Year: 1877

Miners Entombed--Carrying a Wounded
. Comrade for Hours.


One OF the most heartrending acci-
dents which has been recorded for some
time occurred ct the Empire mine in
the vicinity of Scranton, Pa. Two men,
named John Mooney and Patrick Quinn,
we've employed in No. 4 slope laying
track. q distance of about two miles
from the opening and mile from the
other workmen. When they least
dreamed of danger there was o sudden
convulsion overhead and an instant
later they were overwhelmed by a fear
full fall Of roof. The terrible accident
put out their lights and they were in
utter darkness. Mooney, after consid-
erable difficulty, succeeded in extricatlng
himself from among the massive powders
which fell upon him in such way as to
form sort of cave, and upon freeing
himself his first thought was for his
companion. He called aloud for Quinn
but received no answer-only the echo
of his own voice beaten back by the
rocks. He felt himself growing faint
and realized that he was very seriously
injured. but was determined to ascer-
tain the condition of his fellow miner.
After calling aloud in vain for sometime
he groped about in the dismal place
among the rocks hoping to find Quinn
and fearing he was dead. At length he
touched him, but the poor fellow was
pinned fast by big bowlder which lay
npon one of his. mangled legs. The
other leg had been completely severed
from the body by the fall. To release
him was hard task, but Mooney, for
getting his own injuries, set about the
work with will and succeeded In set
ting Quinn free.


How to carry him to the light OF day
was the next trial, but he was determined
to do it; and, taking him upon his back,
he began cropping his way through the
pitchy darkness in the direction of what
he considered was the foot of the slope.
For two hours he wandered about that
living tomb, with his dying comrade on
his back, moaning in the most piteous
manner. The situation was awful, and
after roaming thus for long time poor
Mooney was disheartened to find that he
had come back to the very point from
which he had set out, and where the ac-
cident occurred He summoned up his
fast fading strength and made another
effort, still taking Quinn on his back,
but after proceeding short distance he
grew faint, and was unable to 60 further
with his precious burden. Then layilg
the DYING man down in as comfortable q
position as he could, Mooney crawled on
his hands and knees toward what he
thought was the slope. At half past Six
o'clock party of miners, while proceed
ing down No. 5 slope, were startled by
the apparition which their lamps reveal
ed. It was Mooney crawling slowly up
the slope on his hands and knees, his
face black and bloody, and his whole
body sore from contact with the Jagged
pieces of coal and rock. His eyes were
at first dazzled by the light, he had been
in darkness so long and trying to see,
and he was speechless with joy for some
seconds to find relief at last.


This was eight hours after the accident
had happened, and they were eight
hours of awful mortal agony. As soon
as Mooney found words to speak he re.
lated the story in brief, and begged the
party to hasten to the assistance OF
Quinn, who might yet be saved. They
hurried to the spot indicated and found
the unfortunate fellow in the condition
already described, with one leg severed
from his body and the other crushed to
pieces. He was still alive, and they took
him no in their arms to carry him to the
slope. but he never reached it alive. he
died in the arms of his comrades.
Mooney, who was severely wounded, wos
expected to recover. He played the
part OF hero in the unselfsh manner in
which he r.sked his own life trying to
sive his comrade. The men Nho met
Mooney crawling up the slope were
moved to tears by his haggard, woe-be-
gone and saddened looks, and said they
never saw such pitifI sight before.