The Washington herald., 1908-02-18
Miners Buried by Fallot Tim.
bers and Coal.
DIGGING PARTIES WORK
ReScuerS Toll on High Penn.
Sylvania Mountain.
Accident Caused by Heavy Rains
and Recent Thnws, LOOseninE the
Ground and Admitting Surface
Water-Three Gangs Attempting
SuccOr-Belief Expressed ImDrisOn-
ed Men Have Fresh Air.

Mount Carmel Pa, Feb lion the tor
OF one of the highest mountains in this
part OF the State a rescue party tonight
Is digging through snow. ice, and earth
10 afford air to twenty-eight men en-
tombed in No. 4 drift of the Midvalley
Coal Company, the principal stockholders
being J. s. Wenz & Co.
The drift is attached TO the No. !
breaker structure. No. breaker. op-
Grated by the same company, is one mile
distant Eight hundred men are employed
1t the two collierics.
The men were buried in the mine at
7:SO this morning and Up to tonight their
iate has been mystery. Two-thirds of
the victims are married.
In addition TO the men digging on the
mountain, two rescue parties are trying
20 penetrate the spot containing the i'm
prisoned men, both digging through a
gangway and heading.
May Have Fresh Air
Two hours after the barrier was formed
some Of the rescuers in the ganrwav
thoughI they heard sounds of tannin,, ON
me steam pipes which run through The
oarrlcade Of coal and dirt. At o'clock
Tonight workmen on the mountain wore
positive they detected the report of a
olast underground If their slIrmisa is
correct it is likely some, if not all the
prisoners VIII be saved. because If any
one Of them exploded powder il ie al,,,os.
OcLialh strong air current is in progress.
The moUntain-top rescuers are digging
10 penetrate breast No. q. the nearest
against the outcrop. In addition 10 their
Efforts to sink into this part OF the onen.
ing, they expect a circuit will be formed
Tor fresh air to travel TO the entonbed
men
Inc mountain Is covered with ice and
snow and as the rescuers toll desnarsto-
~ huge bonfire furnishes illumination
and heat
Expect Results soon.
Some Of the men think tbo,- v.;r l,.,.o
dug through enough ground bv az Ioos,
midnight 20 enable them to learn if tbav
are on The correct track 10 succor
While they dig and drill. two more res
cue parties are striving for all they are
worth inside the operation. Their work
Is much more perilous. While officials
say there Is no danger from gas the air
when it strikes the barricade soon ra-
solves itself into poisonous vapors
-Four hundred men are in the rescua
parties. Within the mine the mon ara
divided into squads Of fifteen ana twantv
and are only allowed 10 work fifteen min
utes at a stretch when they return ~
lhe mouth OF the drift for air and rest
wien they started in at the work of res
cue lhey were led by William Singleton.
inside foreman.
Singleton Leads Party.
lie was IN the mine at the time the ac-
cident occurred. and at once tool, ener-
setic steps to rescue the entombed.
Owing 10 recent rains and thaw. the
ground caved in AT NO. , breast, and sur
tace water flowed into il until the nres-
sure became so great that a pillar ran
No l9 pillar was pressed so hard bv the
weight Of loose coal and water that If
soon collapsed, causing further pillars TO
give way. until a huge mass Of debris
was formed $50 feet thick
The cracking of coal and timber alarm
ed miners in the breast closer TO the
surface, and, fearing the whole mountain
was tumbling in on them, they raced to
the entrance Of the drift.