Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-07-03
90 MEN WALLED UP
Crushed and EntOmbed By a
Mine Gazing In.
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.
No Hope of Finding tho Victims
Allve-Engaged In the Work
Of ProppIng Up a Dam
gerous Roof When
the Crash Came.

While ninety miners we're at work IN the
Red Ash vein of the Twin Shat, at Pittston,
about three o'clock In the morning. the roof
saved In, and it is believed that all OF the
men persisted. About forty OF the imprison-
ed men were English-speaking miners, the
others foreigners.
The men were at work propping up the
roof when the fall occurred. The alarm was
Immediately given by the ringing OF the IRE
bells, and rescuers were put to work with
out delay.
More than two-thirds of the victims we're
married men and leave families. Among
them were Acting Mayor Langan, who was
inside superintendent of the mine ana D. H.
Lynutt, ward councilman.
About two weeks ago the surveyors re-
ported to General Superintendent Law that
the mine was squeezing" and thlt unless
,teps we're Immediately taken to timber 1t
,.ave-in or fall might be looked for. super
fntendent Law lost no time but at once put
rumber Of timberman at work to brace the
falling roof. The squeeze continued, how
! ever. and the situation became alarming. In
the afternoon q slight fall occurred, and the
men who we're at work had to retreat before
T. consultation of mine officials was then
held. and it was decided that heroic meas
ures would have to be resorted to to prevent
heavy damage to the mine.
Inside Superintendent Langan gave in
structions that the most experienced miners
should be secured, and that the party would
90 down the mine at seven O'Clock. Expert
timbermen put in an appearance at that hour
and were soon lowered into the workings.
They made their way to Red Ash vein, fifteen
: hundred feet above the slope. The work OF
propplng proceeded rapidly until eleven
O'clock. when another fall occurred. 1t
made a low, rumbling noise, and the flying
coal and debris drove the men back.
Then the squeeze" ceased again, and the
men thought it safe to resume work. They
labored on until twenty minutes after three
o'clock. when. so 1t is presumed, the roof fell
in without warning. making a tremendous
crash.
IL Is SuDpOSChg nOnN'SAj NAN
were not all together, but some near the
slope, and these probably ran up the incline
when the fall occurred.
It was at first supposed that the men
might have escaped being caught in the tall
and that they were imprisoned behind the
debris, but 1t now seems certain that the
falling rock and coal filed up the slope and
gangways. and cut off all escape.
Superintendent Lathrop, OF the Lehigh
Valley Coal Company, who is an authority,
says it may be ten days before the bodies are
reached, as they are under heavy fall.
The alarm was first given by Watercarrier
John Sheridan, who, with William Richard
and Thomas Gill, were the only ones to es-
| cape OF the whole party who entered tho
mine. He was on his way up the slope to
get some fresh water for the men, and, when
about one hundred feet from the foot OF the
shaft. was knocked down by the concussion.
He was badly cut and burned by flying coal
! and rock. He lay unconscious for ten min
utes. ard then came up the shaft.