Need For Big Drill Delays Mine Rescue

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 11

Need For Big Drill Delays Mine Rescue

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) HAZLETON (Pennsylvania), August2s. Work on enlarging the escape hole to the trapped miners, Henry Throne and David Fellin, restarted early today after a long delay caused when an unexpectedly-needed drill bit was not available, the Associated Press reported. The rescue hour is now set for some time on Monday at the earliest.

The bit arrived after 12 hours and workers hurried to resume drilling as soon as the bit could be attached to the drill.

Part of the delay was caused because the bit was flown more than 1000 miles from Dallas, Texas. Also, the drilling rig had to be raised by hydraulic jacks to a height of four feet from the ground to accommodate the larger reamer.

With a mighty roar, the giant drilling rig, as tall as a 10-storey building, began churning the 30-inch bit into the section it had enlarged to 26 inches yesterday. The aim was to smooth out this portion so steel casings could be fitted down to the 39-foot depth to prevent cave-ins. Messrs Throne and Fellin have been trapped more than 300 feet underground for 12 days—since 9 a.m. August 13. Also trapped is Mr Louis Bova, aged 42, who has not been heard from since Tuesday and is separated from the others by about 25 feet of debris.

A smaller rig is drilling a hole in Mr Bova’s direction. Three previous attempts have failed. After the 30-inch drill cuts to the 38-foot level, workmen will change to a 17 and

a half inch bit while the casings are inserted in the hole. Then plans call for using the 17J-inch bit the remainder of the way. Once this is completed the plans call for pulling Messrs Throne and Fellin to the surface in a steel capsule that is almost as wide as the escape hole. Light rain was falling and the skies were overcast when the enlarging began. Before the delay, optimism had been high that the escape hole could be widened quickly • and Messrs Throne and Fellin could be on the surface by early Sunday night In spite of their ordeal, Messrs Fellin and Throne were in almost jaunty spirits, United Press International reported. The trapped miners chatted with Governor William Scranton of Pennsylvania by telephone yesterday and had

a dinner of roast beef sent down the hole. Late last night a tiny television camera was lowered and blurred images of the men appeared on a screen at the pithead. The Pennsylvania State Mines Secretary, Mr H. B. Charmbury, who is directing rescue operations, said last night he was not concerned about the cost of the operation, A.P. reported.

“I haven’t been concerned about the money. Our job is to get those men out. We will figure out the financial end of it later,” he said.

The operation involved more than 100 workers and tons of massive earth-moving and drilling equipment, generators and other auxiliary vehicles, he said. He said that when Governor Scranton visited the rescue site he had told him to go ahead with the operation and to use the best available means.

Mr Charmbury said he had received some donations but he was unable to estimate their total amount. He said no public appeal would be made for funds.

He said a great many people and companies had volunteered their services and the use of their equipment free of charge. “We are not going to rush the drilling,” Mr Charmbury said. “Safety is ahead of speed. From all indications, the men are comfortable down there, and why take chances?”

The president of the United Mineworkers’ of America, Mr Tony Boyle, was at the rescue scene today. He said he was “fully satisfied” with the operation, but added: “This demonstrates we must have these shocks to awaken the people to the fact that coal miners in this country are dying—dying every day. “If they can't make the mines safe enough to prevent things like this from happening, the mines should be shut down.”