The record-union., 1896-06-29

full compliment of day men and such
others as could be pressed into service
from off the streets were set at work
pillaring and propping the sixth Veln
so as to insure the safety of the work
men who were to go to work on Monday.
Saturday night the regular night
for were working at point about
5000 feet from the shaft at the foot OF
the No. 3 plane, at point under what is
known as the flats, little east OF the
Coxton Railroad yards. The force was
under the supervision Of Superintend-
ent Langan and his assistant, Michael
Lynott Orders had gone forth that
about midnight as many men as possl-
bic should be sent down to assist In TINS
dangerous work, as constant cracking
and splintering of the roof gave 1ndl-
cation that the probabilities of danger
were most strongly founded.
In accordance with this order be-
tween II and l o'clock Sunday morn
ing about thirty additional workmen
went into the mine.
This new force was placed at a
point beyond that of the night hands,
and the news brought to the surface
by three men, who may be the only
ones to live to tell the tale, was that
all of these hundred or more men had
been caught and either crushed to i'm
mediate death or imprisoned to perish
slowly by starvation.
After hearing this discouraging news
the large throng in waiting became
more demonstrative.
1t was found to the CONSERVATION of
the workmen present on the surface
that all the mine foremen, Superintend-
ents and bosses who had gone to super
wise the work had been caught below.
This left the work of relief without
systematic head, but the rescuers pro-
viding themselves with safety lamps,
hurried or the mine carriage and were
lowered a thousand feet or more to the
mission of relief. They were: John
Doyle, John Daley, Charles Mcdonald
and James Tenyon. After a half hour
of suspense they returned with express
sions of discourag agement and the sad
story that the cave-in had become
more extensive; that the search party
faced great danger and that no news
had been secured of the unfortunate
men. With no delay, however, they
again went down with other men and
again made heroic efforts to obtain in
formation, but baffied and discouraged
were compelled to return.
For a third time (now 2 p. NO. with
more men they went beneath the sur
face into the pit and tried by the
counter gangway to reach, by a cir
cuitous route, the unfortunate prison.
ers. After a journey of nearly thou
sand feet they met distractions in
Vulnerable, the force of the concussion
having created disastrous havoc brat
tice work, pillars, air conduits doors,
cars and top rock having been piled
promiscuously so as to interfere with
all efforts that could be made by any
human being. Then, to add to the
trouble, gas had accumulated in such
quantities as to endanger any efforts
to reach the imprisoned miners Not
subdued by these obstacles, they again
Intellectually tried their last resource
to relieve and recover the men, -~r (
General Manager John B. Law, who
has been seriously i'll for some time.
arose from bed and untiringly worked
to give directions to the work of rescue
Special messengers called to the shaft
all of the company workmen. 1t was
certain that the mine was still caving
in near the foot of the shaft thereby
endangering and making it practically
impossible to continue the labor with
out propping up the way as the res
cuers went in. Carriage after carriage
of props were sent to the bottom. and
under charge of Foreman Eagan of the
Phoenix mine and two others much
progress was made in this work, and
nifty men were pushing their way to
the foot of No. 3 plane, the scene of
the extensive cave-in.
Soon word came up that the mules
were alive, and this fact gave the anx-
lous watchers encouragement, lending
belief to the impression that the explo-
siVe sounds heard were due to no gas
explosion, but only to the rush of air
created by the sudden caving of the
earth The supposition that a gas ex-
plosion had occurred was later in the
afternoon refuted emphatically by Cen
eral Manager Law. The hopes of life
for the imprisoned men as result Of
the discovery of the unharned mules
were again shattered by a latter dis
covery
At 6 o'clock this evening the ASPECT
was decidedly gloomy. Mine Inspector
Mcdonald is on the ground and went
to the foot of the shaft, where he made
most thorough investigation He used
the knowledge gained by twenty-five
years experience and determined that
no rescue could then be made He con-
frmed the stories of his predecessors.
The farmhouse was not injured This
fact gave hope to the management that
mt of, ,;,-<
to the rear of the cave-in by sending
1t in roundabout way
n consultation of the leading mine
Superintendents of Lackawana and
Wyoming Valleys was held this after
noon. Reports by experienced foremen
who had made these rescuing trips were
listened to. The fear was expressed
that possibly the Susquehanna River.
near by the cave, was running into the
mine. This, however, was entirely sup
posititious, as nothing inside justified
the opinion. The pump in this locality
is under the cave and its work IS en-
tirely prevented. At the meeting the
number of people imprisoned was men
toned, but this question was wholly a
problem, as the entire force of bosses
and company men, in fact all from
"i4oih tHis information could be de-
rived are in the pit below. For this
reason the number of the missing ones
is entirely conjecturaL After a careful
ard thorough search it is believed the
list appended may be accepted as a
reliable one of those lost:
M j. Langan, mine superintendent
and Mayor pro tenn. of Pittstol, married.
leaves wife and ten children; NJ F. Ly-
mott, mine foreman. married seven chill
dren; Alexander Mccormick, ire boss.