The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-29
Walls of a Mine Give Way as
Workmen Are Propping
Them With Pillars.
CUT OFF IN ALL DIRECTIONS
FROM ESCAPE.
Rescuing Parties Have No Hope of
Reaching the Unfortunates
Within Three Days.

| WILKESBARRE, PA, June 2s.-The
little city of Pittston is in mourning
tonight as result of another of the ter
rible mining disasters which have cost so
many lives in Pennsylvania. A large
number of her citizens, variously esti-
mated at from so to lbs, are en-
tombed at the bottom of the
Twin Shaft, owned by the Newton
Coal Company and at late hour tonight
the prospect of saving the lives of any of
these unfortunate men is exceedingly
slight. Among the victims is M. J. Lar
gan, Mayor pro TEN of Pittston, who was
superintendent of the mine. A number OF
minor officials of the company are also in
the pit. The list of the missing, as nearly
as can be learned. follows:
NJ. J. Langan, mine superintendent,
Mayor pro lem of Pittston, married,
leaves wife and ten children.
M. F. Lynotte, mine foreman, married,
seven children.
Alexander Mccormick, fire boss, mar
ried, ten children.
Thomas Tenpenny, assis5ant fra boss,
married, three children.
Thomas Card on, assistant fire boss, aer.
ried, leaves wife.
John o'Boyle, assistant ire boss, w
children.
Anthony Kane, driver bosa gingle,
Thomas Murphy, driver boss. gtdowsr
Conder Mcclure, track-laysr, n1aTTEszs
four children.
John Gill, married, two ch.asen
Michael Hughes night hrs s5aa. 1 ars
| ried, one child.
| James Daley, footman, singie.
| Michael Connell, tootman alnals.
John Hart, footman, ssn b.
NJ Gaughan. footmsn, als.
James Golden, married, two ehildrsE.
James WALL married, eight ciiieTsn.
John Kshoe, married, sir ohildren, and
his son Frank.
Edward Delaney, marrieS, four caiidreus
Peter Martin, laborer, single
Martin Gilbride, laborer single.
Dominick O'MalIey, miner, single
James Mcdonald, married, two children.
Thomas Barrett, miner, single.
John and Thomas Gaffney. brothers,
former single, latter married, seven chill
dren.
Peter Joyce, laborer, single.
ISIeI hSliy ldUOicII SluSles
John Sylvester, married, three children.
Patrick Costello, miner, single.
T. O'Brien, wife.
Timothy Derr1g, Iaborer. single.
Patrick Ruane. married, seven children.
James Burke, laborer, single.
Michael Burke, miner, single.
Edward Kildea, married, two children.
Thomas Duewig laborer single.
Robert Haston, master mechanic,
single.
Daniel Ward, machinist, married, two
children.
Edward Hughes, married, two children.
Anthony Toilaski, married, one child.
Peter Savlski, married, five children.
Andrew Slomaski, married, two chill
dren.
Simon Mascovitz, married, two children.
John Candanish, single.
Anthony Gordon, footman, single.
Owen Lee, door boy.
Daniel Gavin, miner, single.
Michael Ford, miner, single.
John O'Boyle, laborer, single.
]. F. Hart, married, three children.
John Hoistrich, married, three children,
Joseph Zurindo, married. five children.
The disaster, which was at first at
tributed to an explosion of gas, is now be-
lieved to have been caused by a general
cave-in on the lower levels. 1t was
noticed several days ago that the rock be-
tween the fifth and sixth veins was "work.
ing' and since that time a large force of
men has been at work taking measures to
insure the safety of the mine. About 8
o'clock this Sunday morning, without
warning the roof of the level in which the
men were working collapsed with shock
which aroused every one in the town,
causing them at first to think an earth
quake had occurred. The truth was soon
learned, however, and within two hours
thousands of excited people were gath
cred about the head of the shaft, the rel
ativ of the unfortunate men below in
dulglng in the widest manifestations of
grief. The women and children who had
lost husbands and fathers were frantic.
But four men escaped from the mine,
and not one of them could tell a connected
story of how the disaster occurred or what
was the concition of the lower levels. The
work of rescue was begun as soon as possi-
BILE. but the first four trips made into the
mine were without result. Later a con-
ference of mining officials decided on a
more systematic plan, and large force
was put to work with all necessary appli-
ances to endeavor to reach the imprisoned
men. 1t was found impossible to work
through the mass of debris in the direction
of the regular passages, and at late hour
! tonight it was decided to drive gangway
from an adjoining colliery. This will un-
doubtedly take several days, and it is
feared that in the meantime such of the
unfortunates as were not killed by the
eave-ln will perish of starvation.
Nearly all the men in the mine were
married, and some of them have large
families. As stated, the estimate OF the