The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-06-29
NINETY MINERS ARE DEAD
AS the Result of a Terrible Cave-in at
PittStOn, Pa.
WERE PROPPING UP THE ROOF !
While it is Possible That Some Of the Men
May be Behind the Fall, it Would be
impossible For Them to Sur
vive in Gaseous Mine.
lERE PROPPING UP THE ROOF !

vein of the Twin shaft, at Pittston, about
o'clock yesterday morning, the roof
caved in, and it is believed that all of the
men perished. About forty of the inn
prisoned men were English speaking
miners, the Others foreigners.
The following married men are among
those entombed in the mine: NJ. j. Lam
gan, inside superintendent, 40 years old
NJ. j. Lynott, inside foreman, 43; Alex
ander Mccormick, 42 Thomas Murphy,
driver boss, 49, James Costello, "a John
Kehoe, 40; James Mcdonald 38; Ed De-
lanoy, 8S; Cornelius McGuire, "a; James
Golden, 81; James Wall, As; Michael
O'Brien, 45; Michael Hughes, 80; Ed Kill
day, 36; John Gaffney, 86; Patrick Ruane,
40; Thomas Tenpenny. fire boss, "a An
thony Gordon, sS; Peter Martin 35i
Michael Ford, 30; Thomas Cardin, %;
John Oberle, 80, and Peter Joyce, 80.
The following victims Of the disaster are
all unmarried: Thomas Doing, 30; Timo-
thy Durbrick, 26; Patrick Gibbons: Dan
lei Gavin; John Gill, %; P. 5. Kelly, 35
Patrick Boland Anthony Kane, "a; j. W.
Murphy, IS; Owen Lee, %; Thomas WALL
IS; Dominick O'Malley, 80; Michael
Gaughan, 24; John Hart, 30; James Dali
ley, 20; Michael Connell, 81; Daniel Ward
80; Thomas Gaffney Frank Kehoe, 16;
James Burke, 35.
The following Hungarians are also en-
tombed: John Hoisten, Joseph Durenda
Tony Tollaski, Peter Savoski, Andrew
Slovinski, Iunian Maskovitz and John
Cadamiski. All are married except the
last named.
In addition there are about twenty other
Hungarians and Polanders whose names
could not be learned.
Mr., Langan was acting mayor Of the city
and NJ J. 1ynott ward councilman.
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 to
work without delay. At o'clock yester-
day afternoon the first bodies were found
in the slope some distance from the plane
whore the men had been working.
About two weeks ago the surveyors re-
ported to General Superintendent Law
that the mine was Squeezing" and that
unless steps were Immediately taken to
timber it cavein or fall might be looked
for. Superintendent Law lost no time,
but at once put number of timbermen at
work to brace the falling roof The
Squeeze" continued, however, and on
CdluIudN ullt blluullOll Dttulut
In the afternoon a slight fall occurred, and
the men who were at work had to retreat
before it. A consultation of mine officials
was then held, and it was decided that he
roic measures 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
| ho or Tf.fa
Expert timbermen put in an appearance at
that hour and were soon lowered into the
workings They made their way TO the
red ash vein, 1900 feet down the slope.
The work of propping proceeded rapidly
until II o'clock, when another fall oc-
Cured 1t made low, rumbling noise,
and the flying coal and debris drove the
men back.
Then the squeeze ceased again and the
men thought it was safe to resume work.
| They labored until 3 20 o'clock yesterday
morning, when, so it is presumed, the roof
| fell in without warning, making a ire
mendous crash If the men received any
warning they had time to run up the
slope, but not TO any great distance The
falling rock and coal filed up the slope
and the adjoining gangways, completely
shutting off all avenues of escape.
1t is still possible that living men may
still be behind the fall, although it is ex-
| tremely improbable. Even if they escaped
! being crushed by the falling roof, the pos
| sibility Of their being alive for any length
| of time in a gaseous mine is remote.
! The alarm was first given by Water
| Carrier John Sheridan, who, with Will
lam Rechard and Thomas Gill, were the
only ones to escape Of the whole party who
| entered the mine Saturday night He was
on his way up the slope to get some fresh
water for the men, and when about hun
dred feet from the foot of the shaft was
| knocked down by the conclusion He was
| badly cut and burned by flying coal and
rock He lay 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 nearer to the
mine persons were thrown from their beds.
People rushed from their houses, think
ing it an earthquake, but the ringing of
the fire bells and the shrieking of the big
mine whistle told the story Crowds of
people gathered about the mouth of the
shaft and numbered thousands by day
break. 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
widow Of some unfortunate, and had nine
helpless children at home, Many knelt on
the ground, and in voices broken with
sobs implored divine Providence to re-
store their loved ones alive, When it was
given out that there was little or no hope
of rescuing the men alive women and girls
tainted, and were borne away senseless.
Young sheridan, the water boy, who had
such narrow escape, tells a thrilling tale
of the disaster. He thinks there was an
explosion of gas, which blew down the
newly erected timbers and caused the
cayein. When he left the mine to 90 out