The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-08
CATASTROPHE IN A VIRGINIA COAL MINE.

OF the ktaled-Scenes and Incidents,
Ete. Etc.
From tte Richmond Times Of SATURDAY.
About O'Clock yesterday morning Messrs.
William II. Mcfarland (PresIdent), William
II. Haxall and John Freeland, OF the Board of
Directors OF the Glover Hill Coal Mining Com
pany, d. s. Woo odridge, Treasurer OF the Com
pany, and others at the Company, left by a
special train for the scene OF the occurrence
Our reporter accompanied the party, and
learned the names OF the killed, and all the
facts connected with the explosion that could
be ascertained.
CASUALTIES OF THE EXPLOSION.
The following is list of those who we're in
the mine at the time of the explosion, and of
course were either Immediately killed or sur
vived but few moments:-
Whde.-John Weale, gasman Peter Logan digger;
George Moore digger; James Harper, trailer William
R 6qnKIman Alfred lTaacs trailer Mat
Puckett, trailer Tom Puckett trailer; John Baugh-
Gardns j6Sg f. Re3er aer FoSsfs %
liam Goode, trailer; James Puckett, trailer; William
A. Cole, mule-drtveT; Thomas Cosley, trailer; Sam
Fowler, ,trailer.Nck Hac<ett trailer Thomas Layton
William Thomas digger Beverly Ammonett, digger
Jonas ss S&aaEeyd digger & william C99Tsley trailer
ooiored.-Custis Cox, trailer; Beverly Anderson,
driver Dick Hopson, trailer; Andrew Branch, trailer;
Washington Hunt, trailer William slmms trailer;
Jackson, trailer William T6eeat ier Price JACK
trailer ! Reed Jefferson trailer; Wiley Gibbs trailer;
TuTpin, tm6erer; Phil Boisseau trailer Henry nES
Boisseap traieT Aaron Wood, digger: Elljah McTyre
Robert Belman. digger Frank Miles trailer Albert
digger: Henry owens, digger; Henry Howard digger;
Jordan Gates. digger; William Kelly digger. Total
SCENE on THE ARRIVAL OF THE TRAIN
On the arrival of the train at the scene of the
disaster truly was a gloomy, desoate scene wit
messed. All work had been stopped save in one
OF the shafts of the pits in which the explosion
occurred. In this few men were silently
working, making preparations to have it filled
in, had been the others a few feet off, for the
purpose of excluding the air, aud thereby
hoping to eXtingulsh the fire that ragged within.
The miners sat around, or loltered about, con-
versing in low tones of the calamity which had
belallen their comrades, and struck an almost
death blow to the wives and children OF those
who were killed, and who, by this calamity, are
left destitute and helpless. Everything looked
gloomy and desolate, and the thonghts of the
mourning widows and children, whoLwere in
the cabins not far from the spot had a most de-
pressing effect upon all the party,
The explosion occurred at half-past O'Clock
last Wednesday afternoon. The first intimation
that the worRmen at the mouth of the pit had
oft was tremendous report, apparently from
the main level OF the northern portion of the
pit, followed by cloud OF dust and smoke
Issuing from the mouths of both the up-cast
and down-cast shafts. (The miners descend by
one shaft and ascend by the other, hence the
names 'up-cast" shaft and ''down-cast' shaft.)
Before the workmen had recovered from their
surprise, another eXposlon took place, and in
five minutes was followed by another. By these
explosions the wood work around the mouth of
the north "down-cast" shaft was blown away,
as we're also portions of the sides of the shaft.
The large iron bucket, in which at the time OF
the explosion was a load OF COAL was being
drawn up, and was nearly at the top, when it
was blown to pieces, and only few particles
could be found.
The explosion at first caused a perfect panic
among the workmen around the mouth of the
pit, but they soon recovered and set to work to
help those who might be living down below.
Mr.. Owens, superintendent of the pits, and Mr..
Cox, with the assistance of Mr.. Thomas Mar
shall, Sr., went to work to replace the ropes,
which were broken by the explosion, and
descend by them, which, after a great deal of
labor, they succeeded in doing. While fixing
these ropes an hour and half elapsed and il
was about o'clock when the first descent was
made by Messrs. Thomas Marshall Sr., John
Strong, and James Dugagan, in a small rock
bucket, with two DavY lamps for light They
descended TO within one hundred feet of the
bottom, and found that they had gotten to the
end of the telegraph wire which connected with
the engine-room at the mouth of the pit.
Alter calling to ascertain If any one was alive
in in hearing: they ascended to procure more wire.
Wire wass obtained, and IN an hour after
ascending, they again descended to the bottom
of the pit. At the bottom of the shaft was a pit
OF water forty feet below the level of the pit.
This they found to be entirely chOked up with
broken timber, bricks, and dirt. They got out
of the bucket, and Mr. Marshall attempted to go
to the south shaft, about twenty-five feet dis
tant, but found the air doors blocked up by
earth and rubbish. Mr.. Strong went eighty feet
up the level, and discovered that the pits were
on fire near the powder magazine. A dead mule
was found about twenty feet from the bottom ol
the shaft. but no dead human bodies could be
seen, nor were there any traces to show that
any of the miners who were in the pit had sur
yived. The party, after satisfying themselves
that nothing could be done for the relief OF any
who mieht be allve and furthermore that they
were endangering their lives by remaining
reascended.
About O'Clock Thursday morning, Messrs,
Thomas Marshall, Jr., and Richard Berry and
Lewis Cox, colored, descended to the bottom OF
the shaft, found the state of affairs to be the
same as above mentioned, and in few mo-
ments came up. In short time they again
went down. They also attempted to 90 to the
south shaft, but could not, aud finding the air
very impure, returned.
After the second party returned and being
convinced that none OF the wOrkmen IN the pit
lived, it was determined to stop up both shafts,
stopped up Immediately, but heY had to desist
from stopping up the south s iaft on account OF
the smoke and impure air which arose from il.
A pipe was afterwards put down it, and on yes
terday the work was completed.
THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
will be mystery, for all who might have re-
yeaIed il are locked in the rigid embrace oi
death; but the suppostion, ana most probably
the true one, is that it was caused by the gross
negligence of the two deputy gas'men' Thomas
Marshall ST., and John Weale, the latter Of
whom paid for his negligence the penalty OF
death, he being killed by the explosion.
For this pit there were three gas-men, MIR
Thomas Marshall, sr., chief, aud the two
deputies above named. The duty OF the chief
years of age, and was taught by Mr.. Buttle, the
caIahrated Enqlish miner, IS TO oversee his depu'