Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-23
DEATH IN THE MINES.
RACCOON PIT EXPLOSION.
Two Men Killed In the Ciovsr-iIlIl Mines and
Msny Miners s,iraeuiousiy Escnpe.

Two hep Killed In the Ctovsr-Hiil Mines ana
Many Miners Muacuiousiy Escape.
The Clover-TIill pits, in the county Of
Chesterfield, are situated on Winter
pock creek, about twenty-five miles
from Richmond. These mines are
among the oldest in the State, and have
for years furnished coal to the world.
One Of the pits las they are termed
by the miners), or shafts, as others call
them, is an incline shaft running under
ground for distance of one mile, the
incline being perhaps at an angle Of 81
degrees. This pit is called the Rae
coon pit" and in it are employed by
the Brighthope Railway Company ordi-
narily about 100 operatives. Mr.. Ellis
Martin is the manager of what the miners
term the "bottom force,'' and Mr..
Adolphus Gary controls the upper
force" The mines work but one shift
Of hands-that is to say, that only one
force goes on during the day and none
at night. The manner Of removing the
coal from the mines is by bogies, drawn
by mules. over tramway, which is
kept up with the extension Of the mine.
About half mile down the incline
OF the Raccoon pit is an enormous fan,
operated by an engine and drum at the
mouth of the mine. This fan is kept
in motion night and day for the pur-
pose of veptilating the mines and driving
out the gas.
When the men 90 down in the mine
they get in the bogies--each capable
Of carrying twenty men-and go as
far as the fan, midway the incline.
Here they halt, and, according to
a wise precaution adopted by the COM
pany, send ahead two men known as
gas-men." These men carry the
Davy safety-lamp, and on foot proceed
TO penetrate the inmost recesses Of the
mines. If the Davy lamp goes out the
men retreat, knowing that there is dan
ger of gas exploding, and the force of
hands wait until the fan drives out the
gas and ventilates the mine.
According to usual custom, yester-
day morning few minutes after !
o'clock seventy eight miners got in the
bogies and rode down the incline to the
fan. They were accompanied by the
gas-man, fifteen laborers Whose duty
it was to load the bogies with coan,
and Mr.. A. L. Liegers, the contractor.
The gas-man QIobsOn Cheatham) and
Mr.. Llegers went ahead, leaving the
miners at the fan.
As time wore on one of the miners
Ia colored man, named David Lucas
became impatient and started ahead.
lie had not gone twenty feet before an
explosion was heard, and he found his
clothing afre and felt the force of the
shock. The miners knew what the
shock meant, and hastily retreated in
the bogies that were standing idly by,
carrying with them Lucas, whose inju-
ries were not of a serious nature.
The unfortunate gas-man (lIobson
Cheatham) and Mr.. Liegers were left
behind, and twenty inmates after the
explosion an effort was made to pene-
trate the mine, but the fire-damp Of
course prevented, and this state Of
affairs perhaps will exist for days.
There is no possible way Of ascer-
tanning the amount of the damage done
to the mines by the explosion, and it
will be some time before it can be ap-
proximated.
The force of gas explosion is terri
fc. 1t shivers wood into smithereens,
and the strong timbers in the Raccoon
pit, at the point where the explosion
occurred. are now reduced to tooth
picks. Besides this, thousands Of tons
of coal have been reduced to dust and
huge boulders Of granite shaken loose,
filling up the chambers Of the mine, and
making great deal of work necessary
in order to remove it.
The poor fellows who lost their lives
are well-known and highly-respected
citizens of Glover Hill, and their fate
is greatly deplored. Both were men,
bers of the Masonic lodge at Winter
pock and men of families.
The officers of the Brighthope Rail
way Company are James II. Young, of
New York, president Franklin Stearns,
Richmond, vice-president; James R.
Werth, superintendent.
Late Yesterday evening the body Of
Mr.. Hobson Cheatham was recovered.
1t was found about twenty feet from
the point at which the explosion oc-
CURED. Nr. Leiger's body is still in