The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-30
FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS TO-DAY
All Pittston With Closed Doors
and in Mourning.
THE INQUEST UPON THE BODIES.
The Facts Of the Horror as Told
by the Survivors.

Bin Disre garded-The Miners Themselves
Partly to Blame The Funeral Of the Dead
To-Dny-PIttston In Mourning.
WILKEsBARRE, May 20, 1871.
The very full, correct and graphic reports OF the
mine horror at Pittston published In the HERALD of
Sunday and Monday leave very little more to state
in the way OF detail. We hear no more the wailing
OF bereaved friends. and strong earnest men labor
ing to life afford longer tn riling interest to
the scene at the shaft.
PUBLIC EXCITEMENT HAS WAIVED
and the work Of the journalist approaches an end
almost as speedily rs the devouring clement licked
mp the man-trap at the West Pittston shaft. News
paper readers have been duly supplied with the
events Of the dire calamity by which so many
human beings have been cut or In the flower Of
their manhood, ana the question now naturally Is,
what was the legitimate cause Of this most dreful
enect2
A COUNTRY JURY
VIII be called on to discuss it in all its bearings
and the probabilities are that the world Will
be just Is wise when they get through as
they are now. The Jury In the Avondale dis.
aster did not censure anybody in particular,
but merely contented themselves with de.
claring that the SYSTEM Of Ventilation Was dan.
gerous, and recommending that all mines should be
provided with TWO openings that the men might
have q means OF escape In case OF accident. In
that instance the people supplied to the verdict
what the jury omitted, and the opinion was univer.
sally expressed thar rs...s
CUPIDrTY AND RECKLESS DISREGARD
OF human life on the part Of the owners OF the Avon
dale mine led to the terrible result That decision
has never been reversed, and the Delaware, Lacka.
wanna and Western Railroad Company has been
furnishing evidence for nearly two years that 1t was
strictly correct. In the case OF the West Pittston
calamity, 1t may be said 1t was caused by pre-.
venible accident. That can and viii be set down
10 gross carelessness, indicated in my despatch
Of last night, there cannot be o doubt
THE FACTS
simply that the mine has been driven to It's full
capacity since resumption took place. in order that
the beneft Of the increased price Of coal might be
realized by the proprietors. Three shifts OF men
have been working eight hours Day,
thus showing that the coal has been
produced through the whole twenty-four hours.
In the hurry and scurry to get the
coal to market the machinery had been In almost
constant operation and there has probably been too
much business to allow thought that the journals
might require oiling. There seems to be no excuse
for this neglect and the COroner's jury
must ind that somebody has Numbered, with
most fearful and fatal effect. Now that the smoke
and confusion has subsidized people have already
begun to canvass why the provisions OF the Mine
Ventilation bill have not been compiled with by
Messrs Blake h Co., lessecs OF the mine. The
law providing that all mines In the anthracite
coal field shall have two openings has been In
operation nearly eighteen months, aud 1t does
not appear that any movement has been
made at the West Pittston shaft to provide
that most important adJunc. to the miners safety.
The bill declares that while work Is being carried on
IN driving Q second opening, but ten men shall be
employed in the mine. 1t docs not say twenty
miners and their laborers increasing the number to
forty, even sixty, as 1t has been construed at the
West Pittston SHAFT, and therelhas been
DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE ACT.
Tor which somebody must he held responsible. and
that somebody the operators Of the mine.
There is already very strong feeling against the
mine inspector for this dstrct-Mr. Thomas N. Will
iams-and many miners are censuring him In the
harsnest terms. II IS reported that the inspector
has been remss in his duty. in not seeing that the
mine was not overcrowded with workmen, and 1t Ia
also minated that strong influences have been OF
work to secure an evasion OF wholesome enact
ment by several mines In the district. 1t is hardly
Just to PREJUDICE the case Of mr.. Williams,
and much fairer for oil parties concerned to
await the developments made by the Coroner:
but these are facts which people win talk about
why was not proper attention paid to the ma
cntnery, and why we're there more mon in the mine
than allowed by law2 That the number OF
DEATHS WAS GREATLY INCREASED
by the crowding OF the mine cannot now be de-
MED, and 1t must be decided legally who is to
blame. At this point 1t Is but candid to say the
miners themselves have been much TO blame in
the matter by putting moro men OF work
than IL allowed by the Nine Ventilation BILL They
have been so anxious to go to work that they have
shown q disposition to take all the chances In
order to obtain chamber. This fact has
been fully illustrated at Pleasant Valley.
When Mr.. Blewitt the inspector for the Upper Dis.
trIc posted his notice on Swoyer's works that the
mine was en- ploying number OF men contrary TO
law, the men were very indignant, ana declared
their intention
TO WORK, LAW OR NO LAW,
and they have been working ever since, regardless
of danger and the enactment OF the Legislature
Tie catastrophe at West Pits.on will have ten.
dency to decide whether law designed to protect
the miners against the cupidity Of the operators
shall not be enforced to shield them from
acts OF their own personal recklessness. This Will
be an interesting Issue throughout the whole anthra.
cite coal field. In view OF the terrible calamity
work win be suspended In Pittston till after the
funeral
The following Is posted around town.
NOTICE.
In view of tho sad calamity which has lust be-
fallen our community and TO afford opportunity lor
assisting In buryng the dead. the members or the
Pttst0n Board OF Trade are respectfully requested ia
CLOSE their places OF business tomorrow Tuesday,
May 80 till I'VE O'Clock p M. BY order OF the PITTS
ton Board OF Trade. t
@. X. CAMPBELL, Secretary
BY authority OF the Burgess and Town Council Of
the borough OF PIttston II is hereby ordered that al
until Ave r. M; and II IL most especially ordered
that all saloons where liquors are sold be likewise
closed. BY order
JOSEPH P. sCHooLEY Burgess
THE ROLL or DEAD
owen Mackin, one OF the Victims died this after
noon, at six O'Clock. John Lloyd died between
seven and eight. The funerals OF the sacrificed
miners will take place tomorrow, at four p. NJ.
The deaths now amount to twenty The other
victims OF the casualty are slowly improving and Il
IA thought that no more deaths VIII ccsur The feel
ps In the community is very strons against the