The record-union., 1895-11-30
FTishtful Accident in a Mine Pit Near
Brewster, New York.
A WALL CAVES IN WHILE MANY
MEN ARE AT WORK.
Not Less Than Eleven Persons Killed
Nearly as Many Others Seriously
Injured - Nineteen Years Ago
Similar Accident Occurred, in
Which Six Lives We're Lost and
Three Men Manned For Life.

BREWSTER On. ", Nov. 29.-Nine-
teen " : ago fifty tons of rock fell
into open pit at the Tilly Foster
min ing six miners and manning
thre -s for life. The six who met
death were so horribly crushed that
their bodies were taken UP in shovels,
thrown into canvas sacks and 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, working below
was abandoned until the threatening
overhang had been dislodged. The ex-
treme caution exercised prevented many
accidents.
This afternoon about thirty men were
at work on the 400foOt level breaking
ore and loading the ore into cars sent
down by the cable. About $50 o'clock
the entire northwest wall, apparently
containing over 100 tons of rock, fell
into the pit, killing not less than eleven
men and infiicting serious injuries upon
nine others William Aspell and four
others ran, they knew not whittier, and
escaped. Five Italians also got out
alive. The cable and its car was not
injured.
Aspell and his companions, as soon as
the powders stopped rolling down the
slope, looked over the wreck. They saw
Patrick II. Murtha struggling to get up.
He was pinioned fast by a rock. They
assisted HIM The cable brought down
three Italians, who rendered further
assistance. Murtha was placed on the
car, hOiSted to the surface and taken
home, where he died thirty minutes
later.
Just as the rescuing car started on
the return trip more rock fell, and it is
reported that one of the three Italians
mentioned above was killed. The sec
ond downward trip brought Patrick
II. Kelley and James McGinn. They
organized the miners left in the pit,
secured tools and began taking out the
bodies. Rocks were thrown off the
bodies of Michael Cannon, Thomas
Dennis, John Pagan, an Austrian and
two Italians. All were dead and hOr-
ribly mangled. Marck Critchley, who
seemed to be suffering from a fracture
Of the spine, probably fatally hurt, was
taken home, as was also Patrick Burns,
who will recover.
superintendent Tompkins and Fore
man Lynch received the bodies upon
the surface, and submitted them to the
view of the Coroner and jury. Then
undertakers cared for them as the
relatives and friends directed.
Darkness came on rapidly, and the
falling of rocks continued to threaten
the rescuing party, when Mr.. Tom
kins ordered all hands to the surface.
The work of taking out the bodies will
be resumed at daylight tomorrow
morning.
The bodies believed to be in the pit
are those of James Fox, better known
as James Smith; James Clark, a stran-
ger, who began work on November
18th, and four Italians, numbers 13
56, 331 and 2334.
A great crowd focked to the scene of
the disaster. First came relatives Of
those who lived in the hamlet and then
followed hundreds from Brewster and
Carmel. AS the car raised body after
body to the surface the walls and
means Of the bereaved ones brought
tears to the eyes of the strong-hearted
men of the rescuing party, and touched
with sorrow the hundreds of on-iook
ers.
The mine is owned by the Lacka-
wanna Iron and Coal Company of New
York and Scranton. Pa.