The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-27
Victims Of the Diamond.Mine Disas-
ter.

ter.
BRINGING THEIR MANGLED REMAINS TO THE
srRFACE-A TERRIBLE MIDNIGHT SCENE.
BRAIDwOOD, ILL, March 26.-In the 1T
tie town OF Diamond last night at midnight
were brought TO the surface the bodies OF
nine OF the miners who lost their lives by
the catastrophe Of February 10th. From
the earliest hour Of the morning up TO the
time OF the recovery OF the bodies the
roads leading to the scene OF the awful dis
aster were blocked with excited people go
ing to and from the mine. By 10 O'Clock
all the available grounds I'm the VI
entity OF the hosting shaft were
completely packed with the crowd
OF people, numbering not less than
two thousand. When the bodies were
found there was great excitement among
those who composed the groups OF lockers
on. and IL was announced to the crowd
that no bodies would be taken out until
to-day on account of the inside work ne
cessary to be done. During yesterday,
however, q private search was instituted,
and the exploring party came across trap
door partly imbcdded in the caved roof.
Bursting open this door, the party made
an entrance into the passage in spite OF the
black damp, which almost choked them,
and discovered not far ahead two bodies
with faces downward. Proceeding farther,
there were two more on two OF the huge
piles Of soapstone fallen from the
roof. Without touching the bodies the
party retreated before the black damp.
which was coming upon them faster and
faster. to the main shaft, where they were
raised to the surface. When 1t was learned
that six bodies had been found the Dia-
mond mine officials made preparations to
organize the searching party, so that as
soon as darkness came they could go down
and speedily remove the bodies already 10
Gated. At s o'clock in the evening, pro-
ceeding TO where the bodies lay, the
searching party placed them upon canvas
stretchers and bore them to the mouth OF
the main shaft, where they were to remain
until midnight. when. after being encased
in wooden boxes, they were to be hoisted
TO the surface.
At midnight two great soft-coal torches
were lighted and the party below were in
structed to send up the first body. n
slight putting OF the engine and a gentle
Glide of the cage up from the gloom OF the
shaft and the body was at the surface
ready for removal. Willing hands seized
the box, and it was borne to the morgue
and placed upon the floor. The people
were then allowed to pass around and view
the dead, in hopes that some one would be
able to identify the corpse. Nearly half OF
the crowd had passed by when small boy
on looking into the box recognized the fea-
lures and ciied out ats my father!" The
childish identification proved correct, the
remains being those OF Patrick Wall. This
face was in horrible condition, the flesh
being red and white, and the scalp badly
bruised. The other bodies were then
raised. and two OF them were identified as
those OF William Johnson and John Huber.
Further developments are expected to-day.
Two shafts will be at work all day working
their way through immense piles OF soap.
stone which had fallen from the roof and
blocked the way. The searches that have
been made have fortunately been attended
by no serious results. though it is said that
the men have been in great danger.