Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-07-03

James Gold.
M. O'Brien.
Michael Hughes.
Edward Kilday.
James Burke.
Patrick Ruane.
Thomas Tenpenny.
Michael r. Gaffney.
Thomas Doing.
Anthony Kane.
]. w. Murphy.
Owen Lee.
Anthony Gordon.
James Wall.
Wall
A son of Wallis.
Dominick O'Malley.
Peter Martin.
Michael Ford.
Timothy Burbrick.
Thomas Dempsey.
Thomas Carlin.
Patrick Gibbons.
John o. Boyle.
Peter Joyce.
Aside from these there may be other
English-speaking miners among the I'M
fortunates. Thirty Polanders and Huns
were entombed, and 1t Is thought the to-
tai number of bodies in the mine will
reach 100.
First Bodies Found.
The men were at work propping up the
roof when the fall occurred. The alarm
was Immediately given by the ringing
of the fire BELLS and rescuers were put to
work without delay.
More than two-thirds- Of tha-victims
were married men. Among them were
Acting Mayor Lanigan, who was inside
superintendent.
About two weeks ago the surveyors .Ssp.
ported to General Superintendent Law
that the mine was squeezing" and that
unless steps were Immediately taken to
timber it cave-in or fall might be look
ed for.
The superintendent lost no time, but at
once began to put the timber men to
work to brace the falling roof. The
squeeze continued, however, and yes
terday the situation became alarming. In
the afternoon slight fall occurred, and
the men who were at work had to retreat
before it. A consultation of mine officers
was then had, and it was decided that
heroic measures would have to be resort
ed to to prevent heavy damage to the
mine.
Roof Fell without Warning.
ders that the most experienced miners
should be secured, and that the party
would go down the mine at O'clock
Expert timbermen'put in an appearance
at that hour, and were soon lowered into
the workings. They made their way to
the red ash vein, $50 feet down the slope
The work of propping proceeded rapidly
| until IL o'clock, when another fall oe-
Cured. 1t made a low rumbling noise
and the flying coal and debris drove the
men back. Then the Squeeze" eased
again, and the men thought it was safe
| to resume work. They labored on until
| 800 o'clock. when, it is presumed, the
| roof fell without warning, making a ire
mendous crash. 1t is supposed, however
| that the men were not all together bur
| some near the slope, and these probably
ran up the incline when the fall occurred
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 av-
| erues of escape. 1t was at first sup
posed the men escaped being caught and
that they were imprisoned behind the de-
bris, but the finding of two bodies would
go to disprove this. 1t is still possible
however, that living men may still be be-
hind the wall, though it is extremely i'm
probable. Even If they escaped being
crushed by the falling roof the probapil-
ity of their being alive for any length of
time in gaseous mine is not likely.
The First Alarm.
The alarm was first given by Wafer
Carrier Sheridan, who with Thomas Gil
and another man were the only ones 10
escape out of the whole party who en-.
tered the mine last night Sheridan WAC
on his way up the slope to get some fresh
| water for the men, and when about 100
feet from the foot of the shaft was
knocked down by the conclusion, He
was badly cut and bruised by flying coal
and he lay unconscious for 10 minutes
and then came up the shaft. The con-
cussion was SO great that it was heard
for miles around. The foundation of near
ly every building in Pittston was shaken
and windows and doors ratified as in a
tornado. In the houses nearer to the
mine persons were thrown from their
beds.
Waited in Despair.
The first thought was that a great
earthquake had occurred, and the inhab-
itants rushed pellmell from their houses.
The ringing of the fire bells and the
shrieking of the big mine whistle told the
story. Crowds of people gathered about
the mouth of the shaft and numbered
thousands by daybreak. Stalwart miners
stood appalled,, and frantic women, who
had husbands or sons in the doomed mine,
waited in despair.
| One mother cried out that she had Two
sons below. Another was the wife or
widow of some unfortunate one and had