Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-02-06

SCRANTON, Jan. 25.-Sixteen years ago
there was terrible colliery explosion in
Saxony, by which large number OF
miners lost their lives. OF that disas-
ter an old miner in this city has pre-
served a most remarkable record in a
series of manuscript copies, translated
into English, of messages written to
their friends by such of the doomed
Saxon miners as were not killed outright
by the explosion, but were preserved for
the no iess sure and more terrible death
by suffocation as the poisoned gases
slowly destroyed the pure air that re-
manned in the mine. These messages
we're found in note books and on scraps
of paper ON the dead bodies of the poor
men when they were at last recovered.
The manuscripts copies of these touching
notes were made in Cornwall by a rela-
tive of the old miner. and were sent to
him shortly after the disaster, They
are interesting. outside of their pathos,
as answering the frequently asked ques
ton: How do men feel when about to
die-not after being wasted and weak
ened by disease. or when the blood is
heated by the strife of battle, bat when
they see inevitable death slowly but GER
tainly approaching them, and know that
in exactly so many minutes IL will seize
upon them? Do they rage and struggle
against their fate, or do they meet il
with calmness and resignation? These
messages show that the poor miners
awaited she coming Of death with singu-
lar calmness and resignation. Not one
word in the whole record reveals . feel
ing Of bitterness against q fate they
could not avert.
There is curious psthos 10 some of
the lines scrawled by these deafh-be-
sieged men in the gloom of their narrow
prison. A young man, Janetz by name,
had pinned to his coat leaf from note
book. On il was written his last mes
sage to his sweetheart;
Darling Rika: My last thought was
of thee. Thy name will be the last word
my lips shall speak. Farewell"
The miner Reiche, when bis body was
fonnd, clutched in his hand a scrap of
paper.
aDear sister," il read, Meyer, in the
village, owes me ten thalers. Ii Is yours:
| hope my face will not be distorted
when they find rs. might have been
better 10 you. Good-by."
Reiehe, according 10 the old scranton
miner, who seems TO have the histories
his tongues end. vas severe man, and,
though juss to his sister, who was his
only living relative, gave her no liber
ties. The thought that he had not done
right evidently haunted him in his death
hour.
The absence Of all selhshnsss. all re-
pinings on account Of themselves, is
touohinRiy apparent in all the messages.
NV dear rslations." wrote the miner
schmidt, while seeing death before me
| remember you. Farewell until We
meet again in happiness"
Lying next 10 young Janetz, whose
message 60 his sweetheart 10 quoted
above, q miner named Moretz vas found.
On slip Of paper IN his cap was ~rit-
ten:
"Janetz has Just died. Richer Ia dy-
ing, aad says. Tell nay family l leave
them with God Farewell, dear wife.
Farewell. dear children. May God keep
You"
The miners who died by suffocation
had evidently been driven from one
place of refuge 10 another, according 10
the following, foand In the note book of
Q miner named Bahr:
"This is the last place where We have
taken refuge. have given ap all hope,
because the ventilation has been de-
stroyed in three separate places. May
God take myself ana relatives, and
dear friends Who must die with me,
- well a. our families, under His pro-
tectioa."
Dear wife, writes Mollar, "take
good care Of Mary. In . book in the
bedroom yoa viii hnd thaleF. Fare
well, dear mother. till vs meet again"
Mary vas the miners only child, who
Was blind.
A miner named Jaime or Jaehn wrote
10 bis brother, who vas miner, bat had
been unable 20 work thai day: Thank
God for His goodness, brother! You
are safe"
No more toll in darkness,' wrote
anethsr.
The uniform spirit Of piety that mark
ed al the messages Of the dying taen
was explained by the cusso<iias Of these
toachinR records- He said the miners
/ OF Saxony are ali reared in q strict rsli
gic1s school. and that on entering the
mines they all petition Heaven for PRO
tecsion through The day, and on leay
/ ing the mines return thanks 10 Ged
/ for guarding thsna and brineing thsm
safely thrOnRh the dangers ineidsns TO
their toal.
Il never read the simple messages Of
those poor msn without moistsned eyes, v
said the old miner, and has eyes xeIs
certainly more than Faoist as he spoke.
Il can picturs % myself the scsne Of
/ The rough banded bat soft hearted men,
Spending their last moments u0t IN Wild
ories for 1erey and screams Of rsmorss,
nor IN rsptnin&s against their cruel fate.
bat in senainz these farswsl messages
30 their loved oces. Who we're evan thea
hszsilinz them - dead. While my
heart bieeds ever the pistrzfe. I thank