The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-04
At THE TWIN SHAFI
Relatives Now Only Hope That
the Bodies May Be
Recovered.
SOME MAY STILL BE ALIVE
Possibility Which Is Terrible to Dwell
Upon in View Of th, Fact That II
Will Take Weeks 10 Reach Them.
Indication; That the Whole Place
Has CaVed in from the Surface
Down.

mouth of the Inflated Twin shaft at
Pittston. Not the slightest incident
has occurred In the last forty-eight
hours to help keep alive the faint ray OF
hope that possibly some of the unfortu-
nate men might be brought out alive
and, now. this dim possibility causes
sitter anguish instead of consolation
for they feel that it We're far better
that their beloved ones should be dead
than to be dying in delirium inch by
inch in the dark lonesome caverns Of
the mine. The fact that many of the
bereaved women now appear in mourn
ing when they make their frequent WIS.,
its to the mine indicates as strongly as
anything can that even they have
ceased to hope
There Is still the possibility, quite
generally admitted that some of the
men may still be alive but those who
hold this belief are 10th to give 1t
words for the terrible picture this possi-
bility conjectures up before the mind is
dreadful to contemplate, now that 1t Is
so certain three or four weeks will
pass before the rescuers can reach the
spot where .he men are supposed to
have been caught.
preceding brought forth no good news.
The rate of progress was II anything, u
trilie slower than on Thursday. Eight
and half feet were cleared but only
6ia feet were completely tunnelled. dur
In. the eight hours between a. IA.
and y. m.. From that time until II
o'clock last night when the next SHIFT
came up the progress was just about
the same. Yesterday morning the res
cuers encountered an unusually large
boulder lOx6x3 and lost much time in
breaking 1t UP and removing It,
BETTER TIME EXPECTED.
1t is hoped today that Il little better
time will be made as the road just in
advance os where the men We're work
ing yesterday has been explored and
appears to be free from extra sized
rocks and has one or two clear spots.
The use of sledges for breaking the
rock has been done away with to a
great extent by the adoption of the pin
and feather method. so much in vogue
in quarries A row of shallow holes
are drilled in the rock. wedges are in
serted in these holes and when ham
nlered caused the rock to split \ dozen
large boxes of dynamite We're yesterday
brought to the mine and stored in the
powder house that the explosive may
be on hand in case it is found eXpedient
to use il. Just at present there Is talk
of experimenting with it.
The proposed investigation by COM
mission of mine inspectors appointed by
the governor was the principal topic of
conversation yesterday. The miners
and friends of the cntombed men have
formed nc fixed opinion on the matter
as yet. simply contenting themselves
with talking 1t over and making con-
lectures as TO what il will be like
The officials say they will welcome the
investigation and have no fears Of the
outcome. General Manager Law in talk
ing with Tribune reporter said he was
glad of the governors action and that
it was intelligent and competent men
who were to conduct the investigation
and not coroner's jury with its indis-
criminate makeup To the reporters
question as to whether there was any
truth in the report that the company
had instigated the governors investiga-
tion. Mr.. Law said: mot the slightest.
The impression somehow or other got
abroad that Mr. Patterson. president
of the company. had seen the governor
and invited the investigation, but this
Mr.. Patterson denied when ! was talk
ing with him this morning. Neither he
nor any of the other officers of the COM
pany had any knowledge of the gover-
nors action until we saw the dispatches
in this mornings papers. Mr.. Patterson
agreed with me that the investigation
was to be welcomed by us and that we
should congratulate ourselves that it is
TO be an intelligent Investigation. We
will do all in our power to aid the in
vestigating commission in making a
full and complete report on the matter" /"
MINE INSPECTOR STEIN.
Inspector William tein, of Shenan-
doah, one Of the commission, arrived
on the scene yesterday morning having
come simply as a visitor. He learned
| Of the letter addressed to him by Gov
ernor Hastings after he had started
from home and consequently had not
had much time to consider the matter.
| When interviewed on the matter he
said that the investigation will probably
be private out Of courtesy to the gov
ernor who il entitled to the first infor-
nation concerning the commissions 8
findings, inasmuch as the investigation
was suggested by him and the COM
mission was his creation. Mr.. Stein had
not seen Inspectors Broderick or Bar
mum. the other members Of the COM
mission and consequently could not
say definitely how the investigation will
be conducted. As far as he was con-
cerned himself he would not object to