The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-29

Eun 8bOuN IN the slope can ne uCCpuuleu
for. II 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 gangwuys, completely shut
ting on all avenues OF escape.
II was at first supposed that the men
might have escaped being caught In the
fall. and that they were imprisoned be-
hind the debris, but the finding OF the
two bodies would so 20 dispruve this.
II ls still possible. however, that the
living men may atlll be behind the fall,
although Il Is extremely improbable.
Even II they escaped being crushed by
the falling roof the possibility OF their
being alive for any length OF time In
gaseous mine is remote.
The alarm was FIRST given by John
Sheridan. water carrier, who, with
William Rechard and Thomas Gill, were
the only ones 90 escape OF the whole par
ty who entered the mine last 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 burned by flying
coal and rock He lay unconscious for
ten minutes and then came mp the smart
The conclusion was so great that IL
was heard for miles around. The foun-
dat[nns OF nearly every building In
PIttston wsr. shaken. and windows and
doors ratified as In tornado. In the
houses nearer TO the mine, persons were
thrown from their beds,
The first thought was that great
earthquake had occurred and the inhAb-
ItantS rushed pell nell from their
houses. The ringing OF the flre bells
and the RhrI-klng OF the big mine whls-
tie told the story
Walled In Despair.
Crowds OF people gathered about the
mouth Of the shaft and numbered thou
sands by daybreuk. stNlwart men
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. and had nine children at
home. Many knelt on the ground. and
In vnlceH broken with sobs implored Dl-
vine providence To- restore their loved
ones alive.
When Il was given out that there was
little or no hope OF resCning the men
alive. women and girls tainted and were
borne away, senseless.
The work OF rescue was prompt and
efficient The best miners who remain
ed on the surface Joined voluntarily IN
the hazardous task-for hazardous II
certainly was.
There was the constant menace OF an
other fall or an explosion OF hre damp.
Special EFFORTS were made to keep the air
fan in good order so that II, by any
chance, the men were alive they should
have fresh air to breathe.
The blocked slope and gangways held
out little hope OF the air reaching them,
The rsscuers were divided into three re-
laws OF forty men each, under the direc-
tl0n OF mine foreman Alex McMuilin.
The men worked as they had never
before worked. clearing away the de-
brls in the slope. with the energy that
only springs OF the kno"ledse oI ueaF
lives behind It.
They made good headway, consider
ing the difficulties they had 10 contend
with. and at o'clock this afternoon
had cleared the slope distance Of so
feet.
Activity brought announcement: but
when the first clearance wOa made. II
revealed a sight that dispelled all hope.
Under the mass OF rock lay the bodies
OF Langan and Lynott. A damper tell
upon the work OF the rescuerS. They
had been working for life and had
found death. Styll, the hope remaired
that others OF the men might be pan-
ned In somewhere and that they would
vet have the satisfaction OF finding
them alive.
Al 2 o'clock thla afternoon. Il became
necessary to swear In extra policemen
10 control the crowd around the mouth
Of the shaft. It had increased to fully
saven thousand Ropes were stretched
% nulgE FDiRtA MI
cIais were allowed 10 enter the enclo-
sure.
A Thrilling Story.
Young Sheridan, the water boy, who
had such a narrow escape, tells a
thrilling tale OF the disaster. He thinks
there was an explosion Of gas, which
blew down the newly erected timbers
and caused the cave-ln When he left
the mine to go out the slope and get
water, those inside had no npprehen-
sion OF fall or a squeeze" Every
thing was working nicely and the men
expected TO be out OF the mine within
another hour
''The report OF the fall, says the boy
was like hundred cannon. ana the
force OF IL blew me fully twenty-five
feet. / was hurled against the side Of
the slope. piece Of rock hit me back
OF the head, the wound commenced TO
bleed. and then ! tainted
Richards and Gill. who were on their
way out after timber, concur with Shrr-
idnp that the conclusion was terrific.
They were knocked on their feet and
banged against some brattice work.
They cannot conceive the possibility
~ anybody being In the wreck ana es-
Gaping with his lifc.
Superintendent Law says: 'NdD1dy
regrets this dreadful occurrence more
than do. II Is too early yet to give
any rrn IOn NJ to tn. cause OF the ncci-
dent, but can assure you that n ]
Thought there was any danger In the
work undertaken b. the men, not sin-
gle one Of them would have been allow
ed to enter the minp with m" permIss-
inn I don't care for the dImngc To
the mine. II IS the great loss OF life
that gives me 80 much s0rrgw:
The breaker OF the Twin SHAFT burned
down three years ago Their wer" over
one hundred men In the mine at the
time. but all escaped through second
opening.
Tho arst great disaster IN the anthra-
cite region was IN September 1863, nrn
IgO men perlshed IN the Avundale mine,
this county The breaker over the mine
caught FIRE and all tfNe men IN the MIN"
we're sunocated This great catastroph"
caused the legislature "a pass law
compelling mines 10 have two openings,
Hut when a cnye-in occurs In mine
and the men urc surrUunlrd on every
side by debris. Il makes llttlc difference
nov many openings there may be. They
cannot escape. even II spared by the
fail.
Al II o'clock tonight the situation