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STORY 
 
 OP 
 
 The Springhill Difa^ter: 
 
 COMPRISINO 
 
 A FULL AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT 
 
 OF 
 
 THE GREAT COAL MINING EXPLOSION 
 
 AT 
 
 SPRINGHILL MINES, NOU/I SCOTIR, 
 
 FEBRUARY 2l8t, 1891, 
 
 INCLUDIMO A 
 
 HISTOEY OF SPRINGHILL AND ITS COLLIERIES; 
 
 AMO. 
 
 col tT^^'''^ ^" ^^«^= Explanau^ Of 
 Coal Mlnlngr Terms; Lessons from the 
 
 Great Calamity, Etc. 
 
 By 
 
 ^- -A.. H. ZMTOiejao-W- 
 
 :ptjlly illxjsti2.^ted. 
 
 ST. JOHN, N. B. 
 
 R. A. H. MORROW, 
 
 59 Garden Street 
 
w 
 
 
 r 5 ■ M 
 
 Entered accordinR to Act of Parliament of Canada in the year 1891, 
 
 By Robert A. H. Morrow, 
 
 In the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa. 
 
To THE 
 
 Surviving Sufferers 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Dreadful Explosion at Springhill Mines, 
 
 and all who have been 
 
 Brought to Mourn by that Terrible Calamity 
 
 THIS Work, which Relate, the Thrilling 
 
 Story of the Whoie Scene, is Dedicated by 
 
 The Author. 
 
 ^^ (^ 
 
 b'^3UYX 
 
': I 
 
 EKRATA. 
 
 Cn page 107, 7th line from top, ought to be 1880-87, 
 instead of " 1885-o7." 
 
 Page 239, 10th line from bottom, ought to read " 1833," 
 instead of 1883. 
 
 Page 244, on 12th line from bottom, instead of " that 
 year," it ought to be the year 852. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 No event in the history of Canada has .startled the 
 nation an.l touehe,! the hearts of all classes more than 
 the terrible calamity at Springhill Collieries. By this 
 dreadful catastrophe one hundred and twenty-five brave 
 niinen. l.st their live^, leaving destitute two hundred and 
 thirty-f!,ur orphans, v.^iows and widowed n.othere to mourn 
 their bereavement. 
 
 The mighty de aictive forces of nature having been 
 permitted by the Almighty to rush forih ouc of their 
 chamlicrs, causing this calamity, for some -.i.e purpose 
 we cannot now understand, it is fitfng that some landmark 
 should be fixed to note the momentous event. The narra- 
 tive of this disaster, in all its bearings, is recorded in the 
 following pages. The writer, having had facilities for 
 obtaining authentic information, and having explored the 
 mines previous to the explosion, and visited the place 
 afterwards, has undertaken to issue the work, assured that 
 its mission will accomplish some good. It will be seen by 
 the narrative that the great moral lessons which should 
 oe learned by this calamity have not been overlooked. 
 
 Coal-mining l)eing one of the greatest industries of the 
 <lay, and the mode of formation and depcsit of coal-mea- 
 sures forming one of the great unsettled problems of 
 geology, the writer has included a chapter relating to 
 these matters, believing that it will be read with interest. 
 He also describes the underground workings of the col- 
 liery, and relates his experience of the "mysteries of the 
 
10 
 
 Preface. 
 
 J* 
 
 mi^.e," as they appeared to him during his visits to thit 
 gloomy region. 
 
 The history of the mines .here the explosion took 
 place, and the town of Springhi|i that has arisen about 
 them, being considered of .pec.al interest to the reader is 
 given a prominent place in the work. References are 
 n>ade to the other great coal field, of Nova Scotia, which 
 are so closely allied to that in which the sad event occur- 
 red. The disastrous explosions at the "Ford Pit" and 
 " Brummond Colliery " are also alluded to. " Safeguards 
 against accidents in mines," it is hoped, will be of some 
 value to mming operators. The Glossary is designed to 
 explain terms used in connection with eoal-mining, few 
 being familiar with these terms. 
 
 To all who have assisted in any way furnishing material 
 for this volume, the writer would acknowledge his deep 
 sense of indebtedness, and would gladly give due credit 
 to each source from which he has obtained information. 
 i^ut, as this could not be done without detracting the 
 interest of the work to the reader, it is hoped that this 
 general acknowledgment will suffice for all. 
 
 The writer's desire in some measure will be attained if 
 the reader of this volume, after perusing its pages, can 
 sincerely say — 
 
 "Blest the day that's past without a sigh ; 
 Blest the day with a sigh if we can only dry 
 The tears of tliose who have more cause to mourn " 
 
 iSt John, N. B. 
 
 K. A. H. M. 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Plan of Mine where Explosion Occurred FroiMispIece 
 
 Chart of Springhill Coal Measures 23 
 
 Scene of Explosion OQ 
 
 Sad Scene Around the Pit 35 
 
 Rescuing Party in the Mine 47 
 
 Engine Houses, No. 1 Slope ] 
 
 Carpenters' Shop, used as a Morgue J ^^ 
 
 Interior of Carpenters' Shop, used as a Morgue 67 
 
 The Hero Boy j^„ 
 
 A Cemetery Scene -^jo 
 
 Late Underground Manager Swift i23 
 
 Present Mayor of Springhill I9I 
 
 First Mayor of Springhill " 199 
 
 Publisher Springhill News 207 
 
 Fossils Found in Springhill Collieries 265 
 
 Main Slope and Dump of a Coal Mine 277 
 
 Bottom Gangway, Balance and Bords of the Mine.. 281 
 
■i;^ 
 
 f^'- 
 
 ^n, 
 
CONTENT.S. 
 
 Preface ^'*'** 
 
 List of Illustrations ...1........ i? 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Startling News 
 
 The Awful Cry-IndicatVons of Destruclion. ^^ 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Scene of the Disaster 
 
 Springhill Soenery-Wi;;';7*Coinerie;-The"Ex- 
 plosion - Terrible Sweep. -^ ne Jtx- 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The AVave of Sorrow 
 
 Foreboding Apprehension-Te^rin^Explosion-Cohort 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Searching for the Deud and Injured... ' 07 
 
 Rescuer's First Descent - First Dead Body" Found- 
 
 oered— Unparalleled Sights. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Ca e of the V/ounded ... 
 
