Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-03-22
LATE NEWS By THE MAILS.
From the Richmond Dispatch.

sons httted, ana tfttre OfhtrS BddiU Burn e.
cd that bal ttn ofthem ean Recorer.
A terrific explosion occurred at the Midlothi-
nm Coal Pits, in Chesterfield county. about thr-
teen miles south of this city, on Monday rl ening
lat. att O'Clock, by which thirty.four persons
were instantly killed and Il number of others So
lady burned that little or no hopes are enter
tanned of their recover. Up In the very moment
of the accident, the superintendent and en-.
ployees in the pits felt perfectly satisfied that
there was not particle If feul air aloat around
them, and Mr.. John Atkins. the agent. looked
upon the pits rs icing entirely FREQ from danger
that h. declared IT, Us that he would not have
hesitated to take his family into them to remain
Even now. the cause of the explosion Is entirely
hid III mystery, and must ever continue 81. though
Mr.. Atkins inelines To the opinion that in max
inga blast. un old shatt sink was accidentally
preached from which poured forth volume of
ga, that became lgnted, and swept as hesom
ofde,tractian through the various avenues, deal
ing death with AN an>piring hand, on all that
came within its course.
fhe explosion, when it took place, caused the
earth, for miles around the pits, to and
rock MS twig in the wind. One gentleman, who
was Crossing, the railroad, about mile from the
pits at the time, said he felt the rails reel under
hm; and another, who passing the road on
horse back, declared that hi, beast staggered
and trembled, as if shocked by a tremendous gal.
vanie battery. The centre boards around the
shafts were blown off a. if they had been paper.
and at the western shaft, two large cable chains
were broken in two easily "a if they had been
pipe stems.
A. soon a the explo, ion was heard. all the
workinen above ground. from the Midlothian and
English pits, FASTENED Ia the scene, and prepared
10 descend the Western shaft, to rescue those
who might still he alive. Mr. job Atkins, the
agent for the English pits, IN company with II
number of noble hearted volunteers, descended
the Eastern shaft aa >uon they could do So,
and the two parties Immediately set about in
search of such of the miners as they might find
alive. They succeeded in rrscung sixteen per
sons. more or less burned, four whites and twelve
backs, and took them To their houses and the hos
pitais, where, they were hmm dlately placed under
medical treatment They then di, covered about
thirty dcnd men, seine of whom they removed
and others they wele prcparl = IL remove when
we left the pits at half past three O'Clock yester
day afternoon. Mr.. Atkins describes the scene
as heart rrnding in the extreme. Some of the
dead men, the flesh charred on their bones, held
their shovel, in their hands, others were holding
10 their pick, and drll~; and Samuel Hunt,
small boy who had been deprived of reason for
the time, lay the concusson. was calling loudly to
the mule he had been driving to go along. Those
who were NOT dead, soon - they heard the
voices Of their friends, begged earnestly not 10
be left, aud then prayed loudly for II few drops of
cold water 10 qurnch their burning thirst.
In one of the avenues, several tons of stone
and dirt had been thrown dowr, beneath which
was discovered the bodies of two of Mr.. WOold-
ridges servants.
Weyi>itrd the hospitals and of all the horrd
spcctaclcs our eyes ever behtd, the one there
presented To our view was the worst. Some seven
or eight negro men lay there the skin burned
from their faces, eyes, hands arms and bodies,
as L they had been roasted, and the groans that
escaped from those who were conscious of their