The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-29
| NINE HORROR
In PENNSYLVANIA
Nearly Two Hundred Men Entombed By
Explosion.
MINING EXPERT TAYLOR KILLED.

Selwyn M. Taylor. Who Led Them. Is Left
Behud Unconscious One Man Only Of All
Who Went Into th. Mine 10 The Morning Is
Brought Out AIive-fiope Held Out BY
Rescuers for the Others.
Pittsburg (SpeciaD From all that
can be gathered at a late hour FULLY
100 men are probably lying dead in
the headings and passageways OF the
Allegheny Coal Company's Harwick
Mine, at Cheswick, Pa, as the result
OF terrific explosion at $50 a. nj.
Cage after cage has gone down into
The mine and come UP again, but only
one miner OF all those who went to
work in the morning has been brought
to the surface. The rescued man IS
Adolph Gunia, and he is semi-consc;ous
in the temporary hospital organized at
rude schooihouse ON the hillside
above the mine.
At midnight Robert North and Mi
chael Gain, OF rescue party, came
~ the surface and reported that rs OF
the I8o miners had been located, the
majority of them, it is believed alive
The first warning OF the explosion
was a sudden rumble underground, and
then a sheet of fame flared up the deep
shaft, Both mine cages were hurled
through the tipple, 20 ieet above the
landing stage, and the three men on
the tipple were thrown to the ground.
A mule was thrown high above the
shaft and fell dead. The injured men
from the tipple were brought to this
city. where two of them have since
died. They are Henry Mayhem, check
weishman, and George Mailman, tip
pie man
For a few minutes smoke hung
around the mouth OF the shalt. Then
it drifted away and, except the wreck
ed tipple and cages, there was nothing
TO show that scores OF human beings
had probably gone to death in an in
slant.
The rumble OF the explosion and the
crash at the pit mouth startled the lit
tie village The wives and children OF
the men below rushed to the scene oil
the disaster.
There was no way to get into the
deep workings for hours. The cages
which had let the men into the mines
and brought them out again when the
days work was done were both de-
molished.
It|was 4 p. IN. before il 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
! into the mine by way OF the stairs
through the airshaft. They managed
TO grope their way some distance, but
xMerc finally driven back by the foul
air.
4 SHORTY after S o'clock a temporary
rigging had been put In place over The
mouth OF the mine shaft and small
! bucket capable OF carrying three men
fastened. 10 the tacAe. The first try
with the new rigging Twas made by Sell
wyn Nj. Taylor, the engineer who
planned the mine; an assistant J. NJ.
.Rayburn, and Thomas Wood
Want signal roper"
mo"
Want rope to take with you 70.
pv.y down there;"
l. ..Ihs.l MIR. Taylor. with hammer in
his hand and his hair showing white
under his dark hat. tapped on the edge
OF the iron cage twice and gave the sig
nal Down
A crowd OF anxious men and women
were gathered at the pit r1outil as the
three men were lowered into the black
shaft on the work of rescue. Slowly
the rope on the big drums OF the ell
CINE began 20 unrol and The engineers
disappeared.
Still there was no sound from the
depths below, except an occasional shout
from the men in the bucket to stop while
they tested the air.
Then the cage reached the bottom.
There was 4 silence OF FULLY &C minutes
and finally came the summons to haul
up slowly. When the cage reached the
top Rayburn was .here and with him
was Adolph Gunia. still alive, but gasp
ing for breath and evidently seriously in
jrred.
Again the cage went down into the
darkness, and this time it carried with it
+. Taylor, an assistant CT Selwyn Tay-
Tor, and also Robert North and Jack
Mccain, WAC had made the FIRST at
tempt
There was call for more volunteers
for hammers. nails and bratt;ce cloths
10 enable the rescusrs 70 brace up the
workings 50 that they could grope their
way back TO where the men had been at
work.
Relatives of the entombed men kept
crowding about the entrance TO the pit.
beseeehing for news of the loved ones
below. but only to meet with the same
sad answer:
I'VE do not know yet but If we find
MIN we will send him home
The little scboolhoUse was quickly pre-
pared as morgue and hospital. The
benches and seats were removed and
eight girls from the highest class at the
school were impressed as nurses.
Doctors, were summoned from nearby
towns of Springdale and Denny, and
also from .Pittsburg.
nigh Price OF Cotton.