The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-29

was asked to go In again last night and
did So We got to the head of the shaft
about Z o'clock and there saw Polan-
der who had just come up. His clothes
and hair were singed showing that he
had touched of the gas but he was
unable to talk much English and we
could not ascertain just where he met
the gas. After we got down in the mine
we heard the coal cracking and flying
as 1t had been during the day and We
went to work though some of the men
were very timid. About 10 o'clock
something must have occurred In the
inner workings for the gas came out and
became very thick near the foot OF the
shaft. There was some alarm expressed
and Edward Hughes and another young
man went out, they said 1t was too
dangerous to remain any longer.
WENT IN NO. 6 VEIN.
About or o'clock don't know Just
the time, was down In No. 6 vein to
pull out q trip Of empty cars. They
were taken in filled with props and
timber and I was going to take them
to the other side Of the shaft so that
they could be used by the miners to-
morrow morning. Where l hitched the
mule on to the car the grade was kind
of steep. and Superintendent Michael
Langan told me to take only three cars
instead of four as I had intended. I
obeyed his order and left with the three
cars. Runner Jacob Adams accompany
ing me. Langan was sitting by the
side of the road as we departed.
I'VE were travelling toward the foot Of
the shaft and passed Frank Keogh and
Thomas Wall. also drivers going In
with loaded cars. Before we had gone
more than one hundred feet from the
point where we left Langan there was
q rush of air and Adams said: Look
out Jack for the gas I pulled off my
cap and blew out my light to prevent
an explosion and then the wind came
tearing along at frightful rate and We
could hear the coal cracking and tear
ing and striking against the back Of the
last car. Then got q ride shall never
forget. Down along the gangway the
cars were driven at frightful rate OF
speed by the wind. The dust was chok-
ing and the darkness terrible. How far
l went on that car l don't know, but
have a recollection of being thrown off
and Of fortunately catching q prop. /
hung onto 1t until the wind ceased and
then got to my feet and called for Ad-
ans. He said he was not injured much
and we started to feel our way toward
the foot. In an instant came the second
fall and again the frightful rushing Of
the air which carried me / know not
how far but certainly a considerable
distance. had only struggled along a
short distance when the third fall oc-
Cured. The air had little effect on me
this time for found myself at the foot
of the shaft and had just strength
enough to pull the bell as signal to the
engineer to hoist and then fell over on
the cage exhausted. Adams had gone
up before me. On the way up I revived
and felt better when l reached the top.
/ was almost choked with dust and my
head still feels as if 1t was full Of it.
WHERE THE MEN ARE.
MY belief is that Superintendent
Langan and the two driver BOSSES
Frank Keogh and Thomas Wall, were
close to the outer edge Of the first fall
but the falls that afterwards occurred
have left them probably 700 or 800 feet
from what is now the outer edge of 1t
The men were working in three gangs
One was near where Langan was sit
ting, another was one hundred yards
farther in and the third was taking Out
pump on the pump road some dis.
tance away.
There was absolutely no warning
| Of the cave. Just the same cracking
and shooting Of the coal was heart
that has been going on for two week.
| only Of course it has been worse the las
two days than before, but there was M
such working as would warn the mer
that an extensive cave was to come
The men must have been cut off almos
instantly / thought 1t was an explo
sion of gas until l got to the top O
the shaft.
Last night all of the men were prett!
we'll scared at the way the coal wa!
working and shooting but none of then
had to be urged to go in by the bosses
although some Of them had the look o
death In their eyes as they did SO
Twelve of the chambers in the No.
vein had not been working for severa
days and Saturday with other drivers
started up to take out the loaded car
that were In them but was told not to
so as 1t was too dangerous,
After I was out Of the mine about al
hour this morning the rescuing part,
that was going down where the fal
occurred, asked me to go down an
show them about where the men wer
located. I went down and found tn
place still working. and caving. Tn
rescuing party was unable to do any
thing except to see the condition of af
fairs down there. l explained to ther
as well as could just where the me-
were and we were hoisted up agai
and came home"
The rescuing party that Kicker wen
down with was able to get within 70
feet of the fall but the members of
found 1t too dangerous for safety an
retreated toward the foot Of the shat
They had hardly done SO when anothe
small fall took place cutting down ma
terially the amount Of open road be
tween the foot Of the shaft and tn
point where the men are.
The first rescuing party went dow
thinking an explosion of gas had o.
Cured. and only learned their mistal
when they found the air in the retui
current pure instead Of being charge
with black damp, as II would have bee
had an explosion taken place.
MINE lNcDErTOD,c cTATcMcNr