New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-05-18
COAL NINE EXPLOSION.
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.
TWENTY PERSONS KILLED.
r..,n III. Riel,asna va Disp..eh.


On the arrival Of the DanvIe yesterday afternoon,
NAV q 20 learned Of terrible explosion and great loss
az lie Mt tie English Coal Pitts, Chesterfield County,
sbou fourteen miles from this city, and order 70 become
r.-esed Of all the particulars, procured fast team
from Mr. Cosby on Wallis. and al repaired TO the
fatal scene.
When we reached the pits heart became appalled, az
tie hks and groans Of the widowed Wives whose has
haas many Of them in the prime OF life had been hur-
RED into eternity OF tie sob- and tears Of children lament
,c the death Of their fathers AID Of mo,hers who hut
few hours before had parted from their darling boys, the
1ictures # health and cbeeriuness in .de cold en-
brace Of death. sed and heariren'ng indeed was the
,ict before US and could bG . from the deepest
r,cosss # heart, What shadows we are and what
shadows We pursue
On arriving at the location Of the hsft beneath which
the accident had occurred grouped aroun 1t some
twenty or thirty men paren;iy dumb FOUNDED laD)rng
earrety from the depths beneath 'he Of
tleir cc-at or,rs ends and acquanianoes. From Ar.
joe FOLey The manager learned that there were
a. least enty white persons he pit and that there
very little reason to hope that any Of them were alive.
Mr. JOB Atkins, an experienced miner and one Of the
suIeTinordenis Of tie hflOi-n PIls, had come over
and with HE usual daring At volunteered TO descend
ascertain tie resul. Of the explosion, aud possible
any Of he miners who might not be dead Fresh
Giaey Jumped in, the pit speedily Purhed and
M A. with other volunteers stepped into the 0leEet anu
were instantly lwed. They had only been down short
tine when re signal was syen and the bucket cont iHh
the cru. he'd H. H. led and hf.ess body OF hore- tyIe
was drawn VI. Ite bucket beng lowered me s.,1
J rent
bun I'd end bruised. bu not dead Ho was mn ''e.
talen TO Lis boarding house by where medical ara
wa. Irompy given, but it greatly feared 'ha' ne '"
ne lind body rescued that Of Joseph iighi-h w.
~ i.eloen; lad Of about fourteen years OF .,e WISE
fafer killed by an eXll9rrn N lg sni'J p al
m roor little fellow had helpless widowed No'.eI an
,,j,rs brothers and sisters, for whose sups'd be Va
ioi@r a. H. tine ct his DEATH HIS remains were Dy
49, 49, rbsrr.d bui his cOuntouance was calm and
Ill - n ouly asleep The fourth signal brought MP me
foeI.ned md harred core Of Robert Cro'tck, nv OF
Sv and very worthy citizen, who, from appeal inces,
was lust in the act Of putting his held to MS III uh When
he sXlosion which Killed him took place.
Mr. job Atkins who had deseended the pit, now came
~ s,d rerorted that there were five other dead
Ldi.s n, tie end Of the shaft on the frs, inclined plane
and II n, further down there ten twelve others all
Of which were more Less blackened, dishgured and
chared by the sad accident lie further stated tn the
four mules in The pit were MI dead and that there were
TO hoIos Of finding any of the miners alive. On this re-
port new volunteers preparing to descend the PIT %
itcover the dead bodies. when we lot The scene at 10
O'Clock F. NJ.
lie explosion took p'ce about l2l O'Clock aud must
have upIenod just TIE time when the miners had ceased
,Ier slars and were eat g tier dinners. How il origin
acd is impossible to tell at this time though tn pre-,
SUMPTION that of the men houghtessy approached
some of tie Old damps with their lamps and that the
,1son was caused Is the escape of gas from unknown
Iost Certain il il tat not ten minutes before the acct
dent two Of the miners assembled the SHAFT and mp 10 the
time that hey ei OF foul nr hal been discovered
Tie pit 625 feet deep, and explosions have occurred IN
il Two or three times before.
We eivc Ielow The names Of the persons who were in
this nj at the time Of the explosion the frs twelve o
Wiz M were n8rriod ard have left helpless ana des
tuic families 20 Mourn their loss:
Mcsss Henry - st'.,
A.b,I BIsnoh. William Vaimer Johh saoo.@
1hCs TonTkins John River, JoseIh SAt"
Fl,iit. DOlbLs, loLn Truman LEHMAN hnhr
Ri. ri Wllhus Henry GCdsv Iboulhs bown
John Jones, NiIisIn f-iil'i. 80 ...
Robert trosCk, John thot' lhose HaiAeu hn' MIC W.
We sincerely hope that philantlrople citizens VIII
at once put on foot subscription 10 aid the helpless
widows ard children Of the unfortunate men VINO nave
mo, " it'll his sad and sudden calamity. and that all who
con do 50 will contribute literally and promptly Money