New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1896-07-01
W ROOF UIY|DpN|
A Hundred Miners Enton1hed
.# by Colliery Disaster
at Pittston, Pa
Three of the Mem Alive But the.
Others Are Believed to
Have Perished. 4.
Victims Were Propping Y p the
Roof When the Cavein h.
Occurred.

s5s,5
WnKEsBARRE. Pa, June 29.-While.
100 miners were at work in the Red:
Ash. vein Of the Twin shaft at Pittston.
the roof caved in and it is believed all
of the men persisted bout 40 Of the
imprisoned men were English, the 9TH:
ers were foreigners. The men were at
work propping up the roof when the
fall occurred. The alarm was imme-
diately given by the ringing Of the fire
bells and rescuers were put to work
without delay Twelve hours later the
first bodies were found in the slope
some distance from the plane where
the men had been working. More than
two thirds of the victims were married
men and leave families. Among them
were Acting Mayor Langan, who was
inside superintendent of the mine, and
J. H. Linott, ward councilman.
Mine Was in Bad Shape.
About two weeks ago the surveyors
reported to General Superinte
Law that the mine was squeezing
and that unless steps were Immediately
taken to timber it cavein or fall
might be looked for. superintendent
Law lost no time, but at once put
number Of men at work to brace the
falling roof The squeeze continued.
however, and Saturday the situation
became alarming. In the afternoon a
slight fall occurred, and the men who
were at work had to retreat before it.
A consultation of mine officials was
then held, and it was decided that he
roic measures would have to be resorted
to to prevent heavy damage to the
mine. Inside Superintendent Langan
gave instruction that the most expe-
rienced miners should be secured Ex-
pert timbermen put in an. appearance
at that hour and were soon lowered into
the workings. They made their way
to the Red Ash vein, 900 feet down
the slope. -~'~- J
The Work of Propping
proceeded rapidly until II o'clock when
another fall occurred. It made low,
rumbling noise, and the flying coal and
debris drove the men back, Then the
squeeze" ceased again and the men
They labored on until 8 30 o'clock
when, so it is presumed, the roof fell in
without warning making a tremendous
crash.
The alarm was first given by Water
Carrier John Sheridan, who, with
William Richard and Thomas Gill,
were the only ones to escape of the
whole party who entered the mine at
night. He was 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 rock. clay
unconscious for 10 minutes and then
came up the shaft The conclusion was
so great that it was
...s Heard for Miles Around.
The foundations Of nearly every house
in Pittston were shaken, and window
and doors were ratified as in tornado
In the houses nearer to the mine per-
sons were thrown from their beds. The
first thought was that a great earth.
quake had occurred, and the inhab
itants rushed from their houses. The
ringing of the fire bells and the Shrek
ing Of the big mine whistle told the
story.
Superintendent Lathrop Of the Lee.
high Valley Coal company says it will
be 10 days before the bodies are reached