The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-18
LOOKING ON DEATH.
How Those Who Work In Mines
Gan Die.
Calmly writing Messages to Loved Ones
While Death Croeps Upon Them
Some Pathetic Incidents OF
Mine Explosion In saxony.
[scranton tPa.j letter.

Sixteen years ago there was terrible
colliery explosion in Saxony, by which a
large number OF miners lost their lives.
OF that disaster an old miner in this city
has preserved a most remarkable record in
a series o. manuscript co II 8, translated
into English Of messages written to their
friends by such of the doomed Saxon miners
as were no. killed outright by the explo-
sion, but were preserved for the no less
surs and more terrible death by suffoca-
tion as the poisonous gases slowly destroyed
the pure air that remained In thu niue.
Thess messages were found in not books
AMI on scraps OF paper on the dead bodies
OF the poor msn when they were at last
recovered. The manuscript copies OF these
touching notes were made In Cornwall by
q relative OF the ol miner and were sent
to him shortly after the disaster. They
are interesting, outside Of their pathos, as
answering the frequently asked question:
How do men feel when nbout to die-not
after being wasted and weakened by dis
eass, or when the Llood is heated by the
strife OF battle, but when they see inevit-
able death slowly but certainly approach
ing them, and know that in exactly SO
many minutes it will seize upon themy Do
they rage and stru ygle yainst their fate,
or do they meet ii with calmness and resig-
nationi These messages show that the
poor miners awaited the coming OF death
with singular calmness and resignation.
Not one word In the whole record reveals
fesling Of bitterness against the fate they
could not avert.
There Isl curious pathos in some Of the
lines scrawled by these death -bes eyed
men in the gloom OF their narrow prison.
A young man, Janetz by name, had pinned
to his coat leaf from note ook. On
It were written his last words to his
sweetheart: "Dirliny Rika: Hy last
thoughts are of thee. Thy name will be
the last word my lips shall speak. Fare
WELL"
The miner Re che, when his book was
found, clutched in his hand a scrap Of
paper. "Dea- sister," it read, "Msyer in
the village owes me ten thalers. 1t Is
yours. hope my face will not be distort-
ed when they find us. might have been
better TO you. Good-by." Reiche, ac-
cording to the old Scranton miner, who
seems TO have the histories OF all the un.
fortunate Saxon miners at his tongues
end, was a severe man, and though just to
his sister, who was his only relative, gave
her no liberties. The thought that he had
not done right evidently haunted him In
his death hour.
The absence OF all selfshness, all repin-
ings on account Of themselves, is touching
ly apparent in all the messages. "My
dear relations" wrote the miner Schmidt,
"while seeing death befo e me remsmber
you. Farewell until we meet again in
happiness" Lying next to young Janetz,
whose message TO his sweetheart Is quoted
above, writer named Moretz was found.
On paper in his cap was written; "Jan-
etz has just died. Richer Is dying, and
says: Tell my family leave them with
God.' Farewell, dear wife. Farewell,
dear children. May God keep you" The
miners who died from suffocltion had evil
IDENTIFY been driven from ons place Of ref
uge to another, according TO the following,
found in the nots book OF miner named
Bahr: "This Is tho last place where we
have taken refuge. have given up all
hope, because the ventilation has been de-
st5yed In three separate places. May God
take myself and relatives and dear friends
who must die with me, as well as our fam
lilies, under His protsction."
"Dear wife," writes Moller, "take good
care Of Mary. In book in the bedroom
you will find thalsr. Farewell, dear
mother, till We meet again" May wal
the miners only child, who was blind.
A miner named Jahne or Jaehn wrote ID
his brother, who was miner, that he hac
been unable to work that day: "Thanl
God for his goodness, brotherl You are
safe.n
"No more toll In dark mines" wrot'
another"
The uniform spirit OF piety that market
oil the messages Of the dying men was ex
plnined by the custodian OF these touch inl
records. He said the miners OF Saxony ar,
all reared In strict religious school, ant
that on entering the mines they all petition
Heaven for protection through thl
day, and on leaving the mines return
thanks to God for guarding them ant
bringing them safely through the dangeri
Of their toll
~ never read the simple messages o.
those poor men without moistened eyes,
said the old miner, and his eyes were GER
tainly more than moist as he spoke. "a
can picture to myself the scene Of th,
rough -handed but soft-hearted men
spending their last moments not In vii:
cries for mercy and screams OF remorse
nor In repinings against their cruel fate
! but In sending these farewell messages Z
tieir loved ones, who were even then be.
wailiny them as dead. VIII 10 my bear
bleeds over the picture, thank God that
humble miners though they were, tbel
showed the world how bravely and noblJ
tnoy could die"