New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-26


I Norwich mine of the Allegheny Coal Company
at Cheswick, sixteen miles from here, nearly
| two hundred miners were imprisoned to-day.
! OF these, by midnight tonight, one man had
been brought to the surface and seventy-five
had been found Most Of those found are be-
! lieved to be alive.
| Selwyn Taylor a mining engineer Of this city,
who plotted the mine, and who headed the first
rescuing party to enter the mine, was overcome
! by gas while cropping his way through the tun-
nels, and died The men with him barely escaped
with their lives. Three times efforts were made to
| rescue Mr.. Taylor, but without avail. His body
| was finally recovered at about the time the sew
| enty-fve miners so far rescued were discovered.
The explosion occurred at $40 q. m. at the
! bottom Of one OF the shafts. and presumably
| was caused by gas. 1t 1 O'Clock this
afternoon before it was possible to make the
! first attempt at rescue. Robert North and Jack
McCanu. one Of the engineers employed by the
Allegheny Coal Company. tried to get into the
mine by way Of the stairs through the arshaft.
They managed to grope their way some distance,
but were finally driven back by the foul air.
The main shaft into the mine, 220 feet deep,
was made useless by the explosion, which
hurled both cages. ono of which within
thirty feet Of the bottom of the shaft through
the upple. thirty feet above the surface. Short
~ after o'clock temporary rigging got
in place over the mouth of the main shaft and
a bucket. carrying three men, was fastened to
the tackle, The first try with the new ris was
made by Selwyn Taylor. a mining engineer,
summoned from this city. and an assistant. J.
N. Rayburn
a crowd OF anxious ren and women
gathered at the pit mouth as the two men were
lowered into tho black shaft on the work Cf
rescue Slowly the rope on the big drums OF
the engine began 10 uarol and the two engi-
neers disappeared There was no sound from
the pit except an occasional shout from the men
in the bucket 10 stop while they tested the air.
THE FIRST MAN BROUGHT OUT.
Tasa the cage reached the bottom. There
was a silence of fully forty minutes before the
summons came to haul UP slowly. When the
cage reached the top. JIayburn I'm it with
Adolph Gorgie. stiu alive. but gasping for
breath and evidently seriously injured.
Again the cage went down into the dark
ness, this time carrying z. Taylor. an assist
ant Of Selwyn Taylor Robert North and J. Nc
Cam, who had made the first attempt. There
was a call for volunteers and FOR hammers.
nails and brattice cloths with which the res
cuers could brace up the workings that they
could grope their way back TO where the miners
We're caught.
Late tonight Manager scheetz telegraphsd TO
Chief Mine Inspector J. a Roderick az Harris
burg as follows
Two outside men died Of injuries this even
ing. But brought out OF shaft who Is still
living. Resculng porty IN mine, including Mine
Inspector Cunningham, who will advise later
The little schoolhouse at Chcswick has al
ready been prepared as a uorgue and hospital
The benches and seats have all been removed
and eight girls from the highest class at the
school have been impressed as nurses. Doctors
have been summoned from spriagdale Denny
and this city.
Mr.. Sheetz said tonight:
The explosion this morning wcs terrific
Both cages were blown from the shaft one Of
them distance OF two hundred feet
Three at work on the tipple were blown
to the ground and ore OF them is already dead
The other two are badly hurt. but I am told
they resting easily and may recover
There are at least 100 mon in the mine
and am afraid that there arc number more
although thcrc are several men Oh the payroll
who did not report this morning
When the crash came the population Of the
village Of Harwick. that surrounds the mine
workings two miles back from the West Penn
Railroad, rushed 10 the pit mouth. and they
have crowded about It all day, beseeching for !
news Of the men below. All day the answer
has been the same: I'VE DO not know yet; + !
we find him we viii send him home"
THE MINE REPORTED IN GOOD SHAPE |
When the night shift left work last night |
the mine was reported In good shape. At $50 !
o'clock this morning Gordon the FIRE boss went |
into the mine TO make mis- usual inspection. He |
reported to George Brown. the inside foreman |
that everything was all right, and the day shift |
went into the mine at o'clock. Before going /
into the cage the miners go to the lamproom for |
their safety lamps. One hundred and eighty |
lamps were taken out this morning so It is known |
that there is at leas: that number Of men in the |
mine. The fire boss and mine foreman are also |
in the mine. Gordon having returned after the !
men began work In the tipple at the mouth Of |
the shaft were the weighmaster and three as
sistants.
Several cars Of coal had been brought out. and |
work was proceeding as usual, when at S:l5 l