The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-29
ENT0MBED IN A MINE SHAFT
MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED LIVES
 IN JEOPIRDY.

Appalling Horror at Pittston, Pa.-How
 Many Are Dead is Unknown-Prisoners
 5000 Feet From Mouth of the Shaft
 Escaping Gas Adds to Danger-It May be
 That All Are Dead-Deeds of Heroism-
 Resouing Parties at Work-Possibiiity
 That Men May Not be Reached for Sew
 eral Days.
 Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 2S,--At three o'clock this morning the city of Pitts ton, nine miles from here, was thrown into the widest excitement by three sharp shocks, followed immediately by rumblings very much resembling earthquake disturbances, so strong as to awaken the people throughout East and West Pittston. The entire pOpu- lation was greatly alarmed, and the general terror was added to by the vio- lent and wild whistling of the Twin Shaft at Pittston Junction. accompa- nied by fire alarms.
 Hundreds of people, apprehending se- riouS results, rushed in mad haste to the twin shaft, operated by the New ton Coal company, from which the alarm came, only to find that the shocks so distinctly felt were due to an extensive caVe-in, accompanied by an explosion which had occurred in the sixth or lower vein. Upon inVestiga- tfon rumors gained currency that no less than one hundred men and boys were entombed in the pit. The fearful news spread with lightning rapidity, and by o'clock this morning the head of the shaft was thronged by men, wO- men and children. The foreign element was especially demonstrative in it's grief, and the efforts made to quiet tue sorrowing fathers, mothers, sons and daughters were in vain.
 The first to come to the surface from the shaft below after the explosion which carried in it's wake from the pit solid volumes of smoke and dark dirt enveloping the entire workings and To- cality, was John Gill, who was at work in the bottom The force of the con cussion threw him with terrific force to the wall and with intense fear, more dead than alive, he crept to the foot of the shaft and with great difficulty sig nailed to the engineer at the surface to hoist the carriage
 When he was brought up, his story, freighted with direful statements, gave to the few bosses present doubt as to the safety of any of the men and boys below. From him was secured the first information Of the number who ao- peared likely to be in the shaft The most conservative estimate was that not less than one hundred or more wQrkmen had suffered or were likely 10 suffer a horrible death.
 Just at this juncture word came from the pit that men were ready to be brought up. John Riker, runner boy; Jacob Adam and Frank H. Sheri- dan, company-men, were soon brought to the surface and told the true and frightful story.
 It appears that several days ago the officials discovered that the rock be- tween the fifth and sixth veins had commenced working" and, to prevent the continuation of this all day Satur- day and Saturday night the full com plement of day men and such others as could be pressed into service from of the streets were set at work pillaring and propping the sixth vein so as to en- sure the safety of the Workmen who were to go to work on Monday.
 Saturday night the regular night force was working at a point about B. GOO feet from the shaft at the foot of the Mo- plane, at a point under what is known as the flats, a little east of the Exton railroad yards. The was under the supervision of Superintend- o,1t I n5n h eiSto nt al Lynott Orders had gone forth that about midnight as many men as possi- ble should be sent down to assist m this dangerous work, as constant cracking and splintering of the roof gave indication that the possibilities of danger were strongly founded
 In accordance with this order be- tween 12 and 1 o'clock Saturday morn ing about thirty additional men left their homes and went to work in the mine. The new force of men enlisted in the work was placed at a point be- yond that of the night hands and the three men brought to the surface stated that all of those one hundred or more men had been caught and either crush ed to immediate death or were impris- oned and would surely perish. Re sponsive to this discouraglng news the excitement and disturbance became more demonstrative.
 It was found to the consternaton of the few WOrkmen present on the sur- face that all the mine foremen, super intendents and bosses who had gone to supervise the work were also with those who are imprisoned. This gave the work of relief no systematic head, and yet four rescuers providing themselves with safety lamps boarded the mine carriage and were lowered a thousand feet or more into the mine.
 After half hour of suspense they returned with the story that the cave in had become more extensive, that the searching party had faced grave danger and that no news had been se- cured of the unfortunate men. With no delay, however, they again went down to the foot of the shaft with other men and again made heroic efforts to get what information they could, but returned again, baff1ed and discour- aged.
 For third time Cat p. m) with more men, they went into the pit and tried by a circuitous route to reach the prisoners. After journey of nearly a thousand feet they met Instructions in- numerable. the force of the concussion having created great havoc, brattice