 Dispatch for Medical Aid - Ex;^; «; i;;;u;i;ssu;ta:in;d: 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Scenes at the Morgup 
 
 Sad Sights- A Touc. ■iglnddent'. ^^ 
 
 v*-/ 
 
14 r^ 
 
 Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 The Gloom Deepens ^^'^^ 
 
 A Sad Sight - Mysterious Case of Trial - ^Vh " "a"^\ ^^ 
 
 ExDeripnfv>« t? /«« "i i naJ — had and Solemn 
 
 i^xperiences-R^y of Light in the Dark Cloud. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Personal Incidents 
 
 A Very Sad ^^-^ri^^l^^ ^^^i;--^-- '« 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Experience of Survivors 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 List of the Victims 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Coroner's Inquest and Verdict 
 
 , CHAPTER XII. 
 isurial of the Dead 
 
 Funeral Arrangements^rhe'strar'^eV'rGravr" k""':' ^^^ 
 rending Scenp»_PQw: i , i; -"** ^'^^^e — heart- 
 
 ug ocenes, — J:'articular]y Painful R.ir.M at 
 ager Swift's Funeral. '^'d^ui liurial — Man- 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Sympatliy with the Bereaved 
 
Contents. 1 - 
 
 10 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Help for the Destitute ^^"^ 
 
 List of Contributions from all Parts. "^^^ 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Lessons from the Great Calamity ^.- 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ^'ten'^rt' ^'''' ^^^^ ^^^^-^ I>i««^«ter. 149 
 
 Felling Colhery- Newport -Hartley Pit-Oaks Coi" 
 hery- Avondale-Monis Mines-Ebbw Vaie-Ejl" 
 M.n.-Seaha.-Pi«.,„rg-Bru.^^^^^^ 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Dangers of Coal Mining 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Safeguards against Accidents in Mines i^n 
 
 Ventilation -Drainage — Safety Lan,n« "n'-V'T 
 
 tion of Mines-ElectWeity ' ^^^'^^~^^^h Inspec- 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 History of .SpringhUI and its Collieries 170 
 
 til T' ^^'^'^^'^^--g inSpringhin-'Eari;^;;: 
 
 ;ro. St. John to Halifa.. -^. Ca'r^a oftS^n" 
 to the Junction -Organization of the "Springhill and 
 Parrsboro Coal and Railway Companv "- Grand Jubf 
 lee at the Mines in 1873-Manager h;!!, Arr .al tt 
 

 Paoe 
 
 ■'M: 
 
 
 1^ " 0:iitn,ts. 
 
 Albion Mines— Dr. Cove's Removal from River Philip 
 
 — thirst Shipment of Coal by Rail to Tarrsboro — First 
 Church at Springhill — Transfer of the Mines and Rail- 
 road to the "Cumberland Railway and Coal Company" 
 
 — Rapid Growth and Incorporation of the Town — First 
 and Second Mayors and Council Boards — Springhill 
 Coal Measures — Educational Matters — Churches and 
 other Associations — Present Prospect. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Extent of Neighboring Coal Measures 201> 
 
 Estimate of the Coal Fields of the Maritime Provinces — 
 Review of the Cumberland County Coal Measures. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Coal and its History 231 
 
 What is Coal? — Theories about its Formation — Peat- 
 Bogs and Coal Mines Compared — First Discovery of 
 Coal — First Mining in Scotland — First Coal Discovery 
 in America — First Coal Mining in Cape Breton — Dis- 
 covery of Coal in Pictou County. 
 
 CHAPTER XXn. 
 
 Mysteries of the Mine 254 
 
 Sensations of Going Down the Entrance — Solemnity of 
 the Situation — Intensity of the Darkness — Strange 
 Sights and Sounds — Remains of By -gone Ages Visible 
 — Profound Stillness of a Deserted Mine. 
 
 CHAPTER XXni. 
 
 Mechanical Operations of the Pit 269 
 
 Prospecting — Various Methods of Raising Coal Explain- 
 ed --How the Mine is Worked — Machinery Used — 
 Surface Requisites. 
 
 Glossary of T.rms Used by Miners .303 
 

 ^a^^- 
 
 THE 
 
 •ppingiiill eolliepy Digagfe, 
 
 CHAPTf:R I. 
 
 UK StarTMXc; Xk 
 
 M: 
 
 () 
 
 U 
 
 M Sjitiirday, Fohruary 21st, IHiH, tJ 
 as startled In tlie tidings that a sa<l d 
 
 occurred at oi 
 
 le o'clock thai d; 
 
 H' \vv)rld 
 
 l^<ast('^ had 
 
 of the Kastern Slope of the (\unh 
 
 ^y ill the \vest sid( 
 
 and Coal ( 
 Scotit 
 
 Griand Rail 
 
 ompany's Collieries at S 
 
 wav 
 
 pnnirhill, X. 
 
 1^1 
 
 lif^ inelancholv 
 
 alleviated hv 
 iiiio'ht not \)v 
 
 annonncenient \vas 
 
 111.- 
 
 » i-ay of hope that the 1 
 <o o-.-eat as was at first aut^ 
 
 ova 
 
 ■somewhat 
 
 OSS ( > 
 
 'Ope, however, was soon dispelled I 
 
 f lite 
 
 cipated. 
 
 ><':'^i<'>M.ftlu.thctthatatcrriti<-expl 
 l'''"'*' '" flH' deep and darks 
 liundivd and t\v 
 
 'V a reali- 
 
 x'jWosion had tak 
 
 "me pit, hy whicl 
 
 <'nty-one of tlic 1 
 
 en 
 
 1 one 
 
 '>Gcn instantly killed, and 
 
 •I'ave miners had 
 
 of tl 
 
 i^m fatallv — 1 
 
 seventeen injured .- 
 
 hundred and sixtv- 
 
 eavm-i- tifty-eio-],t wid 
 
 OM- 
 
 wid 
 
 owed mothers to 
 
 nine orphan child 
 
 onu' 
 one 
 
 mourn their loss 
 
 I'Gii, and eight 
 
 (17) 
 
