Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-30
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
It Came Early Sunday Morning-Wiv Awakened to Find rhensalves Widows


 Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 2S.-A 3 o'clock this morning the city of Pittston, nine miles from here was thrown into the widest excitement by three severe, dis tinct and separate shocks, accompanied by rumbling and earthquake disturbance. They were so strong as to break the peaceful slumbers of the people through out East and West Pittston. Immediately after an alarm of the most thrilling char acter spread through the entire popull- tion, which was considerably added to by the alarm whistle at Twin shaft, at Pittston Junction, accompanied by re- peated fire alarms.
 Hundreds of people, experiencing seri- ous results, rushed in mad haste to the Twin shaft, operated by the Newton Coal company, from which the alarm came, only to find that the shock so distinctly felt was due to an extensive cave-in, ac- companied by an explosion which had occurred in the sixth or lower vein of the shaft. Their excited apprehensions were by no means exaggerated, for over 100 men and boys were entombed in the pit.
 The fearful and distressing news spread with lightning like rapidity, and by o'clock this morning the head of the shaft was thronged by thousands of men, wo- men and children, the latter
 Wringing Their Hands
 and expressing most heartrendiDg cries for their beloved ones who were impr.s- oned in the dark pit beneath. The hour following the alarm Is one long to be re- membered by those witnessing the sight. Theanxious suspense of the workmen, the grief of the friends and the tender sym pathies for the afflicted ones by the spec tators were incredible The foreign ele- ment In particular were excessively dem- onstrative in their grief.
 The first to come to the surface from the shaft below after the explosion, 4l.1 lEacr of smoke and dark earth. was John Gill, who was working at the bottom of the shaft. The force of the concussion threw him to the wall, and, more dead than alive, he crept to the foot of the hoist and, with great difficulty, signaled to the engineer at the surface and was brought up. A moment later John Riker, a runner boy, and Jacob Adam and Frank H. Sheridan company men, were brought to the surface. They told
 The True and Frightful Story.
 It appears that several days ago the officials discovered that the rock between the fifth and sixth veins had commenced working" and, to prevent continuation, all day Saturday and Saturday night the complement of day men and such others as could be pressed into service from on the street were set at work pillaring and prorping the sixth vein so as to insure the safety of the workmen who were to go to work on Monday.
 Saturday night the regular night force were working at point about 5000 feet from the shaft, at the foot of Mo- plane, at a point under what is known as the flats little east of the Coxton railroad yards. The force was under the super vision of Superintendent Langan and his assistant, Michael Lynott. Orders had gone forth that about midnight as many men as possible should be sent down to assist in this dangerous work, as con stant cracking and splintering of the roof gave indication of the possibilities of danger.
 Thirty More Victims.
 In accordance with this order, between 12 and o'clock Sunday morning about thirty additional men entered the pit. The new force of men were placed at point beyond that of the night hands and the terrible news brought to the surface by the four men who likely will be the only ones to live to tell the tale was that all of these 100 or more men had been caught and either crushed to immediate death or imprisoned to perish in horri- fging manner. It was found, to the con- sternation of the workmen 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 wnr'- of relief no systematic head, and yet nobly, unsacrificingly, possibly to face death, the rescuers, provided with safety lamps hurried on to the mine carriage and were lowered 1000 feet or more to the mission of relief They were: John Doyle. John Daily. Charles Mcdonald and James Tenyon.
 After a half hour of suspense they re- turned with expressions Of discourage ment and the story that the cave-in had become more extensive and that the searching party faced inevitable danger, and that no news had been secured 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 again bat fled and discouraged. they repeated their dreadful story of defeated effort.
 For a third time (now 2 p. m.) with re- newed vigor and still more men. they went beneath the surface into the pit and tried by the counter eangway to reach by a circuitous route the unfor-a I tunate prisoners. After journey of nearly 1000 feet they met obstructions in numerabIe. the force Of the concussion having created disastrous havoc, pillars,