The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-12-06

HIGH IRIBUIE PAID
HEROES E!!l!!i g!E L. I !!!. mines
Continued from PAGE one.
rescue says: 7 saw Ollie burning
and In another par Of he .resord We
find the name Of oll!eIs n the list Of
the dead.
An accident Occurred In a shaft
mine and the investigating Commit.
tee asked the superintendent, How
soon after the explosion were You
down in the mineg Answer: Sin
about rs or 80 minntes.Y FPageES20s.
Relating to the same accident, the
mine foreman testified as follows!
page SD
(Q.) Were you in thse mime atJtne
time ot.the. explosion JS:2pms)
(A.) Yes, sir.
tQDEHow soon dldsypufcometouI
(A.)5I stayed In there ifhtiK I4got
all the men out. ! knew We had men
alive In there. 1t was twelve at night
When I.gottout.r
An inspector reports toitts chief Of
he department:
The accident az kllledl occurred
at 1880 al nj. ] reached the scene ut
$3.50 a. m. They had Just. brought
ont the foreman who had been. over
come by after damp-immediately or.
ganized a rescue party-fifteen men
were reporting tworking) on first
cross-thought we might be- able to
rescue some OF them alive .(19O3,
page 11S.)
The testimony Of a mine boss be
fore a coroner's jury reads as follows:
1.-THE explosion IA killed) occurred
at 1880 Friday night. ! was at home
asleep when notified. I took my safe.
ty lamp and went 70 the mine. Went
in a short distance and found q body,
The smoke was too thick to 80 fur.
Their SO l had to COME back: Went to
work to get the fan started but could
not do SO. BY this time the smoke
had cleared sufficiently SOL could go
in. Helped carry out nine men,"
19O1. page 90.)
In one Of the older accidents, 1902,
page 143, We haye a, report OF a lost
exploring party. A rescue party Was
formed and %traversed the mine until
one of the members was partially
overcome by smoke and gas, and all
were forced to withdraw, but with
indomitable spirit these volunteers
crossed a mountain, entered the niue
at a point four miles away from the
main drift mouth. again sought those
who were missing, located the bodies.
brought them to daylight and carried
them across the mountain to the vii.
lage.
Many years ago some one declared
that there should be no sentiment in
business The original intent. was,
OF course. the elimination Of senti'
ment or .refined sensibility on sub.
jects affecting the heart from all
purely commercial and monetary
transactions, but with the flight OF
time. We have %broadened the iappli.
cation Of the aplorism and almost
place heroism III the line OF a bust.
ness risk to be observed with cold and
impartial eyes.
There are seventy thousand men IN
the mines Of West Virginia and every
one of the number goes to his daily
work supreme in the faith that should
an accident occur, scores of his fell
lowmen will neither slumber nor rest
until they reach his side. Courage
and. self.sacrifice have characterized
the men OF the mines from the begin
ming of the industry. Let us honor
those TO whom honor is due. Let US
remember The men who have lost
their lives in efforts to save their fel
lowmen and give equal honor to
those who have vepturcd and won.
Upon the walls OF the mining de.
partment at Charleston or In the
rooms of the State historian and ar
'chivist, there should be a bronze tab.
let bearing the name of every hero
Of the past; and when those with US
who have shown marked heroism
shall pass away, let their names be
inscribed with those who have gone
before.
May | ask the Institute to take an
active. part in securing this Just rec
ognition that the doors Of good deeds
may be rememberedN
peace hath her victories no less
than war.