The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-12
PRICE TWO CENTS.
THE HICKORY SHAFT FIRE.
TIC Condition or the survivor. The Great
Mine ncscribed - Wanted. Work and
Brend -Bcggina In tho Mining IL. gion.

Tho victims Of the Hickory shaft disaster.
n"ar Poltsville. Pa. are not all to bc buried to-
gcther. Michael Kirk Herbert Moore rnd John
Durkn nre 10 be buried to-day. nnl the romans
OF Benjamin NJ ,scly. Joseph Milward and
Thomas Connors are to be- Inferred on Sunday.
The Preparation for tho funerals has been
elaborate.
The three poor miners whose remains arc to
followed TO their graves to day were not only
conspicuous in tho mining population hut wcro
respected citizrns of the town. Moore will 10
greatly missed. Kirk and Milwnrd were mem-
bers Of the Seventh Pennsylvania Regiment and
OF various secret orders. These asso cations
will parade and 40 will the military.
james Leddy. who IL frlghtfully burned and
u man named 81. Clair. who Is not only badly
burned. but has lost his entire scalp. will swell
the list Of dead to eight. unlcss there is
special intervention Of Providence. A dozen or
more men who hnvo been burned or crushed
are in agony. and the village Of ~. Clair ia a
Tho Hickory slaft-iho mine IN which the cx-
plu-iuu r'urred-is vet rluecd. and will ba un-
I'll Monday. A few brave miner. hnvc b,@,n ut
WORK IN every nook nhi ,cori'r oi the DANGER
ous cavern. rcadIu-ting tho drauslt doors that
w"ro blown from their hinges. setting up tho
steam inns and the TINY engine that propel
t!"m.ani in eve " rceov rgt iodraught OF
ar That must blow through the EHngways. cnr-
ryng Of the aerumulating gasos before il is
safe to work in the mine. As the gunlwavs cx-
nd nearly two miles under theenfth aud their
tributaries AMI Oil4hOuS form nearly fifteen
miles Of hOroughfnrr IN" extent and charac-
! Ol the work can he appreciated.
The tmmcusity Of thir min" ron .lers II ono OF
Ito me- ~ dang nrou-. h' Husr tr gr0 Htor q mins
the moro gaS. AMI because lsu- has more oppOr-
tunitirs 10 eumulnte uud"te. tod in the barren
AMI hhnnnon'd rrtnncs ~ an Ola anu large
shaft than in a small and busy ono. Naked
lnmps should mover have been permit ID IN tho
Hickury shalt tut th"y were used almost cS-
clusi'cy. Thcrs is nm out-poken sentiment
current nmOng the miners that the Philadcl-
lhia and Recalling Company and the minc in
sp"tor- are 10 lame Tor this, hnd much bitter
ness of feeling il rngeulcred by Il. The miners
were 40 numerous ana 50 frank ia their speech
III IN" torpners ihuu II that II WIS suggested
By ono OF thor Leaders that the public peace
might be best preserved ~ ordering them out
Of the hall.
When Hartman. the flr.t witness. said he had
not seen or heard Oi tn" mine Inspector for six
weeks the miners cprrO' 'urHt'd his testimony
WITH grIdns and low murmurlngs. Again,
when Hartman trstiN Hd thatthc fire boss had de-
t"cied ihe unus su'diy heavy presence Of coal gas
ia tho buggy shut. in which poor Durkin and
hn wore work kng. and had recommended the
us" OF safety lamps thrrN. the demonstration
| were repeated. But Coroner Quail was firm.
and order was preserved.
There had been very many accidents in the
Hickory mlnr, although irW had been attended
with loss of life. VIM. Wcaklam. one Of the
miners whose t-'rpe W.s most IN 'ulOus had
| Just recovered from the ,flnct OF an Incident;
AMI. among thc killed, tonnors, whose head and
| ieot M,rc mashed tO -hap'r-- Jumps against
| drau-ht door. had been injured once before.
| But tar min a. are 80 drradfully poor and
! have had So little work aud su rh unsatisfactory
wages of late 1t is more than likely that when
| iie mine rcOprns all the former workmon will
| return.
Strong men and boys aro begging bread from
| house To- house throughout the mining ro-
| elon. anl any work. even in Hickory shaft. u
| Preferable 10 tnat.