The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-09-13
The Terrible Mining Calamity.
Latest from tho Scene Of Disaster at
Ayoudalc. Pa.---Burini OF the Dead-.-
Feeling or tho Miners.


The great mining calamity Mt Avondalc,
Pm, though it has nearly ceased to be an
acute sensation, still claims attention. The
list Ct victims, by all accounts. seems now
70 be complete with the one hundred and
c;rLt bodies that thus far have been taken
from the mine. What remains TO he said is
we'll told in letter to the New York Times,
dated Scranton, Pa, September 9th, from
which the following is taken:
The working complement of men was one
hundred and tifty-six, and it was known
that eighteen men were out at the time Of
the fire attending the funeral OF 4 comrade,
which should have left one hundred and
tbirtv-cight in the mine; nor can any one
cxflaiu why so many bodies were not
found. Despite the thorough explorations
which have been made, some believe that
more dead bodies will he found and the
general disbelief cngeadcrs many rumors
t..t new heaps Of bodies have been discov-
cred There is no reason, However, to sup
rose that the exact extent OF the calamity
i not now known, and that one hundred
ana EIGHT was the exact number Of lives
lost by wan; Of an 0ir-holc III Ayoudale
mine.
The fever Of excitement through oil the
mining region has not diminished. This
having been funcral!ay, the suspension Of
business was general, and trains to and
from the scene Of the calamity have been
dcnscly crowded, especially III the latter
pa.t Of the dav-ouc Of thirty-seycn plat
form cars, carrying over 5000 people. The
attendance az the mine has been greater
than on any day since Monday, and at one
time not less than 10000 we're gathered
n,put the fatal shaft.
Tie scenes ut tie various funerals were
hcar;-rcudimg to the extreme, when thirty
seven men were borne in one Cortcgc by
ten hcarscs. and many WAGONS, early in the
afternoon, to the Wclch cemetery at Scran-
ton 500 people comprised the escort, and
bells OF MI the churches were tolled. One
woman, on tho arrival ut the grave, with
nhr!eks OF laMCntlti0n, threw herself on
lor husbands coffin, breaking the lid, and
coala scarcely be removed, while others,
with difficulty, were prevented from throw
in- themselves into the grave. \ father
Was buried with son ON either side: and a
stricken wife and mother stood dumb and
fearless by her lost Al 2. Nj. the scenes
we're repeated on lesser scale when q Sc
coni funeral OF eleven bodies, and after
war. FIVE, took place, the intcrment being
made in the same cemetery; other burials
ai.o took place at PittSton and Wyoming.
Ell;v-seven have been inferred to-day,
lcNing hfty-onc Tor scpuiturc tomorrow.
The mining village Of Ayondalc has been
nearly dcpopulatcd. the head Of nearly
every family has been taken TO the tolub,
and in some cases two or more members
have been taken away. Monday last it was
4 iourishing, happy village; tonight there
are only five men left IN the hamlet. With
rare exceptions, the victims were Welsh,
and married men, and were the most ex-
c.llcut and experienced miners III the val
ln-. Tie widows are tfty-n!nC, and the
cli.Laus in the county arc one hundred and
mig. \ number o. the men hGd children
living in The old country. The dcstituton
existing Is great, ana requires immediate
relic. Three and . h4ll months strike
had reduced all the families to the verge Of
starvation, the men net being OF work long
enough II receive any pay. There was
uercv . case that appealed more strongly
20 tie charitable. The bittcrfceling in re-
ference TO the disaster has not diminished
10 any extent, and the affair is eagerly dis
ru-sci in hotels, trains. and wherever per-
soas cougrc-atc.
There are others Of these mines that
have no separate air-h"lc5; there arc thou
sanGs Of miners WHO have but the one ave-
uuc Of escape from threatening dangers.
The miners know this. and hence the feel
ing thew have manifested since Monday is
excUsablc, If not justifablc. They are, as
a body, morose, irritable, almost savage,
and dangerous. For the time. capital has
nc RIGHTS that labor is bound to respect, aud
the miners everywhere are absolute mas
t"rs. An instance or t%o will show OK
uctly how these men feel. When the heap
81 bodies was discovered in the gaugway,
tic first reached, with one exception, was
that Of Evan Hughes, the inside boss: it
Was passed by many times, and was not
touched until many oE the bodies more re-
mote had been picked up and carried BY it.
\ party Of correspondents OF the press
from distant cities, essaying to enter the
line fer Inc purpose Of gaining intelligence,
were met with q torrent OF abuse, and only
accomplished their purpose ut great per-
sonal hazard. Coroner Wadham, attempt
iug to show a party Of gentlemen the tun-
mel. was driven from lis mouth by the mi
nc.s, and himself and party assailcd as
"r.rcr-collIr wrctchcS." \ decent suit OF
c,oi->S, CT more properly dress showing
the wcarcr 20 be something else than mi
uc-, seemed enough 10 provoke the wrath Of
these POOR fellows, who have been un-
.r.,r,l -. .. IrrrNr tho4 bod cop1n unpp