The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-09
INUNDATIoN OF A COAL.pIT NRr7o o,17M


situated about mile and quarter from, IL ; e
Lege on the western side. seam nf col :? "a -
scarcely necessary to say, Is Of those tt, l =
alternating regularly with layers Of sandstons ,,s
which all coalbeds are arranged As usu.I ~ o
cess 70 the Marias seam, rather to the R.i M az
coal.pit generally, by large roundej sbas, ~
bure-pit resembling an oblong well, and lao yarJ
in depth from the surface or open air. This Dit bay
ing been long wrought, there were great humber
of excavated seams, or those from which coal had
been taken, leading off from the shaft at various
depths above the Marias; one OF these excavated
seams called the Petsay seam, CHANGED to have, at
part of it distant more than lOU yards rom the SHAFT
a communication with the seam OF a neighboring
coal-pit, where there large collection of wa
ter, kept from breaking out by frame dam or
wooden dixie.
Thi. was the condition of things on the morning
mentioned. when the workers, l21 In number were
in the Marias seam, Unhappiy, the water alluded
to then broke out and flowed into the Petsay scam,
by which it found direct passage into the shaft OF
the Beaujonc pit, at the bottom OF which was the
Marias seam. The latter seam being eighty tive
yards lower in the shaft than the Petsay seam the
water accordingly had a fall of that extent When
frstbr into the shaft the cor strong square
box in which the coal and workmen are carried up
and down. and which was moved by means OF chains
by ten horses working above ground, was just
drawn up. The who filled the corf first OBJ
served the influx and believed did several other
workmen, that something had gone wrong with the
pipes of the steam-pump. The overseer, Hubert
was HImedldCeiy calleu 20 Ine spot, anu as
soon as he arrived, he perceived some dangerous
mischance to have taken place. from the quantity of
the falling water Almost all the men then in the
Marias seam were speedily assembled at the bottom
of the shaft when the corf, after being emptied
above again came down. OF course, all were eager
to save themselves by entering it; and the overseer
Coffin, whose son, boy of twelve years, with
him. had also put his foot into the cof to ascend,
when he again withdrew if, exclaiming ''If ascend,
my workmen will be lost; am determined to leave
ulace the them all. Derish with
theml" He then put blind man into his place. and
the corf went up with about dozen men IN 1.-THE
number it could carry. Being suspended by only
of its four chains it fell in its ascent to sde
and some of the men tumbcd out of it into the ra-
pidly collecting water from which they were extri-
Gated by Coffin and his son. When the corf came
down again. the rushed to it in a crowd, but the
force OF the falling water threw part ofthem down,
| some of whom only were saved. Filled with men,
the corf again went up and by the time it came down
again. the water stood breast high at the bottom OF
| the shaft. As the people above were whipping the
horses rapidly round, there was but moments time
to lay hold OF the corf, but the men cung to it. In
spite of Collins warning, and, in consequence the
most OF those who tried to ascend this third
cason, fell in their ascent and perished in the pit
This was the last time that the corf carried up any
| of the workmen. There were ladders standing in
the shaft for the of the ireengne, and some of
the men attempted to attain safety by of
them but the violence OF the waterfall speedily
| struck down these unfortunates
| Escape by the pit now became impracticable the
water having nearly reached the roof of the under
galleries. Not moment to be lost by those be-
low in taking up position of temporary safety
| Hubert Coffin remained collected. He had ordered
one of the men with him, to make opening in the
air shaft-a narrow bore rising to the open air with
long chimney upon Its top, through which OPEN
ing they could gain the riseboards or gale
ries on the ascending part OF the strata from
the pit, every other way of escaping death
being impossible. Accordingly, all the assembled
workmen, only thirty three of whom had been saved
by the corf, were led by Coffin to one of these gale
ries with the exception of few men, who, deaf to
the oyerseer's entreaties, remained in the filling
place near the shaft in hopes of reaching the corr
and perished The corf descended, indeed, but no
man could reach it. The men and boys, drawing
together in the gallery around Coffin, were IN de
plorabe condition. buried in the bowels OF the earth
at the depth of 1e5 yards, grouped together in
narrow space deprived of food, and almost of vita
air, with little hopes of reicii. and fearing to b'
drowned in the water which they saw increasing
1he boys, lying bitterly, crowded about Conn ion,
eScla1nllns Dear master, how shall we escape'
I We hope the reader understands the position Il
which this unhappy band was Paced. They ha,
got through the Marias seam, out of the shaft al
together and had risen into certain galleries. whic
placed them above the water. The intrepid over
seer encouraged the IDen repeatedly, saving
Lambert Colson lone Of the chief proprietors
| will not abandon us; if we cannot escape by au
own shaft we shall by Mamonster." Mamonste
pit was one close by that of Beaujonc, and Goffi
judiciously concluded, that, as it was impossibl
to remove the water-which rose twenty.eiah
yards in the shat--in time to save Them the peopl
above would try to make way from the Mamor
ster pit, the mouth of which was about 100 yard
| from the Beaulonc shaft Under this impression
Coffin resolved to do something to ai IN the libera
ton OF his comrades and himself Guessing th
| proper direction, he set some of the workmen Z.
