The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-06
RICHMOND SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL g. 1867

John Freeland, and Henry Haxall. Mr..
Cox being the member Of the Board resi-.
dent at the pits, was requested to draw IN
report of the affair; which was done
We give it below:
The following is the report submitted by
Mr.. James II. Cox:
was formerly superintendent and gene
raj agent of the Clover Hill Railroad Com
pany and president of the Clover Hill Coal
Mining Company, and had for many years
charge of all the mines at Clover Hill
Last year ] resigned my position, and
Samuel r. Owens, who had been my chief
mining engineer for twenty years, was ap-
pointed in my place. During the time OF
my service there had been several small
explosions at SOM of the mines, at all OF
which have been present, except on one
occasion.
On Wednesday last, the Sd instant, at
.215 o'clock, was in my house, distant
about three quarters of a mile from the
pit called Bright Hope, when one of my
servants ran in and told me that he appre-
hended that an explosion had taken place
at the pits, as he had heard a loud report
and seen smoke arising from the pit.
fled of the reality of the report. | at once
repaired to the pit. When | reached it, L
found the managers, with such of the labor
ers as were ont of the pit, preparing to make
descent. Some delay was experienced in
completing the arrangements to make the
descent, so that the men did not reach the
bottom of the pit until about O'Clock. On
their return they reported that there was a
fire at a small closet or lumber-house
about forty feet from the shaft bottom.
They saw no man, living or dead, and did
not believe there was living person IN the
pit. | urged them to return and make
further and fuller examination, with view
of seeing if single individual might not
be saved. | was satisfied there was no
danger of a second explosion at that time
from the fire, at the place where they
reported it to be. I appealed to them, and
offered them large reward to descend
again, but they declined to go, upon the
ground that there might be fire upon the
rise workings, in which case there would
be danger of another explosion. The adj
vice of all the most experienced miners
was at once to close the shaft hermeti-
cally, and by excluding the atmospheric air
to extinguish the fire. This course | re-
sisted, with the hope that | might prevail
upon parties to descend again. Early next
morning prevailed upon three men to de-
scend, who returned and reported that the
fire was moderate in extent, but could not
be extinguishcd with the men and means
at our disposal.
was then satisfied that all the unfortu-
nate men in the pit were lost beyond hope,
and the only thing left was to close the
pit. ! then gave my consent that this
should be done. ! believe that everything
was done that could be done to save life
under the circumstances but my belief
now is, from the partial examination made
of the pit since the explosion, that every
man in the pit was either instantly killed
or survived but few moments.
/ am well acquainted with the arrange
ments which had been in existence for vcnti-
lating the Bright Hope" and am satisfied
they were so complete that il faithfully
executed there would have been no eXplo-
sion.
By this deplorable accident sixty-nine
persons have lost their liyeS-thirty whites
and thirty-ninc colOrcd.
A number Of experienced miners of
Clover Hill and from the adjacent mines
were present TO give their opinion as TO the
possibility Of sending any one down in the
pits or of saving any lives. They all con-
Cured in the opinion that it would be i'm
possible to send any one down until the
fire was extinguished, without riSking more
lives. As regarded the possibility of saving
life, they were certain that there could be
nc one living in the pits. Those who
were not Immediately killed by the
explosion must have died from Sutlo-
cation in very few moments. There
was a wide difference of opinion concerning
the time that would have 10 elapSe before
the pit could be entered and the bodies
gotten out. Mr.. Job Adkins thought that
the fire could be cXtinguishcd and an en-
trance made to-day, whilst McsSrs. Owens
aud Marshall, Sr., thought that it would
be safer to wait three or four weeks. Ii
will likely be several weeks before the
attempt is made. The President stated
for the Board that they were satisfied that
everything possible had been done, and
offered TO any one who believed that he
could save single life any reward he
might desire to make the attempt.
The Board then appropriated s. 900 for
the relief Of the families of the deceased,
without regard to color, to be left in the
hands of Messrs. Owens and j. L. Cox for
proportionate division.
On motion of Mr.. Haxall, vote of
thanks was rendered the following named
gentlemen from other mines for their
counsel and assistance-namcly, Colonel
Woodbridge, President Midlothian Com
panv, who offered all the men and mate
rial at his disposal MessrS. Job Adkins
and Thomas Jewctt, Of the Midlothian
Company; Robert Marks, lessee Black
Heath Mine and Robert Straughan,
Norwood pits.
The Board then adjourned.
THE LOSS OF PROPERTY.
The loss of property is Of course con-
siderable, but we have not yet been able
to ascertain the amount. This is, after
al, secondary matter; and even the
Board have not considered it in their en-
deayors to relieve the destitute families of
the lost ones and to recover their bodies.
THE DESTITUTE FAMILIES.
The following list is indeed a sad one !;
and in giving it We earnestly appeal TO our
citizens to come forward with their cOntri-
buttons:
Thomas Layton, wife and six children !;
Patrick Donahoe, two motherless children /;
James Lockett, wife and four children; /;
William Thomas, wife and five children
Beverly Amonett, wife and three children !;
Joseph Condrey, wife and one child John
Ainsko, wife and three children; James
Ainsko, wife and one child John Veal,
wife and five children; Peter Logan, wife +;
George Moore, wife and six children ;
II Not RnhartS T., i.