Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-01-28
MINE HORROR
IN PENNSYLVANIA
Nearly Two Hundred Men Entombed By
Explosion.
MINING rXPERT TAYLOR KILLED.
trightful Catastrophe Ia the Works Of the
Allegheny Coal Company, at ttesw;ek. Pa.
Rescue Party is Overcome by Gas, and
Seiwya N. Taylor, Who Led 1h:m, Is Left
Behind Unconscious One Man Only Of All
Who Went Into th: Mine Ia the Morning Is
Brought Ont Alive-Iiope fe'd Out BY
Rescuers for the Others.

Who Went Into tn: Mine Ia the MGfnlny Is
brought Out Aiive-Hore Held Out BY
Rescuers for the Others.
Pittsburg (SpeciaD From all that
can be gathered at late hour fully
100 men are probably lying dead III
the headings and passagcways OF the
Allegheny Coal Company's HarWick
Mine, at Cheswick, Pa, as the result
of terrific explosion at $50 a. III.
Cage after cage has gone down into
the mine and come up again, but only
one miner of all those who went to
work III the morning has been brought
to the surface. The rescued man Is
Adolph Gunia, and he is scm-conscious
i'll the temporary hospital organized at
a rude schooihouse on the hillside
above the mine
AT midnight Robert North and Mi
chael Cain, OF rescue party, came
to the surface and reported that Is OF
the ISo miners had been located, the
ma ority of them. it is believed. alive.
| he first warning OF the explosion
was sudden rumble underground and
then sheet OF flame ilared up the deep
shalt. Both mine cages were hurled
through the tipple, 30 feet above the
landing stage. and the three men OH
the tipple were thrown 10 the ground.
A mule was thrown high above the
shalt ard fell dead. The injured men
from the t;pple were brought to this
city. where two oi them have since
died. They are Henry Mayhem, check
weighnan, and George WaItman, tip
pie man.
F or few minutes smoke hung
around the mouth OF the shalt. Then
it driitcd away and except the wreck
ed tipple and cages. there was nothing
to show that scores OF human beings
had probably goue to death i'll all in
Stant.
The rumble OF the explosion and the
crash at tho pit mouth startled the lit
tie village. The wives and children OF
the men below rushed to the scene OF
the disaster.
There was no way to get into the
deep workings for hours. The cages
which had let the men into the mines
and brought them out again when the
days work was done were both de
molished.
1t was 4 p. m. before it was possible
to make the first attempt at rescuc
Robert North and Jack McCann, one
OF the engineers employed by the Al
lcgheny Coal Company, tried to get
into the mine by way OF the stairs
throagh the airshait. They managed
to gropc their way some distance, but
were finally driven back by tho ioul
air.
Shortly after 5 O'Clock temporary
rigging had been put III place over the
mouth OF the mine shalt an small
bucket capable oi carrying three men
fastened TO the tackle The first try
with the new rigging was made by Sci
wyn NJ. Taylor, the engineer who
planned the nine: an ass-tant. ], NJ
Rayburn, and Thomas Wood.
Want a signal ropc?"
NO"
Want rope to take with you for
saiety 'hNo d down thcre'"
Then Mr.. Taylor. with hammer in
his hand and his hair showing white
under his dark hat. tapped OIL the edge
OF the iron cage twice and gave the sig
nal Down"
A crowd OF anxious men and women
were gathered at the pit moutn as the
three men we're lowered into the black
shaft on the work of rescue. Slowly
the rope on the big drums of the cr,
gine began to unrol and the engineers
disappeared.
Still there was no sound from the
depths below, except an occasional shout
from the men in the bucket to stop Whila
they tested the air
Then tle cage reached the bottom.
There was a silence of fully 40 minutes
and finally came The summons to haul
up slowly. When the cage reached the
top Rayburn was there and with him
was Ado'ph Gunia, still alive but gasp
ing for breath and evidently seriously in
jured
Again the cage went down into the
darkness, and this time it carried with it
T. Taylor. an assistant of Selwyn lay
lor. and also Robert North and Jack
Mccain, VINO had made the first at
tempt.
There was a call for more volunteers
to aid III the work OF rescue and a call
for hammers. nails and bratt'ce cloths
to enable the rescuers to brace uo N"
workings 50 that they could grope their
way back to where the men had been at
work.
Relatives of the cn.ombed men keot
crowdirg about .he entrance to the pit,
beseechirg for news of the loved ones
below. but only to meet with the same
sad answer:
1--WE 70 not know yet, but if we find
MIN we will send him home"
The little schoolhouse was quickly pre-
pared as q morgue Nand hospital. The
benches and seats were removed and
eight girls from the highest class at the
school were impressed as nurses.
Doctors were summoned from nearbv
towns of Spriugdale and Denny, and
also from Pittsburg,