The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1904-01-29
THE WORK OF RESCUE
Gruesome Sights That rlef the Gaze
of Brave Men Who Dared the Deep
ReceSSes of the Wrecked r1ine.

of Monday morning are given in tues
day nights press dispatches.
Driving snow and sleet, aided by q
sitting wind did all in their power to
hamper the movements of those who
came to Cheswick to aid in the work
of saving the living, if there were any,
and recovering the bodies of the dead
at the Harwick Mille, in which nearly
200 men were imprisoned by an ex-
plosion yesterday. Men came from
mining districts all about the neighbor-
hood and did valiant work toward
searching for the dead Early in the
morning the mine inspectors. F. W..
Cunningham Of the fourth district in
which the mine is located; w. R.
Adams, of the third district; Henry
Laudiett, of the first district; Isaac G.
Roby, of the fifth district; James Blick,
Of the seventh district, arrived. Chief
Mine Inspector Broderick had also
wired from Harrisburg that he would
be on hand il needed.
"Cunningham was the first inspector
over the ground and spent the greater
part of Monday night in the mine.
Early Tuesday morning, snatching a
few hours sleep, he went below again
and after directing the movements or
the volunteer force in bratticing so as
to keep back the dangerous gas In
front finally announced that he was
ready to lead searching party back
into the mine The rescuers went back
for many feet, but when they came to
the surface they had no tidings of liv-
ing men still entombed. Up and down
went the bucket in the bitter cold. Men
clambered from the icy elevator, dash
ed to the nearby engine room and
when warmed went back to the bucket
and down the shaft Then began the
rigging of the platform cage-six hours
work on wooden platform to take
the debris and the dead from the abyss.
1.-TWO places are already prepared 10
receive the dead. The school house
Is ready for use as morgue and an
other building belonging to the COM
pany near the entrance to the shaft IS
also in readiness The two buildings
are designated as morgues, because no
)ne who knows the story believes that
doctors aid will be necessary except
for some Of the rescuers.
At o'clock Tuesday afternoon 10
men went down into the shaft to do !
he work of bratticing, bolstering, tun-
leling and removing the debric that
las so far barred their progress into the
where the men were at labor
when the explosion came. Their shift
vas supposed to be Of three hours only. !
Even at that it was a hard task. Even
efore the bucket reached the bottom
hey were drenched with water, which
he cold draught through the shaft soon
urned to ice. Shortly after they were
ct down, a temporary hoist that had
cen rugged up to bring up the debris
nd the dead was started down the
haft. Then came snow and efforts
fere made to reach the living men at
he bottom of the shaft, but the
OGDEN sides of the hoist, swollen by
,e water stuck to the iron guide slide
nd then came hours of manoeuverlng
, reach the bottom. The men below
ad no means of warmth and many OF
lem were standing in deep water.
very effort was made to lower the
,ge and finally it was loosened and
1t within u feet of the bottom. The
en- were within easv reach OF rope,
1t their fingers, numbered and almost
oxen by the cold, were unable 10
ASP the offered help. !
1T was o'clock when the first three l
en- of the party who went down at 8 !
clock were brought to the surface.
Of one of them was able to walk, they A
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