The New York herald., 1869-09-07

AnOtnef TofftOto Coal Nalnc Ule0ateks
Our telegraphic dispatches bring us heart
rending account Of another of these frequently,
of late, recurring disasters in coal mines here
at home aud in Europe. This last reported, If
prove as fatal as the despatch unfortunately
leads US to fear, must be accounted the most
narrowing and fatal to human life that has yet
occurred In this country. The scene of this
most recent catastrophe is at the Avondale
mines at Plymouth, about twenty miles
south of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 1t is
reported that In the coal mines at this place
the burning Of "coal breaker" threatens with
one common death, through suffocation, no
less than the appalling number of two hundred
human beings. This number Of persons-men
and boys-it is known were in the mine at the
breaking out Of the fire. The minetis described
as the Steuben shaft-a mine owned by the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Company. The fire broke out In the fue
at the bottom of the Steuben shaft, and
spread with such rapidity, and was at
tended with such devastating effect that
the whole 'breaker" was Immediately
ignited, the outbuildings enveloped in flames
and in an incredibly short time consumed.
The hosting apparatus, the only avenue for
escape for the unfortunate men whenever its
use could be made available for that purpose,
shared the same fate. The greatest excite
ment prevailed, and the whole country round
had hurried to the terrible scene. A large
staff of physicians, summoned from Scranton
and surrounding towns, were on the ground
prepared to render all the aid in their power
should the unfortunate men not be passed all
such humane Offices. A number of fire en-
gines were also present, and vigorously
worked by the excited people.
The latest despatch from the scene reports
that the shaft was cleared, and that two
men were lowered in bucket into the shaft.
They had descended sixty or seventy yards
when they came to closed gangway door,
which resisted all their efforts to force open.
They found three dead mules outside the door.
No signs Of life were discovered, and it is
feared that all the miners have persisted.
Here is another, the saddest chapter of
horrors to those which have lately so
shocked humanity. These accidents, or by
whatever other name they may be
called, have followed in quick and
disastrous succession. Among the most terri
BILE OF them may be enumerated the coal
mine explosion at st. Helen's, near Liverpool,
on the 22d July last, which resulted In the
death OF ffty-three men. The Ferndale col
liery disaster, on the 10th June, in South
Wales, in which like number ofvictims--ffty-
three perished that at Lancashire, England,
twenty-eght killed the coal mine explosion,
near Dresden, Saxony, On the I'd August, in
which 32l perished the colliery explosion at
Firminy, near St. Etienne, France, whereby
fourteen persons lost their lives. And
to this sad recital we fear that
this later disaster at the Avondale mines
now reported must be added with the sad
reality that all in the mine at the breaking out
Of the fire, two hundred persons, have pershed
by suffocation. Here is sad cause enough to
raise the question and to have 1t discussed in
all its bearings-is there no means that can be
devised to prevent the terrible loss of life In
coal mines, so subject to explosion2 or, better
still, cannot means be devised TO prevent these
explosions alto0ether.