
rock began to slid. He saw 1t move. but there
was no mears of giving warning. The heavy
rains had opened crevioes in many places, ana
during the last two days more than TWO huhdreu
tons of rock had been disodged and thrown into
the Dit The northwest wall had been examined
carefully as usual but no trouble was expected
from that quarter.
The mine Is owned by the Lackawanna Iron
and Coal Company. Of NewYOrk and Scranton
penn Clinton stephens Is the contractor in
charge and the men killed and injured were In
his employ.
cU<pcCS SENT tn STPT PRESTON