The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1884-03-20
A VIRGINIA HORROR.


Wreck-The Mine in Flames--Agunizing
Scenes at The Mouth Ofthe Pit--Ineffectual
Efforts ut Exploration.
IyNcHnURG, VA, March 10.
Shortly after midnight u terrific cXplo-
sion occurred at Pocahontas, Tazewell
County, Va, and soon thereafter a scene
of the most intense excitement ensued.
Men, women and children arose from
their beds and rushed out into the open
air in their night-dresses. The streets
were thronged and all were at a loss to
determine what had happened.
WHAT IT WAS.
1t was not long before tho truth was
known, and then the excited crowd rush
ed toward the principal coal mine in the
southern suburb. Upon arriving there
dense volume of smoke was found pour
ing forth from the shaft Of the mine,
whilst scattered around within u radius
Of quarter Of mile were broken tim
bers and broken mining machinery of
every description. Upon every side laid
fragments of human bodies. The shrieks
OF the woman and children filed the air
air and added more horror to the scene
Everybody appeared paralyzed at the
spectacle, and it was some time before
the bravest Of the men present realized
the extent of the disaster, and began to
take steps to ascertain it.
After two hours had elapsed and Moth
ing accomplished by the panic-stricken
crowd, a man with a CHASTITY white face
mounted the debris aud cried outs 'Ior
Gods sake, men, let's stop this, We all
have friends and relatives down below,
and maybe we can help them. Let's sec
about it, and let the women folks do the
crying"
A LEADER WANTED.
Every one Of the officials of the camp
were below, besides one hundred and
fifty laborers. There was no one to
lead the Tescuing party, and it was
with the utmost difficulty that volun-
teers could be induced to go near the
mouth of the mine. The leader again
addressed the men present, and then
throwing a blanket around his head
made an effort to ascertain If It were
possible to enter the mine. He soon
returned and announced that all attempts
at a rescue of the poor creatures who
were cntombed was useless.
A TEKklBLE SllOAIlDNs
A dense volume of flame then began
pouring out of the mouth of the mine and
! illuminated the country for miles around.
Crowds of people collected In groups ofa
half dozen or more, discussed the terrible
| situation and lamcnted the death of either
father, brother or husband.
When it became evident that nothing
could be done before daybreak, every en-
deavor was made by the men to quiet the
women, one Of whom, in her frenzy, tore
the hair from out Of her head by the hand
full and cried out: "Oh, my poor husband,
he is burning to death; won't some ono
help him2p
LIGHT At LAST.
When day dawned the horror became
apparent. The men were by this time
more composed and the women ina meas
ure quieted. The latter began to gather up
the fragments of the bodies Of the unfortu-
nate miners who had been working near the
mouth of the shaft at the time Of the acci'
dent and were blown upward out of the
mine. Every one of the fifty men at this
point was killed. as the numerous frag'
ments of limbs testified,
kilograms were sent to Lynchburg and
other cities for aid, but it was not until
noon that assistance arrived, and then
surgeons and physicians arrived from
Lynchburg by special train. All the
morning men from the surrounding coun
try kept pouring to the scene, having beer
attracted by the great volume Of black
smoke. The hunters in the mountains
were among the arrivals, and they were
invaluable in aiding the panic-strickel
residents.
The greater part Of the victims were
laTt coll nd fIair Nn Ia
cannot, with any accuracy, be ascer
tanned, except in few instances.
EARNEST WORKERS..
A party Of miners from Coaltield mines
under command of Ge ejrge Dodds, ar
rived during the afternoon and tool
charge Of affairs. The residents Were
forced back from the vicinity of the dis
aster and the work of collecting the hu
man remains proceeded with. The frag
ments were removed to house near by
The collection was ghastly one, and thu
/ 500 population remaining above groun(
seemed 60 be crazed by the scene. Nont
had any hopes of ever seeing any Of thu
entombed miners alive. Yonng girls hal
naked dashed here and there, regardless
CT those around them Many had theil
clothing stained with blood by thei
search among the human fragments.
, DRIVEN BACK.
At brief intervals man after man woulC
make a determined effort TO force hi
way into the mine only to be driven bacl
by the flames and smoke. At seven o'clocl
last night it was thought an entranc
could be had as the smoke showed sign
of decreasing, Apartyof men attempte'
: to get in, and had gone below ground
] when volume of fame shot up, and
was with difficulty the men escaped wit
/ their lives. Upon the party reaching th
surface, it was discovered that one Q
the rescuing party, an Italian name
, Carlo Franchi, was missing, and had eyl
J IDENTIFY dropped from the cage into th
/, raging furnace below. The others of tn
party were all badly burned.
THE MINE BURNING.
At eight O'Clock the mine was sendln
) forth roaring funnel of flame, settin
) fire to the outbuildings and destroyin
: the fan house, which had been locke
upon as the salvation of any OF the me
/ who might be still alive. When this las