The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-01
MEET DEATH FeARLEssLY.
Entombed Miners Pas. the Time i.
Playing Games.

Pia1tng Games-
A mining story would be considered
incomplete without narrowing de-
scription of the hero's sufferings during
an underground catastrophe. People sx-
pect IT, and never doubt that the sensa-
tions of the imprisoned miner are ac-
curately pictured. But those who have
had experience in rescuing colliers from
living tomhs know that the men do not
always act in the sentimental manner
attributed to them. On the contrary,
not few of them face their horrible
death smilingly. refusing to give way
10 vain regrets and tears.
When great mass of coal fell in
northern pit, completely blocking up
the side passages. 20 men and b VS. were
trapped in a remote part of the work
ings, To dig these unfortunate fellows
out a relief party worked madly, but
the coal was hard. and at the close of
the first day the fearful women at the
pit brow were still waiting for news
Another day passed without good It'd
ings, and it was not until the third
morning that faint humming sound
filtered through the frowning blockade
of coal. They re alive, !" shrieked one
of the party, land singing hymns 10
show their faithp
After that all worked with redoubled
energy, straining their ears meanwhile
TO catch the chanting of the under
ground choir. 1t soon became evident.
however. that the miners were not
singing at all They We're laughing and
shouting like children, and the familiar
cry of Duck Off was clearly heard
by the anxious rescuers Two more
hours of superhuman effort followed,
and then the black partition gave way.
revealing the pale and haggard miners
in the very act of playing game dear
TO the collier's heart Hello. ladsi We
didn't expect to see yer laughed one
of them, STOPPING to replace the lump
of coal which served as the duck T"
"Ah. reckon yen stop an hev game
wi us afore we go backT" And the half
famished men and boys actually insist
ed on finishing, the game before they
would allow themselves to be taken TO
the shaft.
After very similar accident in an
other colliery the relief party did not
service, and five sturdy miners were
found dead behind the cruel barrier.
That they had died coolly and fearless.
ly, though, was beyond question. for on
the damp floor We're scores of little mar
bles made from compressed coal dust,
and two of the men were lying at full
length with their fists screwed up ready
to fllip. Their wan faces smiled even
in death, and this touching proof of
their unfailiEg optimism brought tears
to the eyes of every one who entered
the pit.
Falls of coal and floods are terrible
catastrophes, but the average collier
fears an explosion of fire damp most of
all One occurred not so very long ago
in little Midland pit, and is good men
and true were shut off from the cage by
tons upon tons of coal The anxious
crowd at the pit mouth waited until
the foul gas had been cleared from the
cutting and then began their work of
rescue. with little hope of saving their
mates from the suffocating fumes of the
fire damp. Progress was rapid. however.
and before long the relief party got into
the narrow passage,
Here they saw a sight which fairly
made them gasp, for the / 8 colliers were
on the floor, some of them dead and
Others sitting up and unconcernedly
singing comic songs. A little farther on
was a football improvised from the
colliers shirts and caps and bearing un-
mistakable signs of recent and rough
use. I'VE thowt as long as we'd got to
dee we'd dee kickin, explained one of
the survivors, ''sc we rigged up foot
ball an punched it abart in t. dark
George theer fell dabn dead as he wor
scorin goal. but we went on playin to
pass time on, an then t. gas cleared off
a bit.
Only four of that brave bevy of min
ers came ont of the pit alive, but they
assured their questioners that the others
had laughed and sung in the very. face
of death. -Cassell's s Saturday journal.