The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-07

]
dny-scenes at the Identification of the
yictims-Further Progress OF the Work.
Yesterday beginning was made in the
recovery Of the bodies OF the men killed in
Grove Shaft February Sd Of this year.
Grove Shaft Of the Midlothian mines is
about one and a half miles from COalfield
station. which station is on the Danville
railroad, thirteen miles from Richmond.
The near approach 10 il is by pretty road
shaded by oyerarching trees. The works
are Of great magnitude, and were con-
structed almost regardless OF cost in the
effort to mine the coal protitably and secure
the comfort and safety Of Operatives. The
shaft is GA feet deep. and reaching ont
from it Is tunnel 800 feet in length
through a great bed Of granite. Then
there i a passage-way declining at from 10
10 30 carrying the operations some 5000
feet from the bottom OF the shaft and 400
feet beneath the surface OF the earth.
TIE EXPLOSION.
When the explosion occurred. which
swept thirty-twO men from time into ctcr-
nitv. il was exactly three minutes past
. O'Clock. The men were getting to work
after dinner when the sound va, heard.
and with il came a cloud Of smoke and
dust from the shaft and upca,t.
Those about the mouth Of the Shaft at
/ once realized that great calamity had oc-
Cured
SHAFT CLOSED.
a. soon ae possible the superintendent.
/ Mr.. George Dodd>. planned arrangements
+ to enter the pit with few volunteers, and
strong effort 10 recover the bodies wa,
made.
Between the Sd and 7th Of February five
bodies were recovered. Then evidences Of
| fire were observed by the explorers, and
/ the part OF prudence and wisdom required
/ that the >haif should be- closed. II was
closed from February 1th to the 2l>t Of
July.
I ON the latter day the shaft was opened
and the workmcn went in, and for more
/ than two months the work ha, been ,tcadi-
ly going on.
OPENING THE WAY.
( The explosion tumbled down the roof
and supporting timhcrs in many places.
and 1T some points blocked the progress of
the miners. They had 10 advance slowly.
clearing Their way a. they went. About
the first OF this week The odors reaching
/ them convinced them that they were near
ing some OF the dead bodies.
THREE BODIES RECOVERED.
Yesterday three Of the hodic, were found
near what i, called the iunction--thut j..
where some Of The trmnway tracks run into
the main track lcadmg 10 the shaft. The
timber, and coal which had fallen on and
about them were removed. and they were
put in boxes and brought TO the surface
and placed in the office.
Their flcc, were badly shrunken. and
bore a yelloWi,h disc0lOraiiOn: so that it
was impossible 10 tell whether they were
whites turned dark or blacks palcd into
thi. chastity hue. Their clothes were black
and torn. and. like their faces and hands,
covered with mold.
TIE NEWS ABROAD.
The house, OF the miners are not in a
group about the shaft. bun are scattered
around It on the hills for half-mile or
more.
Most Of these are dc,olatcd home, now.
The thiriy-tWO men who pori>hed in
Grove Shaft February 3d comprised a con-
. siderable part Of the resident population.
They left WIyo.. mothers, brothers and >i,-
tcr>. and little ones. These have all been
bcmoaning that day oi cruel disaster. and
bouing for and vet fearing the recovery of
the bottles OF their loved ones. They had
no idea that the bodic, would prove 10 be
free from di-figurcmcnt: they had scarcely
Il hope that they would be- recognizable;
but their worst imagnaiionS could not
have picturcd more sorry sights than was
presented hy those bodies yesterday.
They were bad enough 10 excite the hor-
ror Of q re,urrcctoni>t.
IpEN1IFICAToN.
Mr.. !. =. Lightfoot Ohc agent of the
executor, of K. :. Burrows, who ha> been
unremitiing in hi> efforts 10 help the living
and recover the bodies OF the dead. arrived
,t fine ,hait short while after the bodies
had been pat in the office. He and super
inlendeut Dodd. Mr.. Jewctt and Mr. b.
.krr, and "A few colored men. were fora good
while the only persons about the place: but
"a, the news spread a number Of coloied
men came down.
\it,r GOOD deal OF talk and comparison
~ views and examination Of the clothc- oi
thc deceased, the conclusion was reached
thot The Lodic. were tho>cof Pleasant stew
ard. Richard Morgan, and Fred. Ander-
.on. all coorel. The men. however. not
feeling certain about thi~. determined 10 90
mn and a>k the women-folk- OF the deceased
to come down 10 the Office to identify them.
TIE wAu. or THE WOMEN.
Pretty soon the men returned, and with
tho,n five or siX women lsome OF whom
had ,topped 10 put on deep mourning and
several children. TWO dog, demmcly fol-
= lowed the party.
In three minute, two bodie, were iden-
tifcd.
Fred. Andcr>on's mother said she would
. know her son by scar on his foot. The
$ shoe bcing removed. it wa, found.
Pheasant Stewart's sister and wife were
e. hotb present. They identified him by hi-
. clothes and shoes. No sooner wa TIM
. donr than the sister seized the poor >hrunk-
= en discolored, mould-coycred body and
rnIIed on The door with II, the while send
q IN, ma wall A. piercing "A, that supposed
o to come from lost spirit. Inc other W%0- %
4. wen ioined. and the office resounded WIN
. - viii weird wall. rising or falling A. tht
. -. NJ sorrow broke over them.
1 Mr. Bokcr finally induced the colorcc
n,en ~ ner,uade the women to return
1 home' and they at lat tore themselves from
q the Lodie,. and went forth weeping, Whlcl
n could he heard long after their forms were
= lost 10 sight in the wooded paths
e Anderson and steward were taken from
e ,,.a nj m;t IN tbe forenoon. while the BODY sup
). no,ed NJ" to be that Of Morgan vas recovered
i aHont night, and wa, not 20 well indenti
;, fed. .,,.o
: Mr.. Lightfoot had provided aS;ol a nunDe nxnro
of decent collins. and the 1oules vi do
after identification, plateu III Ia sr;o,,ds
-..IIf