The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-28
Sixteen Men Go Down and
Are Drawn Up Al
most Lifeless.
The Men Who Return Say That Corpses
and Fragments of Corpses are
Scattered Everywhere in
the Icy Depths Of the
Mine.
CONTINUED on Second Page.)

CONTINUED on Second Page)
Pittsburg. Pa, Jan. Eleven the ele-
ments seem conspiring to prevent the
work of rescue at Harwick MINES With
almost zero wether, bitter wind late
in the afternoon swept down over th2
little valley where the mine is located
and nearly added another list Of lead to
the long black table already measured off.
Not only was the work of search for the
dead and living. if any are still alive
rudely interrupted, but cod and ice ana
wind combined nearly cost the lives o.
sixteen more good men.
At three O'Clock this afternoon siXteel
men went down into the shaft 10 do the
work OF bratticing, bolstering tunnellng
and removing the debris that has so far
barred their progress INTO the workings
where the men were at labor, when the
explosion came. Their shift was supposed
to be of three hours only. Even at that
it was a hard task. Even before the
bucket reached the bottom they were
drenched with water which the cola
draught through the shaft soon turned to
ice.
at a time. IN the bucket temporary
hoist that had been r!ggcd up to bring
up the debris and the dead was started
down the shaft Then came the snow
and the cold and efforts were made to
react, the living men at the bottom OF
the shaft. but the wooden sides of the
hoist swollen by the water. stuck to the
iron guide slide and then came hours OF
manoeuvering to reach the bottom. The
men below had no means OF warmth and
many OF them were standing in deep wa
ter. Every effort was made to lower the
cage, and finally it was loosened and got
within twelve feet of the bottom. a tim
Der, blown across the way by TIE explo
son, was in the path. The men were
easy reach of a rope, hut their
,umbed and almost frozen by the
re unable to grasp the offered
:ght. O'Clock when the first three
party who went down at three
urIucn were brought to the surface. No,
enc OF them was able to walk, they were
so numbei by the cold, and they told
CT their experience in the mine below.
Henry Bockcrk was one of the first men
out Of the cage. He was carried to the
boiler house and after twenty minutes OF
warmth managed to straighten himself
and say:
1T was a frightful experience. The
cold and hunger-an no good we could do.
We were too cold to work There is APP
parently no one to rescue. We had a
hard time to find many of the dead A
shred of clothing, a jacket and pieces of
overalls were found. but few bodies.
When we left the bottom of the shaft
ready to be brought up. There are many
others there and the bodies of many will
Pever befound.''
Mike McQuade, another of the rescuers,
SAID:
I'VE have at the bottom of the shaft a
pile of legs and arms and trunks that re-
semble anything but the remains of hu-
man beings. 1t is the most grewsome
sight I ever witnessed"
when DO you expect to reach the place
where the most of the men are?" he was
asked.
There is no such place." replied he.
''They are scattered all over the mine,
some of them poor fellows, in fragments
We find them along the entries or find
pieces of them. My God, man, you have
but faint conception of the awful force
of this explosion. 1t tore men to pieces.
1t did not leave enough of some of them
to tell who they WERE
Just before 10 o'clock the last Sf the
survivors was brought to the surface, and
as this man was helped to the cage Mine
Inspector Tom Adams turned to the new
party--three men-ready to go down, and
said:
Have vo,, got your saws?"
Eyes, sir"
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 water and the ice
and the dead companions below