The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-06
THREE RAPS HEARD
Exciting Rumor That Went
Throughout the Two
Valleys.
BROUGHT CROWDS TO SHAFT
When AT the Facts, However, We're
Learned the Excitement SubSided
and Hope Was Again Crushed
Conclusive Proof That the Rap
pings Were Not Signals from tho
EntOmbed Men.
BROUGHT CROWDS TO SHAFT

L III Siidlt. ittstpii, was sem piOdu-
cast yesterday morning and the great
est excitement prevailed throughout the
two valleys during the day. Investiga-
ton however proves that there was
little genuine cause for the excitement.
Rappings were heard That Is unde-
nlable. That they We're signals from
the entombed men is however not at all
probable. In fact 1t was proved almost
beyond the shadow of a doubt that the
rappings did not come from beyond the
fall or at least were not made by hui
man agency If they did. The supposi-
tion is that the rappings We're made
by the rescuers themselves.
The rescuers are constantly on the
alert for rappings, some of them, es-
pecially those who have friends among
the victims firmly believing that few
at least of the entombed men are still
alive. Saturday night about II o'clock
two different gangs Of the men heard
three distinct raps as II made on the
coal by some hard instrument. One
gang that heard II was working in the
slope on the edge of the fall. The other
was at the mule barn near the foot of
the shaft.
Both parties in great alarm hastened
to tell Foreman Evans. AS each re-
lated the same story the foreman was
forced to believe that there was some
thing in it. He accordingly ordered all
work stopped in order that there might
be no noise and then with piece Of
iron he himself began rapping on the
rails. This was kept up at intervals
for nearly three quarters of an hour
but there was no response. Every kind
of signalling that could be thought Of
was tried but still there was no an
swer Mr.. Evans was satisfied that the
three raps had not come from the en-
tombed men, but to make assurance
doubly sure he called Foreman Thomas
and Owens into consultation and when
the shift went off duty the three de-
scended to the face of the fall and for
an hour or 50 signalled and listened,
CAUSE OF THE RAPPING.
Satisfied that the rappings had been
heard and that they had not come
from the entombed men the next duty
was to explain where they had come
from. and what caused them. Many
eNpld IldtloIS WeiC oiiCicu Jul hohC Noo
found to fit until it was suggested that
the rappings were made on the rail at
a point midway between the two gangs
that heard them, by some one Of the
rescuers themselves. While this might
not be the proper explanation they felt
that If the truth could be known it
would be found to be some such thing
as this, for 1t stands to reason that II
any of the entombed men did the rap
ping. they would have heard the an
swers and made response: and also
that they would not have confined their
rappings to three taps. which is all
that the rescuers are reported to have
heard.
The report of the rappings being
heard went to the surface before an
investigation was made. and without
any qualification the rumor spread
throughout the city, and up and down
the valley growing and taking on col
or as it went. until it became SO ex-
aggera ted that it is safe to presume it
will be difficulty that many of the
readers of this morning papers will
bring themselves to accept the true
state of affairs. The mouth of the
shaft was crowded at early morn with
the Pittston people who heard the bare
report of the rappings having been
heard and until nearly midday the
excitement was intense. BY that time
the full facts of the matter became
generally known, and as the afternoon
wore on the place assumed its former
quiet aspect None Of yesterdays
shifts heard any rappings or had any,
thing to report save the usual slow but
steady progress.
SITUATION IS WORSE.
Since Friday night the situation has
grown worse. At 8 o'clock Saturday
morning the night shift was compelled
to abandon the work on account of a
squeeze" which was the worst that
has occurred since the cave-in. The
settling had subsided sufficiently at
daylight to allow the o'clock shift to
resume the work. They found that the
timbered road to the slope had not been
damaged to any great extent, but on all
sides of 1t were evidences of a great
convulsion. This shift and the one
which relieved 1t at o'clock y. m.
worked without cessation.
The shift which went on at II o'clock
Saturday night sent word to the sur
face about o'clock a. m. to the effect
that they had heard what might be
rappings. but they were not sure but
what the noise could have been caused
by the workings" of the roof. These
supposed rappings have been heard be-
fore and have been credited to over
wrought imaginations The fact that
the noises are not regular and are
only heard at infrequent intervals goes
to show that they are not signals from
the imprisoned men.