The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-06-29
LIVES NEEDLESSLY RISKED
UNDERGROUND STRUCTURE WAS
GIVING WAY FOR TWO WEEKS.
Pathetic Scene Around the Il1-Fated
Shaft-Bodies Cannot BE Re-
covered for Ten Days.

O'Clock this morning, the roo1 caVeu In,
and it is believed that all of the men per-
shed. About fifty of the imprisoned men
were Engisr-speaking miners. the others
foreigners. The names of the former are:
NJ. ]. LANGAN. inside superintendent and
acting Mayor of Pittston.
j. II. LINOTT, inside foreman and city
councilman.
ROBERT HASTON, machinist
THOMAS MURPHY. driver boss.
The following fifty-six men were miners:
ers:
Michael CASTILLO. ]. III. Kelly. Michael
Gaudhan, John Hart, James Daily, Mi
chael Connell. Daniel Ward. Frank Kehoe,
James Cleary. Edward Buckley. John
Casey. Edward Rogers, James Kehoe.
James Mcdonald. Ed Delaney. Cornelius
Mcclure, James Golden, NJ O'Brien, Mi
chael Hughes, Edward Kiday James Burke.
Patrick Ruane, Thomas Tenpenny, Michael
r. Gaffney. Thomas Doing Anthony Kane.
J. w. Murphy. owen Lee, Anthony Gordon.
James Wallace, - Wallace. his son: Peter
Martin. Michael Ford. Timothy Durbrick.
Thomas Dempsey. Thomas Carlin, Patrick
Gibbons. John O'Boyle. Peter Joyce. John
Gill. Anthony Gordon. John Gaffney, DAN
lei Gavin. p. s. Kelly - Hoistrich. Joseph
Zurindo, Tony Tollaski, Peter Savoskiz.
Andrew Slovinski. Simon Maskovitz. John
Cademiski and about twenty other Hun
garians and Polanders whose names could
not be learned.
Aside from these there may be other
English-speaking miners among the unfor-
tunates. Thirty Polanders and Huns were
entombed, and 1t Is thought that the total
number of bodies in the mine will reach 100.
The men were at work propping up the
roof when the fall occurred. The alarm
was Immediately given by the ringing of
the fire bells and rescuers were put at work
without delay. AT o'clock this afternoon,
the first bodies were found in the slope,
some distance from the place where the
men had been working.
More than two-thirds of the victims were
married and leave families. Among them
were acting Mayor Langan. who was in
side superintendent of the mine, and j. II.
Lynott ward councilman.
OFFICERS FoRwARNED.
About two weeks ago the surveyors re-
ported to General Superintendent Law that
the mine was Squeezing and that un-
less steps were Immediately taken to tim
Der it cavern or fall might be looked
for. Superintendent Law put number of
timbermen at work to brace the falling
roof. The squeeze continued, however,
ing. In the afternoon slight fall occurred
and the men who were at work had to re-
treat before it. A consultation of mine off,
cials was then held and it was decided that
heroic measures would have to be resorted
to to prevent heavy damage to the mine.
Inside Superintendent Langan gave In
structions that the most experienced min
ers should be secured and that the party
would go down the mine at o'clock Ex-
pert timbSrmen put in an appearance at
that hour and were soon lowered into the
workings. They made their way to Red Ash
vein, 800 feet down the slope. The work
OF proppng proceeded rapidly until II
a low rumbling noise and the flying coal
and debris drove the men buck.
Then the squeeze" ceased again and the
men thought 1t was safe to resume work
They labored ON until $3.50 o'clock. when
so it Is presumed. the roof fell in without
is supposed. however, that the men were
not all together, but some near the slope
and these probably ran up. the incline when
coal filled the slope gangways, completely
| shutting of all avenues of escape. 1t was
at first supposed that the men might have
| escaped being caught in the fall. and they
| were imprisoned benin the debris but the
| finding of two bodies would go to disproye
ing ing men - may still be behind the tail. H al
| though 1t Is extremely improbable. Even If
they escaped being crushed by the falling
for any length of time in gaseous mine Is
WATER BOY ESCAPED.
The alarm was first given by water-car-
rier John Sheridan who. with William
and Thomas Gill. were the only ones to
escape of the whole party who entered the
mine last night. He was on his way up
the slope to get some fresh water for the
| nd Wb oh h,,r.
| from the foot of the shaft, was knocked
down by the conclusion. He was badly cut
and bruised by flying coal and rock He lay
unconscious for ten minutes and then came
up the shaft. The concussion 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 nearer the mine persons
| were thrown from their beds.
| The first thought was that a great earth
| quake had occurred, and the Inhabitants
rushed pell-mell from their houses The
| ringing of the fire bells and the shrieking
OF the big mine whistle whistle told the story.
OF the shaft and numbered thousands by
daybreak. Stalwart men stood appalled,
and frantic women, who had husbands or
sons in the doomed mine, walled in despair.
One mother cried out that she had two
sons below Another was the wife or Wild
less children at home. Many knelt on the
ground and in voices broken with sobs
implored divine providence 10 restore their
loved ones alive When 1t was given out
| that there was little or no hope of rescuine
| the men alive, women and girls tainted and
| were borne away
The work Of rescue was prompt and effi-
cient. The best miners who remained on
the surface joined voluntarily in the haz-
ardous task-for hazardous IL certainly
was. There was the constant menace OF
| another fall or an explosion of fire damp
Special efforts were made to keep the ali
fan in good order, so that il. by any
chance the men were alive, they Should
have fresh air 10 breathe.
The blocked slope and gangways held ou,
| little hope OF the air reaching them. The
| rescuers were divided into three relays OF
forty men each under the direction OF
mine foreman Mcmillan. The men worked
as they had never worked before. clearing
away the debris In the slope with the en-.
ergy that only springs of the knowledge OF
dear lives behind IL. They made good head
way considering the difficulties they had
to contend with, and At o'clock this
afternoon had cleared the slope a distance
of 600 feet.
NO BODIES FOUND.
The report that the bodies of Mayor
Langon and Councilman Lynot had beer
found in the mine was proved tonight {,