The herald., 1896-06-29
LOST WERE MARRIED MEN
And Wives and Children Gather to
Shrek and Pray
Men Who May Have Escaped Instant Death
Are SuffOcated
As Usual the Occurrence Is lnexpiicabIe, and
No One Is to Blame for Insuffic-
lent Snoring Of the
Roof
Associated Press Special Wire.

WILKESBARRE, Pa,June 2S.-While
ninety miners were at work in the Red
Ash vein of the Twin shaft at Pittston
about o'clock this afternoon the roof
caved in and it is believed all of the
men perished. About forty of the i'm
prisoned men are English speaking
miners, the others foreign. The names
of the former are:
M. j. Lanigan inside superintendent:
M. J. Linet inside foreman; Alexander
Mccormack, fire boss; Robert Hastin.
machinist; Thomas Murphy, driver
boss.
The following were miners: M. Co.'S
tello. ]. H. Kelly. Michael Gaudhan,
John Hart, James Daily, Michael Con-
nell, Daniel Ward, Frank Kehoe, James
Cleary, Edward Buckley, John Casey.
Edward Rogers, James Kehoe, James
Mcdonald. Ed Delaney. Cornelius Nc
Guire, James Gold, NJ. O'Brien, Michael
Hughes. Edward Kilday, James Burke,
Patrick Ruane. Thomas Tenpenny,
Michael r. Gaffney, Thomas Doing, An
thony Kane, ]. w. Murphy, Owen Lee,
Anthony Gordon. James Wall, -. Wall,
Dominick O'Malley Peter Martin, Mich
ael Ford, Timothy Burbrick, Thomas
Dempsey, Thomas Carlin, Patrick Glib
bons, John O'Boyle, Peter Joyce, Anthony
Gordon. married John Gill, single, Dam
iel Calvin. single. p. 8. Kelley, single,
-. Hoistrich, married, Joseph Zurindo.
married, Tony Tollaski, married, Peter
Savoskiz, married, Andrew Stovinski,
married, Simon Maskovitch, married.
John Cadanizky, single.
Aside from these there may be other
English speaking miners among the un-
fortunates. Thirty Polanders and Huns
were entombed, and it is thought the
total number of bodies in the mine will
reach 100.
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. At o'clock
this afternoon two bodies were reported
found in the slope some distance from the
plane in which the men had been work.
ing.
More than two-thirds Of the victims
were married men. Among them were
Acting Mayor Lanigan, who was inside
superintendent Of the mine, and ]. H.
Linnet, councilman
About two weeks ago the surveyors
reported to General Superintendent Law
that the mine was squeezing and that
unless steps were Immediately taken to
timber it a cave-in or a. fall might be
looked for. Superintendent Law lost
no time, but at once put a number Of
timbermen at work to brace the falling
roof. The squeeze" continued. how
ever, and yesterday the situation be-
came alarming. In the afternoon Q
slight fall occurred and the men who
were at work had to retreat before it.
A consultation of mine officers was then
held and it was decided that heroic
measures would have to be resorted to
to prevent heavy damage to the mine-
Innside Superintendent Lanigan gave
orders 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 appear
ance at that hour and were soon lowered
into the workings. They made their way
to Red Ash vein, $50 feet down the slope.
The work of propping proceeded rapidly
until II o'clock, when another fall oc-
CURED.
A low rumbling noise and the flying
coal and debris drove the men back.
Then the squeeze ceased and the men
thought it was safe to resume work.
They labored on until 80 o'clock, when,
it is presumed, the roof fell in without
warning, making a tremendous crash.
1t is expected, however. that the men
were not all together but some near the
slope, and these probably ran up the
incline when the fall occurred. If th,
men received any warning they had tine
to run up the slope, but not to any great
distance. The falling rock and coal fill
ed up the slope and the adjoining gang
ways, completely shutting off all ave-
nues of escape. 1t Is possible that liv-
ing men may still be behind the fall, al-
though it is extremely improbable, for
even if they escaped being crushed by
the falling rocks the probability of their
being alive for any length of time in
gaseous mine is remote.
The alarm was first given by Water
Carrier John Sheridan, who, with
Thomas Gill and another man, were the
party which entered the mine last night.
Sheridan was on his way up the slope
to get some fresh water for the men.
1ooJ eul uoIJ leeJ O0I lnoqe ueuM puv
of the shaft was knocked down by the
concussion. He was badly cut and
bruised by flying rock and coal. He lay
unconscious ten minutes and then came
great that it was heard for miles around.