Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-07-03
MANY MINERS KILLED
FRloHTFUL DISASTER IN THE PENN
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Mine That Had Threntened TO Cave In.
While rhus Engaged the Crash Came.
BuryInE Them All Alive.
PrTTsToN. Pa. June 30 The most dis
astruus mining accident which has OCCUR
red In the stnte Of Pennsylvania since the
Avondale horror In 1869, when 200 miners
lives were lost. cast this town into pro
found sorrow At least 10 men arc IN the
lowest division Of the Twin Shaft inine of
the Newton Coal oompany-a mine which
has given employment TO miners for 30
years
The nature Of the accident seems 10 pre-
clude any possibility that any OF the un-
fortunates are still alive. They have been
buried under thousands Of tons OF rock
nearly i,200 feet below the surface. Hun
dreds OF men are at work endeavorinR TO
get within reach Of their former comrades,
but 10 will be several days before their
task can be completed.
About 40 Of the imprisoned men were
English speaking miners, the others for
elgners. The names Of tha former are NJ
J. Langan, inside superintendent; J. H.
Lynott, inside foreman; Alex Mccormack,
fire boss; Robert Haston, maohinisti
Thomas Murphy, driver boss; Miohael
Costello, J. II. Kelly, Michael Gaudhan,
John Hart james Daley, Michael Con
nell, Daniel Ward, Frank Kehoe, James
Cleary, Edward Buckley, John Casey,
Edward Rogers, James Kehoe- James Mo
Donald, Edward Delaney, Cornelius Nc
CURE, james Golden, M. o. Brien, Michael
Hughes, Edward Kllday, James Burke,
Patrick Ruano, Thomns Tenpenny, Mi
ohnel r. Gafnoy. Thomas Doing, Anthony
Kane, J. W. Murphy, Owen Lee, Anthony
Gordon, james WALL ---- Wall, his son
Dominiok O'Malloy, Peter Martin, Mi
ohael Ford, Timothy Dubrick, Thomas
Dempsey Thomas Carlin, Patrick Glib
bons, John O'Boyle, Peter Joyce, An
thony Gordon, John Gill, John Gaffney,
Daniel Gavin, p. S. Kelly, ---Hoistrloh,
Joseph Nurindo, Tony Toliaski, Peter Sa-
voshiz Andrew Slovinski Simon MAsko-
vitz, John CadanIzky.
Aside from these there may be other
English speaking miners among the un-
fortunates. Thirty Polanders and Huns
were entombed, and 1t is thought that the
total number of bodies in the mine will
reach 100.
How the Accident Happened.
The men were at work propplnR up the
roof when the fall occurred. The alarm
was Immediately given by the ringing OF
the fire bells, and rosouers were put to work
without delay The first bodies were found
In the slope some distance from the plane
where the mon had seen working.
More than two-thlrds of the victims
were married mon and leave families
Among them were Acting Mayor Longan,
who was inside superintendent Of the
mine, and j. II. Lynott, ward council
man.
About two weeks ago the surveyors re-
ported to General Superintendent Law
that the mino wns Squeezing" and that
unless steps were Immediately taken to
timber IL cave In or fall might be looked
for Superintendent Law lost no time, but
at once put number OF tlmbermen at
work TO brace the falling roof The
"squeeze" continued, and the situation
became alarming. A slight fall occurred
and the men who were mt work had TO re-
treat before It. A consultation of mine Of
floials was then held, and 1t was decided
that heroic measures would have to be
resorted to to prevent heavy damage to
the mine.
Inside Superintendent Langan gave in
struotions that the most experienced
miners should be secured, and that the par
ty would go down the mine and make the
repairs Expert timbermen put In an ap-
pearanoe and were soon lowered into the
workings They made their way to the red
ash vein, 800 feet down the SLOPE The
work of propplnR proceeded rapidly until
another fall occurred 1t made low, rum
bling noise, and the flying coal and debris
drove tho men baok.
Fell with Tremendous Crash.
Then the squeeze" ceased again. and
the men thought 1t was safe to resume
work. They labored for several hours,
when, so IL Is presumed, the roof fell In
without warning, making a tremendous
crash. II Is supposed, however, that the
men were not all together, but some near
the slope, and these probably ran up the
incline when the fall occurred.
The alarm was first given by Water Car
rier John Sheridan, who, with William
Reiohard and Thomas Gill, were the only
ones TO escape Of the whole party who en-
tered the mine last night. He was on his
way up the slope to get some fresh water
for the men, and when about 100 feet from
the foot Of the shaft was knocked down
by the conoussion. He was badly cut and
burned by flying coal and rock. He lay
unconscious for ten minutes and then
came up the shaft.
The conclusion was so great that It was
heard for miles around. The foundations
Of nearly every building In Pittston were
shaken, and windows and doors ratified as
In tornado. In the houses nearest to the
mine persons were thrown from their beds
just Ray of Hope.
James Langan, son Of the entombed
superintendent, created sensation by de-
claring that he succeeded In crawling over
tho first two falls In the slope and reaoh-
ing within 800 feet of where the men
were supposed to have been at work He
Insists that there was vacant spot be-
| yond, and he believes the entombed men
are In there. He also says that the vonti-
lation Is good.
II this story Is true, Il upsets all previous
theories. Some doubt is entertained re-
,gardlng IL, however LanRan Is greatly
excited over his fathers death, and the
mine officials believe his narrative Is only
the wish to recover the body that fathers
the thought. His undertaking was a
hazardous one, but the boy was Desperate
and as he knows every inch Of ground In
the mine he could 60 where others would
not think of going Mine Inspector Nc
| Donald refused to express any opinion on
Young Langan's alleged exploration, but
1t is the general impression that he did
not reach as far as he claims.
May Yet BE Alive.
WILKEsBARRR, Pa, July There are
80 men, living or dead, reported imprison-
ed In the depths Of the doomed Twin
mine. This Is the official number, and
i there Is no reason to think IL is inoOrrect