New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-13
THE AVONDALE CALAMITY.


| PLYMOUTH, Pa, Sept. 11.-Early this morn
ing the good people Of Plymouth were astir, making
preparations to attend the inquest which adjourned
from Avondae to this place Thursday At II O'Clock
Coroner Wadhams and Esquire Emo opened their Court
| In Shupp's Hall. The jury composed OF james
| George, VIM. j. Harvey, Chas. Hutchinson, Samuel
vanloon. Martin Mcdonald and Thos. Patten. There
were not many miners present as 1t was expected
there would be- For the most part they represented
| by the presidents OF their Unions. The who frs
came from the shaft just before the fire refused to ap
pear This conduct created some suspicion. The first
witness sworn G. ii. Wilson, M. ID. He said the
death Of the minerwas caused by the inhalation Of
bonc acid gas.
Charles Savage, the next witness, said am a foot
man In the mine am well acquainted with the INTERIOR
was not In the the day OF the disaster worked
there on Saturday last the fire built in the furnace
the % inst; 1t customary 10 let the fire go out
Saturday the nue considered good one; at the
time the fire broke out the shaft rather wet; the
man in charge OF the furnace had held his position since
the I'd OF the month; the ue cut through solid coal
and connected with the shaft by brckwork shaft the
general feeling about the mine that the shaft might
at any time take fire. but no one suspected that
would ever take fire from below; Palmer Steele the
stable boss took down hay generally in carriage don't
know whether he carried light with him or
In the furnace; have been In the mine since
| II was opened the Union mine is immediately below
Avondale and think that there would have been but
mines; the sound OF drill at work be heard from
mine beside the stable: cannot tell where the fire orig
inaed the ue was not broken, for 1t cut through
the solid COAL the bretce inside all made OF wood;
the mine has been worked about three years; have
heard Of another place OF talked OF being opened
Mr. Hughes, The inside foreman had full control OF the
mines without any 10 interfere have any
sparks par d Tying up the shaft. ,.. ,,..,.
live in Plymouth, and outside the Avon
dale mine; A Lyman was attending at the head OF the
shaft on the day OF the fire. II the first time he had
along right not at the breaker when the fire occurred
have no idea as 10 what caused the fire; there
the top Of the shaft, and never knew a man TO 20
down with nay and light; have been down into the
mine at the bottom Of the shaft and not connected
with the furnace by wood; the fire kinded at about
saw any sparks In II; heard Mr. Evans say that he
tended to drive tunnel to make second entrance
10 the mine think tunnel could have been put through
by this time had there been strike; IL found that
the water would come in when another tunnel cut
through; am sure that every mine should have two
Mr.. John Roberts was called and sworn. He testified
that he Palmer steele going down with bundle Of
hay just about 20 minutes before the fire occurred.
Dr. wilson was recalled; He was asked how long he
out: He said just n few minutes.
Chas Wilcox the next witness sworn. was ticket
shaft when Palmer steele went down; did not watch
him. rang the bell for the engineer TO Jet the carriage
down; did not see him 80 down; suppose he dd a
number OF hOlsed from the mine after he went
down, before the fire discovered first saw the fire
the top Of tho shaft supposed 1t came from the
furnace. as there a fireman, aud he
DID not understand much about making the fire;
and NV SSe. smnrte badly The flames cae SO rapidly
that nothing could be done TO extnguish them The IN
quest here adjourned until o'clock
Arson Dunn was called aud sworn In the afternoon ]
down into the shaft at o'clock the morning OF
The ne 10 get work remained there about hali OF
thrcequarters OF AL hour saw several men down there
and they told me that II was good mine TO work IN;
promised 10 10 work the next morning; went into
the mine back oi the furnace everything seemed 10 be
law no steam smoke or fire when got ont Of the mine
crossed over the river, and when home that
the breaker was on fire,
,Ilos Roney sworn was engineer in the Avondale
mne 'ns Soy Ss2It nne feet from he bottom
times the brettice fire before IL
the tue way, and had no connection with the shaft The
witness was cross-eKamued by Henry j. Phillips,
mining engineer OF the Delaware. Lackawanna.
