The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-22

The first falnt StreakS Ol
the morning sun were be-
ginning to ilumine the Eastern sky;
the fresh green grass, the dainty
sweet smelling flowers and the foliage
of the tall, waving trees were dropping
with their burden of cool. refreshing
dew, but when the rays of the sun
touched them they gladly raised their
dropping heads, and the dew sparkled
and glistened in the morning sunshine,
The cows were slowly vending their
way homeward and the drowsy tink-
ling of their bells mingling with the
sweet, tender notes of the birds sing
ing their morning carols, formed a
pleasing cadence that hoated out on
the fresh, dewy air. heralding, as 1t
were. the King of Day. Everything
seemed bright with the touch of
awakening Nature, but the tall grim,
dark building known as the 'Sprigley
shaft"-it, only, failed to respond to
Natures touch.
Black and foreboding 1t stood-not a
ray of sunshine resting on its tall,
dark form. Around the mouth of the
shaft were gathered groups of men
and boys, dressed in miners garb.
Their pale faces were thrown out in
bold relief by their black clothes Over
most of their shoulders a flask was
strapped others carried heavy mining
tools, and in all their caps were lamps
that burned with Pickering blazes. pro-
ducing a weird contrast to the morning
sunshine.
Above the noisy murmur of voices
some one would call out, Hello, Nor
gans. wait for the next carriage. there's
plenty of time" Then again some other
miner would raise his voice to ask.
Say, Brown, are you going to check
your laborer today? II you are will
you tell him I'll give him job" Then
some childish treble would be heard
saying, Hello, Davy, let's swap mules
for this shift. You take Old Fan and
I'll take that knock-kneed. raw-boned,
one-eyed old woman of yours. All
right. it's a co.
Suddenly every voice was hushed-
men jumped to their feet and hurriedly
ran closer to the opening of the mine.
Pale faces grew paler and some grew
ashen- gray, like the pallor Of death.
Something terrible had happened. MY
God!" broke from a hundred lips, "the
rope has broke and the carriage has
gone down."
Everyone stood as if struck dumb,
for all knew that the occupants of that
carriage had gone to their death. From
the brightness of the sunlight, ten men
had stepped on the carriage and given
the signal to be lowered to their days
work Above the yawning. dark pit,
four hundred feet below they were
poised with no connection to the outer
world save the rope that held the car
riage. No fear stirred in their breasts,
y l,I~-
gone on the same journey? Laughing
and jesting they waited to be lowered.
With a slow movement they went
down short distance. then suddenly
re carriage gave a lurch and snap.
ring sound and ten souls We're hurled
into eternity. Without whisper of a
warning voice or moment for prep
aration. they were ushered into the
presence of their Maker. Did God, in
the short time that interviewed between
the breaking Of the rope and the reach
ing of the mine bottom, allow them
one second to silently ask for forgive
ness? Did the lights on their heads
throw few glimmering rays on the
pathway of Eternity" All! who can
tell or who will ever know?
Although the pathway of the carriage
was provided with guides" and other
contrivances to prevent accidents of
this kind, the dogs" failed to work,
and the carriage with its burden of
human lives gained speed at every
foot, and down, down through the
darkness the men were hurled. till with
a terrific crash they reached the bot
tom; and the forms that a few mo-
ments ago We're living, breathing
bodies, now lay in the cold, dark
depths of the mine, only scattered,
bruised. mangled and almost unrecog-
nizable fragments of somebody's dear
ones. In the eloquent silence of Death
they lay, while outside eager, anxious
people ran hither and thither.
The news Of the terrible disaster
had spread and throngs of weeping,
pale-faced, rt-broken women
mothers. wives and sisters-wrung
their hands in anguish and begged for
one word of hope that once again
they might hear the voices of their
loved ones; but the mine officials.
with pale, stern faces knew too well
that the men had gone on their last
journey and had ere that time entered
the Great Beyond. Hurried prepara-
tions We're made to bring the bodies
to the surface. A new carriage was
put in operation, and the work OF
rescue begun. What horrible,
frightful sight met the eyes of the
rescuing party. Strong. brave men
sickened, others covered their faces
to shut out the awful sight.
silently the men did their work-in
the presence of the bodies that bore
the seal of Death words would dis
turbG the solemn stiffness. Tenderly
they lifted the bodies on the carriage
and when Ii reached the surface
everybody crowded about to see If the
silent form was that of some father
husband or brother.
Although most of the bodies were
mangled beyond recognition. still the
instinct of love is so strong that every
one recognized and claimed their own
Mothers clasped the lifeless bodies of
their sons, wives wound loving arms
about the cold, unresponsive forms of
their husbands. and sisters tenderly
closed the CLASSY. unseeing eyes of the
dear brothers, whose voices they
would hear on earth neyermore
Before The last rays of the setting
sun faded in the west, the bodies of
the dead We're prepared for burial and
the Goddess of Night silently lowered
her curtain Of darkness on that hor,
rible tragedy
Many theories were advanced as to
the cause OF the accident. Some de-
clared that the rope was In perfect
condition-every fibre safe and sound
When examined, 1t was found that un-
like the breaking Of most ropes-the
splitting or parting of the strands
the rope looked as II sharp instru-
ment had cut through, leaving not a
ragged or uneven edge The practical