The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-30
Hundred Victims of a Cavern
in Pennsylvania.
SEARCHING FOR THE DEAD
The Work of Rescue Going on
But no Bodies Found.
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION OF GAS
The Men Went Down into the Mine
to Repair Portion of it Which
Was in Dangerous
Condition.

Willlesbarre, Pa, June 29.-The eN-
citement continues at the Twin Shaft
in pittston. where nearly one hun
dred miners are entombed. either
dead or alive, by Sunday morning
cave-in. The scene at the mouth OF
the shaft beggars description. be-
sides the wives and children OF the en-
+onbed men. there are hundreds OF
persons. not residents OF Pittston
alone. but visitors from Kingston,
Scranton and Wilkesbarre. The grief
of tbe stricken families is intense.
Wives and children, many OF whom
have not left the mouth OF the smart
since the accident, stand near the
opening to the death chamber ana
urge the rescuers TO greater efforts.
The situation is almost the same
as last night. Practically nothing mas
been accomplished toward the re-
covery Of the men. There is scarcely
an old miner about the opening OF the
mine who does not believe that the
men are all dead.
The foreman of the rescuers reports
that the timbering in the mine is
the work was necessarily slow, OWING
10 tbe danger of falling rocks, which
have been loosened by the explosion.
ANY suggestions advanced as to the
nrobabIe time the men will be reached
are mere ouess-worl1, as all depends
alDon whether the slope is completely
cholxed up with debris or not. Ii not,
the rescuers may possibly be able TO
reach the men within the next "a
hours: otherwise, it may be two or
three davs. The rescuing party is
1000 feet from where the caye-ln oc-
Cured. The gas continues to accumu-
late. and the roof, which was weaken
ed bv the explosion. is in danger OF
falling at a moments notice.
The men who come out of the shaft
bear the marks of anxiety and hard
labor. One of them said: Il am glad
T am out of that hole for while !
would like very much TO see the en-
tombed men rescued alive, but L tell
YOU we. who are engaged IN the work
of rescuing, are carrying our HNes IN
our hands.
A survey of the interior of the mIne
shows that the main slope is badly
blocked. 1t is blocked even worse than
the officials are willing to admit.
the roof when the fall occurred. The
alarm was Immediately given by the
ringing of the fire bells, and rescuefs
were put TO work without delay.
More than two-thirds of the victims
were married men and leave families.
Among them were Acting Mayor
Ianoan. who was inside superintend-
inc the mine. and j. III. Lynott, a
ward councilman.
About two weeks ago the surveyors
reported to General superintendent
Law that the mine was squeezing,
and that unless steps were taken TO
timber it a cave-in or fall might be
looked for. Superintendent Law at
once put a number of timbermen at
work to brace the roof. The squeeze"
continued, however, and yesterday the
situation became alarming. In the at
ternoon a slight fall occurred, and the
men who were at work had to retreat
before it A consultation of mine o1ii-
cials was then held, and it was decided
that heroic measures would have to be
miners should be secured and that the
the mine.
Inside Superintendent Langan gave
instructions that the most experienced
miers should be secured ad that the
party should go down the mines at I
o'clock. Expert timbermen put in an
appearance at that hour and were soon
lowered into the workings. They made
their way TO Red-ash vein, 1900 feet
down the slope. The work of propping
proceeded rapidly until IL o'clock.
when another fall occurred. 1t made
a 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 re-
sumo work. They labored on until 3:20
o'clock, when, it is supposed, the roof
fell in without warning, making tre-
mendous crash.
1t is supposed, however, that the men
were not all together, but some near
the slope, and these probably ran up
up the incline when the fall occurred.
This is the only way the finding of
Mayor Langan's body in the slope can
be accounted for 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 filled up the
slope and the adjoining gangways,
completely shutting off all avenues of
escape.
1t was at first supposed that the men
might have escaped being caught in
the fall, and that they were imprisoned
behind the debris. 1t is possible that
living men may still be behind the fall,
although it is extremely improbable.
Even if they escaped being crushed by
the falling roof, the possibility 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 VIM.
Richard and Thomas Gill, were the