The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-27
NOT ONE BODY OF THE
1874 EATOEBED MINERS
HAS YET BEEN REMOVED
Zero Weather and a Cruel, Biting
Wind Retarding the Work
OF Rescue.
MORE LIVES IMPERILED
Narrow Escape OF Sixteen Men
Who Went Into the Har-
wick COlliery.

PITTSBURG. Jan. 26.-Even the elements
seem cOnspiring TO prevent the work of
rescue at the Harwick mine, where 1S4 men
are entombcd. Almost zero weather and a
bitter. biting cruel wind late in the afternoon
swept down over the little valley where the
mine is located. and nearly added another
1ist OF dead to the long black table already
measured of. Not only was the work of
search for the dead and living. if any are
still alive. rudeIy interrupted. but cold and
ice and wind combined nearly cost the lives
al sixteen more good men.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon sixteen men
went down into the shaft TO do the work of
bratticing. boIstering. tunneling and re-
moving the debris that has so far barred
their progress into the works where the
men were at labor when the explosion came.
Their shift supposed TO be Of three
hours only. Even at that il was a hard
task. Even before the bucket reached the
bottom they were drenched with water,
which the cold draught through the shafts
turned TO ice
Shortly after they were let down, two at
a time in the bucket. temporary hoist
that had been rugged up to bring up the
debris and the dead was started down
again and again efforts were made to
ereach the living men at the bottom of the
Shatt, but the wooden sides CT the hoist,
swollen by the water. stuck to the iron
Suidelines and then came hours of ma
neuver1ng 10 reach the bottom. The men
. below had no means of warmth and many
, of them were standing in deep water.
Every effort was made to lower the cage
and finally it was lOOsened and got
within twelve feet of tire bottom. A tim
Der down across the way by the ex-
plosion was in the path. The men were
within easy reach OF rope, but, their
fingers numbed and almost frozen by cold
We're unable TO grasp the offered help.
IL was o'clock when the first three men
were brought TO the surface. Not one of
them was able TO walk, numbed by the
cold: and then they told of the experience
In the mine below.
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE.
Henry Beckett was one of the first men
out of the cage. 1T was a frightful ex-
perience," said he. 1--WE were too cold to
work There is apparently no one to res
cue. We had a hard time to find many of
the dead. shred of clothing here and
another there, a Jacket a pair of overalIs,
but few bodies. When we left the bottom
OF the shaft there were twelve bodies lying
there ready to be brought up. There are
many others there, and the bodies of MANY
will never be found. The south main drift.
IN which we worked, gives little hope that
many bodies will be recognizable In
the north main drift the way has been
cleared for some distance. but we could not
tell what was found there"
Just before 10 O'Clock the last of the res
cuers was brought to the surface, and as
the last man was helped to the cage, Mine
Inspector Tom Adams turned to the new
rescuing party-three men-ready to go
down and said: See that the timber that
holds the cage from reaching the bottom
IS out OF the way before you come up
The signal was given and they went down
again into the mine
F. ". Cunningham. inspector of mines
Tor the Fourteenth district Pennsylvania,
made this statement as he came from the
mine this morning:
Il explored the mine for a quarter of a
mile. 1 am positive that of all those who
entered for work yesterday morning not one
VIII be taken out alive. Scattered about
are dead bodies of the miners, dead mules
wrecked cars and tons of fallen coal and
slate. IL Is terrible scene. The force of
the explosion was terrific. 1t will take days
10 clear away the wreckage. Until this is
accomplished we will not know how many
met death repeat that there is no chance
or any or the entombed men being saved. :
When pressed for what he thought was
the cause of the explosion he said: Fire
damp caused the men TO lose their lives.
AS to the cause. do not care to make any
statement at this hour"
The Allegheny Coal Company which owns
the mine made a unique proposition of its
own to-day. IL has declared its purpose OF
establishing cemetery. a half-acre in ex-
tent. in which To inter the bodies of the men
who were killed in the explosion The
schoolhOuse has been prepared as mcrgue
Selwyn M. Taylor. who lost his life YES
terday while endeavoring TO save others
ranked among the first OF the mining en-
gineers of the country Re was president
Of the Midland Coal Company. but the
greater part OF his work was as chief en-
Rineer and consulting engineer for con-
Germs I'm which he had no personal financial
interest He Is survived by widow and
stepsOn.