The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-18
THE LATE CO4L-MINE DISASTER.
Thrilling Details of the Fire Damp
Explosion in the Eagle Shaft at Pitts
ton, Pennsylvania.


ton, Pennsylvania.
Fuller details of the tragedy enacted at the
Eagle shaft, Pl.tston, Pennsylvania, on Mon
day last, already reported by telegraph, In
which an explosion of '.fre damp" caused the
death of eighteen men, are given as follows
by correspondent of the New York Tribune.
The account was written on the spot on Mon
day:
In going to and from their work the miners
used an air shaft, which they ascended and
descended by means of ladder, the main
opening not being provided with safety car,
and therefore considered unsafe. It Is sup
posed that the explosion blew away the props,
and consequent fall OF the roof followed,
completely blocking up the passages, and cut
ting off the means of escape, should the men
have escaped death from the explosion, which
Is not probable. AT the present time it Is not
easy to estimate the amount of damage, but
experienced miners say that 1t Is not possible
that any of the men will be got out alive. The
mine boss, Henry Harris; Thomas Tucker, act
Ing footman; James Jones, o driver; John
Meredith, miner, and Robert Davis, his labo.
rer, were working In slope running Ia diff
terent direction from the one In which the ac-
cident happened, and escaped unhurt. The
two latter, on hearing the explosion, fastened
to the foot, and hearing man groaning, CALL
ed for assistance.
Volunteers at once proceeded In the direc-
tion OF the noise without lamps, and In about
three-quarter5 of an hour brought up the body
of miner named Benjamin Davis. Scores of
willing hands Immediately proceeded to re-
pair the brattlce, a board partition used to
keep the fresh air from rushing ;nlo the
worked-out chambers, 30 that 1t Will enter
only to those where men are working. At
about o'clock, the body of Evan E. Jones
was found and brought up. During the afler-
noon, the dead bodies OF Thomas Leyshon,
James Morgan and David Harris were found
and brought up.
EXPLORING.
On entering the chamber in which the ex-
plosion occurred, fall ofrock was first found,
which laid partly upon a car, completely
blocking up one side, and leaving space on
the other just sufficient 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 wall
ed so completely that 1t will take hours OF the
most persistent labor to reach them. Volun-
teers are now at work endeavoring to get
around this fallen rock, so as they can reach
the entombed miners, but the density of the
black.damp prevents them from prosecuting
their work with full effect. They are contin.
ually being brought up In an exhausted condl-
tion, but ths;r places are Immediately supplied
by other volunteers, aud 80 the work goes on
unremlttlngly. All that mortals can do Is do
Ing to rescue the unfortunates, but only black
ened and dlsfgured remnants Of mortality
have thus far rewarded the toilers.
THE SCENE ABOVE GROUND.
Outside the scene Is heartrendlng In the
extreme. Thousands of sympathizing citizens,
miners and others are present, and rendering
oil tho hot Ia Hor q
circumstances. Women and children are weep
ing, wringlng their hands, and mourning aloud
for the loved andlost, and waiting In anxious,
hopeless expectation for each new report from
the poisonous pit. Words Of sympathy fall
like empty sounds upon their anguished souls,
and nothing can stli the ach!ng void within.
Women are everywhere doing what they can
to minister to the wants of the exhausted vol.
unteers, as they are borne with helpless chill
dren back from the mouth Of the pit. Great
cauldrons Of steaming coffee are ready, and
all the known reSt0ratives are at hand. Wo-
mems hearts and women's hands are first in
the work, and where brave men falter and
turn pale, they neither shrink nor turn away
from their minlstering mission. Sad hearts
are everywhere tonight; some In sympathy
with bereaved friends, and In mourning Tor
their dead.
This mine has been nearly exhausted, and
was known to be filed with the black-damp,
and yet 1t was considered safe, and has been
constantly worked since the conclusion of the
strike, although not to its full capacity. It Is
owned by Mr. ]. Schooley, of Wyoming, and
worked by Mr.. A Tompkins, who is extern
sively engaged in the business OF mining coal
and owns and operates several other openings
Twelve feet of gas was found In heading
lust of the gangway, which had been traversed
all day by explorers with o naked light, and
the merest accident would have caused
another and worse explosion, involving q
loss of at least fifty lives. During the forepart
Of the night those assuming control have or
dered the pumps reversed, and water has been
forced down the shaft, thus hoping to increase
the volume of pure air aud expel the foul. At
this hour, II o'clock, Superintendent Eendrick
and Inspector Blewitt are preparing to de-
scend into the mine; but even should they find
their expectations Of replenishing the avenue
with pure air realized, they will hardly be
able to draw away the debris necessary to
reach the Imprisoned miners before morning.
Recovery Of the Bodies.
PrTTsroN, August Is.
The last body was taken out OF the Eagle
shaft at about O'Clock this morning. The
work was continued all day yesterday, and up
to midnight last night only five had been taken
out About this time the mine inspector put
stop to all proceedings, In order to yenti!ate
the mine, 80 that those who went down could
work without danger. A stream of water was
turned In, and the psssage-way arranged by
means of doors, so that current of fresh air
circulated throughout the mine, which soon
removed the after-danp or choke. damp, as 1t
Is sometimes called, which always follows the
explosion of gas or fre-damp, which sufocated
seventeen men, or those of the number who
were not killed outright. About half-past two
eight bodies were discovered and brought up.
and fresh gang of workmen went
down, and In short time brought up
Martin Manson. The remaining three tune.
rails will be held tomorrow at Odd Fellows
Cemetery. A jury was impanelled by Coron-
er Imalley, and an inquest will be held on
Friday morning at 10 o'clock. Meantime a
committee has been appointed, who will ex-
plore the mine and give evidence before the
Jury as to the cause of the accident. The vic
Tins have been carried to their homes and
placed In collins ready for interment to-mor.
row. 1t Is not known, and most likely never
will be known exactly, how the men came to
their death, whether all were instantly killed
by the explosion, or whether stunned and at
forwards suffocated. One or two bodies were
badly burned and others considerably bruised.
The mine has always been endangered by
gas to greater extent THAI any other in this
region, and for long time gas has been at
places walled In and burned in pipes like or
dlnary Illuminating gas. Mr.. Tompkins, the
operator, has always endpsT0red to comply