18 
 
 SpiiiKihill (oH'm-,! Di^asld- 
 
 TIr' (.ILsastcr was n-iKkTrd still more lieart-rond- 
 in.ir when it canu" to lu' known that many of the 
 hodifs of those who had lost tlu'ir liws in the fatal 
 pit were scorelied, maiiirk'd, and huried amoii-r the 
 ruins, thus rendering; this disaster one of the most 
 terrible calamities known in the history of eoal- 
 minino- operations. As the a[.i)allin<,- magnitude, 
 dreadfid suddenness, and heart-rending scenes of 
 this terrible accident became known, the Christian 
 world felt the tliroes, and messages of sympathy 
 and aid came pouring in from every (quarter, among 
 whic-h were telegrams from Lord Stanley, (iovernor 
 (leneral of Canada, and our gracious (^kkn, whose 
 widowed heart felt the piuigs of her sorrowing sub- 
 jects, although in the hum])le sphere of a miner's 
 home. On hearina* 
 
 The AwFiL Cry, 
 
 " Explosion at tb.- mine I "" the inhabitants of the 
 sorrow-stricken town rushed to the mouth of the it, 
 if happily they ndght be able to render assistance. 
 Ft was needless to attemi)t consoling the vast assem- 
 blage. The instinct of every one composing that 
 sorrowing crowd seemed to tell them that some 
 friend was among the lost. Although many had 
 escaped to the surface without injury, yet it was 
 
Spnnf/hi// Coll;,,-;/ Dimster, 
 
 19 
 
 «o<.n know,, tliat nearly on. lunulr.d and Hftj of 
 
 tliosc who IukI I 
 
 H-rn to work in the depths hoi 
 
 were nnssinu-. a„d tiiat ainon- those wore hnsl 
 
 o\v 
 
 oft! 
 
 iose wives and fhe fathers of those 1 
 
 and the hrothers of' those older ehild 
 aiuonir the ahsent were the tender 
 aged parents whose hoarv liead.- 
 with sorrow to the "-r 
 
 nshands 
 
 )onni(' hairns 
 
 ren. Kven, too. 
 
 ■ions of those 
 nil 1st soon descend 
 
 too 
 
 that 1 
 hleed 
 Altl 
 
 grave, and the orphan hoy of 
 
 r and lonely widow, whose 1 
 
 in solitude 
 
 leart must now 
 
 how ti 
 
 ">Mgh no one present could tell the story of 
 
 none could douht 
 all who liad been 
 
 K- accident occurred, vet 
 
 Its reality or ^"ail to believe that 
 
 V vicinity of the fatal occurrence had 
 
 a inonieRt's warni 
 
 working in tl: 
 
 been ruthlessly killed without 
 
 All that could be gathered from those working- on 
 the surfiu-e of the pit at the time of the explosion 
 was that a tremor of the ground was felt by them 
 whdst those who were engaged in other portions of 
 the mme, and had escaped, testified that a dull 
 report coming from a distance reached their ears 
 followed by 
 
 rXDICATIONS OF DfJSTRUCTIO.X, 
 
 when they suddenly dropped their implements and 
 made a rush for life. 
 
.*^. 
 
 ■:-?^v^ 
 
 n 
 
 t>(» 
 
 Spniiijliill Colli try JDlMiMtf. 
 
 All fact's i^^atlicTcd pak'iu-sw an tlu- rivsciit'd told 
 tlieir tal'.'S ot'wcu', tor it was now too evident that a 
 dreadtnj explosion jiad not only taken place in the 
 mine, but that the poisonous after-daiup had done 
 it« work ot death in the j.it which had lon^r l^.^.n 
 considered one of the most secure coal mines in the 
 world. Before proceeding with details, a glance 
 at the location of Springhill and its (V)]lieries will 
 "nahle tjie reader to uiukrstand where the accident 
 occurred. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 SCEXK OF THE DiSaSTER. 
 
 TIm. fov, m of Si)rin.ir),ill, u-lio.v t\w direful 
 
 (KM'urrcd, is iK-autifulh- situated in tli 
 
 ereut 
 
 of CunilKTland Countv, five mil 
 
 i' <'entral part 
 
 traek of the lutercoloiiial Rail 
 
 es u't'st of the mai 
 
 n 
 
 ■rn side of the Spriiii^l 
 
 \vay, and on the east- 
 
 It is one hundred and twent 
 
 from Halifax; twenty-two from Andi 
 
 "11 and I'arrshoro Railway. 
 y-six miles disra..' hv rail 
 
 'Tst; twenty-one 
 
 «even from Parrs])o 
 
 ro. 
 
 nd 
 
 from Oxford; twenty- 
 thirty-i i<rht from I'ugwash. 
 
 (N.M.in- .h.wn the Si>rin.i.hill and Tarrsboro Rail- 
 way from its junetion with the Intercolonial, the town 
 l»nrsts upon the view, presenting a plea sin i^ appear- 
 H'H'^'. Its dweiiin-s cover an extensive territory on 
 the south-western side of a gentle elevation, said to 
 »>o 1,01)4 feet ahove the level of the sea, and six feet 
 lower than the highest j.eak of the Cobe(inid >roun- 
 tam range. T)ie elevation being gradual for some 
 <listance around, there is no abrupt summit to the 
 1"I1- Standing on the highest point of this elevation 
 on a briglit summer morning, as the writer did, and 
 sweeping tlie eye in every direction, the scenery is 
 
 (21) ' 
 
 m 
 
22 
 
 Siiruiiflii// ('(illiiiif ])i iistir 
 
 ro/nnntic jitkI iiTiiii«l. TIm- Miic hills of Nrw Tkuns- 
 w'k'Is tin- iiwav ill tin- (listiiiicc, skirtiiii;- tln' iiin-th- 
 wt'Htcni li()ii/.(»ii, juid the iiiiijt'stic f(»n>t \v;iviii^ on 
 till' more adjiirciit liill sides, with scattered vilhis at 
 their hase, \vh(>s<' ciirliiiir smoke ascend th*- skies, 
 }tre:^eiits a picture sel(h»iii seen on (»iic hiiidscape. 
 
 Tiir ('<»M,IKKFKS, 
 
 wliich liave hceii opened to (hite at S|»rini;hill, are 
 five in niiinher. Thev are distiiiirnished as tlie 
 East, West and North Shipes, the Ahenh-eii Pit, 
 and the Svndicate Slope. The Kast Sloj.e is also 
 known as No. 1 ; West, Xo. •>, and North, No. 8. 
 The Ahcrdeeii Pit and Syndicati' Slope have not 
 been much worked as vet; the othei-s are in full 
 operation. 
 
