MINING DISASTER IN HUNGARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8367, 11 January 1889, Page 3

MINING DISASTER IN HUNGARY.

GALLANT AND EXCITING RESCUE

OP MINERS. An instance of what patient perseverance will do in tho case of a mining disaster has been shown in Hungary. On Nov. 7, a day which Professor Falb had predicted as a critical one, the waters suddenly burst into a shaft in the Salgo Tarjan Mines, nr-ar Pestb, where thiee hundred and forty miners were at work. An alarm signal was given, and most of the mm were able to get out, but when tho names were called over, twenty men were found to be missing. In the meantime the water had risen so high that it was impossible to reach them. The engiueer and the chief manager, Herr Gerber, however, never for one moment gave the meu up as lost, and from Wednesday to Friday nis«ht, worked incessantly at their rescue. Herr Gerber was carried out of the shaft in a swoon six times in those two days, but always returned to the charge. lie bored holes' in the well o£ the shaft, where he supposed the men mi^bt be, to allow tho gases to eEcape,and this clever contrivance actually saved their lives. They had already given themselves up as lose when a draught of freßh uir reached theno, and, besides refreshing them, was a sign of the efforts being made to save them. The manager, on returning to the shaft on Friday night, bad ordered twenty coffins, and the miners' relations were preparing mourning for the funeral. The fifteen men who helped Herr Gerber to reach the spot where the entombed miners stood surrounded by water, had to stand in the water up to their necks, tho bad gußts stnpifying Ihera every now and then. At last a lamp on a long pole was seen by those who were then firmly believed to be dead. They gave a shout of joy, and half an hour later the victims and tueir rescuers joined hands. The twenty men had been in the shaft sixty-one hours without food or drink, standing in water up to their thighs, and sometimes up to their necks. The younger ones had given way to despair, but a brave Styrian managed to keep their spirits up, and directed their movements as the water rose and fell. Though it was midnight the whole town was up to receive them, and to cheer the brave men who hud saved them. Hundreds of gunH and pistols were fired off by the excited spectators.

The attention of teachers and others is called to a ealo of valuable educational works by Mr Newton King to-morrow. It being seldom that bo complete a lot of books is offered at auction, those interested should not miss the opportunity.