commence drifts in the four rise-boards or gaIlerie
called the 4th, 5th, 9th and 7tiI-with which h,
had communication by what is termed headway
The stoutest men he set t. work in the 9TH, whci
| he thought the most hopeful Two men could onl,
work at time, but they constantly relieved eaci
other, and others carried away the excavated mat
ters After toiling more than two long days-fron
| Friday to Sunday evening-by the light of candles
| and without food, and with only dirty water Il
drink in the drift of the 7th risehoard the picks be
gan to return sound which told the experienced
listeners that an excavation was nigh. On this, tht
work went on with fresh vigor; but when they die
break through, a sad disappointment awaited them
A gust of infammabe air came came through tht
opening with horrible noise, indicating the cavity
beyond TO be an old disused pit. Had not Goffirr
Instantly stopped the hole, they would all have
been destroyed by the foul air. This disappoint
ment seemed to take away all chance of relief, and
despair began to seize on the mea. They uttered
the saddest cries, declaring death to be inevitable
and bewaiing the fate of their wives children and
parents. In their desperation, they demanded O
Coffin told them, there was yet resource in the
9TH board, and would have led them oit. No MAI
would move. "Wel" sad the overseer "sncs
you refuse TO obey me- we can Gie!" He then tool
his son, and embraced his friends an all exertioi
seemed to be at an end, when Collins son A feebl,
child, a. inspired, exclaimed "You act like ctil
dren; follow the orders of my father We mus
perseyere IN our work, and show to those whe
shall survive Us, that we had courage even il
DEATH"
| ms speech from mere ghild terminated thf
men, and they began drift in the fifth board which
they nad scarcely done, when they heard the joyful
soahds OF people boring and blasting in the strata
9eiore them Notwithstanding this annotlncement,
.ha1 people were straining every nerve to relieve
| theif; 9oHns men were so exhausted on the sun
gay hfeht, that they again refused TO work. saying
1 tnat m they would as soon die one way as another
Tohif entrested, menaced, and cenapelled, and but
io7 nAt' most certainly all xosih have persisted.
Os the Sunday wight the cafdes went out from
want 81 oxygen in the ARA sad index of what the
captives riast have suffered rom the came cause
The darsHsess added TO the gloom of the men, as
they had ~ work in the DARK Two orphan boys
battered themselves that they shosld not perish be-
cause their fisher prayed for thenajn heaven The
boy Coffin showed. the most remarkable heroism
He frequently catne to his father, capped him On
| the back and exclaimed: "Couraye,. iatherl all
| goes well" wlrasothers bewailed ther own fate
this boy thought oaiy OF his mother, and his six
brothers and sisters. .Fafher," said he syou and
only earned money; low are they TO lises Must
| they begf Dear fafheS u know you have hh some
money in the COW house. now will my noxAer be
able m fftd