Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1896 — CRUSHED IN A SHAFT, [ARTICLE]

CRUSHED IN A SHAFT,

AWFUL ACCfOENT IN A SHAMO KIN MINE. Part of Hoist ing Apparatus Gives : . Way and Kills Four Men—Proposed fa Buy the American Gold OutputAffairs in South Africa. ~T Awful Death of Four Miners. While fohr workmen wore being lower-tod-iato the shaft of the Luke Falter nine nt fyiamokiu. Pa., Monday, the “billy,” which balances the elevator gnd iwhich weighs 1 JK*O pounds, fell upon them without warning. They were intotantly killed, their bodies being crushed too horribly as to make them almost unrecognizable. The shaft bucket in which the four men met their sudden death Was guided b.v big cross pieces and arms, known fisnho ‘'billy.” The wire rope’passed through this ‘"billy," and it is supposed that ice had formed on the rope. The bucket passed the ice in safety, hut the '‘hilly" was caught by ,it and the bucket bad descended several hundred feet before the heavy weight caused the he to give way and allowed the “billy” to fall upon the men. This colliery had been idle since Oct. 8, 1594, when the mine was set on tire by a carolers workman and six tires,Wefe loajt, four of the bodies not being recovered for nearly a year. One of the killed Monday was a brother of one of ,the victims of the former disaster. New Premier of Cape Colony. Hon. Cecil Rhodes, premier of Cape Colony, has resigned and his resignation lias been accepted by the Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, who has appointed lion. Sir J. Gordon Sprigg. trdhsurer of the colony, to succeed him. The new premier was colonial secretary and premier of Cape Colony from 1878 to 1881, treasurer from 1884 to 1880 and treasurer from 185*0 on. lie was horn in IS3O. It la learned that after Wednesday's fight Dr. Jameson's column, originally about •even hundred men; moved southward, fighting' hard all the way throughout the night, and eventually reached Vlakvon•tein, six miles from Johannesburg, on completely surrounded by a force of 4,800 Boers. "In spite of this. I)r. Jameson's followers fought stubbornly until noon, when all their cartridges .were exhausted. In addits®, they fiad not tasted food for twenty-four hours mid were worn out with fatigue. But the white flag was not hoisted by Dr. Jameson's orders. It is known (that Dr. Jameson expected 2,000 Uitlanders to join him, at Krugersdorp. Hie Dutch press is jubilant at this lowering of British prestige and advocates the incorporation of ."Rhodsia" with the Transvaal Republic. Mr, Emmons' Plan. Stephen 11. Emmons, who is president •fa goldmining company at 1 Broadway, New Yjork, hQs sent an open letter to President Cleveland offering a unique plan for maintaining the gold reserve. lie •aid in part: “If the Secretary of the Trea sur.v will put himself in communication with the owners of gold mines throughout the country he can cagse the entire gold production of the United States to be placed at the disposal of the Government in exchange for silver coin. So far. at any rattyas the mines which I iwrsonally possess or direct are concerned, I am willing to undertake that their output 1 of gold- a very —considerable •mount -shall thus he dealt with; and there cgnaot l*e any doubt of every other American gold mining, corporation beingready to do the same. The assistance thus obtainable by the Government will not involve any bond issue, and will not •addle the nation with any interest charge or syndicate remuneration. I t will add to the volume of home currency at the same time that it will equally increase the •mount of international currency in the treasurjy.” To Pool the Western Gold Output. An a tent of Ws 8.. Stratton, of Cripple •CPeek, [arrived in Deliver, Colo., with the object of disclosing a plan for cornering the Western gold product bud compelling the Government to pay a premium to producers. instead of giving tbe extra money to bond buyers. Stratton thinks his scheme-can be carried out if the producers unite and pool their output with a common agent in New York, with orders to sell to. the highest bidder. Tito project is form, and needs • good deal oi embellishment before submission to a syndicate of "gold kings. If the details are regarded as feasible the scheme will go through, foe there is no doubt of it meeting with public approval.