The Washington times., 1915-03-08
Details Of Remarkable Achieve
ment at LayIank, W. Va,
Received by Federal B6reau.
NEW PROCESS effective
With Oxygen Tanks Abandoned,
Rescuers Carry "CIips" Ex.
cIuding Poisonous Gases.
BY ]. r. HILDEBRAND.

BY j. X. HlLDEBRAND.
Forty-seven men rescued after four
days entombment in the mine at Lay
land. w. Va, marks q record achieve
ment In rescue work among miners, e nd
proves the efficacy Of new methods and
apparatus by which thousands Of livss
in similar disasters may be saved in
the future.
Complete details of this remarkable
achievement today were forwarded to
the United States Bureau OF Mines by
J. w. Paul. superintendent OF mine
rescue work. who still is in the field at
Layland. Photographs OF the work at
Layland also were received here.
Less than six years ago forty men
rushed into mine in Wyoming after
an explosion that entombed sixteen
miners. The entire fifty-six men were
lost
the work at the Layiand mine Illus
trates the new methods OF mine rescue
work at their maximum efficiency.
Oxygen Tanks Abandoned.
At Layland the oxygen tanks. only q
few years ago considered the last word
In equipment for mine rescue workers
were abandoned. The rescuers carried
tanks. between their teeth clutched a
sort of bit through which passed the
air from this tank. and over their noses
gases and vaoors.
With one hand they CROPPED their way
through the dense darkness Of the great
underground city. and in the other they
used in testing the air as they pro-
gressed, to see whether others. without
tanks. might safely follow.
The story of the rescues at Layland
outhrill scores Of the escapades for
which men get medals for heroisn. The
and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Com
pany. took place last Tuesday.
One hundred feet away from the
mouth Of the mine walked q boy with
dog. So violent was the explosion
that the impact Of the vapors shot from
against house several hundred feet
distant. and killed both him and the
dog. as we'll as damaging the house.
Old Miners Dubious.
Old miners shook their heads grinly
and predicted that the III miners en-
tombed probably had been instantly
killed. Even IL they were still living,
1t was thought. their position was hope.
less because the stone entrance to the
mine had been shattered, and there wa.
every evidence that the terrific explo-
sion had shattered every nook and
Granny Of the mine. and torn down the
doors. or brattices to the rooms" along
the air channels.
But the Government rescue train was
telegraphed for. 1t was found 1872 miles
from the scene Of the explosion. but 1t
was attached to a special engine. md
within few hours arrived at Lay
land.
The rescue workers did not jump from
the train. pell nell. and rush into the
mine. Their dcliberation may have ex-
asperated the miners themselves, apt to
lose their heads at such a time. From
little cottages could be heard the
poignant means and walls OF women
and children.
At the norgue other men fought with
policemen. who mercifully tried to keep
them from seeing the mangled forms
of those already found near the mouth
Of the mine.
Study Blue Prints.
But the rescue party. only seventeen
in number. set quietly about studying
Llue prints Of the underground city.
with its maze OF passages. two or three
miles long, and side channels iutting
out like a net work of vertebrae from
the spine Of some huge, writhing ami
NAL.
Tiis delib.ration makes for surer
work, and has. resulted In safety to
the rescuers. SO that only three men
have been lost in the seven years OF
Federal mine rescue work.
Then the workers, agreed upon the
route Of their explorations. divided into
an6 d0nned their
tanks for the first two hours work
Even then they paid no attention to
bodies strewn all about In their pain.
They began with , the air ian fan n n rtnG the
to repair the first door. or "brattice'
ty which he air current Is directed
through the channels and rooms OF the
mine.
and night, deeper and deeper into the
mine. AS each brattice was repaired.
volunteer workers were permitted to
follow the pioneer group; One OF ,s., these
Ssears. Sss "Fnsd s hxhy xS s.nSs ssR: 10
ous vapors. Even after the bird is
asphyxiated men have eight or nine
minutes to escape before they would
be endangered.
Canaries Amuse Men.
These canaries always amuse the
| miners Little air txght cages. fed
| from the oxygen tanks are carried
/ along, so that when a bird succumbs 1t
| can be quickly revived. Mice were frst
ured for this work. but the canary had
to pay the penalty for his merrier dis
position. For the mice would sunk and
| 1t could not easily be ascentained
whether the little rodents were sulktne
or were really overcome by gases.
For four days and four nights, this
|