 These Collieries ar' located on tlie westorn side 
 of the town, and their entrances are at a resjteetful 
 distance from tlie business jiortion. Tin- entrances 
 of the Kast and West Slopes are each iibout half a 
 mile!' ■ ;'i Post OiHce. The former i^ also :},0(;0 
 feet ' a nor lerlv direction from tlie latter. 
 
 15y lookinsr at the Plan of these— Nos. 1 and 
 2 Mines — ii will be seen that eacii o\' their 1,800 
 foot Lext'ls are connected by a tui!' .'1 viinnin 
 tlirougli a dividing strata of ei<z:htv feet in thickness. 
 
 or 
 
-« . - .-„♦ . 
 
 ;>■ 
 
 w^l 
 
"ipriiHihlll Collier ;i DmisUi 
 
 25 
 
 and that eacli has it? 
 
 Tl 
 
 separate eiitranee or slo 
 
 us tunnel is tor haulage and ventil; 
 
 pe. 
 ition, the coal 
 mined on the upper level of No. 1 [»it heing take:i 
 throucrh this tunnel into the hottom level of Xo. 2 
 Pit, and thenee up the slope to the surface. 
 
 Althouijh apparently otherwise on the plan, the 
 Kast Scam overtops the West. The North Seam 
 also overlies the Kast, and is sej.arated from it by 
 2:,0 iWt of strata. The North and East Scams hein^^ 
 thus separated, the former does not sjpj.car on the 
 plan. The true i)osition of each of these seams will 
 he seen hy referrin,": to the diart on pairc 28. 
 
 There hcinir „<) perpendicular shafts to these 
 mines, they arc entered by slopes, which are fully 
 described in chapter -Mechanical Operations of the 
 Pit." 
 
 From tuk Hottom of Kacii Slopk 
 
 the mine is excavated in various directions, forming 
 a labyrinth of streets, cross streets, alleyways, and 
 courts, which are known by a variety" of "names, 
 such as Levels, Palances, liords, Shutes, i>lanes,' 
 Tunnels, Manways. (bingways, (Miambers, etc., all 
 <»f which are fully explained in the (Jlossary Depart- 
 ment. 
 
 lU- looking at the plan ..f the mines, the reader 
 will .-ee that the -Balances'" of Vo 1 si 
 
 
 II 
 
28 
 
 Sprint/hill (oUhr;/ Disasf,' , 
 
 parallel with tlie main t'litraiicc iVoiii the foot Lwel 
 up as far as the voal is mined in that dircH'tion, <ind 
 an- nnmhcrcd accordiui^ to thoir distances from the 
 bottom of tlie main !^lope. It will also he seen tb 't 
 the "lords'* nmninir from these "P)alanees"" art 
 numbered froni the bottom Level uuwanls, until 
 the head of the l*>alan( e is reached. 
 
 FolloAvinjr the traeino^s on the plan, bei^inniiHr at 
 the foot (.f Xo. 1 7*>alanee, and proeeediui,'- aloiig the 
 main level until Xo. 7 iJalanee is reached, and then 
 countiiiiT the Bords upward to Xo. 8 Bord, the exact 
 ppot where the explosion t.s su])i.osed to have taken 
 place can easily be discovered. 
 
 The Explosion 0('( i hrku 
 
 in Xo. :} Bord of Xo. 7 Balance, wbicli is three- 
 quarters of a mile vvest from the foot of the main 
 entran<'e leadinij^ into Xo. 1 l»it. 
 
 From the {.lac? of exploson the burning i^as must 
 have rushed forth with terrible force, as it wais in 
 this and adjoiiun.i,' vicinities that all the mutilated 
 bodies were found, and every one was evidently 
 burnt or torn to death. 
 
 VAvvy man in X'os. (I and 7 Balances, and their 
 <"unectin,o- I'.ords, and aloiiir the main levd as hir as 
 No. :>, Balance, were no douht killed insrantlvbv the 
 
Sprln<ihlU CoWery Dimstcr. 27 
 
 force (,f tlic explosion. The number of dead bodies 
 found in this re-ion can easily he counted on the 
 plan, which also shows the place where each dead 
 body was found in all par^s of the mine. 
 
 The space where the explosion did its greatest 
 havoc covers an area of about 2,000 feet, and as the 
 doors, ventilators a:id stoj.pin-s in this neighbo •- 
 hood were all torn away, allowinir the fire-damp to 
 e«ca[.e to other ai.artments of the mi.ie, it rushed 
 »lon<; the jjassatres 
 
 like -a rushing mighty wind," overwhelming every- 
 thing at all movable in its course. This deadly 
 gaseous element was immediately followed by a 
 cohort ..f Hame of awful Herceness. 
 
 Tln'se tierce elements of destruction not only 
 Hwept along the 1,«)00 foot level of the Eastern SlopJ, 
 l>tit swc-pt with dreadful fury up into the 1,;^00 foot 
 level of the same workings, and thr.>ugh the tunnel 
 Hit.) the Westi-rn Pit, carrying immediate death to 
 ^^ome who were in that direction, as will be seen by 
 
 the numin-r of black dots on the plan, each of these . 
 •lots representing rhe place where a dead b<.dy was 
 • iiscovei'ed. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Thk Wave of Sorrom, 
 
 At seven o'clock on the morning of the day of 
 the fatal explosion, tae miners engaged in the East 
 and West Slopes descended to work as usual. The 
 Aberdeen' V\t had been inactive for some time, and 
 owing to lack of empty coal cars to receive the out- 
 put, the Xorth Slope was also idle that da v. These 
 three (iollieries give employment to about 1,350 men 
 and boys. From sixty to seventy horses aie also to 
 w-ork in the pits. The men and boys are distributed 
 about as follows : Tn Xo. 1 Pit, 300 ; in Xo. 2, 300 ; 
 in Xo. 3, 400; and on the surface, 3r)0. (\)nse- 
 quently, 600 miners went to work that morning in 
 the East and West Sloj.es with all the huoyancy of 
 youth and manhood. Xo manifestations of nature 
 ap])eared lo warn of 'dw sad event that was soon to 
 transpire. It is true that in some liosoms there was a 
 
 F()RKHol)IN(; Al'l'RKUKNSloX 
 
 thi'.t some ('' -alamity should hap|»en in the mines 
 at some distant dity. 
 
■^•'KM-; ol' KXI'LosioN. 
 
li LI!' 
 
