The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-18
Additional Pan tfeuInrs OF the oal Mine Elk !.
pIosion in Virginia.

TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE-TwENTY PERSONS KILLED.
From the Richmond, Va, Dispatch, May 10
On the arrival of the Danvle cars yesterday after
neon learned OF terrible explosion and great loss
Of life at the English coal pits in Chesterfield county
about fourteen miles from this city.
When we reached the pits hearts became appalled,
at the shreks and groans of the widowed wives whose
hurried into eternty of the obs and tears Of children
lamentng the death Of their fathers and OF mothers
who but few hours before had parted from their dar
ling boys the PICTURES of health and happiness now in
the cold embrace of death Sad and heartrendng, in
deed was the sight before and could but exclam
from the deepest of our heart what shadows
we are and what shadows pursuej''
On arriving at the location of the shaft beneath which
the accident occurred grouped around it some
twenty or thirty men, apparently dumbfounded, aborng
earnestly from the depths beneath the remains
&C. their co-laborers friends and acquanances From
least twenty white persons in the pit and that
there was very little reason to hope that any Of them
alive.
Mr.. Job Atkins an experienced miner, and the
superintendent of the Midlothian Pits, had come over,
and at volunteered ito descend ascertain the
suit of the explosion and If possible any of the
miners who might not be dead. Fresh air immedi-
atey pumped in the pit purified and Mr.. A., with other
volunteers stepped into the bucket and immediately
the signal was given, and the bucket, containing the
crushed, manged and Nfeess body of Moses Cyrie
was repeated and VIM Elliot was dra rn up, dreadfuiiy
burned and bruised, but not dead. He Immediately
taken to his boarding house near by where medical aid
was promptly gven but it is greatly feared that he can
not recover.
The third body rescued that of Jos. Rightshaw
intelligent lad Of about fourteen years of age whose
father iedby explosion in the pit in 1851
This poor little fellow had helpless widowed mother,
and perhaps brothers and sisters for whose support he
laboring at the time OF his death. His remains
badly burned and charred, but his countenance
calm and placid If only asleep. The fourth sig
nal brought up the backen and charred corpse Of
who from appearances, was just in the act Of put
ting his hand TO his mouth, when the explosion which
killed him took place
Mr.. Job Atkins. vino had descended the pit,
bodies at the end OF the shaft the first inclined plain
and that farther down there twelve others
all OF which less blackened disigured and
charred by the sad accident He further stated that the
four mules in the pit all dead and that there were
no hopes of finding any OF the miners alive On this
port volunteers preparing to descend the pit
the dead bodies when we left the scene at 10
o'clock p NJ.
The explosion took place about hafpast IL O'Clock,
and must have happened just at the time when the
miners had ceased their abors and were eating their
How originated ii is impossible to tell at this
time, though the presumption is that of the men
thong htlessy approached Of the old damps with
their lamps and the explosion caused BIZ the escape
Of gas from unknown leaks Certain 1t is that not ten
minutes before the accident two of the miners assembled
the shaft and I'D TO the time that they left gas
foul air had been discovered This pit Is 625 feet Deep
and explosions have occurred in 1t two or three times
before.
We give below the names of the persons who were in
the pit at the time Of the explosion, the first twelve OF
whom were married men, and have left helpless and
destitute families 10 mourn their loss
Moses Cyrie Albert Branch Thos. Tom pkns, Ezekiel
Dobbtns Robert Williams John Jones Robert Crosiick
Henry Vest, William Palmer, John Kiver, John Thurman
Henry Godsey, William Elliott, Samuel Vest John Pea
cock Joseph shaw jeremiah Kane, Thomas Brown
Joseph Rightshaw.e
aple 4 a.. reN.