New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-04
Work of Traia G q
Life Savers OF
Federal Bureau
Of nj i N G S.

IT, He saving from terrible death OF
forty-seven miners entombed foy
four days and four nights in the
explosion swept mine of the New River
and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal
Company. at Laylsnd. w. Va, recently
by trained rescuers from the United
States Bureau Of Mines and other vol
unteers, discloses n type of heroisnl
that is not equslled anywhere in the
annals Of industrial history. a hero
ism Of almost every day sort in the
isolated mining villages Of the country,
but hardly known TO the outside world.
The bravery Of men who go down to
the sea in ships has neen sung in prose
and poetry since he world began,
probably because there is hardly per-
son who has not witnessed the cruelty
of the sea at some time or other, but
the mines arc in out Of the way places,
in the rugged Businesses Of the coun-
try. and the men who perform the
heroic deeds work in the darkness OF
the underground, where the eye Of the
average citizen has never penetrated.
1t is Of little wonder. thSn. that the
news of an explosion IN 2 coal mine
with a hundred or two hundred men
killed carries but a fcctng interest 10
the reader. and that he has forgotten
about it long before .ho walls Of the
widows and orphans cease to echo
through the little mining village. But
the million or more miners OF inc
United States who follow this most
hazardous Of callinys arc not crtrely
forgotten. for Uncle sam. through the
Federal Bureau of Mines, has at the
miners disposal. whenever cataS-
trophe occurs, highly organized corps
Of trained rescuers, who carry oxygen
breathing apparatus which permits
them to enter a mine Immediately alter
an explosion and to penetrate poison
Gus gases that would otherwise XIII IN
:he twinklng of an eye.
Il was on the morning OF March Z
that word was received by d. j. Parker
engineer in charge Of Mine Rescue Car
No. \. at Glenalum, W. Va, that an
explosion had occurred il the mine OF
the New River and PocahOntas Consol-
dated Coal Company. Fifteen minutes
later the Norfolk & Western Rail-
road had stopped all trains between
Glcnalum and Kenova, n distance OF
lO4 miles. and had cleared the track. A
special engine was attached ana the
rescue car was taken the entire as
tancc 10 Keroya in three hours. Az
that noint tho car was turned over 10
tho Choearrakc G. Ohio, which had also
urcparcd for clear track. WITH the
second largest engine IN The world a.
tached 80 the rescue car. TIE l~o mics
between Kcuoya and QUlnnimout, nine
miles from the scene of the disaster
was reached .n three hours and sixteen
minutes, which L. said 20 be the record
time on This mountain road. FROM
there the rescue car was taken 70 Lay
land in short time, and ! few minutes
later the rescuerS were on the grouno
ready for serious work
Bv the time the bureaus rescuers
reached the scene State Mine Inspector
Earl Henry and a number OF his as
sistants were already there with the
work of rescue started, the mine IN
spectors having general charge OF the
work. shortly 3fterward eleven miners
from the mines Of the United States
Coal Company at Gary, ". Va. who had
previously been trained in rescue work
by the Bureau of Mines men, arrived,
and also James W. Paul, Of Pittsburgh,
engineer in charge of all the rescue work
of tho Bureau of Mines. Paul at once
organized the bureaus rescuers and the
trained men from Gary, w. Va, into
three corps and offered the services Of
the men to Chief State Mine Inspector