The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-03
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. !

| GEORGE FORCEY.
JACH THOMAS.
None were left to tell the tale of the underground
fash that swept them into eternity. All the VIC
tins were residents of Mill Creek Three lived
| the mouth of the mine and four of them mar
ried. Tho last time they alive when
they received their instructions from the mining
boss, John L. Cook this morning and walked down
the dark slope.
| PaoPPING THE ROOF.
For some days past those i'll charge Of Mill Creek
Colliery have observed the tendency of the roof
settle fall in at several places Last evening there
was heavy fall of roof in No. lift. ana party of
men went in to timber prop up the shaky super
incumbent structure They were at work till nearly
midnight and noticed nothing unusual III the flow
of gas, for which the mine is notorious. This
morning at six o'clock Mine Boss Cook
tered the colliery and found the pillar between
the airway and gangway "working in threaten
ing manner. About one-fourth of the vein of
coal is generally lett to support the roof. and
the working of one of the pillars of coal is
indicated by its splntering off. showing that it is
yielding beneath the terrible pressure of the roof.
Finding this state of affairs Cook fastened out. sent
for David Jenkins Daniel Rupp. William Kcnney,
George Forcey and Zach Thomas. to whom he gave
orders 10 hasten down the slope and surround the
yielding pillar of coal with stout props of timber
and secure it from falling They cheeriully obeyei
and descended the SLOPE little dreaming that death
lay before them. The frightlul explosion was heard
about nine o'clock. and although camo back to
tell how it occurred circumstances show that it
caused by volume of fire damp coming in contact
with the lamps of tho workmen.
BRAvING THE AFTER DAMP"
| AS the dreadful story was known men and
! women and children from their homes in the
direction of the shaft and the Sabbath stiffness was
broken with the cries of grief stricken wives and
children. One woman ran to the mouth of the slope
with babe in her arms. asking in piteous tones:--
| "where is hep?
| He was down the dreadful slope from which clouds
of sitting smoke and sulphur were issuing AS
as the place tolerable the mine boss. accom-
panied by party of men, went down to ascertain
the effects the shock The trip down the slope
exceedingly perilous from the fact that it feared
the fire damp was accommodating for second shock
Besides this the later damp" which usually fol-
lows an explosion of gas ana is the most noxious
and deadly of all its effects. not yet entirely dis
sipated The mine boss bravely fastened forward,
however, tho hope or saving life.
TERROR
No pen describe the terror of the scene by
which he was confronted en- ntering the fatal mine
The tempest of fire had swept aside stout pillars
thick pnrtitious as though hey had been only reels
and paper and the frowning roof looked
black. dismal and ragged. Every gallery and
passage showed where the subterranean lightning
irresistible force scattering props. and other
obstacles in confusion along it's fiery path. Huge
pieces of bony coal hung threateningiy from the
root aud the place seemed instinct with the genus
of desolation and DEATH There sound of
human voice there, no echo of miners pick TO
break the monotony with it's friendly music. Even
the explorer afraid of his voice and hest
tatcd at every step lest his foot should strike q
human body. The slope is about three thousand
long. with an incline of fifteen to every hundred
feet. Here is where the whirlwind OF fire had
wrought its deadly work.
riSprSo THE BODIES.
After brief search the mine boss camo
frightful spectacle. Three bodies lay in what is
known as No. . lift. The lifts" numbered ave-
nues leading from the slope at right angles. and
about three hundred feet apart. In No. the mine
boss found George Forcey, William Kenney and
Daniel Rupp. They Were blackened and mangled.
force OF tho explosion. Their bodies literally
baked. and the picture which they presented was
horrible to contemplate. They We're taken tenderly
in car which Immediately hoistcd 10 the
surface. The appearance of the sad burden
ut the mouth of the mine the
signal for distressing vail of anguish. The wives
and children OF the deal men traffic with grief.
of sorrow. About three thousand men, women and
children had congrc9a,ed at the head of the slope.
! aud when the came up there was rush TO gct
glimpse ut the victims every one tearing lest some
friend might be there
The bodies removed speedily possible
and another descent into the miuo made. The
friends OF the two absent men hoped against hspe
that they might yet be spared aud the
ments which cnsued between the descent and
the of the car with it's bravo lit
tie band of explorers painful the
extreme. Tho dangerous character OF tho mine
aftor such furious shock is we'll known. and the
explorers took their lives in their hand by
tefingit. They found tho bodies OK the other two
men, David Jenkins and Zach Thomas. in No: lit.
They charred to cndefs, biackcncd aud hid
eous. The work of placing them IN the
slow. 1t performed in silence. The men
almost stricken dumb by the sad spectacle, and
after taking Neir places with the bodies, speedily,
and with trembling hand. gave the signal to hoist.
One OF them atterward said 1t seemed dreadful to be
a. vt Ia n % m
from the light OF day. Tho approach OF the car was
again watched by the anNic us thousands at the /
mouth OF the slope in feyerish suspense, and when
the worst learned there was such scene as
fairly battles description. Men daily Injured to |
hardship and danger wcpt bitterly and there
no con ISOLATION that could be offered to the wives
and children OF the victims.
HOLIDAY.
Three Of those who met such sad fate lived on
one street, a short distance from each other, aud
the thoro has been throngcd nearly all day
with weeping relatives. After the cause of the
tie at the breaker was blown and heard for miles
along the valley, bringing crowds of people Hooking
from all Sides The churches of Mill Greek had
congregations to-day. and those pastors who held
diuinc service preached to empty benches. Tho |
people turned from their church doors in
pra instances to 20 aud witness the hosting of tho
bodies. OF the killed David Jenkins was the oldest,
being over sixty years OF age.
superintendent Vandling OF tthe Delaware and
Hudson Coal Department. informed me that the |
Mil Creek Colliery employs 400 men and !
is blamed directly for ihe disaster. One year
ago an engineer named Isaac Davis was fatally
ply xaied at this same minc 1t TO generate |
Gas in great quantities, is the case in all coeries
where the uest coal is mined. Up to late hour to-
night the streets of Mill Creek filed with
row ing crowds, who, Needless OF the snowstorm
which prevails. recount the sad fate OF that little
group OF miners who went down to their death, and
of hau up IA vi