 ! '']'■ 
 
 n 
 
 .11 
 
 ><!! 
 
Sprhighi/f Collien/ Dimj^ter. 
 
 U 
 
 Tliis four was engendered by a current rej.ort that 
 an old woman named " Mrs. Coo " had sugrrested to 
 some one that something would happen ahout the 
 mines during the coming montli of May. As a con- 
 8e(iuence of this report, a committee was appointed 
 to examine the mine, which thev did, and found no 
 visible cause for alarm, as will be seen by a portion 
 of the evidence adduced at the inquest/ Xqtwith- 
 standing the result of this examination, a few of the 
 miners still retained a germ of their former timidity, 
 on the plea that " Mother Coo " was generally known 
 to tell the truth, and hence their apprehenshe mua- 
 ings. That day the work went on in the mines as 
 usual, without mishap or interruption until noon, 
 when a stoppage of half an hour was allowed for 
 dinner. After partaking of the n. on-day meal the 
 machinery was again put in motion and operations 
 proceeded until seventeen minutes to one o'dock, 
 when 
 
 A Terrific Explosion 
 
 took place, the report of which was heard like aullen 
 thunder, resounding through many portions of the 
 nime. Those of the miners who were not instantly 
 killed by the explosion knew what it meant, and 
 fled for their lives, and many thus escaped the fear- 
 ful doom that mijHt h.avp o^^-^^-i — ^i , , ., 
 
 i.i \m\K. jTeiLinv-cu laem naa liiey 
 
'■r' 
 
 H2 
 
 Sj>r/)ii//ti// (oflitri/ I)i.-<(i,stir 
 
 r-'inaiiu'd at tlicir posts of duty. As the lamjts were 
 (I'.iicklv t'Xtin_:^nislu'(l In the etteets of the tras, and 
 the miners left in nttei' darkness, escape was almost 
 impossihle. However, hy strennoiis etforts, many 
 gaiiKMJ the snrfaee, ami thus their lives were save<l. 
 
 Those who were in the vieinity of where the 
 explosion oeeurred, were doubtless killed instantly, 
 as has already heen suited. Those further otf, and 
 not killed hy die explosion, I'vidently fell victims 
 immediately hy inhalinii" tlie tirst hreath of 
 
 TUK DkADLV ('noKH-l)AMI'. 
 
 A nuTuher of nnners, including Charles Burrows, 
 hoard thi' rejiort some (JOG feet fromwhei- the explo- 
 sion took place :»nd at once felt the oppression of 
 the dam|», and instantly threw tlicnselves flat on 
 their faces. No matter in what direciion they 
 attempted to go they encounter^'d gas, through 
 which they could hardly force tlii'ir way. After 
 runninii' a <iri':it distaui-e in this manner tliev ifot to 
 [ture atmosphere and tinally reiiched the toj) of the 
 miiu'. The last to ivacli the sui'fa>'e, ol" those alive, 
 were dohn Mtdvinnon, George Davidson and John 
 Lockhart. These were working in Xo. 2 Mine, and 
 wore not injured in any way. 
 
88 
 
 II the jtir 
 
 Tliosc \vli(, \vm\ iiiadf thoir i'scajK' from riic pit 
 <'()u](l ti-11 nothi.iir as to what tlir l,.ss (,f life was. 
 Many tcstitifd that as thoy ran towards tlic ..iitraiuv 
 of thf pit tlinv kiu'w some of thoir coini.anic.iis t^, 
 fdl over fr(».n the cttocts of poisonous -asi's, statin- 
 that in i-vcrv caso where it was possihh' to do so 
 tlu'v lent those wlu. had been overcome the assist- 
 Jince they recpiired to reacli the surfac". 
 
 As nearly every one of tho.-e known to liave l)een 
 in the m.nes had reh.tives or dear friends amon- 
 those who had assembled at tlie montli of tlie pit 
 where the exi)losion occurred, 
 
 Tni; KXCITK.MKNT WAS IXDKSCRIBA 
 
 BLE. 
 
 Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives and chihiren 
 nin about in wild confusio.i, implorin- all whom 
 they met to institute a search for their friends. Xo 
 one could remain unmoved as they saw frail mothers, 
 half elothed, clasping tender little ones to their 
 Imsonis. beseeching men who were near at liand to 
 iiiid out as soon as possible if their husbands, the 
 fathers of their dear bai)ie., were among the dead. 
 Despite the cold rain storm tlujt prevailed, the wo- 
 men .;nd cliihlren remained around the pit until they 
 weiv assure.l of the fate of th r friends. It was 
 
34 
 
 ypruii/li'ff Co/Ill I >/ /)'>'/,s7r/'. 
 Onk ok tiik Sai»i>i:st Scknks 
 
 vW'V witiu's.u'd in ('aiuidii. Stern iin'ti \v»'j)t lik(! 
 «liil(liH'ii as tlu'V hclu'ld tlu' wailiiii^s of tliosc who 
 rotiised to Ik' (•((iiifortcd tor the loss of dear oner* 
 Wiioiii thev believed weri' laid \uw in the 
 
 ('(iLi) Kmhuack of J)i;ath. 
 
 AUhough every eftbrt was made to ascertain tlie 
 iiumher of those reniaininii; in the [.it, it was impos- 
 sible to do so for some time, as a larjj^e munber oi 
 men and i)oys had run to their homes, a,^ soon sis 
 possible after reaehinii; the siirfaee. However, it 
 was believed that the numbes would reach one hun- 
 dred and Hftv at least. Lar j-e bands of men stood 
 ready to descend the Eastern Slope as soon as i+ was 
 deemed safe to do so. 
 
 As many of those who had come to the surface 
 liad made their exit from Xo. 2 Slope, it was soon 
 discovered that that i)it had also been affected by 
 the explosion. In a short time a crowd assembled 
 around its surface and the work of rescue com- 
 menced without delav. 
 
T" 
 
 S — 
 
 
 m 
 
CHAPTER IV, 
 
 HKARcnrxo FOR the Dkad and Isj 
 
 URED. 
 
