Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1894 — A Miraculous Escape. [ARTICLE]

A Miraculous Escape.

A miner by the name of Griffith had an extremely narrow escape from a horrible death in a mine in Washington State the other day. Griffith was at work on a slope when pieces of coal weighing about 1,500 pounds became detached above him and started down the slope toward Griffith, whose only escape lay in running down the slope ahead of the lump of coal. It soon became a race for life, with the coal increasing its speed at every bound and adding to the terrors of the flying Griffith. Half way down the slope the speed at which Griffith was going extinguished the lamp in his hat and left him in the dark. He continued his flight, in which lay his only safety, and, after running for what seemed an age, he stumbled on one of the side beams and fell, expecting to be instantly crushed to death. The coal came on, and, by a miracle, was checked by the timber, but in jamming caught one of poor Griffith’s legs against the timber, breaking the bone in two places. Help soon came down to the man and he was carried out and cared for.