Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-25
GAVE UP IT'S DEAD
Twenty-Three Bodies Taken
1. ON an Inflated Mine
REMOVED FROM THEIR GRAVE
They Were tee Victims OF the Tsnib.c
Disaster Which Occurred Over
Twenty Months Ago.

DUNBAa, Pa. March e4-The dead
have been wrested from their untime-
IL tomb and al that remains now Is 10
accord Christian burial 10 the miners
who met sheir fate in the kil Farm
mine AZ Dunbar, June Is. 1881 Wednes-
day the bodies Of twenty-three of the
miners were found and they have been
brought. TO the surface for burial
Their names are:
Joha Mitchell Daniel Smith. John MeClsery,
jim accgsery. Peter Dsviln. John Cope,
Andrew Cope. James Sboarln. Elmer De-
voy, John peyRaney. Richard Bigley, Daniel
Aocas,inoa. John hiernaa, Martin kAvsnsuzh.
Patrick CAhiI. JOHN Courtney, Patrick Court
Rsy, Jshn Devanny Jr., james X Ivy. TEeass
Davis. DAME. Davis, James MoCnne aae VII
liam Cahin
Five stiil buried.
Yet in the tenacious grasp of the
mine are William Hay, Peter Agen,
Joseph Bglcy. Milton Turner and Bar
ney Naust These latter unfortunates
were in the dip at the time ot the ex-
plosion, and their bodies viii not be
recovered until all the water is pumped
out
sanocated.
The struggle for life of the en-.
tombed miners was as terrible as il
was brief They were suffocated-
not burned or starved-and it is
improbable that any lived longe~
than an hour. There is an un.
written law of protection among
miners. by which they rush together
at the sound of an explosion. impelled
by a common instinct Of self-preserva-
ton, for together they stand better
chance of fighting for freedom. So it
was with the Hill Farm victims. When
found they were huddled together
in Flat Nc 10. showing that
they had rushed deeper into the mine.
and that moment later a scorching
breath of death flied the fat, choking
their lungs, bursting their veins and
striking them to the earth TO lipger in
horrible torture few moments and
then to die.
Horrible sights.
A few of the miners took refuge in
one little room When found they
were piled on top OF one another. con-
torted in CHASTITY shapes - heads
thrown back, mouths-where the
lips had fallen away-opcn, flesh
less hands ciinched and nails
soaring the bones Of palms-all
sicheIing evidence of death which
was preceded by torture unimaginshle.
A short distance away were three
miners. two of whom. the brothers
McCourtney. afforded an affecting spec.
taclc of love strong even unto
death. They alone were clasped
in each others arms, and their faces
were composed, even though time
had ravaged their manly forms.
and drilled great wells where
their eyes comforted each other
in that last dread hour when
hope had fed The third man-David
Davis-it is supposed this is the man
sat beside them. his head between his
knees. He had evidently kept his
mouth close to the ground until the
|. last breath of air had been exhausted.
Contemplated suicide.
The fourteen other miners were en-.
tombed in a space Is feet square. One
had an open knife in his hand, as
though he intended to kill himself. but
was stricken by more sudden death
of suffocation.
Excitement Among the Relatives.
The finding of the bodies has caused
fever among the families of the dead
men still living here. Two of the
widows have again married, and a few
others have moved away from the place
in which they felt the great blow that
the mine horror brought them.
Long Search.
The search for the bodies has been
carried on unremittingly By the own.
ers of the Hill Farm since the awful
disaster about twenty months ago,
at cost Of over 100000. AZ
ter two weeks work the search
| ers were compelled to abandon the
work for time till the fire.
which followed the explosion could be
extinguished. Tho mine was then
sealed up and then flooded to su bduo
the fire, after which months were re.
quired to clear the mine of water and