The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-03-24
THE pooAHoNTAs VICTIMS.
An Impressive Meeting ut the Scene
of the Disaster.

A meeting Of the residents of Pocahontas,
Va, the scene of the terrible mine disaster,
was held at the Union Church, located di-
rected over the smouldering mine, aud was
one Of the most tragic and solemn that can
be imagined. The purpose was to compel
the company to open up tho mine so as TO
allow the removal of the bodies of the vic
tins.
The meeting was held during q severe
storm, the rain falling in torrents and flashes
oflightning and bursts of thunder adding
impressiveness to the occasion. The church
was crowded by the women aud the old and
feeble, while the miners stood outside in
their rubber coats with their safety lamps
burning, and participating through tho
open windows and doors in the proceedings
of the meeting.
VIM, Forster, as the most aged of the
miners, was called to preside, and said, with
q trembling voice, that he was there for the
purpose of getting the bodies of his two
sons, who were in hell of fire under the
very threshold of the church. The miners
stood bareheaded in the rain while tho
brother Of one of the victims offered a
prayer.
o, God Almighty, we ask that you VIII give
us some comfort In this hour of afliction.
We pray you to let us have back the bodies OF
our poor relatives, and not to refuse US tho
chance OF burying them. o, Lord God AL
mighty, put out tho fires, and help us so thai
we can give back the bodies to that earth
from which We came. II some poor fellow
down below is yet alive, o God, kill him
quick, or show us how to help him. In the
name OF merciful Jesus, we beeeech You to
show pity on the town aud help US boar the
burden you have given us TO bear. God help
us and teach us to live your life, so we can
Ole In peace when our lime comes. II. rs
some say, the dead go to purgatory, then we
pray you be mercitul TO our dead. Let their
agony In this deadly mine help to square
their account. God help and comfort all in
pocahontas, for the sweet sake Of jesus Christ.
Amen.
The entire assemblage was deeply affected
by the prayer, and as soon as quiet was re.
stored a committee of five was appointed to
| proceed at once TO demand the opening OF
the mino and the search for the bodies.
| The committee was absent short time
and returned with flat refusal, which
| threw the meeting into disorder and al
most led to mobbing the superintendent
| and officers of the mine.
During the excitement a colored man
| jumped up and said.
Suppose that mine was opened now with the
flre burning would you go down for the bodies
| Not oneof you would dare to do It. You know
| no man could live In there fivo minutes Now,
| don't know n0thin' about how to put oul
that 1lre. The company says we can smother
| ~ W pNoppihB UP tho uilitS. IL huJpoug hupWd
| better way TO put out the Are lot him tell us
But until that fire is out We can't so Into tina
mine, and we might as we'll take the com
pany's word for IL as not. This is no fun fol
| them, neither. 1t costs them heaps OF money
and we ought TO allow that they are Just q;
willin' to put out that Are as we are.
| The speech was evidently Endorsed by
the more conservative and Intelligent por
tion of tho audience, and during the dis
1 cussion that followed the meeting ad
I journed without taking any action.