The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-29


around the mouth Of the pit ana one after another
and sometimes two bodies at . time. would be an
nounced at the opening, whom but few hours be-
fore had the arbitration upon their destlnles wrought
with such disastrous fury.
THE DEAD.
The following IL complete list OF the men In the
mines dead when found
Martin Curtis Thomas Prosser,
Charles McGinness, Martin Cooney,
David Edwards Aaron Smalcombe,
Evan Il. Davis, Patrick Garden,
Timothy Walsh, Joseph Farrell,
Patrick Farley, Daniel Conner,
George Call, Peter Davies,
Thomas Rowan, Martin Cahan.
DIED AFTER COMING OUT OF THE NINE.
BENJAMIN Jones.
ALIVE WHEN BROUGHT OUT OF THE MINE.
Andrew Morgan, william Powell,
W. r. Davis, John Price,
Owen Macken, John Lloyd.
Anthony Ford, George Edwards,
william Smallcomoe, Michael Cox,
Robert Smallc0mbe. Joseph Faes,
Thomas smallcombe, John Williams,
Thomas Savage, William James,
John Boroughs, Thomas Edwards
James Jones, John Gibbs
While the work OF bringing up continued the av-
crage of living compared to the dead as found was
two to one in favor Of life; but as the hours passed
away q gradual change to the opposite was
observable by the HERALD reporter. The cause
OF this is undoubtedly owing to the rapid accumu-
lasion Of gases IN the gangways. And every mo-
Of their presence therein essened the chances
OF their existence until succor should arrive.
At eleven O'Clock A. NJ. all but Benjamin Jones
was found. and men went to his break, where he
had been working but brought back no news Of
him; out search until halrpast one p M. discov-
cred him lying on his side, with his head on his arm
and about sixty feet from his work. His position
when ound would indicate that that he had started
for the shaft and mad succumbed to the deadening
effects Of choke damp. He, like many others. dead
or insensible, was found near stream Of water.
He was still sensible, and after being taken out
lived until fifteen minutes past four, when he died.
At the place where
THE BARRlcADE ACROSS TIE GANGwAY
had been erected the bottom level was higher than
Al any point intermediate between It and the foot Of
shaft; ana as soon as the functions Of the mine
pump were annuled by the burning OF the pump
connections water began to rise, and by the time
the comrades in search OF the men arrived they
were compelled to wade 1t waist Deep The water
will soon ill the mine up
At one O'Clock men were being hoisted quite regu-
larry, but at this period all efforts to discover the
The danger at the foot was increasing greatly, and
volunteer after volunteer came up, oil OF them
under the influence Of carbonic gases and smoke,
some Of them even insensibe. 1t was
suggested that further explorations should
be abate1, but to this earnest ana
effective protests were made, aud volunteers stepped
manuly and boldly forward to undertake the duty
OF rescuing the unfortunate man, be he dead or
alive. For two and half hours did the almost
superhuman powers OF endurance OF the men battle
abors were rewarded
AS stated in my yesterdays despatch, the pre-
valence OF water in the mines in great abundance
would have salutary effect In she preservation Of
life should there be no smoke, and IL seems that
many Of the surviving members knew OF Its qualities
as an element OF preservation. and though the ex-
perience has not proved entirely satisfactory the
result OF the trial demonstrates Its erfcency. The
shaft Is also very wet and large quantity OF water
from the various layers OF slate anu coal and
1t is alleged that AFTER the 0re the continual drip
pings OF water ventilated the mine by exp cling foul
air through the upcast partition. The men were
found, with the exceptions OF some two or three in.
stances, in groups OF fifteen to twenty, many OF
them in partial nudity.
THE STORY OF THE SURVIVORS
At an interview this afternoon with Thomas Ed
wards and his son George, who were rescued from
the mine and are now beyond danger, we CLEANED
thess facts:--As soon as the warning came OF the
appalling state Of affairs, tumultuous excitement
ran riot for a short space Of time. Imprecations
against the author OF their dire calamity were given
vent to in no measured terms; but as the awful
solemnlty Of their melancholy disaster was brought
more windy to their understanding the first i'm.
pressions were succeeded By q hasty but earnest
discussion upon their chance Or escape. The CIR
cumstance Of the Avondale tragedy and its com.
parison with existing AFFAIRS was commented upon.
and the decision to place wall between them and
the fire was unanimously agreed upon.
But before the completion OF the barrIcade. npon
which they worked ns for life eome or tho man