 Ahouf fiftoon minuter after the explosion, Win. 
 Roese, Overman of Xo. 1 Slope, and Ralph Tnrner 
 rushed ,lown into Xo. 2 Slope to ascertain what the 
 renult was. After diacoverin^fir one or two of the 
 n.j'Mvd, wJM.ni they took to the surfaee with all 
 liHste, they returnee immediately, accompanied hy 
 Malcolm .NfcMillan, Alex, (niisholm, Moses Jones 
 ThoM.as Whittle, John Matheson. jr., and some 
 others, who organized themselves n.to a volunteer 
 ^•*'1h'^" party. h, an incredihly short rime these 
 .irontk-nu-n h.,d brought to the surfac-e sixteen in- 
 .lured, in<-lndino. (Vru. Munroe, of I'ort Elgin, who 
 was found unconscious lying a short distance 'from 
 His .lead hutty, James Morrison, hut under careful 
 treatment soon recovered. Afr. Reese carried Mv 
 ^Innro. on his hack from where he was discovered 
 to the hotton. of the slope. The place where Mr 
 Munroe was found will he seen hy referring to the 
 plan of the mine. From the bottom .>f the slope 
 
 : 
 
;i8 
 
 t^/ii'iitt/li//J Colin rif Jjisasfir. 
 
 tlu' (ii'iul And iiijuiH ' wore conveyed in l>oxes to 
 
 th 
 
 le surface ujt the main entrance 
 
 bv tl 
 
 le niudiin 
 
 'I'v for lioistin*; coal. On arri\;d at tlu' surface 
 tlk injured were taken to tlieir lionies without 
 
 del; 
 
 IV, 
 
 »c 
 
 Anioiiii' those who went into the West Slo| 
 Saturdav afternoon in search of the (h-ad, besides 
 those already mentioned, were dohn dolmston, John 
 Leudheater, Charles Rennie, dohn Motfatt, K. W. 
 McDonald, desse Arnushaw, Daniel Murray, and 
 A. A, M(dvinnon. The lattt-r went down to look 
 
 for NTcdvinnon' 
 
 ■other, whom thev found amontr 
 
 the dead. Jesse Armishaw's mission was also a sad 
 I ne, as the bodies of his sons Jesse and Herbert, 
 and that of a vounir man nnmed Ernest l>ainbrid<re 
 
 f->^'' 
 
 ng 
 
 who lived in his familv, were all discovered Ivi 
 dead. 
 
 The rescuing party worked heroically at the 
 peril of tliiMr lives, some of them carrvin<^ dead 
 bodies on their backs, and ascending and descend- 
 ing ijito the pit many times during the afternoon. 
 
 DuRiN(i THE First Descent 
 
 of Messrs. Reese and Turner they attempted to go 
 into Xo. 1 Slope, where the explosion occurred, but 
 tliey found the smoke and after-damp too great to 
 
</>riiH/hi// Colin i-ii Disdst 
 
 cr 
 
 30 
 
 vi'iitiirc. Iliilf ail hour at'tenvards, yiowcvtT, \fr, 
 lifcst- aiid parfy sticcet'dt'd in <'-etti 
 
 iii!^ into tl 
 
 iiiacc, w 
 
 hicl 
 
 1 an t'W-witiU'; 
 
 Inscribes tlins 
 
 Falls 
 
 if >t()iu- and coal, cars all blown to 
 
 piece? 
 
 rai 
 
 k 
 
 ve 
 
 ry 
 
 l)ent like hoops, and o;eneral destrnction 
 smoky, and dead men and boys lyini:; in all direc- 
 tions." 
 
 At this time the smok 
 
 e was cominu' from Xo. 1 
 
 Slope, through the ui)per ends of Xos. ♦; and 7 
 lialanccs. so thick that some of tl 
 
 le men were a 
 
 fraid 
 
 that there was tire existi 
 
 ni>: somewhere in the vici 
 
 n- 
 
 ity, and that there miijht h 
 
 .tl 
 
 Of this Mr. 1 
 
 >e another exjdosion 
 
 ^'eese was fully convinced, hut wa? 
 
 I. anxious to u'ct out the hodic 
 
 \\ 
 
 hid 
 
 I W( 
 
 re 1 
 
 und 
 
 vinii- 
 
 iroiUKl m all dn-ections, that he did not make his 
 •onvictioiL' known to the others at the ti 
 
 nie, some 
 
 e was no fire 
 
 ir 
 
 ow 
 
 \h']u<>: of the ()i»ini()ii that ther 
 
 'vcr, James Simpson, Tuderground Manager of 
 
 Xo. ■'> Pit, who had 
 
 witnessed the smoke, aweed 
 
 with Mr. Reese that tire existed, and that it was 
 l»'<'"'iniig dangerous and so the party agreed to 
 unve uj. the search for two hours in order to ascer- 
 tain the result of the tire, 1 
 
 •lo,.k 
 
 tl 
 
 caving the pit at six 
 le evening, hy which tinu' fortv-four 
 
 UeaH 
 
 til, 
 
 IIO( 
 
 lies and sixteen injured had hcen tak 
 
 en to 
 
 ■urfa 
 
 ee o 
 
 f Xo. 2 SI 
 
 Opi' 
 
 'f1 
 
 m 
 
40 SpriiHj/ii/J Colli* rij Dis;ist(V. 
 
 Thk First Dkad Body Foixi* 
 
 was that of William II. Turner. XotwithstaiKling- 
 tliis aii:iv('iiR'iit to leave the ])it for two hours, when 
 one hour liad passed, William Lorimer called on 
 Mr. Reese at his house, where he was resting, and 
 informed him that there wa . a hov missing that 
 possihlv might he living and grct}>ing around in the 
 dark. They descended at once in search of this 
 ho\-, hut did not find him, as lie had gone from 
 whti'e he was working in Xo. 2 Slope to Xo. 1, a 
 short time before the exjdosion, and got killed. 
 If is name was (Jeorge Bond. AVheu the two hours 
 had expired the searching jtarties returned into Xo. 
 2 Mine and worked aT niglst. 
 
 At four o'clock Sabbath morniuir. Manager 
 Reese, in com])any witli Josejili Robertson and 
 Allen C. McKinnon, went down the P]ast Slope 
 in search of fire, wliich they expected to find. 
 After being satisfied that fire existed they returned 
 to the surface to get 1>uckcts and more help. At 
 six o'clock Mr. Reese, with John DunUar, Manager 
 of the ''Tom IMt," IMctou, Thonuis Scott, ai\d about 
 twenty others, went down into the }>it again, and 
 extinguislied the fire with water. This tire was 
 in Xo. -1 l)ord (^f Xo. (I IJalance, where a lar!J:e 
 
Spn'iif/h/// Co/h'rr// D'.'<(isfrr. 
 
