The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-03-04
&@
N WHO
ESCAPED
as

- the SnSQucldIlld river ana llOu
which one can see Wilkesbarre and
other mining towns; stand there at
the Woodward shaft, formerly and for
years the deepest shaft in the anthra-
cite region.
Ten by 80 feet in size, it gives
room for four hosting carriages. a
pump carriage and an air shaft. But
take away that timbering at the suT~
face and picture the shaft as it was
when the rockmen completed the work
Of sinking it. Imagine that a single
bucket swings in that black. yawning
cavity. To be flung from that bucket
is 70 fall 1900 feet.
Fancy, if you can the horror of
that sheer descent through-the echo
ing darkness. Then hear the story
OF Mark Moore, pitnan, who was saved
in a second, as by a hairs breadth,
from the fate of his two companions.
The shaft itself was just finished,
and John Griffith. Evan Hughes and
had been cleaning up the bottom to
put in the "a platform for the car
riages to and IN. The shaft was not
yet timbered. There were just the
four walls, the rope and the hosting
bucket.
We finished II work early that day,
and were never in better spirits thar
when we stepped on the bucket INK
Evan called out to the head man to
hoist is. Eut somehow it happened
that the first words he said, as We
started upward, were, Funny to think
Of. Ell, that our lives depend on the
strength of that rOpe?'
l looked up at the rope that seemed
a mere thread at the top Of the shaft
Griffith, who was watching me,
laughed at the troubled expression
on my face.
Listen. See how far from the pot
tom We are already" he said, reck-
lessly.
He sprang into the bucket. and
picked up a bit IF rock, and let it fall.
l held my breath. There was a mo-
ment of dreary silence; then the rock,
striking far below, made a dismal,
echoing sound.
"A sorry distance 20 fall sad John.
Nc worse than If it were 80 feet l
answered, thinking to give the talk a
pleasanter turn; and, anyway, there's
life for us above on solid EARTH
And the engin GERS jerking US up
out of here as if he was in a hurry &c
get us on hat same solid EARTH Evan
said.
l noticed as he spoke that we were
indeed ascending rapidly. Too fast
for safety l said, holding out my
light so that l could see the side of
the shaft nearest me. Look, how
fast"
We did not need to look. The rapid
motion of the bucket could have been
detected by a blind man. We were
being hoisted faster than we had ever
been before. Already the skeleton
framework of the head-house could be
seen clearly outlined against the blue
Sky.
Il shall report that fellow" Evan
said, angrily. He has no right to en-
danger our lives by such recklessness.'
AS it flew upward h bucket swayed
from side to side It took all our
strength TO keep our hold. At any
moment We might be shaken Off and
hurled to the bottom of the shaft.
l. cdHlloI cApk1iI NO" L kueW,-lIn-
pressions are mysterious things.-but
I was sure then as ! am now that
something had gone wrong with the
hosting machinery. That meant that
no human power could save us. The
bucket would be drawn up to the cross
timbers supporting the sheave-wheeI.
the rope would break, and We would
be dashed to the rocks 200 feet be-
low.
Yet, as it seemed, John and Evan
had one chance, 2 narrow one, to save
themselves. We were within 200 feet
OF the landing, and l said as quietly
as 1 could, BE ready to jump"
saw them pale. Evidently they. too,
in the few seconds that had elapsed, had
formed the same conclusion l had
reached.
was standing a-straddle of the large
bail of the bucket. Evan was on one
side, Johc on the other. There was 10
room for me to jump. but when l saw
them turn their backs to the center of
the shat, l knew they were going to take
| their only chance. They might reach
| and be able to cling to the timbers that
framed the edges of the shaft. 1t was a
short jump, but taken from a swaying
foothold, they new as we'll as | that it
was a most uncertain one.
What are you going to co.." Evan
asked.
Nothing. Look u foryourselyes,"I
q. swereI.
"Wha- will become Of you?"