The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-09-29
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The Eastern papers still continue
to give accounts Of the horror at
Avondale. We extract the following
HOW THE MEN MET THEIR DEATH.
Tt should be explained that the
galleries which penetrate this NINE
are irregular IN line, running cast
and west under the hill to a consid
cradle distance, with chambers at
intervals and doors at varying dis
tanees to keep out the eurrents o.
foul air. Their is no doubt but that
the miners at once OWNED the accl-
dent that had occurred, and took
prompt u1eaRkTes 10 save themselves.
ia the long galleries, running dc
viouslv east and west, the miners
were scattered at work, some IN gang
WAYS. others in the chambers, follow
ing the usual routine of daily toll.
I,sborers were filling the cars from
tbe broken coal broken down by the
miners pick; boys we're driving for
ward the mules to the mouth Of the
shaft with car loads Of coal to be
hoisted to the world above; all was
proceeding in the customary way,
when the rush back of the sulphur
Gus gas from the furnace told the
miners too we'll the nature Of the dis
aster that had occurred.
In the light of what the brave men
discovered on going down early this
morning to rescue their fallen com
rades, we can easily trace what follow
ed when the discovery became known
through the mines that the shaft was
stopped and the fresh air Of Heaven
excluded. All those In the vici nifty
of the furnace Tetreated by winding
WAYS so as to avoid the poisonous gas
ses. to the utmost limits Of the mine,
to a gangway 200 feet from the bot
tom of the shaft.
At the entrance to the last gallery
of the mine sixty-seyen appalled, but
vet collected miners met, and with the
true Instinct Of self preservation, pro-
ceeded at Cnce to barricadeIthem
in a space extending in a semi-circu-
lar sweep some 800 feet. At either
end of this limit were two doors,
which we're instantly closed, and on
some crevices being discovered, the
men pulled their shirts off and stopped
the interstices, but not before the
fearful demon in the air had pene-
trated their last Tetreat-not In force,
however, but in sufficient strength to
do the work of death with unerring
certainty. In this terrible chamber
their lamps extinguished, and the
blaekness of eternal night closed
around them. 1t Is carefully estimat-
ed that the strongest Of the men sue
cumbed in eight hours after self
immurement. The supply Of fresh air
which they locked In was quickly ex-
hausted by the breathing of sixty
seven pair of powerful lungs; while
all the time the coal above, below
and around them was emitting the
/, deadly carbon. Mr.. Thomas, one of
the first of the heroic fellows who pen
etrated this point In search of the
missing men, reports that after break
ing the barrier aud gaining entrance
to the gangWay, where all those
y human lives surrendered to the King
ofTerrors, In the sight that met his
gaze completely Uananned him, aud
he went like little child. TO him
there was nothing terrible in the
sDeetacle; the men were once his COM
rades; their begrimed faces were ia
miliar to his eye, and from the dan
ger Of which they we're the victims
he, himself, had many narrow escapes.
It was the touching friendship for
each other which these rude sons of
toll showed IN the last moments of
their struggle for life that melted the
soul of the brave, stern man who
descended the perilous shaft to save
them if he could. Men we're found
locked in each others embraces !;
others with hands clasped laid them
selves down to die; one was discovered
calmly sitting by PROSTATE com
paniOn, as though listening TO his
dying request, Nothing harsh or
angry was observed in the features of
the poor fellows. Within a space of
forty feet they had all yielded up their
lives, evidently with a heroic resigna-
ton and a calm resolve to die like
men.
Mr.. Hughes, boss Of the inside
mining operations, was found sitting
on a heap Of coal, his face resting on
his hands, as though meditating his
awful situation, aud while thus occu-
pied was silently released from ex-
istence.