St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-09-17


not entirely removed 10y way of the shaft
when the hundred victims OF this catts-
trophc entered the mine on Monday
morning to resume work. On Monday |
morning, as usual, Il fire was kindled IN
the furnace, situated III - chamber oil
from Il gangway OF the mine, about 100
feet from the bottom OF the shaft, TIE
object of the fir being to produce dra!
which ventilated the mine. The hrc
WAS started with wood, and the blaze set ,
fire to the gas in the shaft, and the flame
spread to the breaker, which was instant
" set on fire. The timbers from the
breaker and building above failing into
| the shaft set fire TO the lining OF the
shaft, and thus prevented all entrance OF
exit from the mine. Mr.. Archibald, ST.,
considered competent authority, Is iully
of the opinion that all lite In the mlne
was destroyed very soon after the fire he
ran that the entire force OF the heat
and flame drew directly into the mine,
sweeping the whole extent of the work
| ms us with the Bosom of destruction.
The accuracy of this theory may be SAID
to be demonstrated beyond question by
the discovery made that the carcasses OF
the two dead mules, which lie about fifty
yards from the mouth OF the shalt, are
crustcd over with SCOT Il quarter OF an
inch thick The error of the men who,
on their ascent from the pit MONDAY
night, reported that the fire III the ventl-
lating furnace within the mine was cX-
,tinguishcd, was a fatal error. Treating
their report as true, the mine map show
ed that the most favorable circuit through
which to drive the air-current created by
the fan was that which had formerly
been the ''upcast," or current out OF The
mine. This, of course, led right through
the furnace At six in the morning Il
brisk current was started through this
avenue, and it was not until four III the
afternoon that it was discovered that the
furnace was a glowing mass OF anthrI-
cite, and that Tor ten hours the fan IN
tended to purity the mine had been driv-
in9 into It's depths the full volume OF the
poisonous and sitting gases thrown oil
by the furnace. The misfortune was
terrible, and the only alienation Is found
in the probability that misfortune had
Tor relief began.
1t had from the first been hoped that
Mr.. Evan Hughes, inside foreman, would
have made some memoranda, which he
Ing found, would give Information - to
the time life was prolonged, etc. When
Mr.. Uughc>'s body WAS brought up, his
coat was oft. and his tools, time books,
etc, We're missing. After 1t had hccl!
made morally certain that no more bod
les remained in the mine, Mr.. B-nIamIu
Hughes, general inside foreman OF ail
the Delaware, I.ack;twanna and Western
railroad company's mines, and brother
Of Mr.. Evan Hughes, taking four meL
brothers coat, hopin. to lind i'll it thr
! memoranda 50 much desired lie found
, the coat five OF six hundred yards irota
where Mr. Hughes body mad been iouiid,
, and outside OF both o. the barric.uI'-. /:
! contained lis compass, and other iuo.-
and two time books, but 40 mcmora:.j.
whatever and 80 all hope OF hJyiu- q.
. record OF tie last minutes OF the dead j.,
d lost
&c Had there been another shaft the nsiI
:, crs wuIid have been safe, even in Ca. e..
&! a fire like that Of Monday, and til.
: knowledge of this tact, together with I'll,
d; t;tct that all the other mines i a similar
disregard Of all provisions for their sale
;, ~, has made the surviving miners vi thu
|
= have not hc>itatei to show their irrit4-
a ton For the time, capital has n right
that labor Is bound 10 respect, and t.e
miners everywhere are absolute masters
! They take possession IT the trains on all
: the railroads, and ;hey are dcIaturS Il.
the scene of the disaster. Mr.. Rhodes.
, the sheriff OF Luzerne county. Mr. W;ul-
hams, the acting coroner, Mr.. StorIS. the
representative OF the owners, seem to hy
puppets III their hands. The miners ar,
for the time the law. They are 10; Ut
tcrly without reason, and as Yet hav,
: made no cXtr;lvaLan demands, but ii l.
4 plain to see that they do not intend /.
= allow the least shrinking from the iuii,-i
{ Investigation of the disaster. Au in
: stance or two will show eNuctlv hos
these men feel. When the heap vi bod
/. les was discovered in the gnn-way. t.,
Y first reached with one exception, wa,
/. that of Evan Hughes, the ''iuslde hos =
3, it was passed by many times aud wa;
i not touched until many OF the bodie,
: more remote had been picked up an,
L carried by it. y party oil corrc>pund
t ents OF the press irOn distant cities essay
E ING to enter the line tor the purpose O
: gaining intelligence, were met with .
4 torrent OF abuse, and only accomplished
c their purpose at great personal hazard
+ Coroner Wadham, attempting to show T.;
c party OF gentlemen the tunnel, was driv
t en from It's mouth by the miners, ant
p, himself and party assailcd Us paper col.
lar wrctcheS." y decent suit ct clothes,
f OF more properly a dress showing Tia,
wearer TO be something else than Il min
.. er, seemed enough 10 provoke the wrath
=, OF these poor fellows, who have been un.
= manned by the horror that had come up
on their comrades, and the periIs sur
rounding themselves.
. 4 Terrific cate.
4 GREAT LOSS OF PROPERTY IN BOSTON AM
i VICINITY.
The Boston MINORS came iiliaI Wi II