The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-29

is certainly not less tndh elSAIy'
There were three separate shocks, &C
companied by rumblings resembling an
earthquake disturbance. They were SO
strong as to awaken the peaceful slumoers
OF the people throughout East and West
Pittston. Immediately afterward an alarm
of the most thrilling character took pos
session of the entire population, which was
added to by the wild alarming whistle OF
the Twin shaft at Pittston Junction, ac-
companied by repeated fire alarms.
Hundreds of people rushed to the Twin
shaft. operated by the Newton Coal Com
many, from which the dolefui alarm came.
They found that the shock was due to an
extensive cave-in, accompanied by an ex-
plosion which had occurred in the sixth or
lower vein of the shaft. 1t was soon
learned that no less than hundred men
and bows were imprisoned in the pit.
The awful news spread with lightning
rapidity and by o'clock this morning
thousands of men, women and children
crowded about the head of the shaft, the
women and children particularly express
ing the widest grief for their loved ones
in the dark pit beneath.
The hour following the alarm was one
ing the anxious suspense of the workmen,
the grief of the friends and the tender
sympathy for the afflicted ones. The
foreign element in particular, in their
piercing harangues and their wild de-
mands for their friends, made the weird
and narrowing sight one OF peculiar
solemnity. Efforts were made to quiet
them by rendering the little encourage
ment possible, but unavailingly were those
efforts put forth. Mothers, fathers, daugh-
tiers, sons, brothers and sisters feared the
worst, and upon the first information re-
ceived their fears were found to be well
grounded.
The first to come to the surface from
the shaft below after the explosion, which
carried in its wake from the pit solld
volumes of smoke and dirt, was John Gill,
who had been at the bottom engaged in
labor. The force of the conclusion threw
him with terrific force to the wall. More
dead than alive, he crept to the foot, and
with great difficulty signsled to the
engineer at the surface to hoist the
carriage. When he was brought up his
stories gave the few bosses present doubt
as to the safety of any of the men or boys
below. From him was secured the first
information Of the number likely to be in
the shaft. The closest approximation was
that not less than 100 workmen would, or
have, suffered horrible death.
Just at this period word came from the
pit that men were ready TO be brought up.
Momentary only was the hope created, for
when John Riker, a runner boy, Jacob
Adam and Frank Sheridan, com pany men,
we're brought to the surface, they told the
true story.
It appears that several days ago the
officials discovered that the rock between
the fifth and sixth veins had commenced
working" and TO prevent continuation
of this all day Saturday and Saturday
night the full com plement of day men and
such others as could be pressed into SER
vice from off the streets were set at work
pillaring and propping the sixth vein, so
as TO insure the safety Of the men who
were to go to work on Monday. On Satur-
day night the regular night force was
working at point about 5000 feet from the
shaft at the foot of the No. 3 plane, at q
point under what is known as the Flats,
liGtle east of the Coxton railroad yards.
The force was under the supervision of
Superintendent Langan and his assistant,
Michael Lynott. Orders had gone forth
that about midnight as many men as pos
siple should be sent down to assist in this
dangerous work. as constant cracking and
spIintering of the roof gave indication
that the possibl1i ties of danger were most
strongly founded.
In accordance with this order, between
y and 1 O'Clock Sunday morning about
thirty additional workmen went into the
mine. This new force was placed at a
point beyond that of the light hands and
the news brought to the surface by the
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 immediate death or
imprisoned, to perish slowly by starv-
alton.
After hearing this discouraging news
the large throng in waiting became more
demonstrative. It was found to the con-
sternation of the workmen present on the
surface that all the mine foremen, super
intendents and bosses who had gone to
supervise the work had been caught below.
This left the work of relief without sys-
tematic head. but the rescuers, providing
themselves with safety lamps, hurried on
the mine carriage and four were lowered
a thousand feet or more to the mission of
relief. They were: John Doyle, John
Daley, Charles Mcdonald and James Ten
yon.
After half an hour OF suspense they re-
turned with expressions of encouragement
and the sad story that the cave-in had
become more extensive; that the search
ing party faced great danger and that
the fate of the unfortunate men could not
be learned.
With no delay, however, they went
down with other men and again made
heroic efforts to obtain information, but,
baffied and discouraged, were compelled
TO return.
For third time (now P. NJ with more
men, they went beneath the surface into
the pit and tried by the counter gangway
to reach, by a circuitous route, the unfaN
tunate prisoners. After a journey of
nearly thousand feet they met obstruc-
tons innumerable, the force of conclusion
having created disastrous havoc, brattiee-
work, pillars, air conduits, doors, cars and
top rock being piled promiscuousiy so as