he had had some difficulty Win the miners; they had
forbidden HIM 10 work ia the mines. He asked II he
had said that II he could not work there other
man should. and said no. He confirmed what had been
said by previous witness that Evan Hughes had AZ
tempted 10 force tunnel INTO the mine. for lie said II
Isaac Thomas-I have worked about two years in the
mines; never heard that the furnace dangerous;
am certain that had there been another opening the
would have escaped have seen currents Of air
IN mines strong enough 10 carry up pecs OF boards don't
think that the draft at the Avoudale mine strong
enough to take burning brand 10 the shaft; never
knew Of any nrc being IN the bTettiCe.
Thomas Dayis-I am familiar with the interior OF the
Ayondale mine; have worked there 10 months the fire
must have commenced near the mouth Of the tunnel
IL Is not burned below think that the Dretuce was set
on fire don't think that IL could have caught from the
furnace have spoken several tunes 20 the inside boss
about providing another opening Tor the miners ~ the
driving through, which when complete would beJust
what the wanted the boards at the bottom Of the
shaft too wet to catch hre must have caught
near the true the mine has been closed for some time
onsequeny 1t Is very damp. Another witness testified
that there were quite number Oi men gOod way back
| found "a man the east gangway who worked IN the
west he must have went there for place OF safety.
gineer of told the inside boss that there
danger OF IRE, because Of the heat which came through
The fue; hosted up a and dumped II, and told the
fireman that there was good deal OF smoke coming
up from OF the shaft; shortly after drawing
fIta mn ieuDp As lt 81 All
explosion OF gunpOwder IN the shalti my faherbnt the
furnace but do not remember that We ever had TAX
! George Morgan-Have been at work in coal mines ever
since was 10 years old every mine should have two
openings was among the first 10 go down IN tue smart
aier the fire the upper part OF the Orettce was com
phey burned within 20 feet OF the bottom Of the
shu below this IL burned don't think that the IRE
BEGAN bottom OF the shaft all mines should have
openings there aretoo many mines beside tne one
aA having only one place for the men 10 get out
Here Mr. Evans said the miners knew that tue avon
Ode mine was dangerous but they had TO either work III
it,r starve The miners said he, intend at TINS u
qust let the public know the pes they are exposed
Thomas Thomas testified that he had been engaged as
miner for 80 years, and that he had frequently spoken
toMr Evans about the danger OF having only one open
x 10 his mne; considered the ventilation good in the
Afondale mine IL would not have been inuch Oh JVD
! to open gangway through to the Union hine' OhIy
The testimony carefully given and great interest
was manifested by the spectators The order mght nave
bnn better had the miners been more patent Tue ln
Slest was adjourned until o'clock on Tuesday mofhhg
will be seen by the testimony that b0th Oh the ens
neers considered the ue dangerous aud the Que VINO
M present when the fire occurred had SPOKEN VI lhe
| vrcai heat In the shaft 70 "a brother workman.
Tie Relief Committee issued the following elrcuar:
| 49," PLIsoUTH, Psnn, sept H. 1893
II. Relief COMMITTEE, appointed during disaster Ayoade met
Ia, evening At the BAnk Plymouth aud organized per
..s,ntr by ,.etng Wsdham. Pndeat H. Gaylord treasurer
AID LsSp committee Of seven persons vas a
na,d 20 ool the inmeai. wants Of The amd 70
for al least one Nerh 10 Akt As
unfDTupatts and TO report thsr action az the
.sug 10 be Monday evening aud also TO devise system ior s1
S"s. aSaon other contribution. Isqas'is!
% np, mic hand, Contributions placed val forward b'
49,. 10 IA Gsyord the Firsf National BANK Of Plymouth
'-"' h G. WADHAss, President OF tonnt1ee
HOW THE SHAFT CAUGHT FIRE.
AyoNpALE, Sept. 1l.-Many OF the miners
onpot be persuaded that the fire caught from the fur
Mid snsnlcinn Ia freely EXPRESSED that the