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American Morning

Interview with Mark Schweiker

Aired July 29, 2002 - 08:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: It is a miner miracle, and a major boost to the spirit of all Americans throughout the 77-hour ordeal. Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker was a pillar of strength, and when it was clear the mine-trapped miners were alive, he delivered the good news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK SCHWEIKER, GOVERNOR, PENNSYLVANIA: All nine are alive, and we believe that all nine are in pretty good shape, and the families now know that. Incredible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Well, America's new heroes needed all the skill and determination they had to survive, and Pennsylvania's Mark Schweiker, the governor joins us this morning from Harrisburg. Congratulations, governor, on your stunning rescue effort.

SCHWEIKER: Thank you, Paula. It was a great stretch.

ZAHN: A great stretch indeed. Let's talk now about some of the challenges you had to confront, perhaps our audience isn't even aware of. We witnessed your steely determination, your fierce protectiveness of the miners, but the fact remains that your team had to make some informed guesses as to exactly where these men were and I'm told this morning, they could have been anywhere in a one square mile area.

SCHWEIKER: Well, that is very true, especially so with putting down that first six-inch air pipe that they were able to use and tap to tell us that they were alive. I mean, it was a long shot, but it happened to be right there, so we nailed one.

ZAHN: You are now saying in retrospect that despite the fact that the drill snapped, that it was providential intervention, because if the shaft had broken through earlier, all your rescuers would have found would be water.

SCHWEIKER: Well, that's right. We had an 18-hour delay because of losing that drill bit and damaging the drill head. But as we look back now, it allowed us to succeed at pumping out the water, because had we gone in and gone through the ceiling of that chamber, we would have pulled up water and just disturbed the exterior of that area, that cavern where they were.

ZAHN: One of the men that helped lead up your technology team said this was like a one in a million chance, that you were successful at bringing these men out alive.

SCHWEIKER: It's nine for nine. It is an incredible turn, and just magnificent, and I'll never forget when I had the privilege and the opportunity to visit with the families just seconds after we had gotten the confirmation and heard from them through that telephone hookup that all nine were alive, and just a spectacular never to be forgotten moment.

ZAHN: I wanted to play for you now something that Blaine Mayhugh had to say, one of the rescued men, upon finally returning to terra firma above ground. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAINE MAYHUGH, RESCUED MINER: Thursday around 12:00 noon, and the water started rising, and we was running out of room, so I asked the boss if he had a pen, and he knew what for. I said, well, I want to write my wife and kids to tell them I love them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: And he went on to explain that he passed the pen around. Everybody added a little note to the metal lunch box. Describe to us what you see in these men, men who tied themselves together, they figured if they were all going to go -- if they were going to go, they were all going to go together, and if they were to survive, they would survive as a team. What should America know about these men?

SCHWEIKER: Well, these are tough miners. But you know, at that point, as dire as it looked, they were thoughtful, thoughtful enough to pen a short farewell note to their families. We know the outcome, they have managed to come on up, and they are with their families today. But yes, tough but thoughtful at that point.

ZAHN: Governor, since opening in January of 2001, the Black Wolf mine has been cited for 26 safety violations. How will that factor into your investigation?

SCHWEIKER: Well, we are going to start, actively, that investigation today, and we are going to explore that. The company owes answers. The company owes answers to the mining families. The company owes answers to me, the company owes answers to Pennsylvania. And one direction of our investigation will be the conduct of the company and the direction given that had been provided to the nine miners.

As well as...

ZAHN: When you talk -- yes, carry on.

SCHWEIKER: ... and this is the outcome, Paula. The outcome we are after, Paula, is that Pennsylvania mining families know that when their loved ones go into this tough, dangerous business, at least the maps are dependable. Now, to some extent, these old maps -- remember, the maps, the references that they used were coined in the '50s. So, there is going to be some lack of dependability there, but we need to explore that, and how we can offer the appropriate cautions to these companies, and make sure that they abide by them.

ZAHN: And governor, you said that among the things you are going to ask the Black Wolf are the directions given to the miners, and I know that David Hess, who is the secretary of your Environmental Protection, has confirmed with CNN the investigation will now center on what was wrong with the maps. Is there any early indication of what was wrong?

SCHWEIKER: No, not at all, Paula. Today, you know, we are getting back to the capitol. I'm here at the capitol. I have come back from Somerset, and came back yesterday after visiting with each of the nine families, and the nine miners at the hospitals, and we will delve into that beginning today. But no particular destinations in mind as far as particulars, but we do need to step it up, and provide insights, maybe not complete answers, that may prove elusive, but insights as to what happened and then make sure that miners can avoid this kind of ordeal again. I mean, think about it. You know, an abandoned mine full of water almost killed 18 people. We had a team of nine that got out, But for the heroic, smart effort of Dennis, who made that call and said "get out, get out," we could have lost 18. It just -- we cannot have that prospect again.

ZAHN: Well governor, we wish you luck with the investigation, and I hope you know how moved my family and the rest of America was watching you all Saturday night when you got that first ray of good news. Again, congratulations.

SCHWEIKER: Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Appreciate it so much.

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