The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-14

son was found Friday afternoon. He
had evidently been trying to take four
men out and was on the right course
for the Mill Creek entrance when an OBJ
struction of rocks, which they We're tod
In this weakened condition, they fell
over on the rocks and were dead in this
position when found.
Back the tour extended on the route
entered to the mouth of No. Right.
Just inside the door of this heading
the body of Hungarian, living, and
the corpse of Fire Boss Whitney were
found. The door was intact. To the
point Whitney was found he was
dragged by Fire Boss Griffith Powell
and Thomas Foster. who had to desert
him to save themselves. Ahead some
distance the tourists scrambled over
rock through "shoe fly" or "cut
through" made for track to No. 2
Right heading. At this point, Superin-
tendent Robinson explained Machine
Boss William Robinson was found liv-
ing and Labor Boss Blanch dead.
Continuing on into No. 2, a point was
reached where there is slight bank of
earth to the right of the track.
when we reached Rodgers and Re-
tallick here they We're sitting down,
their arms dropping on their knees and
heads bent forward on their chests.
They were unconscious. You see this
little rill of water along the rail. In it
at their feet were handkerchiefs. They
had been dipping them in the water
and restoring themselves by moisten-
ing their mouths. There was very little
fire damp here when we reached them
Thursday night, but they would have
died soon if help had not reached them
when it did"
Superintendent Robinson then took
the party on to point where he found
his brother, William, machine boss,
lying near the dead body of William
Blanch. He said he took Williams
head on his knees while life-restorng
oxygen was supplied by doctor. The
interesting trip then took the newspa-
per men back out of No. 2 Right and
along the main Klondike heading to No.
Left.
Here the picture of horror was viv-
idly impressed upon the party. Across
the mouth of the heading stretched a
railroad tie, and chalked on its top was
the legend, Dangerous, Gas" The
penalty for overstepping such warning
is penitentiary offense, unless the
proper authorization is given. That
the crowd had in the forward order of
the accompanying fire boss. With
crooked backs the walk stretched inf
ward quite distance until point was
reached where more than score o1
dinner pals We're scattered about.
There. Friday afternoon, the rescuers
found twenty-five dead and eight liv7
ing. A kissing sound emanating from
a passageway to the right told OF the
presence of the room where the two
Kahlers and another had saved them
selves by bursting the valve of a com1
pressed air pipe, which kept them aliveI
for twenty-eight hours until rescued.
While going into this heading, FRI
day, Superintendent Robinson and the
rescuers encountered the three men
walking out. While the party was go1
ing through this scene of DEATH the
accompanying officials frequently halt
ed to test for the presence of gas,
There was no evidence of 1t. All plain.
ly smelled afterdamp, which clings for !
days to the walls of a mine.
One noticeable impression of the trim
gained from the explosion of the mine
afforded was the comparatively smal
damage to the workings, considering
the number OF lives lost.