The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-07-01
HOPE IS NOT ABANDONED
Relief Crews Working to Deliver the
Imprisoned Men
The Chance Of Rescue Is but sleuder, but the
the Work VIII Be Prosecuted
With Vigor


rect Inc wives OIL llNe IiuiSdi iaho NS-
clare that these men, too. are in the
mine, but this is disputed by the time
keeper, who says that the Hungarians
drew their pay last week and went to
Pittsburg to work in the coal mines.
They simply deserted their families, but
their wives will not believe it.
At o'clock tonight the situation was
more encouraging than it has been at
any time since the cavern. AT that
hour the night shift was on duty. the
afternoon men reported that they had
reached the edge of the fallen rock and
had begun to load it in cars which are
hoisted to the head of the slope by sta
tionary engine. The pit where the men
are supposed to be is still 600 feet be-
yond. The night shift continues the
work of loading debris. The gas is not
s0 bad as it has been, and there is no
water flowing in the mine. One of the
miners said they had come across num-
Der of tools of various kinds which had
been used by the miners.
The borehole which was started in the
Clear Spring mine, which adjoins the
Twin shaft, to pierce the pit of 100 feet
Of solid coal between the workings of the
two mines, has not proved as successful
as had been hoped. When the drill was
in about thirty-five feet it struck rock
and had to be abandoned.
At noon today a new hole was started.
Calculations were made from the maps
Of both collieries. and it was hoped that
the figuring would be so close as to
bring the hole out into the workings d
the Twin colliery. A diamond drill is
being used and it is estimated that the
Job will require thirty-six hours If all
goes well. IT, when the hole is drilled
through this barrier from the Clear
Spring mine, no water is found on the
other side, the hole will be enlarged so as
to admit mans body and experiments
may be made from that end. If the cave
in does not extend to the end of the mine
the rescuers will start in froml that
point. They will have to go, at the least
calculation, about 100 feet to where the
men are understood to be. Then they
will strike the fall under which the men
are and will begin digging. In case, how
ever, that this area beyond Clear Spring
is also affected and squeezing" the
rescuers will not dare venture in beyond
the barrier, and to pursue the search
they will have to begin timbering and
propping, as the men on the other side
are doing. This work would have to
begin at the point where the roofs begin
to threaten and the length of time oc-
cupied in reaching the cave where the
men are would depend upon the condi-
ton of the slope. If all of the roof is
II I. ,;--l,
useless, as $500 feet would have to be
timbered. Superintendent Lawelt has
addressed a letter to the local press as
ISOLATION, requesting assistance in the
appeal for funds to mining corporations
and all others in the union.
Rescuers continue work under great
difficulties. The squeeze is general and
1t the foot of the shaft loud rumbling
noise of falling rock in distant parts of
the mine can be heard. Double timber
ing is being resorted to. Under the most
favorable conditions the workers could
not hope to clean the gangway to where
the entombed men are in less than a
month.
The cavern at GAINESVILLE some years
ago offers precedent for the officials of
the Twin shaft. AS long as there is a
possibility of any of the men being alive
they feel it their duty to continue in the
work of attempted rescue. In the James,
Vile cavern six men were imprisoned in
a breast of the mine for nineteen days.
On the nineteenth day they We're reach
ed. Five men were dead and one was
alive. The living man was big Joe,'
penter at Hazleton. He has been inter-
viewed on the probable fate of the men in
the Pittston mine, and says that if they
are alive and the air is pure where they
are, they will be able to live for ten days
at least. 1t is taken for granted there
is water where they are, and if the men
carried a good supply of food, which
could be used sparingly during their inn
prisonment, they may be able to live
several days.
General Superintendent Lawalt of the
Lehigh and Wikesbarre Coal company,
Morgan r. Morgan, outside superintend-
ent of the same company, and other
prominent mine experts held confer
ence today. They received reports from
the men in charge of the rescue work,
and, after discussing them. decided that
the work of clearing the mines should go
on. At noon it was said that the props
were holding better and that the res
cuers were making considerable head
way.
1t is now stated that the number of
men in the Twin shaft is between sixty
nine and seventy-two.
a SECOND CAVE
WILKESBARRE, Pa, July Am
other extensive cave-in occurred in the
workings of the Twin Shaft shortly af-
ter midnight. The cave-in was in that
portion of the mine where the victims
are thought to be. 1t made terrible
report and was heard all over the town.
The fall must have been a very heavy
one 1t had the effect of driving the
rescuers out of the slope, for the timbers
around them began to sway and crack.
A fall in the slope may occur at an mo-
ment.
The news of the second cavern has
had a most discouraging effect on ev-
erybody.
When the IL o'clock shift came out of
the mine some of the men reported hay
ing heard what they thought was a rap
ping in that part of the mine where the
victims are supposed to be. This i'm