The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-06
Suffering Families, etc.
INTERESTING DETAILS.

Our community was startled on Thurs.
day morning by the news of an explosion
at the coal pits at Glover Hill, attended
with great loss of life. The distance of the
place of occurrence, and the limited means
OF communication Herewith, prevented us
yesterday from obtaining any more thar
a mere outline of what has proven to be
one of the most awful calamities with which
this country has ever been visited, carry
ing into eternity in an instant, in a manner
sickening to the mind by its merest con,
temptation, sixty-nine souls.
We were enabled yesterday morning,
through the courtesy of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Glover Hill Company, to
visit the scene of the disaster on q
special train chartered by the Board
who also went thither to devise some
means for the relief Of the families of the
victims, to inquire into the cause Of the
calamity, and as TO what means could be
taken to recover the bodies.
SCENE AT THE PITT
The train reached the pits at about | !
o'clock A. NJ. As soon as we arrived we
repaired to " Bright Hope" mine-the one
at which the explosion took place-which
seemed 10 be gloom about the whole face
of the country, and the countenanccs
Of the people were depicted with
despair. As we alighted from the
cars we heard the plaintive cries OF
women, and though our hearts shrank at
the sounds, our eyes turned involuntarik
in the direction of two female forms passing
| by. One, young, robust, and rather
| handsome woman, who had an infant in her
arms, gave vent to low walls of grief; while
the other, an elderly woman, who led two
| little children by the hand, cried in tones
of the widest anguish.
The cabins of the miners in the vicinity
of the mines seemed deserted, only around
some might be seen little ones, who looked
at the silent groups of men gathered near
by with cOuutcnanceS indicative of fear
and childish curiosity, as il they were con-
sciouS of dreadful occurrence, and yet
unconscious Of its fearful consequences.
Immediately around the pits were num-
bcr of groups of men, who looked silently
and sadly around them, or else converSed
lin low tones. Here one shook his head
as he exclaimed, Poor fellow, he's gone"
while one might tell from the blanched
cheek and quivering lips of another that
one of his own blood was among those
who had been swept off by this fearful
visitation of Providence. The scene was
one full Of sadness, which went to the
hearts Of all who mingled in it, and from
the rapid changing of the countenance of
| each one as he approached it, it seemed as
| though there was contagion of gloom in
| the very atmosphere.
BRIGHT HOPE MINE.
Bright Hope Mine was opened in 1857
by the Glover Hill Railroad Company. 1t
has two shafts, about 500 feet in depth,
and it extends north and south about
$500 feet. In 1859 an explosion took place
in this mine, which resulted in the death
of nine men. 1t has always been con-
sidercd very safe, having as fine avenues
and apparatus for ventilation as it was
possible to have, and therefore accidents
can only be attributablet 20 negligence.
When we reached the mouth of the pit
we found the northern or downcast shaft
entirely closed with sand, while the south
ern shaft was filled with a blue sulphu-
rous smoke up to within ten feet of the
top. Nothing could be seen beyond this
not sound came from the depths below
and the thought that siXty-nine human
beings lie dead at the bottom was Sicken-
ing. We turned away and left the scene,
finding it necessary to collect ourselves be-
fore proceeding to gather the facts con-
nected with the calamity. We were en-
abled, through the courtesy of Captain D..
y. Cox, assistant superintendent of the
mines, to gather the substance of what We
give below:
THE EXPLOSION.
At about half-past 2 o'clock on Wednes-
day afternoon 4 tremendous explosion was
heard, proceeding from the mouth of the
northern shaft of Bright Hope mine, which
was followed by rush Of dust and smoke
from both shafts. The explosion was sup
posed to have taken place on the upper or
mining level. In minute or two after
wards second explosion took place, which
was nearly as loud as the first, and in about
ten minutes this was followed by third
explosion, which could scarcely be heard.
Superintendent Owens and Captain Cox
Immediately went to work with what force
could be gathered. They first commenced
to fix the ropes, which were found to have
been broken by the force of the explosion
and without these it was impossible to de-
scend. The rope was taken from the
southern shaft and attached to that of the
northern shaft. The telegraph wire COM
municating between the pits and the en-
gjne-h house was also found TO be broken.
This had to be remedied, and it was fully
3 O'Clock before everything was in readl-
ness for the descent. At this time,
Thomas Marshall, Sr., chief gasman, John
Strong, and James Duggen, miners, de.
scended the pit slowly, in small rock
bucket, to within about 100 feet of the
bottom, or $50 feet from the top, when they
could 90 no further, and were forced to
ascend in consequence of the giving out OF
the telegraph wire. They hallooed dowI
into the Dit, but could hear no reply.
After they had reached the top, more wire
was obtained and attached, and IN abou
an hour the same party again went down
and reached the bottom of the shaft. Ihey
found the water-sink there filled up VIII
tmbers, blown into it by the explosion
} Marshall went out into the air-passag'
about twenty feet, and found the door 10
the regulation of ventilation so impede'
that he could 60 no further. Strong wen
out into the upper level Of the mine aoou
eighty feet, and saw fire near one OF tn