The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-30
BRAVE SAN EDMUNDS.
Story of Dramatic Rescue in a Coal
Mine in Wales of Local
Interest.

The following interesting story given
below appeared in a recent issue of the
South Wales Echo. The sam Edmunds
referred Ia was the father Of Mrs.
James r. Evans of North Scranton:
The following stories (writcs "Moricn'O re.
late to the first colicry explosions IN the Rhon.
daa Valley, The hrst to happen Was that at
Walter Collins DinaS collory, ou Monday morn.
ing, Jan, |, lsii, and the other at lnsoe and
Sons, at Cymmcr on June Is, 1856. In n,
first twelve lost their lvos IN the second III
men and boys porishcd,
These thrilling stories were given me hy a
veteran who was present at both explosions Il
would he a loss 20 leave them unchrunicled |
recollcct in the days OF the cntombmcnt ot
miners in Tyncwydd, Rhondda Valley, in April,
ls'7, one day receiving letter with enclosure
OF 40 nom tic late Earl Crawford and Bal.
cares from Palermo The money was placed in
my hands Tor rewards TO whom | might deem
most deserving ot "tho hrivCst OF the brave"
While all were valiant | could not distinguish
one case more deserving than the other, and |
in conScqucnCr placed that aad many similar
sums--in all about Gi0--iu tie hands Of the To-.
cal committee, Of whom the late Rev. u. W.
Williams, W. A., Farhold, was chairman. But
What | was going 10 say was the following One
II the sem encrS IN the noble cirl's letter ran ~
''llowS; ~ rejoice to learn from your thrilling
NP"l'" III lho l'U"S lhht the ancient herO1n
u your kimneridn'Brton race is still the same
Is IN the days Of old"
This is the story alluded TO- In I.5s thor.
iwelt AZ Hlrod a remarkable man named sam
Edrnunds lie was the father Of Mr. E,lmund,
manager Of Pentre collirrics. SAN" tas Ec "a.
mlled by his intimately was the hest known
nan in the valley lie had himself studied
lcepy and his inccs,int efforts were ur,in,
he rising generation Of young Welshmen Of tLc
nlleys 10 engage in the study Of scientific books
nd other literary branches.
The then rising choral singing classes were
hs delight In short, he was one Of those Inys.
erious class OF Weshncn, who in his eariy
lays would walk half dozen miles 10 some
met country village 10 irnpart lessons in singing
70 country youth Of both sexes in ''Yr Ysrol
san, without any other reward than the pleas.
nre az witnessing the success II his efforts
sam was hom IIcndrevorgln, Glynogwy and
~ls known ny that name as a surname, in ac.
eoriance with a very old Welsh custom. In
early youth sam had been attracted hy high
wages 70 Dinas collierics, then the property OF
Nr. Walter Coffin, uncle Of Mr.. Arthur williams,
,ate VI. p, Coed. y-Mwstwr
on Monday morning, Jan. l. lSii the first
explosion in the Rhondda Valleys took place
nt Dinas, at the shaft just below Dinas T. V. R.
station, across the River Rhondda The pit was
worked by water power The gearing Of the pit,
divided in the middle by a partition, as down.
cast and upcast airwlys, had been shattered ~
,toms by the awful tornado which had shot
through from below. As soon as possible roIc
was eoilcd round the whim, the drum heiuI
Standing horizontally around a stout rprisht
ac1nt The end of the rope was passed throuGh h
hole In the gable Of the house over the pits