The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-01
little boy, James Jones, cried out, II snail
never see my dear mother again." Many
were giving up at once, while others tried TO
cheer them. We had
GOOD PRAYER MEETING.

4 "iUOD fha1EHs l
Many earnest prayers were made 6y Welsn
and English miners, and se e doma iFi in apd
save them. We continued TO pray and sing
until our voices gave ont. About 3 O'CLOCK we
began to prepare ourselves 1or Inc Wo.St.
The black damp was creeping upon US. We
became dizzT and weak In the knees, anu iei!
down near the water RUBBING our nostliis,
mouth, temples and eyelids. we also lelt q
load on our stomachs. Father and we three
cot together and the last we knew OF hin ne
was alive. Our father and William +. Davis
started the idea of the barricade. We had no
shovels, anil therefore had to carry culm IN
our hats. Little James Jones carried cum 10
his cap. all the while ne was crying aoous
be rescued, and a. other times we thought not
Father prayed for his family above GROUND,
and when he ceased praying he told US ne was
ready 10 die. He was on his knees when
death overlook him. When the smoke oe-
came TOO much for us we got over the wall,
and Martin Cooney tried, but was 100 Weah,
and fell down insensible. There was announcer
thankful That we could not hear the screams
of the women from the top, as that would
have added 10 our anguish.
STATEMENT OF MARTIN cox.
We went in at I A. NJ; my brother Robert
cut through from one airway to another, anu
turned in gas, and six miners came out win
him before their shaft was mp; the air was so
bad they could not work al all. This was
about fifteen minutes before the IRE, and
seven miners came up TO the Top I'VE
minutes before the fire was Uncovered. Inc
iirst intimation we had OIL lhe nre was d sounu
through the mine as If there was an explosion
OF gas; an English miner said there Is a hre;
We were then working about fifty yards IRON
the bottom of the shaft on the west slae; l
then ran to The bottom OF the shaft ana saw
the fire coming down; ran BACK 10 my con-
rades and :old them, we are oil lost; lae
shaft was on fire." we were seven In all; we
then ran to the loot of the shalt, and burning
timbers were coming down; threw on wafer 10
put out the FIRE, and the smoke became SO IN
tense that we were nearly srffocated. Dense
volumes came down the shaft and hlled Inc
place. We then ran over to the west SIDE, IN
the direction of the river bridge, o the
slope, and got in at the door. with eleven
Others, making eighteen altogether. In thai
Mace rhe smoke came in upon rs so badly that
we gathered up q COB OF fine stun from tne
track. and fastened up the cracks Of the door,
and also stuffed Goals In the holes. winch
slopped the smoke for some time. we no"
had time for thought and reflection. NO one
expected to see daylight again, and SAID IL was
a second Avondale. We all sang nymns anu
prayed, calling upon God in his mercy 10 save
us, as we all felt doomed, and beyond human
aid. .,e ran back and forth through the gang
WAYS for fresh air. At 3.l5 Pm Patrick FAR
lev fell aud sroaned twice, and Was found DEAD
when the men came in The place after the hre.
I then went over to the west side ior my coat
10 help stop ont the smoke, as we would all De
sufocated very soon. The men then passed
me carving back their comrades, who were
diving In their arms. More men were outside
the doors CRYING out In distress and anguish,
calling upon God for safety and succor. None
eypecied to come out alive. The mules were
kicking and neighlng. A boy told his father,
with a horrible oath, to stop praying and cry.
Ing, we will come out safe, and II we must
die let US die like men. The father anu son
both came ont alive. At $50 P. NJ. became
insensible and remained so until was brought
out by my brother Robert, about S O'CLOCK on
Sunday morning.
Martin Cox is an intelligent Irishman, aged
about TWENTY-FIVE years.
The Latest.
A special from Pittston says that every man
taken out alive is in imminent danger. Mosl
of them can live but q few hours, and a lew
are dead this morning. The physicians IN al
tendance now emphaiically assert llat notope
of those thought rescued can recover from inc
Injuries sustained. There was q great dlter-
ence between the arrangement OF the West
Pittston shaft, burned on Saturday, anu tnal III
Ayondale. In the Avondale shalt there was a
furnace, but here there was none and the ar
was forced down by means OF a large fan. The
breaker caught fire nj 2 O'Clock on Saturday
afternoon. The fire was entirely eXtinSnisned
down to the bottom by 7 o'clock, and II Is now
confidently believed if the men IN charge OF
the rescue had thought or this construction Of
the work and procured a new Ian. anu SET IL
np in operation Immediately, enough air could
have been forced down 10 maintain lie IN all
the men behind the barricade; but no ian was
brought until too late, and most OF the men
had persisted for want OF air.