Year: 1869

III NY ucbpuLCuCb Ol rTludy evening, was IDD
legitimate consequence of the condition in which
the brettice was found after the fire. That it
was not sooner bruited was due simply to the
fact that the brettice was not especially noticed
by the experienced, intelligent miners going up
and down the shaft until after the dead had been
removed, or If they did notice it they naturally
did not speak of 1t until after the intensity of the
, affair had somewhat relaxed. When the sus-
picion did come it came originally from these
miners, and am frank enough to confess that
had heard it first from person in the interest
of the owners, or had seen any reason to sup
pose that ii had been set afoat in their interest
l should have hesitated to give IL publicity. But
it came in no questionable shape, and was rather
the result of the independent conviction of
miners who have been fighting the owners all
their lives. 1t founded on the pos
sibiity of incendiarism and the impos-
sibility of any other origin of the fire.
But the miners thus believing cannot see
how incendiarism clears the present
mining system of the great peril of working
mines with but one outlet and that incumbered
with infiammable material. Admitting that the
, system is carefully administered, they do not


intend the less to desist from efforts for its abro


cation, because as they believe, the Avondale
disaster was the result of design. The crime
committed by the person firing the shaft was
awful; but they believe the ldches of the owners,
which made the elimination of his crime posi-
BILE, scarcely less criminal


THE TESTIMONY TAKEN.


The evidence elected on Saturday was loaded
with much irrelevant matter, but that of George
Morgan, Anson Dunn, and one or two others
was conclusive on some disputed points. Nor


gan being an inside foreman, and most intelli-
gent and experienced miner, his statements of
fact can be taken without question, and his
opinions are entitled to respect. He swore posi-
lively in common with all other witnesses, that
the fire never was communicated from the fur
mace, but must have commenced near the top
of the shaft. How closely he examined the bret


tice before arriving at this conclusion is seen by
yhe fact that he was able 20 say that below the
mouth of the tunnel the upper edges of the
boards were burned, and the lower intact thus
showing conclusiyely that she fire burned down
and not up. When all the witnesses having any
knowledge of the subject agreed as to where the
fire commenced, only one gave an opinion as to
how it originated but he, in boldly saying it was
set on fire by an incendiary, evidently expressed
the opinion of all


TESTIMONY TO BE TAKEN.


II is not certain that the evidence to come
will bring this matter into bold relief, but it has
taken such firm and exclusive possession OF the
minds of the leading miners that there is great
probability that it will In that case the drift of
the evidence will be to show that the incendiary
could easily have reached the shaft through the
tunnel, and have poured kerosene or some other
iDfammabe substance upon the brettice without
his movements being noticed and by then put
ting train to the oil and firing it, could have
been distant from the scene when the catastro-
phe occurred. Supposing this to have been
done, the terrible rapdty with which the flames
shot upwards through the shaft is fully accounted
for well as the place where the fire undoubt-
edly began but any other hypothesis adopted,
! ana DOtl circumstances remain lneXplCaOle


mysteries. But whether these ideas become
part of the legal record of the case or not they
are now universal, and have already been pub
licly expressed in the Scranton Republican,
which says this morning that "the evidences of
i the most Notwithstanding crime upon record
already far stronger than we could desire them
TO be-"


The most important witnesses yet to be ex-
amned are Benjamin Hughes, general inside
! foreman of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and
Western Company; Henry j. Phillips, mining
| engineer of the same company; Thomas Cor
! son, Thomas Watkins and Rees ID. Evans.
| These gentlemen are all practical miners, whose
positive knowledge is of far more worth than
| any quantity of theorizng. While their testi-
mony will be of great value, it will be of equal
! interest to the general reader.


THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RELIEF FUND.


The question as to the proper manner of dis
tributing the fund now being raised for the
widows and orphans of the dead miners is re-
ceiving considerable attention. Some gentlemen
think that when widow marries she should be
cut off from the further benefit of the fund. This


by others Is thought rather cold measure of
charity and humanity, and will hardly be acted


upon. If the money reach, what is here antic-
pated, the sum of quarter of million dollars,


the gentlemen forming the Relief Committee of


Scranton will no doubt invest it in such q way


as TO bring an interest amply sufficient to supply
the current wants of the widows 1t is wisely


deemed njudicious to cut the fund up in shares
and hand over in cash the amount, which will


probably average $1,000, to each claimant in
turn. In such case the widows would become


objects of mercenary attraction to the class OF


laZy loafing miners anxious to marry them for


the sake of living off their money. A secured


fund is decidedly the best idea allowing the


interest for family expenses and reserving the


principal for the education and future main


Ienance of the children. The sub scriptions are


committed to good hands. Mr. r. G. Wad-


hams, president of the committee, Is gentle


man of high character, Justice of the Peace and


Acting Coroner. Mr.. Henderson Gaylord, the


treasurer is as well known for his excellent


qualities as for his wealth. The rest OF the


gentlemen occupy prominent places In the com


munity The amount subscribed in this county


will probably reach $4,000


II Is strange the Delaware Llckawanna, and


Western Railroad Company, who owned the


Avondale mine, have as yet failed TO subscribe


solitary cent to the relief fund. III Is stated the


reason for the delay is that they first wish to
i ascertain how much 1t has cost 10 bury the dead
"A miners, TO purchase collins, employ hearses ana


carriages and incur other incidental expenses


conI ected with the funerals. They estimate


the expenditure at $25OOO, but The amount OF


gratuitous duty performed by the company


Hardly warrants this high figure, unless IN


deed the expense of running Tree trains 10


accommodate the miners relatives and friends


be Included In few days perhaps we shall


have the announcement of $4,000 from tue


Delaware Lackawanna, and western hallroad


The Delaware and Hudson line has subscribed


over $4,000 and the Boston Mining Company


has sent in a round sum TO represent IT, Inc


charity New York has shown Is deeply lelt, anu


her 6igh-spirited magnanimous people are
landed 10 the skies from morning till night.


PhiIadelphia, which certainly should nave Deen


foremost in this work of alleyiating the misery


NJ PENNSYLVANIA people, had TO take example OF
ID Na,y Work as of course, all other cities have.