 41 
 
 quantity of t'unhvr was scattered about, and Imd it 
 not iK'on promptly put out the result mijjlit liave 
 been <leplorabIe. 
 
 At the East 8loi'e, 
 
 local volunteer relief parties also went <lown into the 
 pit of death, a short time after the explosion, and 
 the scenes of carnage and wreckage which met their 
 gaze must be retained in memory while life lasts, 
 ft was a terrible undertaking, but nothing could 
 daunt the brave men, each being wholly animated 
 by the conviction tha to relieve suffering and s.v' ; 
 the life of a fellow-creature even at the risk of his 
 own life was his present duty, and hence they 
 descended to look for their missing comrades 
 regardless of conse(iuences. What brave deeds 
 numy did that day will never be known. Those 
 who volunteered to enter the mines in search (»f 
 victims were many and prompt, and their bravery 
 in fa.Miig (K-ath by going into the j.it so soon 
 atur the explosion is worthy of the highest com- 
 mendation. As an illustration of the heroism 
 manifested in many cases, one man, whose wife earn- 
 estly besought him not to venture going down into 
 the |.it, as there was danger of him losinL-- his life. 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 
 HiH 
 
 > ii 
 
42 
 
 SpriiH/Iu'// OiHicni DIsii.sfn-, 
 
 could not l.c i.ersiiiukMl l>v licr riitrcutifs, Imt de- 
 scciidod :md hroiiirht Ixniics tVoni Ih'voihI ovrr tails 
 which few otluTs, it is said, could clind). 
 
 Some who descended into No. 1 I Mt first after the 
 explosion were home l)ack to the surfi ce suffocated 
 and unconscious. Josejih Hohertson, one of the first 
 men who went to the rescue at Xo. 1 Slope, \\as so 
 overcome h\ tlie after-damp that he was comi.elled 
 to crawl on his hands and knees for (piite a distance. 
 After gaining the surface, and getting properly sur- 
 vived and adjusted, he returned to the pit and worked 
 heroically day and night for three days. IK- and 
 Malcolm Blue were among the greatest workers, and 
 discovered a large luimher of fhe dea<]. 
 
 The heroic courage and endurance of Overman 
 Reese, in leading men to the rescue of the wounded 
 and recovery of the dead, was admired hv all, and 
 one of the rescued parties has since acknowled<'-ed 
 his iiidehtedness to him l»y a tangihie recognition. 
 
 Amoxu the First Volinteers 
 
 to enter tlie Kast Sloj.e after the explosion were 
 .Joseph Robertson, Malcolm Blue, William Kay, 
 J. Madden, James Harvey, ]f. Bunt, John I). 
 Beaton, AVilliiim Murray, James Miller, (ieorG:e 
 Morrison, George Oulton, (Miarles H. Weller, James 
 
<pi'iiuihiU 0)//i 
 
 r;i R 
 
 isasfcr, 
 
 4S 
 
 LariiluTt, Daniel O'Bri-ii, and William McGilvray. 
 A nurnlK'r of tliese jtartics did not rcaeli tlie surtaco, 
 but iVturni'd ininicdiatcly from the bottom of the 
 slope to look for their companions, while the atmos- 
 phere was alarminirly impure with eoal dust and 
 lieated smoive. 
 
 These tirst searching; parties |)roeeeded alon^^ 
 the level as tar as they were able to venture, and in 
 a short time had rescued all the livino;. Anioiur the 
 injured were five boys, named Willard (^irter, John 
 ('oiiway, Dannie Kobertson, Adoli)hus Landrv and 
 Daniel Beaton, all of whom have survived but 
 Willard Carte , who died at ten o'clock that nig-ht. 
 
 At No. :5 Shute a tire, consistino; of some wood 
 and clothino-, was discovered. This fire was put out 
 by James Lambert. Had it been allowed to remain 
 a short time longer the consequences would, no 
 doubt, have ])een serious. 
 
 Whilst these rescue i»arties were at work endea- 
 voriuiT to save the livino^ in Xo. 1 Slope, XTnderi,n-(>und 
 ManaiTers Conway, Simi)son and Ilargreaves, Assist- 
 ant ^fanager Mclnnis, Deputy Inspector Madden, 
 and some other colliery officials were coming to the 
 mines, with all haste, by si)ecial train from the 
 Si)ringliill .; unction, having left Hpringhill Station 
 by the noon train to attend a meetinir of Minimr 
 
 
44 
 
 iS/)riiii/hi(f Collltr;/ Disaster. 
 
 Officials (if (luiiibcrliuul C'omity, to be liold that day 
 at ^[acc'aii, for tlio jmrposo of forniiiicr •, Society for 
 tlie l*rotectioii of Mining Officials. After arriving at 
 the Junction, these gentlemen had been called back 
 bv telegram, announcing that an explosion had 
 tiiken ])lace at tlie mines. 
 
 On Arrival at the Mines, 
 
 I'nderground Manager (\)n\vay procured a lamp, 
 <'alled for vxdunteers, and at once descended Xo. 1 
 Slope, accompanied by Assistant Manager McTnniB, 
 Messrs. James Ferguson, Peter Shannahan, A. I). 
 Ferguson, Malcobn Blue, James Miller, Joseph 
 Robertson, anc' some others. These gentlemen 
 pushed into the mine as far as they were able to 
 go with safety, and in a sliort time some irood 
 work was accomi.lished. Ventilation being the first 
 essential required to prevent further death from the 
 effi'ct of [»(»isonous gases in the mine, men were set 
 to work constructing partitions of canvas, in order 
 to replace the brattices that liad been destroye<i. 
 The use of tills brattice work is given in the Glos- 
 sary at the end of the book. After Mr. Conway and 
 l)arty had deseeiuk'd many others went down to 
 endeavor to tind fathers, sons, brothers, and other 
 
