The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-10
TO FIND THE CAUSE
concluded from Page IL

Hughes then resumed his testimony.
''The width.o of the chambers was never
less than twenty feet. unless the roof
was too bad to admit them being cut
that wide"
Mr.. Stein--"Were the pillars Of No. 5
vein directly over the pillars Of No. 6
vein. as required by law. or do you know
of your own personal knowledge?
II do not know"
Have you ever noticed clippings
falling off the pillars?'
Yes. sir
'"Were you afraid at any time you
worked there?"
Yes, but | had a steady job and did
not want to leave"
What were you afraid or"
The roof. l was afraid OF it for six
months back"
Did you know of any robbing of pill
las?"
mo, except that sometimes when a
pillar was extra large they would drive
q chamber through it,"
NIGHT OF THE CAvE-lN.
Hughes then went in to say that he
worked in the mine the day before the
cave-in erecting cOg-pillars to catch the
squeeze. He went in again at night
but did not work as Fire Boss Delaney
had discovered big fall on the heading
side and the men would not go into the
workings until they could bring the su
perintendent there, He then described
how they sat about the foot of the slope
for over two hours discussing whether
or not it was advisable to quit and how
he and five others. as already described
in the Tribune, went out after tossing
up a stone to see whether or not they
should leave.
In answer to questions by Chairman
Stein. he said that he considered Su-
perintendent Langan safe and compe-
tent man. but that as compared to 9TH
er places where he had been employed
the Twin mine had not been worked
in a proper manner The openings
were too wide and the props We're very
thin, nothing like we are putting in
now. They We're not heavy enough and
were weakened by laying in the sun for
a couple of years"
Some of the pillars, he said. in the
fifth vein had dropped so that there
would be a space between the pillar and
the roof large enough to put your arm
into it, and in his opinion there was
no pillar directly beneath in the lower
vein or this could not have happened
Two weeks before the fall work was
begun erecting log pillars to arrest
the squeeze
At this juncture Mr. Woodward inti-
mated that Mr.. McGovern, who was
examining Hughes, was asking leading
questions and suggested that the rules
of evidence should be followed so that
there might be some order to the pro-
ceedings. Attorney General McCor-
mick approved Of this. Mr.. McGovern
said that II was an Investigation and
that all that was wanted was to throw
light on the matter under investiga ton
but If the counsel for the corporation
| objected to the disclosures that were
being made and the attorney general
sustained the objection. he would sub
nit. MIR. Mccormick retoIted some
what testify that he could not permit
such an insinuatiOn to go unchallenged
and after giving Mr.. McGovern rather
pointed statement Of his position said:
There were to be no objections to the
bringing out of all the evidence and
everybody should have the widest lib
erty."
Mr.. Woodward then begau to question
Hughes and ELECTED the fact that he had
| told Foreman Lynott of the dangerous
ftnp Nf h.. "A hoe \
had said himself it was dangerous
Adjournment was then made until 80
o'clock.
When the session again convend Mine
Inspector Hugh Mcdonald. who has
| charge of the Third district in which
| the Twin shaft is located. was put on
| the stand and kept under fire for three
| solid hours. For the first hour he was
engaged in explaining the interior of
| the mine with the aid Of his map being
| closely questioned by the attorney gen
| eral. The map he states was furnished
| ed him by the company and was made
| by their engineer, David Davis. The
| map Is revised and extended as the
workings are extended. His map had
been extended about month ago.
| ROOF BROKE THROUGH.
On his last official visit to the mine
which was April Is, he noticed that the
roof of the sixth vein had broken
thrcNgh In several places. as a result Of
blasting the floor of the vein above
I'm order to increase it's height, that
cars might be able to pass under the
roof with loading of top coal. He
then described the condition of affairs
| and the work Of rescue on the Sunday
of the accident and the days immediate
| ly following. He made an official visit
| to the mine on Marh 26 previous to the
last visit on April Is. There are forty.
five breakers with siXty-six openings
in his district. He has been an inspect
or for ten years. Attorney General Nc.
Cormicli then subjected Inspector Nc
Donald to a very stiff questioning.
Ibid you ever make an inspection
to see If the pillars were directly over
one another"
| ..Sometirnps they wOuld he n nd sone-