St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-03-29
A VIRGINIA HORROR.


Scenes at the Mouth of the Pit-Inefectual
Efforts at Exploration.
LYNCHBURG, VA, March 10.
Shortly after midnight terrific explo-
sion occurred at Pocahontas, TazeWel
County, Va, and soon thereafter 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 the 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 a radius
of a 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, man with CHASTITY white face
mounted the debris and cried out: "For
Gods sake, men, let's stop this. We all
have friends and relatives down below,
and maybe we can help them. Let's see
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 rescuing party, and it was
with the utmost difficulty that yolun-
teers could be induced to go near the
mouth of the mine. The leader again
addressed the men present, and then
throwing 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
ut rescue of the poor creatures who
We're entombed was useless.
TERRIBLE SITUATION.
A dense volume of fame then began
pouring out of the mouth of the mine and
illuminated the country for miles around.
Crowds of people collected in groups ola
half dozen or more, discussed the terrible
situation and lamented the death of either
father, brother or husband
When it became evident that nothing
oN11ld ha dana bofnTn r1avI1pnaE avary on
deayor 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: sob, my poor husband,
he is burning to death; won't some one
help him?''
LIGHT AT LAST.
When day dawned the horror became
apparent. The men were by this time
more composed and the women ina meas |
ure quoted. 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 |
noon that assistance arrived, and then |
surgeons and physicians arrived from
LynchbuFg by special train All the |
morning men from the surrounding coun-
try kept pouring to the scene, having been
attracted by the great volume of black
smoke. The hunters in the mountains |
were among the arrivals, and they were I
invaluable in aiding the panic-stricken
residents.
The greater part Of the victims were /
Italians and Germans, and their names
cannot, with any accuracy, be ascer-
tanned, except in few instances.
EARNEST WORKERS.
A party of miners from Coalffeld mines,
under command of George Dodds, ar
rived during the afternoon and took
charge of affairs. The residents were
forced back from the vicinity of the dis
aster and the work of collecting the hui
man remains proceeded with. The frag-
ments were removed to house near by.
The collection was CHASTITY one, and the
|, 800 population remaining above ground
to be erazed by the scene. None
had any hopes of ever seeing any of the
miners alive. Young girls half
naked dashed here and there, regardless
Il those around them. Many had their
clothing stained with blood by their
search among the human fragments.
DRIVEN BACK.
At brief intervals man after man would
make determined effort to force his
way into the mine only to be driven back
Dy the flames and smoke. At seven o'clock
asst night it was thought an entrance
could be had as the smoke showed signs
Of decreasing. A party of men attempted
TO get IN, and had gone below ground,
when volume of flame shot up, and it
gas with difficulty the men escaped with
5kair lives. Upon the party reaching the