The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-07

Gus roof As the writer watched there was
a CITY Of warning, the men came tumbling
back from the face and a rush was made
up the slope. There was a crash. roar
we we're blown of our feet and dashsd
against the sides Of the slope by coa>us-
sion which extinguished the lights An
investigation revealed the fact that twenty
feet, gained by hard work during the last
twenty-four hours, had been filed up aga n.
We must keep at it, boys said one Of
the foremen cheerily. and at it they went.
But in the days that followed falls cane
frequently and the men dss paired. They
were ready to give up their seemingly
hopeless task, when one night they we're
chcerod by rappings. The news was quick
ly sent to the surface, and womens eyes
were dry with hope for the fTst time since
the dreadful tidings were heard. The rap
pings continued at intervals and every
body was sure some OF the entombcd men
were alive-everyb0dy except one poor
boy Of eighteen, who day and night was
in the slope with the workers. The rap
pings we're heard on the iron pipes through
which water had been pumped from
the bottom Of the slope It was evident
that some OF the entCmbed men had
reached an open space there and were
AamIneTn8 Oh lht plPts 10 encourage 0Ne
"oIheIs' ,.,.-,.
I'd -, .,.,,r, nc ,,,c,,h a snnerinl
.,7.,-,.-ss.rr -,,rs,,,o5 .s boroic an art
as is recorded in the history Of mining
Between the top Of the fan and the ROOF
was a space Of a few inches, and with
wonderful daring he dragged himself along
over the fall. At any moment he might have
Nc y,,s ,ore tbrse hours and In that time
l-,ls5 Se-i.. -, b,,rg,~ed fsat aud
- tI;- ,io.b,s ,rore TORN TO sbreds ard
80 - - ..,.,-.5 u-itb Mod from
-. 20 - "a b,.risee ne had found
-, orar,irv ana Learned nothing of the en-
,or,ta5 ~ tbraa DAYS the ranpings con-
timed and then one night. in a dark
- 1t,.,,,-, lorrer ~ tho slope one Of
~. - s,-a - mo, n.ater how ham
,,1orirf he mines Win niece Of ro-k
HoPed I" save his f"ther'
Il was an awful discovery, the hope that
had eheered the men on for the past three
DAYS was dieneIIed and desnair replaced
:. M 80. - -, arrai,,,oa hofor.
~ IVY a.
the mine oHelals, confessed tha' he hdd
been rapping on the pipes during the three
DAYS and he said in extenuatiou OF his
sct. I've cot a fstber and turo brotbers in
- -. /
'Heie ( anu was aliaiu 'he Aieh "ouiu pui'
work, so l raped to encourage them, De
cause l want them to find my father and |
brothers" The work was kept up for |
months. but no trace Of the entombed men |
was found. and the attempt at rescue was |
at last abandoned.
The accident at Plymouth, Pa, was !
caused in a like manner. As may well be /
insis.ined, the conflict between hope of res /
cue aad fear OF death, in the hearts OF tne /
victims friends, is terrible Hope died /
slowly at Pittston, and 1t is the same else
where. This IS due to the absolute uhcer-
talhty' some argue that the victims may
De hemlned IN an open chainDer WIN d
pIentllu supply OF ar anu "atei, anu
quote sne Neh-khoWh c"ses' MneIe' al
sugar Nech' d huliipeI ol ilsh ~ wv
," ems ea1iHe Q Iiu4e eil,oiiiseu -
ana were uualis Ie9eueu' a
eai-ess IiIe, a, 49, We va, tei
- "a. 49,, ~ ~ Iaa,tar 80 ~,
49, ~ - ~ i-,,ara,,aer ,ha he
a,ys.a.-t,, e. -, ~ 1t ia,,,,s g-ss nm
,o,,.ta1 - asai, % The Two men who
=, N-sr+iegl,, ~ ro,cnod after string
s....i5a !. 10. l., eoo5ad u.orl-ings for nipe
49, ,-i,b ro,bipg ~ cat win these in
g,s,,oe'- - -o.o,.ery fron1 INC hand If death
60 ,,orsis+sr+ sttar1nt a. rescue If ia
80 ~, trisrds ~ a1to,nhad rnen IN he-
ijeve tbs, an hone is gone and frequently
as Al Pi,tston'as late as siy weeks after
he accident thew implore the mine Of
fcials 10 keen M The effort.
Other accidents affect only the mine
and the owners Caves affect the surface.
and many pronertv owners in this region
have cause 10 regret the day when thew
bought land which was undermined be-