Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-25
into the mine yelling loudly as they
won't In that manner moro than half Of
tha untnern yero saved

into the mine yelling loudly as they
went. In that manner moro than half Of
the miners were saved
The wives and families OF the miners
anu drivers in the mines when the alarm
was raised rushed to a large hole made
by the rushing water at the menhole and
frantically threw sticks. stones. bushes.
poles and whatever other timbers thov
could hnd into the water to stop its rush
into the mines. Failing in that they rush
ed to the mouth Of the mine and would
have continued their mad dash into the
water in the mine had they not been
stopped by cool-headed persons who
guarded that entrance.
KNOW WHERE BODIES ARE.
The women and children remained at
the mouth of the slope late tonight re-
fusing to return home until an attempt
had been made to rescue their husba nds
and fathers. Several large pumps will be
placed In the mine tomorrow and every
thing possible will he done to get to the
place where the bodies are certain to he
found.
The water rose SO quickly following the
cIoudburst that it practically destroyed all
county. Nothing could be done to avert
the catastrophe. A dam that had been
built around the manway day or two
ago, when the water was high. was wash
ed away and the waters rushed into the
mine so rapidly that the pit was filled In
less than 80 minutes. 1t was reported to-
night that three men had lost their lives
in Lemont No. mine Of the II c. FriclI
Coke company. about q half mile from the
Superba mines. About 100 men were
caught In the flood there but all escaped
but three who are at present unaccounted
for.
Two OF the victims are Cniontown men
and we'll known throughout the county
They are Russell Gardner, aged 3d. and
Pierce Solomon, aged g. Mr.. Solomon had
decided to quit the mine and intended to
work only a few days more Both he anc
Gardner leave wives and large families
SAVED BY BRAVE FRIEND.
Joe Fordyce, one OF the best known
miners In Fayette county, owes his life
| to John Lozall who. after Fordyce had
fallen into the water and would have
persisted. carried him on his shoulders tc
the pit mouth and safety The drivers IN
the mines were careful TO warn theil
diggers Of the danger and many refused
to leave until the dggers first started OF
| their way to the pit mouth.
! When it was certain that the 13 mer
had perished. the survivors persiSed il
forming a rescue party into the mines
Officials of the mine. however. positively
refused To allow men to uselessly risl
their lives in that manner.
| One woman, the wife of Andy Nalco
who is left with fve little children, tn
eldest aged eight, made a dash into tn
mine. going some distance down the sop
before being overtaken. The woman tor
her clothes from her body in her anguis
when she was refused entrance at tn
| slope.
COULD NOT BE PREVENTED.
Mine Inspector I. G. Roby stated tha
as far as he could ascertain tn
catastrophe was unavoidable. Super
intendent J. W. Buttermore declared tina
| everything possible had been done to pre-
| vent such disaster and that IL coul
not have been avoided.
II ts reported that several other me
have perished in the mine but official
Of the company declare that the compile;
list is only 49, There were Il checks lei
on the check board and the officials est
mate the loss In this manner