The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-09-15
The AyondaIe Coal Mine Disaster.

In the last number of the States &
Union we alluded tosthe dreadful dis
aster in the Avondale coal mine III
PENNSYLVANIA. Since then, some two
hundred bodies have been taken from
the mine and buried. The disaster
was caused from the insecure manner
in which the mine was ventilated, there
being only n passage to the pit,
which wa closed By the burning tim
Der, and boards, which caught at the
lower end of the shaft where a fire
was started to drive out the coal
damp.
"On the morning of the 9th of Sep
TENDER, about 8 o'clock, some boys, at
| work in a field near the breaker, saw
a blush vapor rising above the roof,
but they thought little of it at the
time. An hour afterward, the keeper
of the stables in the mine took down
some hay for his mules. When near
the bottom of the shaft he IA heard
to cry "Fire," and at the same instant,
almost, a column of fame shot up
through the ventilator into the engine
room. The engineer was driven from
his post before he could reverse or stop
the engine. In a moment the vast
wooden structure, 100 feet in hight,
and as large as a hotel, was burning in
every part. The terrible heat created
such a current from the shaft below
that nothing could withstand it. The
shaft is 10x16 feet square, and about
$50 feet in depth. A partition ex-
tended from the top to the bottom,
leaving a f1ue for the air to pass up
and down. 1t was up this wooden
box or chimney that the fire came
and, it being separated from the main
shaft, the hostler was thus kept from
discovering the fire when he went down.
In order to purify the air in a mine,
it is necessary to force the foul vapor
out, and in addition to the steam fans
used, it is customary to build a fire at
the bottom of the shaft for the purpose
of getting rid of the clamp" When
mines are constantly worked, these
fires are lot allowed to 60 out, and no
danger is feared, as there is seldom
any flame except when the fire is first
kindled. The miners in the Wilkes
barre region, having been on a strike
for a long time, commenced work on
Monday, the 9th inst. The wood fire
at the bottom Of the shaft, being re-
Gently kindled, sent up a blaze before
the coal was put on. 1t is supposed
that the wood lining of the shaft caught
from the blaze below, though there was
many feet of brick work at the bottom"
The miners collected in great num-
bers, and insisted on forcing air into
the mine by ear of a canvas cor
ductor. This was done; and it is
supposed that this imprudent zeal was
the immediate occasion of the death of
the miners, by forcing the carbon or
foul air back upon the laborers and
producing strangulation and death
There are about six hundred widows
and orphans left by this unfortunate
occurrence. Large contributions have
been made for their relief. by the mon
led men of Philadelphia and New York.
The people of Pennsylvania ought
to insist upon more stringent legisla-
ton in regard to the, ventilation and
safety of the coal mines. Coal and
Iron constitute a greater part of the
mineral wealth of that State, and the
many thousands of persons engaged in
working these mines, should make it
imperious upon the Legislative author
titles to give due protection, not only
for the lives, but the wages of the
mining part of the commonwealth.