Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite and bituminous ...

No. 12.] Fourth Anthracite District. 107
and the following- night. Upon g-oingr in there the next day they found
that the water had ceased running- and came to the conclusion that it
had all run out. They then fired a blast which opened a large hole and
a rush of water came in. James Evans, a company man, was there with
Lewis and Davies. The passag-e was over one hundred feet long- from
the g-ang-way, and the volume of water was so great that the three men
named had a severe strug-g-le to escape. If the driver, John Rowe, had
not been convenient on the g-ang-way c, to show them light, they would
certainly have become confused in the water and drowned, but fortunately
he was there, and rendered all the assistance in his power, and
they succeeded in g-etting- out before the water became too deep. From
the intersection of the passag-e A, the g-angway was rising towards the
face and also towards the other end. The three men who were closed
in were at the face of the gangway. They heard the other men shout-
ing, but the water had filled the gangway at the lowest point and cut
off their escape before they were aware of its presence. They instantly
sought the highest point by climbing up the cross-cut B on the left of
the gangway. The old workings above them were all caved in and they
had to wait in that small steep passage until they were rescued at the
time stated. When they were found, they were in an exhausted condi-
tion, but with careful nursing they soon recovered.