The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1904-01-27
HUNDRED AND EiGHTY-FOUR MEN
ENTOMRED AT CHESWlCk,
PA, PROBABLY DEAD.
VOLUNTEERS BeGIM WORK OF RESCUE
PREPARATIONS UNDER WAY FOR
THE RECOVERY OF BODIES
OF THE VICTIMS.

Ptttsburg. jan IT. ne last nope
FOR the lives of any of the 1S4 men
entombed in the Harwiek mine OF the
Allegheny Coal company, two miles
from Che wick. Pa. was given up
when George w. Scheetz. manager OF
the mine. admitted that he believed
that not one of them would be brought
up alive Now the cry is for more
men to come 10 the work OF rescue.
Volunteers are needed TO work back
through the debris to where the min
ers are imprisoned and where possibly
some may have managed 10 survive.
Already four men are known TO be
dead. among them Melvin Nj. Taylor
OF this city, who was the first OF the
rescue party to reach the bottom OF
the shaft His body was brou hit to
the top OF the shaft during the morn
ing.
Taylor, who was one of the best
known mining engineers in Western
PENNSYLVANIA. lost his life in an effort
TO So the lives of the entombed
men. He had planned and plated the
mine and was called by the Allegheny
Coal company as the man best fit to
lead the forlorn hope. lie went down
into the mine bravely and With him
went four other men. One OF them.
George Haryath. was brought from the
pit but short time before Taylor s
lifeless body came to the surface.
Another of the rescue party. Tom
Wood, tried desperately To save his
companions, but felt the deadly nau-
sea coming on and was forced TO
leave them 10 their fate.
Volunteers Enter the Mine.
In response to a call for aid many
men from mining towns in the vicin-
ity have appeared at the Harwick
property and as fast as the little
bucket could take them down they
went with willing but determined
faces. In all the group of experienced
miners who gathered there not one
could be found who would say that
he believed one more living man
would be brought from the darkness
beyond the bottom of the shaft.
The search party is being directed
by w 4. Cunningham. mine inspector
of this district.
Ne news has vet come from the lit
tie party cropping their way into the
headings, but few above the ground
believe that they will have much
good cheer 10 give.
In expectation OF the bringing UP OF
the bodies eight Pittsburg detectives
are patrolling the ropes at the pit
mouth, but so far haze experienced
no trouble.
IL il is once settled beyond doubt
that ali the men in the mine are dead
the work of yentilating the mine can
proceed more rapidly, but that Is the
trouble and has been since the work
OF rescue began. To work the fan in
q way 10 quickly clear the mine OF foui
air would drive the afterdamp in onto
the men who may have found tenn
.porary place OF refuge and 1t would
mean almost instant death 10 them.
Contributions 10 aid the families OF
the entombed miners are already com
Ing i'm. There are more than lOt
widows and probably 400 or 500 or
phans.
Double Explosion Occurred.
The explosion which caused the
terrible loss of life seems TO have
been a double one, making one con
tinuous rumble, and the second blast
was heard rolling Dack under the nliis
toward the south end OF the mine
which contains by far the largest part
of the workings. The mine is at the
head of what is known as Shoops run
The highest officials of the Harwick
mine and nearly every miner who is
alive in the little mining village are
At a loss to give the cause for the ter
rible disaster. II is the opinion OF The
majority, however, that the explosion
was caused by some foreign minei
striking q match to light his pipe
which set off the heavy charge OF gas
that was always present in the mine
Another theory for the explosion i
that Il was caused by heavy blas'
in the mine whereby new pocket o.
gas was struck and Immediately ig
nited. There are still others who In
sist that the gaseous substance was
set on by broken safety lamp IN tht
hands OF one OF the miners.
II was the opinion OF the rescuer'
around the top OF the Harwick mine
shaft that the real cause OF the explo
sion would never be known ana tne,
gave as their reason that the mine
or miners who We're probably respon
sible for the catastrophe were dead.