Trapped Miners Pulled From Pa. Shaft (Details)

Washington Post ^ | July 28, 2002 | Judy Lin

[Isara]

SOMERSET, Pa. –– Rescue workers on Sunday pulled all nine miners one by one from the watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days, a jubilant reward for an effort fraught with one gut-wrenching setback after another.

After three grim days of frantic drilling delayed by broken bits and busted seals, defiant crews – with no signs of life to encourage them since Thursday – bored a giant auger through the ceiling of 4-foot high chamber at 10:16 p.m. Saturday. The breakthrough allowed workers to drop a telephone line to the miners through a small air pipe.

Moments later, rescuers were seen hugging and giving the thumbs-up.

Then the word came from an unidentified, mud-caked rescue worker who shouted up from the pit near where they dropped the communication device: "They're all down there. They're waiting to come up. There's nine of them. We talked to them on the telephone."

The first words from the miners were blunt. "What took you so long?" one of the miners asked, according to a rescuer.

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[Republic]

That would require some we know shun any truths that shed positive a light on anything or one connected with conservatives or Republicans. So I guess, we probably WON'T hear of this from the major nets.....the truth always hurts them way too much!

[vannrox]

BREAKING NEWS!

Former Vice President Al Gore has just announced his acceptance of the news of the rescue. "I knew that they would be rescued" he stated. "My leadership and guidance were absolutely critical to the success of the operation." Responding to a long series of applauses, he added "Were I to be President, I would of prevented 9-11."

[Republic]

LOL! Thing is, this is almost believeable. Would not even take most of us into the twilight zone, since we have come to expect such massively fraudulent crap from ol uncle al and his filthy band of liars.

[mountaineer]

You're right, Schweiker isn't running in the fall. The Republican candidate, Attorney General Mike Fisher, is facing noted thug Ed Rendell in the Pa. governor's race. Maybe Schweiker should enter the GOP primary against the Scotsman, Arlen Specter, at the first opportunity.

[Kaslin]

CNN has a poll asking Did you think the miner would be found alive. I answered yes because I prayed, and God listens to prayers

[Cachelot]

"My leadership and guidance were absolutely critical to the success of the operation."

"And besides, I invented the drill equipment they used in the operation."

[Bahbah]

I'm watching Mayhue, one of the miners, now. He is quite a guy. Note to self and everyone, if you are on TV, do not chew gum.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Hollywood would probably cast Alec Baldwin as the main hero. This is part of their "Alec doesn't suck as bad as he seems" image overhaul the motion picture industry has been giving the Blowviator. Make him a hero character in every movie. That will make people forget he's anti-American.

[Willie Green]

He's the son of former Senator Richard Schweiker.

No he is not, he is the son of John and Mary Schweiker of Levittown, Bucks County.

Former Pa. U.S. Senator Richard S. Schweiker is from Montgomery County.

There may or may not be a family relationship. That part of the state has a strong German/Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Schweiker sounds as though it could be one of those names that take up dozens of pages in the local phone books.

[ex-snook]

"He's not even running, as far as I know - and he didn't run for the position he's in now, being a replacement for Tom Ridge. "

He did run as Ridge's running mate and moved up when Ridge went to Washington.

Schweiker according to local papers grew up in Levittown and has already bought a house nearby for his return. He wants to take care of his family. Maybe he is too pro-life for today's GOP.

[Willie Green]

I've been trying to look his background up but have not been too successful.

Prior to this event, Gov. Schweiker had been taking heat for increasing the cigarette tax.

Stupid Party

Cigarette tax smoking out Pennsylvanians Many slip into W.Va. to buy cheap smokes

He is to be highly commended, however, for his excellent handling of this rescue effort.

[Irene Adler]

I believe the address to send donations for the firehouse fund is:

Sipesville Volunteer Fire Company

Sipesville PA 15501.

I am going to send something, and I hope other generous FReepers will, too.

[Miss Marple]

I am glad someone else saw that! Was that a great press conference or what? If ever you doubt the future of this country, it is guys like that, as well as the military, the cops and the firemen, that will keep us going.

His love of family, his courage, and his faith shown through that simple speech. His family should be very proud of him!

(You should make clear it was the wife chewing gum...but I forgive her, as she has had a bit more to deal with than how to appear on TV.)

[Bahbah]

Not just that, but his love of the guys he was with. Their love for each other. It was great. A man with occasional tears in his eyes, and so much a man for it. You are right.I should have said it was his wife chewing the gum. And she could be chewing anything she wanted to as far as I'm concerned. Just a note to self in the off chance one of our FReeps get coverage. LOL

[vollmond]

An interesting note about Senator Richard Schweiker. He was Ronald Reagan's VP pick in the 1976 Primary. He later served as Reagan's initial Secretary of Health and Human Services.

[Miss Marple]

Hey, did you just hear the Sipesville Fire Chief? His big concern was how in the world they were going to coordinate people and get the resources they needed to get a rescue going. He said there were two men directly responsible for the success of the mission, making sure that all personnel and equipment were available: Governor Schweiker and President Bush!

He went on to say he had NEVER seen a governor who would walk through the slurry, stand on the rig anad hug a driller, walk with each guy as he was brought up from underground.

That was some testimonial!

[Kaslin]

I just found this

Sun Jul 28,12:39 PM ET

A sign that reads, "Welcome Back Miners! Nine Alive!" is shown in Somerset, Pa., Sunday, July 28, 2002. The nine miners became trapped in the flooded Quecreek Mine in western Pennsylvania at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, when they inadvertently broke into an abandoned, water-filled mine that maps showed to be 300 feet away. All nine miners were rescued in surprisingly good condition early Sunday. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

[theophilusscribe]

Howdy, Miss Marple! Did you happen to see Schweiker's presser this afternoon? I've been trying to find a transcript because I think I missed some of it.

The stories these miners told him were amazing!

[Miss Marple]

Yes, I saw it. He said that the miners were at one point trapped with rising water and had to press their faces against the roof of the mine in order to gasp for air. He also said that they wrote good-bye notes to their families on scraps from a cardboard box, because they thought that the recuers had given up on finding them.

This was later corroborated by the young miner who gave the press conference.

[Miss Marple]

Repeating some of it on Fox now.