Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-27
ANOTHER MINE
CATASTROPHE
Nearly Two Hundred Coal Miners En-
tombed by an Explosion in
Pennsylvania.
RESCUE PARTY MAY SAVE SOME
Latest Report is That Seventy-Fvie
of the Men May be Brought to
the Surface Alive.


can be gathered at this hour between
lSO and 1870 men are lying dead in the
headings and passage ways of the
Harwick mine OF the Allegheny Coal
company at Cheswick. the result of
a terrific explosion today. Cage af-
ter cage has gone down into the mine
and come up again. but only one min
er of all those who went down to
work this morning has been brought
TO the surface. The rescued man is
Adolph Gunia and he is still in a
semi-conscious condition at a tempo
rary hospital in a rude school house
on the hillside above the mine.
In addition TO the miners who were
at work when the explosion occurred.
II Is now belieyed by practically all
OF the men Of the rescue party who
have come up the 20O-foot vertical
shaft for a warming and breathing
spell, that Selwyn NJ. Taylor. the
Pittsburg mining engineer, who plat
ted the mine and was first to reach
the bottom after the explosion hap
pened, is now among the list of miss
ing.
OF those in the mine all are prob
ably dead
By the explosion in the Harwick
mine OF the Allegheny Coal company.
at Cheswick. 16 miles from Pittsburg.
western Pennsylvania promises to add
one of the greatest tragedies of years.
to the already long list of mine fatali-
ties. Even the officials of the Allie
gheny Coal company, owners of the
mine, do rot know at this time the
number OF men still entombed In the
chambers of the mine, 300 feet below
the surface, but conservative esti-
mate places the number at 1874.
Even General Manager George
Scheets, Of the coal company, who Is
In charge OF the mine. gives little
hope that many OF the men will be
brought to the surface The first ray
OF hope that any of the men had
escaped the tremendous concussiou
OF the explosion. came at 9 O'Clock to-
night. when Adolph Gunia was
brought 10 the surface still living.
The explosion occurred at 500
O'Clock this morning at the bottom Of
one Of the shafts, presumably caused
by firedamp. II was o'clock this
afternoon before It was possible to
make the first attempt at rescue.
Robert North and Jack Mccain, one
OF the engineers employed by the AL.
legheny Coal company. tried to get in
TO the mine by way of the stairs
through the air shaft. They managed
to grope their way some distance. but
were finally driven back by foul air.
The main shaft into the mine, 22O
feet deep, was made useless by the
explosion. which hurled both cages.
one OF which was within 80 feet of
the bottom Of the shaft. through
tipDle, 30 feet above surface.
Shortly after 8 o'clock a temporary
rigging had been put in place over
the mouth OF the main shaft and a
small bucket. capable of carrying
three men. fastened to the tackle.
The first try with the new rig was
made by Selwyn NJ. Taylor, a mining
engineer. who had been summoned
from Pittsburg, and his assistant. ].
NJ. Rayburn.
A crowd OF anxious men and WON.
en- were gathered at the pit mouth
as the two men were lowered into
the black shaft on the work OF res
cue. Slowly the rope on the big
drums of the engine began to unroIl
and the two engineers disappeared.
Still there was no sound from the
depths below except an occasional
shout from the man in the bucket to
stop while they tested the air.
Then the cage reached the bottom.
There was silence of fully 40 min
utes and then came a summons to
haul up slowly. When the cage reach.
ed the top Rayburn was there and
with him was Adolph Gunia, still
alive but gasping for breath and evil
IDENTIFY seriously injured.