New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-08
THE COAL MINE DISASTER.
THOUSANDS OF MINERS GATHERED AROUND THE
FATAL SHAFT SIX HUNDRED WIDOWS AND
ORPHANS LEFT DESTITUTE.

OfhhANS LEFT DESTITUTE.
SCRANTON, Penn, Sept THE unparalleled
mining disaster Is the universal subject OF interest here
While the whole community is thrilled with horror the
mining population is deeply and painfully touched
than any other class All work suspended in the mines
In this vicinity and nearly the whole force OF miners
have gone TO Ayondae TO remain until their brethren are
brought out dead alive. special train is run down
from here hourly No fare is charged those going to
Avondale. Thousands have gone from this direction
alone and the whole country aroused and 1ocRng to
scene Of the disaster In the fourth fifth and SIXTH
Hyde Park" Wards Of this city the streets are
thronged with women the relatives and friends OF the
men in the Avondale pit eagerly beseechng every per-
arriving from below for information, and their lamen
tations fill the air. Mining cannot be resumed at any of
the works Of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western
Railroad Company probably within week, or at least
until oil the funerals of the Avondale dead are over
The fact Of the long and strike just ended adds
greatly to the restitution which will follow the calamity
The widows and orphans will number not less than COO.
INTELLECTUAL EFFORTS TO PENETRATE THE
MINE--sEvERAL PARTIES DESCEND BUT ARE
COMPELLED TO RETURN-NONE OF THE
BODIES RECOVERED.
PLYMOUTH, Sept. 7-Nothing was done at the
Avondae mine since this morning until O'Clock, when
train arrived with donkey engine and FAM the pur
pose OF yentating the shaft Measures immediate.
y taken to put the engine In operation The crowd In
the vicinity this time dense that 1t impeded the
workmen and large police force organized to clear
the ground Of all actually engaged in the busy pre-
parations sufficient space was soon cleared
and rOpcd in. At this time the scene was one
OF appalling interest The busy workmen in the center
silently exertng themselves to the utmost to the
bodies Of their unfortunate comrades the lines OF people
outside with grave and sOrowful countenances inter-
spersed with weeping widows and awesricken orphans
and the hill at the Of the mine covered TO Its summit
with the people from the surrounding neighborhood.
AoII nAap hu NJ
which Mr.. James George presided He stated in a
spirited speech that the object OF the gathering was to
organize force Of so experienced miners from the per-
sons present who should hold themselves in readiness to
explore the shaft the carpenters and achnss
had the apparatus in readiness He stated that fifteen
miners from Hyde Park had already volunteered, and
called upon others TO enrol themselves. force Of 46
men was soon organized, under the leadership OF Mr.
George and Henry W. Evans OF Pittston. Mr.. George
Morgan Of the NancOke mines appointed foreman on
the part OF the miners, and Thomas f. Davis and John
II. Powell assistants. These gentlemen were to assume
the direction Of the operations after the descent Of the
shaft made.
After some unavoidable delays the fan was put oper
alton at few minutes past 10 o'clock, and hose
dropped into the shaft for the introduction Of the pure
air at the bottom While this was in operation the Rev.
Thomas r. Hunt appeared on the ground. In few min
ues another meeting organized and Mr.. Hunt ap-
peaed to the assembled multitude in few we'll chosen
The following gentlemen we're appointed committee
to take subscriptions L. C. Wadham James McAlarney,
j. Fuller Reynolds G. Evans Dr. Richards Jacob Rob-
erts, j. W. Emo, H. j. Tape, Harry Hakes, Samuel Shat.
fer b. j. Woodward Robert Boston, j. G. Wren, Nathan
Van Horn. +. Thorner, II. Turner, H. H. Harvey Richard
Stlwell, and John b. Smith. Several small books pre-
yOusly prepared were handed to the members OF the
committee and the Of the immense multitude I'M
mediately commenced.
half ion ~ bn far nd Will
air In tho shaft was considered sufficiently purified,
Corwin, superintendent OF the Carbonate Mines
and John p Davis carpenter of Avondae, prepared to
make the descent bucket was made ready and the
men lowered slowly about 100 feet Here the bucket
was stopped and the lowered their lamps as far as
they would CO. which continued to burn but from the
distractions the lamps did not reach the bottom within
Is feet The men were then drawn up, and party OF
miners, consisting OF George T. Morgan of Nanticoke,
John Howell OF Tayoryile Thomas Davis Of Beleyile,
and Thomas L. Davis OF Nanticoke, descended. After
being down some 20 minutes, they assembled, and re-
ported that they had explored the gangway some so feet
but finding great deal OF .carbonic acid and black
damp they were compelled to retreat after introducing
the end OF the large arconyeyer as far as they
went They represented the damp being from two TO
three feet deep upon the bottom of The mine.
Another party OF miners descended at 70 o'clock and
returned safely. They penetrated the gangway Tor
distance Of feet and found the large door wide OPEN
and found a small door, closed After opening this door
TO give n circulation OF air around TO the entrance they
returned Had this small door been open there might
have ray OF hope, as the gas and smoke ana nre
would have had free passage around the circuit and
out again. AS 1t now seems, the smoke and gas must
have penetrated the inner mine and suocaed the men,
This party was able to reach the doorway leading to
the mine.
About o'clock another party Of four men descended,
hut returned IN Is minutes, two OF them so overcome
with the gas that 1t with the greatest dieuy they
were revived IL was now deemed idle to peril life by
any further attempt to penetrate the mine, at least
while the gas so strong. Even the most sanguine
gave up all hope, and were satisfied that nothing re-
manned to be done but the bodies OF the I'M
fortunate victims as soon as practicable What horror
and suffering were yesterday witnessed IN that fatal
mne and whether they Of long or short duration,
noneswl probably ever know
Atl o'clock four men descended who returned in good
condition and reported the much purer AT S0 four
men, named John Tsdale, Col. Hardness, John sateree
and r. f. b. Jones, went down. After letting down the
water hose to the bend of the ar pipe and over the
furnace to put water ton and deaden the fire in the
furnace they returned in fifteen minutes, saying that
the water hose was landed In the shaft, and
that they could not fnd the hole by which
they expected to enter. They were not
seriously affected by the foul air. AT o'clock another
relay of four men, f. Bray Evan Morris, Evan j. Evans,
and VIM Gregory, went down. They returned in about
90 minutes reporting that they had been at the furnace
and found everything all right, except that the fire in
the furnace was still burning They could not arrange
the water hose until 1t was hosted up little. They
were not seriously affected by the foul air.
HAt 1850 O'Clock tonight John Price Evan Morris, VIM
NJ Thomas and Elijah Thomas went down, II being
Morris second trip for the purpose OF arranging the
hose They were down 20 minutes, and Evan Morris was
brought out nsensibe falling before he reached the car
rage The second trip proved more than he could stand
He was resuscitee short time. The others were all
right They succeeded in getting the hose ready 10 hau
up. -. -.
The best authorities agree that the fire must nave
=. communicated from tho ventilating furnace the