New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-06

A-'AA~NAAO->S AhhA SO"E Or AhE ENAC"1pEA
MINERS ARE ALrvE-THousANDs GATHER
AT THE NINE EAGER FOR NEWS.
Wilkesbarre. Penn. July 5.-At the Twin
Shaft yesterday the rescuers labored on hope
lessly yet doggedly doing their duty. but with
despair in their hearts To-day they are at
tacking the mass Of rock and coal with q
strength gained from hope and an eagerness
born Of expectancy. for they firmly believe
now that somewhere beyond the mass OF
the fall some of their comrades are alive.
The glad tidings were brought TO the surface
this morning by the II o'clock shift and proved
the silver lining to the cloud OF gloom which
caused the officials yesterday to speak OF aban-
doning the work There is talk now but OF
pushing ahead at every risk and reaching the
entombed men.
1t was due to the bravery Of William D.
Owens. foreman. and other members Of the
shift that the fact learned. The shift had
made such good progress that they reached a
place where they found room on top OF the fall
TO crawl along. Anxious to see how far the
fall extended and to determine what was beyond
It, Owens and some Of his brave followers
crawled over the mass Of debris For ITO feet
they crawled and then came to small clear
space blocked by fail flush with the roof.
They were examining this fall when. clear and
distinct. on the iron rail came the sound that
assured them not all Of the sixty are dead.
There were two raps with short interval be-
tween and three rapid ones. Three times they
were repeated before the men dared believe
they heard Alright. and then back they sent the
same kind Of tap.
Immediately 1t was answered. and then TOT
three-ouarters Of an hour they kept It up rap
1t,.t~ he
good beyond assuring them that the men were
alive, and sending assurance OF assistance
to the poor unfortunates separated from them
by no one knows how many feet of almost solid
rock and coal 1t hard to leave the spot,
but the news would give much needed cheer to
the weary walters and watchers on the surface,
and so finally they reluctantly turned and hur-
ried to the surface where they told the good
news ~
All day long. despite the rain which has fallen
almost continually. thousands OF people nave
been gathered at the head Of the SHAFT waiting
for more good news. The wives and relatives
of the entombed men are all there except
couple Of the wives upon whom the strain mas
told so severely that they are confined 10 tnelr
beds All eagerly discussing the situation
and the chances of the rescuers reaching the
men in time. Some Of the most conservative
miners have expressed doubts about the rap
pings and say the men may have been deceived
They may have been, but Owens's words leave
little doubt He says: The rapplngS were not
such as could be confounded with the cracking
or breaking of tmbers or the working OF the
mine They were clear. distinct and regular, and
as there were two long raps and three short
ones | am certain they could have been made
only by men who knew what they were doing
Then they answered us when we Knocked. and
/ am certain. and so is every man of my SHIFT
that there are some men alive
How many men alive 1t is impossible TO
tell There may be only one man and there may
be all The men were divided into two parties
at their work on the fatal Sunday morning and
while one party may be crushed. the other may
he safe or some"cf the men may have had
warning of the fall and been able TO make some
headway up the slope. The general supposition
is that some few Of the men were imprisoned
between two falls and held there, very
likely In a few feet of space near some strong
pillar and with no means of working at the fall.
Some Of the officials say they place great re-
lance on Owens as he is one OF their most ex-
perienced men and one who would not be mis-
led bv any sound made by the squeezing" OF
the mine Furthermore. his report was verified
this afternoon by the 3 o'clock shift. Three OF
the shift crawed over the fall and reached
clear spot where they raped on the rail and
were answered They cannot tell. or course.
how near the entombed men they are. but think,
owing to the clearness of the rappings. they are
nor far away The men have now been In
week. and can probably live another ten days.