The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-23
OVER THE BURNING NINE
r MEETING TO DEMAND THE RkCOT.
ERY OF TIE MENERN RODLk&

0as Mas Appealiss e Gee - Pae OuS che
fSres-Thrsats Against the Csnpany-Ex.
element Ailayed by One Cala speech.
CENTRAL, Va, March IA meeting of the
residents Of Pocahontas was held last night At
the Union Church to compel the mining COM
pany to open the mine and rescue the bodies OF
the 100 men buried therein. The church build.
ing was crowded. and tho doors and windows
were left open. SO that the throng outside
might participate in tho proceedings. The
church was lighted by sickly coal oil lamps.
and each OF the six or seven hundred mon out
side had q miners Davy lamp on his hat
tho faint glow Of which was tgain and again
ecllpsed by vivid flashes Of lightning. Before
tho proceedings had been conducted i've min.
utos the threatening thunder storm swooped
over tho mountains and tho rain fell In tor
rents. Then tho men inside tho building
walked out and let the women and children
have tho shelter. while they donned Oil coats
and maintained their interest In the meeting
aSn nni @am FS Sssr
who. with trembling voice. said:
Men for one am here to SO il cant get tho bodies
buried uadsrns4,S our s:e ' sarIoasasa By
Peter Smith. whose brother Is another victim.
asked permission to,pray which being granted
he rose and, doiilng his hat made feryent ap;;
tened to the following:
GSa n MI o. ,s will give Sm:
1 ssys 1. Sc iSSs. !,
give hack The HSd,e. 70 That earth from which came
@ as; sa s
g ty on .ss
bear God help us ard each us to liyo your life
~
for the sweet sake Of Amen
During the invocation tho crying Of tho
ume until it nearly drowned tho speakers
voice. AS he sat down tears were flowing from
whe d, xese e 81 the Irish wives mingled
wh %ss IF the 70 s ss
strangers who witnessed it,
T. $. Blair. q seotchman, moved that . COM
tendent Lathrop aud demand that the mine be
opened and search for the bodies begun. The
proceeded to tho SUPERINTENDENT house. where
their request was fatty refused. When tho
com h reported there was murmur which
the company and against Lathrop and other
officials were freely uttered, and one man sug-
Gcstod that they Immediately proceed to open
At this juncture. and before the more con-
excitement coiored man named VI. K. Hilton
sprang up. and. standing on the backs OF two
pews asked leave to say few words. He then
and without thinking over the situation. Sup
pose. We topened that mino now" he asked.
would any OF you men go into it?" He paused
for reply. and. not receiving one. continued. =
Not one Of you would dare TO do it, You know no man
nOthn' about how to put out that fire. Tho company
says can smother IL by stopping UP the drifts II
anybody knows better put the IRE let him
tel U.S. But until that IRE fs ont can't go into that
mine. and might well take the cOn.pany's word
for II not This 10 fun FOR them neither 1t costs
them heaps of money and ought to allow that they
Just a. willin to put out that bro arc.
The plain speech made a favorable impres.
sion on some. and the officers OF the meeting.
opportunity to ADJOURN o Tho greater part t 81
the men. however. being very ignorant. can't
DO induced to take the right view Of tho situa-
ton. and to-day they continue 70 mutter
threats OF opening the mine.