The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-17
KILLED IN A NINE SHAFT
Half a Score of Men Dropped Four
Hundred Feet
Conyngham Mine at Wilkesbarre, Pa.c
the Scene Of tho Disaster-
Bodies Recovered.

killed by the fall Of the cage in the
Conyngham Mine Of the Delaware and
Hudson Company's workings, in the
northern district Of the city.
The men were being lowered to a
medium vein, when, $50 feet below the
surface, the wire rope snapped and the
cage dropped 400 feet.
AS the news of the disaster flew
through the sections occupied by min
ers crowds of women and children,
screaming and weeping, ran to the
shaft opening, where the most dis
tressing seem were witnessed. Res
u parties finally recovered the terri
bly, mangled bodies.
The accident took place shortly after
7 o'clock in the morning. Several hun
dred men had been lowered to the va
rious veins, and there were 200 men
still waiting when the fatal trip began.
There had been no trouble with the
machinery, and when the engineer
started the cage down it went smooth
ly. He received the signal to stop at
Hillman vein, $50 feet from the mouth
of the shaft.
AS he was slowing up for the landing
the rope parted.
The safety guide supposed in such
cases to hold the carriage did not work
and was ripped out with the guides.
Once clear of these the carriage bound
ed from side to side of the rock-ribbed
shaft, and when it reached the bottom
so terribly had it been, battered that it
was a mass Of splinteTed wood and
twisted iron. The victims were doubt
less all killed during the fall. irs
The foot tenders heard the> frightfuf
crashing, but could do nothing but wait
to see the whole mass fall into the
stump. The shaft was so badly torn
that rock and timber continued falling
for some time.
The men on the surface were imme-
diately apprised of the accident by the
rebound of the wire rope. They at
once formed rescuing parties and hur-
ried into the mine by the emergency
openings.
AS no one remembered the men. who
had entered the cage, and as several
hundred had gone into the mine, the
identity Of some of the victims was
unknown for some time. Those who
had already entered the workings, be-
ing aware Of the disaster, made their
way to the surface by other exits.
They appeared by twos and threes, and
were Immediately surrounded by the
frantic women, a few Of whom uttered
cries of JOY, while the others returned
to their watch.
Crowds of the merely curious also
hurried to the scene. until the sur
rounding hills were black with people.
The torn bodies were finally dug out
Of a mass of mud, wreckage and de-
bris and brought to the surface. The
m%utilation, in every case, was extreme.
An investigation to fix the RESPONSE
bility was at once started by Mine In
spector Martin. Whether the rope had
been worn partly through; or whether
the engineer stopped so suddenly that
the strain caused the break, Is not
known. General Manager Ross, Of the
company, who took charge Of the work
Of recovering the bodies, said that
William Cunningham, the engineer,
was one VI luS u1OSI lClloulC VI INV
employees. Superintendent Foote was
unable to account for the accident.
Eight Of the victims were Poles.
Charles Rochel and Frank Barney are
the English speaking miners who were
killed.
This is the third accident of a SINH
lar nature that has occurred in the
Wyoming region within six months.
In each case the rope attached to the
carriage broke and the men on the We
hicle were dashed to the bottom Of the
shaft and instantly killed. The first
disaster occurred at the Auchinclose
mine, where ten miners lost their lives.
Six weeks ago q cage at the Clear
Springs tolliery fell and seven men
were killed. j.. sT..&E NEf1'
A.