The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-07-01
ENTOMBED In A MINE.
More than 100 Men Caught by a
Cave-in.
An Appalling Calamity Occurs in the Twin
Shaft at Pittston, Pa-Drsperate but
UnavailIng Efforts to Reach the
Imprisoned Workmen.

o'clock Sunday morning the city OF
Pittston, nine miles from here, was
thrown into the widest excitement by
three severe shocks, accompanied by
resembling an earthquake.
Immediately afterward alarm took pos
session of the entire population, which
was added to by the whistle of the
Twin shaft at Pittston Junction, ac-
companied by repeated fire alarms.
Hundreds of people rushed to the Twin
shaft, operated by the Newton Coal
Co., from which the alarm came, only
to find that the shock was due to an
extensive cave-in, accompanied by an
explosion which had occurred in the
sixth or lower vein of the shaft 1t
was soon learned that not less than a
hundred men and boys were entombed
in the pit The news spread with
lightning rapidity and by o'clock
thousands of men, women and children |
crowded about the works, the women
wringing their hands and calling for
their beloved ones who were imprisoned
in the pit beneath
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 dirt,
was John Gill, who was at the bottom
engaged in labor. The force OF the
concussion threw him to the wall and
more dead than alive he crept to the
foot, and with difficulty signalled to
the engineer at the surface to hoist the
carriage. When he was brought up
his stories gave to the few bosses pres
ent doubt as to the safety of any of the
men and boys below. From him was
secured the first information OF the
number who appear likely to be in the
shaft The closest approximation was
that not less than 1OOor more workmen
have suffered a horrible death. Just
at this period word came from the pit
that men were ready to be brought up.
Momentary only was the hope ex-
cited by this report, for when John
Rinker, a runner boy; Jacob Adam and
Frank Sheridan, company men, were
brought to the surface they told the
true story. 1t appears that several
days ago the officials discovered that
the rock between the fifth and sixth
veins had commenced working" and
to prevent a continuation of this, all
day Saturday and Saturday night the
full complement of day men, and such
others as could be pressed into service
from off the streets, were set at work
propping the sixth vein so as to insure
the safety of the workmen who were tC
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 the No.
plane. The force was under the SUI
pecvision of Superintendent Langau
and his assistant, Michael Lynott
Orders had gone forth that about mid
night as many men as possible shoulC
be sent down to assist in this danger
GUS work, as constant cracking of ROOT
indicated that the danger was great.
In accordance with this order, be
tween II and o'clock Sunday morn
ing about 80 additional worlmen went
into the Rline. This new force was
placed at point beyond that of the
night hands and the news brought tc
the surface by the three men, who may
be the only ones to live to tell the tale
was that all of these hundred or more
men had been caught and either
crushed to immediate death or i'm
prisoned to perish by starvation. After
hearing this discouraging news the
throng in waiting became more demon
strative 1t was found that all the
mine foremen, superintendents and
bosses who had gone to supervise the
work had been caught below
This left the work of relief without
systematic head, but the rescuers pro
vided themselves with safety lamps
hurried on the mine carriage and were
lowered u thousand feet or more OF
the mission of relief They were: Joh1
Doyle, John DAILY, Charles Mcdonald
and James Tenyon. After q half houl
of suspense they returned with the sac
story that the cavern had become more
extensive; that the searching party
faced great danger, and that no new
had been secured of the unfortunat,
men. With no delay, however, they
again went down with other men ant
again made heroic efforts to get wha
informa ton they could.
Batfled and discouraged they re
turned to repeat their story of de
feated effort. For n third time, with
more men, they went into the pit ant
tried by the counter gangway to reach
the unfortunate prisoners. After q
journey of nearly 1000 feet they met
distractions innumerable; pillars, air
conduits, doors, cars and rock having
been piled promiscuously SO as to in
terfere with all efforts that could bC
made by any human being. Then, tc
add to the trouble, gas had accumu
lated in such quantities as to endanger
all efforts to reach the imprisoned
miners.
The one or two officials OF the Twin
shaft who were not in the workings at
the time of the disaster say that it il
hard to estimate the number in the
shaft, though they will reach not less
than so and from that to 125.
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