Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-16

ent time il is difficult TO estimate the full
damage caused by the explosion, but il
is not believed any men at work IN the
mine will be recovered alive. Entering
the chamber where the explosion occur.
red fall OF rock was first found which
laid partly on car, completely blocking
up one side and leaving a space on the
other Just sufficient for man to folce
himself through. Some distance further
in there was another fall, which COM
pletely filled the passage, and behind this
the men are walled so completely that il
will take hours of the most persistent Ia.
Dor to reach them.
Volunteers are now at work endeavor-
ing to get around this fallen rock so that
they can reach the entombed miners, but
The density of the black damp prevents
them from prosecuting their work with
full effect. They are continually being
drought up in an exhausted condition,
but their places are Immediately supplied
by other volunteers, and so the work goes
on unremittingly. Allthat mortals can do
is doing to rescue the unfortunates, but
only the blackened disfgured remnants
of mortality have thus far rewarded the
toilers
The Scene above Ground.
Outside the scene is heartrending in the
extreme. Thousands of sympathizing
citizens, miners and Others are present
rendering all the assistance that is psssi-
bic under the circumstances. Women
and children are weeping, wringing their
hands and mourning aloud for the loved
and lost, waiting in anxious, hopeless ex-
pectstion each new report from the
poisonous pit.
Women are everywhere doing what
they Can to minister to the wants OF the
exhausted volunteers, as they are borne
like helpless children back to the mouth
Of the pit. Great csldrons of steaming
coffee are ready, and all known restora-
lives are on hand. Sad hearts are every
where to~night-some in sympathy with
the bereaved, and fIiends mourning for
their dead.
An Old, Exhausted Mine.
This mine has been nearly exhausted
and was known to be filled with black
damp and yet it was considered safe. Ii
has been constantly worked since the con.
clusion of the strike, although not to its
full capacity. Twelve feet of gas was
found in the heading just off the gang.
way, which had been traversed all day by
the explorers with a naked light and the
merest accident would have caused an
other and worse explosion, involving the
loss of at least fifty lives. During the
fore pa1t of the night those assuming
control have ordered the pumps reversed
Water has been forced down the shaft,
thus hoping to increase the volume OF
pure air and expel the foul. Superintend'
ent Kendrick and Inspector Belewith are
preparing to descend the mine, but should
they find their expectations of replenish,
ing the avenue with pure air realized
they will hardly be able to draw away
the debris necessary to reach the i'm
prisoned miners before morning.
The names of fifteen who were in tn
mines are known.
There are many stories of the cause oil
the disaster, but the general opinion i
that it is due to an explosion of fire
damp, the fret iniimatiOn that anythiD!
was wrong being the rafting and jOstlint
of the descending car, ss the air rushet
out of the shaft with such velocity as fo
q moment to stop it.
UncarLhing the Dead.
MIDNIGHT volunteers haV
been taken out insensible. No furthe
attempts to recover the bodies will b
made before daylight. Five bodies Onl,
have been taken out. The body of Benz
Davis was brought up shortly after tn
explosion, and at about o'clock IN
body of Evan Jones was brought up
During the afternoon the dead bodies o
Thos. Leyschsn, Jas. Mangan and Davi
Harris were recovered from the mine.
The Last Body Recovered.
PITTsToN, Aug. 15.-The last bod!
was taken out of Eagle shaft about
o'clock this morning. The work wal
continued all day yesterday, and up II
midnight last night only five had beef
taken out. About this time the min,
inspector put stop to all work in orde
TO ventilate the mine so thai those who
went down could work without danger
A stream of water was turned in and
| passage ways arranged by means o
doors, so that current of fresh air coulC
be circulated throughout the mine, which
soon removed the after damp which suf
| focated II men, or those of that humble
who were not killed outright.
About one-half past 2 o'clock eigh
bodies we recovered and brought up, an
after deligent search there were foun
and brough! out to themouth of the shat
the remsiniDg three. The funerals wi
be held tomorrow at Odd Fellows Genet
cry. A jury has been impannelled by tn
Coroner and an inquest will be held o
Friday morning at 10 o'clock. In tn
mean time a committee which has bee
appointed will explore the mine and Civ
evidence before the jury as to the caus
of the accident, the victims will then be
carried to their homes and placed i
ceflins ready for interment to morrow.
is not known, most likely never will b
exactly how the men came to their death
whether all were instantly killed by tn
explosion and whether they were stunne
and afterwsrd suffocated by choke damp
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