The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-02-21

POttSVlIe, IA, rep. req. H.
Twenty-eight miners were imprison-
ed in the Midvalley colliery near
Mount Carmel this morning by the
breaking of a dam Of water which had
formed in "a drift which caused a rush
tof mud into a gangWay where the men
were at work. All day long party Of
.rescuers endeavored to reach the en-
tCInbed men and shortly after o'clock
tonight they were encouraged b.
sounds of digging from the inside.
Later a shot was also heard indicating
that the men were at work to effect
their own rescue and also giving as
surance that the air is good.
Among the men entombed are a
number of experienced miners and it
is believed that it will be possible to
effect the rescue of all the men unless
some of them should have met death
by being smothered in the rush Of
mud when the dam broke through the
gangway
Seven Of the number are Americans.
The other entombed men are foreign
eTS.
The men had been employed in No.
4 drift of the eastside gangway driving
a heading to the surface. The heavy
rains and thaw Of the last few days
had caused a great dam of water to
accumulate in No. 20 breast of No. 4
drift and the pressure became SO heavy
that it finally broke through and a
great sea of mud flowed into the gang
way where the men were at work 1t
filled it for diStanct of about $50
feet and it will be necessary to tdig
through this great barrier of mud
to get at the Workmen from this di-
rection. Three different rescuing par
ties have been put to work in an en-
deavor to releaee the entombed men.
One force is digging away the great
bank of mud whcih fills the gangway
k,another gang is engaged in driving a
Heading from an adjoining gangway
while third force has been put to
work at the point where the entombed
men we're to have driven the heading
to the surface from the gangway in
which they are now imprisoned. 1t is
believed that the last named gang
will be the first ot reach the entombed
men and it is hoped to be able to
get them out or give them food and
drink by tomorrow morning.
The work of rescue is under the di
rection of mine inspector James A.
O'Donnell of the fourteenth district,
assisted by Inspector B I. Evans, of
the fifteenth district. ODonnell has a
force of one hundred men working un-
der him and they are taking their
turns in regular relays of two hours
work and four hours rest.
The noise of men working with
picks inside gave the rescuers great
announcement and it is believed that
the majority of the entombed are
alive, although it is scarcely possible
that all of them were fortunate en-
,ough to have escaped the great rush
of mud when the dam broke.
Great crowds of people have gath
cred around the mouth of slope and
have announced their intention of re-
manning during the entire night They
include the families of entombed. Dur
ing the day women and children were
gathered about the mine having rush
ed there from the homes at the first
alarm of the disaster. They could not
be prevailed upon to go home but in
sisted upon remaining about the mouth
OF the slope After the rapping was
heard from the entombed men these
fear stricken families were reassured
and many returned to their homes
Ehile others built bonfires with the in
tentiOn OF camping out during the
night. The miners about the colliery
were formed into temporary police
force, but later in the afternoon a
squad of state constabulary appeared
on the scene and performed excellent
service keeping the crowd back.