The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-02-02
THE DEATH HOLE.
Scenes at the Mines--The Search for
i the Dead.


NEwBuRe. ". Va, Jan. 22-The east
hound train Wrought great number from
Fairmont, Grafton and in-
terme1iste points, and sympathising
friends came from az far east as. Pied
mont. they swelled The hopeless, help
les crowd that hung about the pit
mouth. Men, women and children we're
gathered there, pale, trembling, weeping,
staring at the shao, almost dumb, with
Consideration Few words were ex-
changed and those in low tones. for the
people there knew that they slood above
the tomb of the thirty-nine men who
went down to death al 7 o'clock yester
day morning. In half an hour more they
would have been out, so narrow was the
gin between the sweet welcome of
home and the appalling fat, that over.
took them. As l resched the spot the
men were still at work fixing the shat
tered timbers of the shaft, and other men
we're 10 the bucket going down the black
hole into the blacker deep below; re
turning they brought no lidipgs for the
anxious crowd.
THE FIRST BODIES FOUND.
But soon the rumor spread that the
searching party had found OF the bottom
OF the shat Daniel Miller, the eager,
and his son, fifteen years old, Q driver,
young Timmons. trapper. and young
Clark driver. Ole of the party was
credited with saying that, they found
Kinney's mule blown sixty feet out of
the stables, with bis halter on. The
searchers themselves would say nothing
II was thought he,t.i to keep the dfead-
ful secrets that the lamps revealed be-
low until wider search brought more
definite knowled ge, as there could ne no
certainty ss to the identity Of the black
ened remains. The bucket went down
and up, tie men repairing the breaks 10
the air shaft as they found them, the
crowd growing larger and larger snd
pressing harder on the ropes stretched
about the shaft, so eager were the people
to get even look down that terrible
hole, pushing tbe guards back 90 that q
temporary teuce OF rough boards was
hurriedly put up +, make an enclosure,
ia which the work might go on without
interference h7 aasI Gaa'1e
As aoon as the shaft was sufficiently
repaired the cage was put on ID take
down larger working force, in the hope
Of bringing up some hodies aud the be-
feinning OF the inquest, Coroner Jones,
f6f Terra Alta, summoned the followine
fury to be present at the worksrst 3
O'Clock Gus j. Shseffer, James McGee,
pr. D Howard. j.. c. Mayer Jas. 3
sStuck. j. @. Howell, Wm. Shaw G. A
Holmes. Jas, Harrington, Wm. Law.
renee, John Menefsws and Frederick
Richter - q ,Gi5lis 's.
| The origin of the disaster is variously
Determined by experss, Who vary g 10
their theories. Tie generally accept d
theory, which ls that Of the company d
representatives. ..is that Now illiams,1 who
was cutting ditch at The extreme dend
OF the working t j, lett water of. knock.
ed down door to give him Q betteI
chsuce at the work. The door played
an important part il the system of ven
tilation which was thus derspged. TIT
foul gas collected in great solsue ane
was 6red BY miner lamp. ad
1Oue OF the last men to come oat OF th'
mine before the explosion says be heard
New illisms say be was going TO knocl
4 the door down, apd rs be came ont b
! heard a heavy pounding rs though tb'
door was being battered down. Th'
State Inspector OF Mines In his recen
visit here recommended the compsny q
pot in an air shaft, but this bad not beef
dome yet There is'much talk Of an u
definite kind about foul air 10 the mine
but l have not found miner who doe
not say the afr was good, though | hav
not been able to talk with all. MackaI
4 Co.'s manager, who came out from
Baltimore to-day, says they have neve
had trouble with the air. and have slway
: kept ahead OF water. One fear hss beel
taas the ebt,mbed men would be drown
ed, but fortunately the pumps have no
been stopped since the explosion.
THE SHIPPING CLERKS STORY.
| Mr.. james Wilson, shipping clerk VS.
standing City feet cast Of the shaft whel