Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-09-22
NEW SERIES--V0L. 10, NO. 10

} yet collected miners met and with tb
true instinct of selfpreservation pre-
ceedcd at once TO bArricade themselve
, in between q space extending in
semi circular sweep some zoe feet
At either end Of this limit were tw
doors which were instantly closed
and on some crevices being disoorerel
the men pulled their shirts Off an,
stopped the intcrstices, but not bcfor
the fearful demon in the air had pene
tratod their last ietreat--not in force
however, but in sufficient strength T.
/ do the work of death with unerrin,
certainty. In this terrible chambe
their lamps extinguished, and th'
blackness Of eternal night CLOSED
around them. 1t is carefully estima
ted that the strongest OF the mel
succumbcd in eight hours after theil
sclf.immuroment. The supply offresl
air which they locked in was quickly
exhausted by the breathing Of sixty
seven pair Of powerful lungs; Will,
all the time the coal above, below anC
around them was emitting the deadly
carbon. Mr.. Thomas, or g of the first
Of the heroic fellows who penetrated
TO this point in search Of the missing
men, reports that after breaking il
the barrier and gaining entrance to
the gangway where all those human
lives surrendered TO the King of Ter
rors, the sight that met his gaze com
pletely unnamed him, and be wept
like little child. To him there was
nothing terrible in the spectacle; the
men were once his comrades their
cold begrimed faces were familiar to
his eyes, and from the danger OF
which they were the victims he him
sell bad many narrow escapes II
other which these rude sons of toll
showed in the last moments Of their
struggle far life tia, melted the soul
Of the brave, stern man who descen-
ded the perilous shaft TO save them il
he could. Men Yere found locked in
each others embraces others with
hands elasped laid themselves down
to die one was discovered calmly
sitting by a PROSTATE companion, as
though listening TO his dying request.
A father fell into his eternal sleep
holding his son 10 his bosom. Moth
ing harsh or angry was observed in
the features of the poor fellows. With
in q space of forty feet they had all
yielded up their lives, evidently with
a heroic resignation and a calm resolve
to die like men.
Outside the entrance TO this gang
way two men were found lying pros
trate, as though in desperation they
had burst out Of the enclosure where
the others lay, resolved on one final
cffnrt to get free. but meeting full in
the teeth Of the fatal current that now
coursed through all the gallaries they
fell suddenly forward and expired.
nMrp Hbqgghss bpgl %boss" a. Of & the inside
on heap Of coal, his face resting on
his hands, as though meditating his
awful situation, and while thus occn
pied was silently released from exis.
ience. A great many were caught in
the retreat to the rear of the cave
and were found in all kinds Of attitudes
through the gallaries and chambers.
Not all the women who came 10
see. the dead bodies taken out had
relatives in the pit. Many were
moved to travel long distances to see
this sickening spectacle from motives
Of mere morbid curiosity. The be.
reaved and sorrowing widows were
easy to tell. None Of that wild,
deInorstrative grief that many of the
reports speak Of could be seen on any
day since the catastrophe happened
There was no loud, long wall, and all
the sorrow that gave itself vocal
utterance was confined to fow. Wst
eyes and looks of intense desolation
too deep for expression might be seen
on every side. There was one beau'i-
nl young Welsh girl who excited a
great deal of sympathy. She had
only been 10 this country three weeks
knew not u word of English, and knew
no one bat the fine young fellow 10
whom she was married in Wales. and
who went down in the vigor of life
through the fatal shaft on Monday
morning last TO be brought out To-
day at noon black and swollen
corpse. lie had evidently struggled
hard for life and surrendered with a
look of defiance on his face. Two
kindly women bore away the pooI
Young widow. who thought the food
ing tears cried aloud in her native
Welsh in tono of voice so touching
as to melt heart ofstone. This wa;
the saddest sorrow in the whole scene
Tomorrow the funeral Of forty q
the miners take place, and will nc
doubt be very largely attended.
1t has from the first been hoped
that Mr.. Evan Hughes, inside foreman
would have made some memoranda
which, being found, would give infor
nation as 10 the time life was
prolonged, &c. When. Mr.. Hughes
| body was brought up his coat was of
and his tools, time books, &c, were
missing. Aftcr it was deemed certain
that more bodies remained in the min'
Mr. Benjamin Hughes general inside
( foreman of all the delaware, Lack
awanna and Western Railroad Com
pany's mines and brother of Mr.
Hughes, taking four men with him
went down to search for his brother
T coat, hoping to fnd in il the memo
rnnda 80 much desired. He found thI
coat 500 or 600 yards from where Mr.
Hughes body had been found anl
outside Of both of the bairicades. !
contained his compass and other tool
and two time books, but no memordn
da whatever, 30 all hope Of having
, record Of the last hours Of the dead !
lost.
Operations at Avondale have en-
, tirely ceased. The burning coal cease
, to glow with purple light and brilliau
Z CIV in the darkness of nights tn
, crowds have disappeared, aud non
but solitary watehman guards th
entrance TO the mine. The wome
h..., p.o,l,. oli deserted the home