Connecticut western news., 1871-08-25
Terrible Mining Disaster.

Another fearful mining disaster oc- cured at the Eagle shaft, aborta mile south of Pittston, Penn. aoccasi on ed by an explosion of fire damp. Eigh- teen men were at work in the chamber iE which the explosion occurred, and there is no hope but that all i'll the mine, have met with death.
 In going to and from their work the miners used an air shaft, which they as- cended and descended by means of lad der, the main opening not being pro- vided with a safety Car, and therefore considered unsafe It is supposed that the explosion blew away the props, and consequent fall of the roof followed, completely blocking up the passages, and cutting off the means of escape, should the men escape death from the explosion which is not probable.
 On hearing the explosion, volunteers at once proceeded in the direction of the noise, without lamps, and, in about three quarters of an hour, brought up the body of a miner named Benjamin Davis. Scores of willing hands immediately proceeded to repair the brattice, a hoard partition used to keep the fresh air from rushing into the worked-out chambers, so that it will enter only to those where men are working. At about 3 o'clock the body of Evan E. Jones was found and brought up. During the afternoon the dead bodies of Thos. .Leyshon, Jas Morgan, and David Harris were found and brought up r On entering the chamber in which the explosion occurred, fall of rock was first found, which laid partly upon car, Ecompletely blocking up one side, and leaving a space on the other just suffi- cient for man to force himself through Some distance further in there was another fall, which completely filled the passage, and behind this the men are walled so completely that it will take hours of the most persistent labor to reach them Volunteers are now at work endeavoring to get around this fallen rock, so that they can reach the entombed miners, but the density of the black damp prevents them from prosecu- ting their work with full effect. They exhausted condition, but their places are immediately supplied by other vol unteers, and so the work goes on unre- mittingly. All that mortals can. do was done to rescue the unfortunates, but l of mortality have thus far rewarded the toilers. ,. ... ..-.
 Outside the scene is heart-rending in the extreme. Thousands of sympathi- zing citizens, miners, and others are present, and rendering all the assistance that is possible under the circumstances. Women and children are weeping, wiring ing their hands, and mourning aloud for the loved and lost, and waiting, in an xious, hopeless expectation, for each new report from the poisonous pit. Words of sympathy fall like empty sounds upon their anguished souls, and nothing can still the aching void within. Women are everywhere doing what they can to minister to the wants of the ex- hausted volunteers, as they are borne like helpless children back from the mouth of the pit. Great caldrens of steaming coffee are ready, and all the known restoratives are at hand. Wo- mans hearts and woman hands are first in the work, and where brave men fal- ter and turn pale, they neither shrink nor turn away from their ministering mission. Sad hearts are everywhere to- night; some in sympathy with the be- reaved friends, and in mourning for their dead.
 This mine has been nearly exhausted, and was known to be filled with the black-damp, and yet it was considered safe, and has been constantly worked since the conclusion of the strike, al- though not to it's full capacity. It is owned by MT. J. Schooley of Wyoming, and worked by MT. A. Tompkins, who is extensively engaged in the business of mining coal, and owns and operates several openings. Twelve feet of gas was found in a heading just off the gang way, which had been traversed all day by explorers with a naked light, and the merest accident would have caused an other and worse explosion, involving a loss of at least 50 lives. .s