Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1896 — DEATH IN THE MINE. [ARTICLE]

DEATH IN THE MINE.

ONE HUNDRED MEN ENTOMBtD AT PITTSTON, PA. - Shaft’s Month Surrounded by Frantic Men a)id Shrieliinc Women—Nearly Every Innocent Victim Leaves a Family to Struggle on Alone. Coal Pit Their Tomb. One hundred miners were caught under a fall of rock in the Twin Shaft mine at Pittston, Pa. It is believed that all perished instantly. If it prove that the meh are dead sixty-three women will be left widows and 200 children be fatherless. This is the most jterrible mine accident which has occurred in the anthracite region since the great disaster at Avondale, in 1869, in which 120 lives were lost. The Twin Shaft operated by the Newton Coal Company, the principal stockholders of which live in Philadelphia, is an old mine, but the output has always been Igrge. Some two weeks ago it was noticed that the mine wjys “squeezing”— that is to say, the surface* whs pressing hard on the props and pillars. Steps were 1 at once taken, to stop it. Heavy timbers were put in and every precaution was taken to■ prevent a. enve-in. Friday it was thought that the ‘‘squeeze” had been arrested; 1 but Saturday it began to "work" again. The principal trouble was in the red ash br lower vein of coal 1,500 feet from the foot of the shaft. There were two heavy falls on Saturday afternoon and it was thought datigerous to enter that part of the mine. At 8 o'clock in the evening Inside Sup-, Langan concluded that some- ’ thing would have to be done and done quickly if it was hoped to save the inside workings from destruction. Accordingly he issued orders to get a party of the most expert miners together to~make an effort to pr,event, further damage to the mine. Calls were sent Out and at 9 o’clock that night about 100 men had gone down the mine. Nearly all of them knew the great risk they were running, but they argued, thus: “The superintendent and foreman are with usj'if they do not hesitate to go in, why should we?” The men worked hard and faithfully until a little after 3 o’clock, when, probably -without warning, the roof on the 1,000-foot slope where the men were at work fell in. The concussion was so great that it was felt for a distance of four miles. The foundations of nearly every-house in Pittston were shaken, and the citizens first thought a violent earthquake had taken place. Immediately after the accident occurred there was a call for volunteers. Two hundred men responded at once, and, despite the great dangers sure to be encountered, entered upon the work of rescue. The men were divided into relief gangs of forty each, for the work is very tedious, as the roof has-to-be—propped as fast as the men work their way through the debris. The greatest excitement prevailed about the mouth of the shaft all day. The relatives Of the imprisoned men gathered In large numbers and their grief was pitiable. “Oh, my dear husband,“”'“oh, my poor papa,” were the cries of anguish heard. Many of the women swooned and had to be carried away. Some knelt On the wet ground and prayed that their loved ones might be brought out alive. At last the excitement became so great that a special police force was sworn in to keep the crowd back. People from all over the valley went to Pittston by train, trolley cars, carriages and bicycles.