The New York herald., 1869-09-16

OF high and heroic character. Even II this dis
aster were fastened upon an incendiary hfty
times over IL will not for moment mitigate the
criminal neglect and parsilnony OF the mine owners,
/ Tor II Avondale had second shaft the 1ncendiary
would have succeeded no further than In damaging
the mine and inflicting loss upon the owners. The
companies OF course DO not relish the prospect OF
being put individually to expense OF from ten TO
twenty thousand dollars in sinking second shafts,
ture OF Pennsylvania fail to pass imperative law
compelling them to do so, then indeed farewell to
Justice and humanity In the councils OF this State.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RELIEF FUND.
The question as TO the proper manner OF dlstribu
ing the fund now being raised tor the widows and
orphans or the dead miners Is receiving considerable
attention. Some gentlemen think that when a
widow marries Sue should he cut or from the fur
rather cold measure OF charity and humanity, and
Will hardly bc acted upon. If the money reach,
what is here Anticipated, the sum OF quarter OF
million dollars, the gentlemen forming the Rellef
Committee OF Scranton VIII no doubt invest It In
such way as to bring an interest amply sufficient
TO supply the current wants OF the widows. 1t Is
wisely deemed lnludicious to cut the fund up in
shares and hand over IN cash the amount, WSch
will probably average s., 600 TO each claimant IN
turn. In such case the widows would become
objects or merccnary attraction to the class OF lazy
loaing miners anxious to marry them Tor the sake
OF living or their money. secured fund IL de-
cldedly the best dca allowing the interest for family
expenses and reservlng the principal for the educa-
subscriptions are committed TO good hands. Mr. K.
G. Wadhams, president Of the committee, is gen.
Acting Coroner. Mr.. Henderson Gaylord, the trea-
surer Is az well known for his excellent qualities az
naces sue IN e O. s e
subscribed IN this county Will probably reach
$50, 900.
II is strange the Delaware Lackawanna and West
ern Railroad Company, who owned the Avondaie
mine. nave rs yet failed to subscribe solitary cent
the relief fund. 1t Is stated the reason for the de-
lay IS taat they first wish TO ascertain how much 1t
nas cost to bury the dead miners, to purchase cof
fins, employ hearses and carriages and incur other
incidental expenses connected with the funerals.
They estimate the expenditure at $4,000, but the
amount Of gratuitous duty performed by the COM
indeed the expense OF running free trains to
accommodate the miners relatives and friends
Ssve the Gays S m e
Delaware Lackawanpa and Western Railroad.
the Delaware and Hudson line has subscribed
over $4,000, and the Boston Mining Company has
sent In round sum to represent It. The charity
New York has shown ia deeply felt, and her high
skies from morning tlll night Philadelphia, which
certainly should have been foremost IN this WORK OF
10 take exa sple of New York, as OF course all
other cities nave.
AvONDALE SILENT.
Operations al Avondale have entirely ceased.
The burning coal ceases TO glow with purple light
and brlllancy IN the darkness of nlgnt; the crowds
man guards the entrance to the mine. The women
have nearly all deserted the homes that knew them
and great re na SO hearts is IKE
the great fire IN the mlne being gradually suDdued
by the now OF nations charity. The following let
boss" OF the mine, who died like q true sOlder--at
his pOst:--
TIE DILAwAsI, Isg,.S LAo1ATAnsAA 1 ASD1
osFIoE OF Tix Coal DEr4 "a 4ETsENT,
fee! tina, am under obligations 70 the miners and
al caasUpn. '0
n IL G.Mn . FOR nj
Of those poor eess fellow worfmcn. Even when
Of to e, :" n' a for o
IN descend S our with % Sa. s
n Sn,i my feelings Of gratitude toward them overnOwsd
1:y
with ana priSs an learn
for generaion. 70 IN the hops Thai similar calamity
ssy %hs
"s{ BEsjxaIS HUA :nsi. Inside Foreman
II is thought the inquest WIN hardly terminate be-
fore ne end Of the week and that the verdict of the
jury VIII be OF very strong character in condemna-
ton of the present mode of constructing mines.
The Origin Of tho Eire-Opinion Of an Exps.
rienced Engineer-Deprecation Of the Idea
OF the SHAFT Being Fired by Design.
SCRANTON, Sept Ii, 1862.
J. W. Harden. mining engineer Of wnkesbarrc,
who has had an extensive experience in England,
sends letter to the Republican this evening depreca-
ting the idea OF the shaft being fred by design He
oneEs the following scientific suggestions touching
the origin OF the fire.
Monday morning the fireman might have con-
tinued using timber In the furnace until such tune
as there became an accumulation of glowing EN-
pers, on to which ne would throw his first COAL
when, II he threw on o quantity covering the red
emoers, the velocity OF the current in short time
would be lessened, and that current have become
vtiaJed TO an extent equal TO the number OF men
and mu,es ana that caused by the pow
der smoke from the blaze sufficient oxygen
might not have been brought into contact with COM
bustIon as 10 produce flame, when q process of
dstilation would be the consequence, and the Car
buretted hydrogen generated would pass Off with
fhu
cast side OF the shalt. Assuming such to
have been the state Of things, the miners would
the furnace man open the door OF the short cut
from the downcast shaft ito the furnace for addi-
tional air, when, the supply OF oxygen being in
creased, the furnace fire would be correspondingiy
Intensified and light set to The carburetted hydro
gen previously set free, SO causing the explosion as
assuming such to have been the case, the gnited
gas would be much more likely to set TIRE to
SHAFT tnan that at the bottom. II 1t Ia In evidence
that water went down the SHAFT Oh the pump being
mt work, the bottom then would be least likely TO
catch nrst and 1t IS possible that but for the Jagged
edges accidental projections OF the boards the
Game might have passed on creating nothing more
than alarm.
Opinion Of n Scranton Newspaper ms to the
Origin Of the Fire--iteview of the Evidence
Before the Jury-Iucendiary the Probable
Cnusr.
SCRANTON. Sept. 13, 1909.
TOday's morning Republican publishes the fol.
lowing editorial article, in connection with several
columns Of evidence taken at the inquest which be-
gun at Plymouth saturday, and has been ad-
Journed TO nine O'Clock tomorrow Tuesday morn
ing the I4th Inst:-
The intense interest felt in the AvOndale disaster
VIII not be lesseneu by reading the reports OF the
evidence elected before Coroner Wadhams, Jury at
Plymouth ON saturday. The theory OF the flre,
when has gradually been received, VIZ, that the
work OF the SHAFT gnlted by the neat of the ven
tlating furnace IL secuted by every experienced
MINER VINO was examined. There was no diff.
ference OF opinion on the point, while the
working OF anime with but one opening and the
building OF the breaker the mouth or the shaft
generally condemned All the witnesses
whose opinions on the point OF any value were
unanimous In considering the furnace entirely safe
The opinion that the fire was not caused by the fur
mace IN the mne is supported not only by the ex-
perlence and Judgment OF experts, out by positive
evidence OF a welLnign conclusive character This