Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-05-01
~ s .
narrowing
Tale of Danger and Hardship
Told by Mine
ReSCuefS q.
They Wade Five Hours in
i Water Up to Chins
and Failed
Finally succeed In
Reaching Imprisoned men
and Find Them Alive
sociated Press to Bismarck Tribune

Associated Press to Bismarck Tribune
Pittsburg, April 3ee-After being ems
tombed since Friday noon In the, Bsr>
wind-White Coal eompangss mine No.
50 at Foustweu, the seven miners who
were shut off from the world by a
sudden rush of wafer caused by the
breaking OF the wall Of an abandoned
mine, were rescued at 10 O'Clock to-
night. The men were greatly ex-
hausted. Owing to their weakened
condition it was decided not TO bring
them out until after he mine had been
drained.
Never in the history of the mining
region has such a joyous scene been
witnessed as when the men were
reached. Hundreds of persons who
we're watching the work Of rescue
cheered, laughed and cried. The men
were reached by Stiney Roden and
Charles Ream who made a dash
through fifty feet of the water filing
the heading. Earlier in the day John
Bolya, brother of one of the i'm
prisoned men and three comrades
made a futile attempt to reach the
| imprisoned men. They came back
| half drowned and reported that por-
lions of the heading were still filled
and that more pumping would have to
be done. The pumping was then re-
| doubled. >
At 10 o'clock the water had so far
gone down that it was resolved to
make another attempt to break
through to the overcast where the men
were imprisoned Stiney Rodon and
Charles Ream volunteered.
Like the first party, they plunged in
| to the water and darkness An hour
elapsed before Ream came swimming
back bringing the first news from the
imprisoned seven.
i The effort had nearly exhausted
Ream He reported that the seven
men were alive and in good shape
but that until more pumping was done
/ the passage to the place where they
/ had taken refuge was impossible to
those who could not swim. Ream and
his comrade carried simply a flask
! of brandy and little water.
i He reported that Mike Bolya had
since the breaking of the walls be.
tween the abandoned workings, been
directing his comrades. Bolya, who
was mine contractor, was acquainted
l with every turn of the mine in which
! he was imprisoned. When the flood
broke out, according to the story he
told Ream, he led his comrades to the
highest point in the heading where
"the overcast" is situated. Under
Bolya's directions each man seized his
| lunch basket. ,
| When they arrived at the overcast
all the lamps but one were ex
tinguished and one by one the lamps
were each burned out When they
were reached by Rodon and Rean
there was but one light remaining and
that in danger of running low at any
time.
Bolya stated that the lamps were
burned because the darkness and nois'
:. of the water rushing in the headings a
it was driven back and forth by th
expansion of air cushions, caused b,
: the flood, was so terrifying that tn
men feared their reason would leay
!. them il left in darkness.
/ Bo1ya stated that of all the danger
3 they faced darkness was the moa
!: terrible. When stock was taken &
their provisions IT was found tina
three baskets we're but half emptiet
This scanty store OF rations was use
until Monday morning since when th
men had nothing to eat. During til
whole time they were imprisoned the
+ had gone without water fearing /
i drink the water from the abandone
/. workings.
j Ream stated that at the place wher
Z the men sought refuge some ties ha
& been left for track laying. With thes
81 Boiya and his comrades had built
t platform upon which they were nc
/ only high but dry.
]. Earlier Attennr,t IL Rescue.
Jamestown, Pa, ApriI 3d.. nh