SpriiKjIiill Collitv;! l)i.s(/sft, 
 
 ivlativcs, who had porisliod in thv mine. Alcxanrlor 
 Mclni'is, Assistant Mana^iror, lod ouv sran-hinir party 
 .•vloni,^ tlu' level as tar as No. <; IJalanco, and up that 
 incline until overcome In- tlie alter-damj., when he 
 had to he assisted out of tlie i)it. (Veil Parsons 
 and rnderi^round Manai^er Harn-reaves maiuicred to 
 reacli the Western Slope in safety. General Man- 
 u>rer of the Company, d. ]i. Cowans, also went 
 down to see for himself the state of affairs in 
 tlK- mine. Many dead hodies were seen among 
 the ruins. i)ut owing to the dan<rers attendiiiir 
 the work of rescue at this time, little progress 
 «'ould he made. Owing to the depth of dehris 
 in many i)laces, rescuers were (compelled to crawl 
 and clind), carrying a dead hody (ui their back or 
 arms, and their lamp in their mouth. Sti" ' e work 
 «)f rescue went on till six o'clock, when I^nderground 
 Manager Conway, in consultation witli other offi- 
 <-ials, advised that as all the living had • evidently 
 iH'cn taken from the pit, all hands should leave 
 the mine for s' me time, in order that a free cur- 
 '• .It of the air, forced into the pit by the powerful 
 tan on the surface, might drive out the noxious 
 damp. According to this announcement of Mr. 
 Conway, further searching was discontinued in No. 
 5 Slope for five hours 
 
 m 
 
4«; 
 
 Sjtn'/i(//ii// (yi)ff), n/ I)lstis(( i\ 
 Onk (ti- TiiK IIkhoks 
 
 wlio went down iiiio Xo. 1 SIojk' on Saturday to 
 assist in tin- work of rescue and with refreslnnentH to 
 the men who were at Work, was Rev. David Wrii^dit, 
 of Sprini^diill. As Rev. Mr. Wri-'lit's experience 
 that afternoon will yive the reader a hetter idea of 
 tlie state of the mine than anytliinir the wriur eould 
 say, we ^-ive the narrative in liis own words: 
 
 "I was on my way to River John, and had got to 
 Springhill Junction. A special was sent down, and with 
 some others I returned. Managei-s all went down into the 
 mine. I entered with some refreshments. With some 
 others I hurried along the level towards the scene of the 
 explosion. I had given away my handkerchief, so i cut 
 the lining out of my vest and put it over my mouth. We 
 got in a long way when we met some other men, who told 
 us that the manager, Mr. Conway, had gone forward, and 
 left word that no one was to proceed further, as he would 
 come out by the Mine Bord. We got anxious about him 
 and his volunteers. So one of the men and I went down 
 the Mine Bord till we met them. Some of them were 
 pretty well gone with the after-damp. We kept together, 
 shouting to each other to be sure that no one dropped 
 down. When a man gets after-damp he simply lies down 
 and falls asleep. When we reacned the main level we 
 were joined by the others. Mr. Conway said there was 
 
RESCriNlJ .-ARTY 
 
 lA TilE MINE. 
 
 m 
 
 ' 1 ■ 
 
 fl 
 
 V ^ T^ 
 
 ,^H 
 
 "-4 
 
 K^^^H 
 
 
 ^^H 
 
 
 ' ^^^1 
 
 , 
 
 > ^^B 
 
 .-Ji . 
 
 » ^1 
 
 .• * 
 
 ! ^H 
 
 'iJ 
 
 ^^^^bE 
 
 i 
 
 :flH 
 
 "y.iA 
 
 ^^H 
 
 -.' 1 
 
 'H 
 
 r 
 
 fl 
 
 i 
 
 ^H 
 
 ' ; 
 
 ^^^1 
 
 : ^ ' ■ 
 
 ,^^^^^^1 
 
 
 ^^H 
 
^i 
 
 i 
 
Sj,r',,„j},;il CJIi,,-,/ J);.s,,.'<l,r. 
 
 49 
 
 nothi.i- livin- in the ...ino, and jrave orders tliat all \v(>n- 
 to leave, and in the eonrse of four or five hours the after- 
 damp would all he driven out. We I."ft the ndne at six 
 o'clock. The so ue alonjj: the level wa.s pitiful. The 
 expl..sion had rushed towar.l the botton, of tlu- u.ine. 
 Not nuich da.nag,. wa. done, only the j)rop.s knocked out. 
 winch cau.-<ed the .sides and roof partially to fall in. The 
 first thing we ..aw on our way in, after leaving the bottom 
 of the slope, was a coupio of horses lying dead. A little 
 further on. and two others were standing, one of them 
 literally burned red-at least the side- next to us was red 
 Hesh. It was killed. Then right in from these the debris 
 blocked the way. Now and again a large fall, under 
 which was a l^orse, part of it visible. The driver was, we 
 knew, somewhere near. I stayed at the slope all night. 
 Went down at four o'clock in the morning for a time, a ' 
 then went home. Went down East Slope at twelve o'c'loc 
 Sabbath, in company .with James Harvey, Hugh Marling, 
 Alexander Lorimer. G. Anderson, James McSavaney, an 1 
 two othei-s, whose names I cannot remember. We went 
 al<.ng the level. Four went up No. iS Balance. Lorimer 
 Anderson, McSavaney, and myself, went along and up 
 No. 7 Balance. We brought dawn 
 
 Th.v Body of Thomas Wilson, 
 
 .the shot firer. We came out, Lorimer cf -ying the body 
 
 on his back, Anderson steadying behind, I in front with 
 
 the lamp, and McSavaney behind with another lamp. We 
 
 I) 
 
no 
 
 Sproif/lti/f (''i/fiii'i/ D'<'i-^f<'i'. 
 
 it i 
 
 {.I 
 
 walked in this inaniuT u l»m^' way till wo got ii strt'tcher, 
 on wii it'll we Mut the body. Those oi't of No. 6 Balance 
 joined us, carrying the remains of V/illiani McKee. On 
 our way out with these bodies, we met another lot coming 
 in, who went up No. <) Balance. When we reach'_d No. 4 
 Balance the ro(tf was falling in. I was in front, and drew 
 back. James Ilarvey went on to examine, and in a few 
 minutes reported that it was not safe to go on, and we sat 
 down for fifteen or twenty minutes. We were here joined 
 by four or five others, carrying another dead body. After 
 the falling had ceased, Harvey examined again, and re- 
 ported all safe, and we pushed onward and r ached the 
 bottom of the slope in safety. It was a weird sight in one 
 place to see two bodies sitting each with a safety lamp in 
 hie hand." 
 
 The Work of Eescue was Resumed 
 
 at lialf-past eleven o'clock Saturday night, a large 
 number ofvolunt^ors descending and working vig- 
 orously without cessation during the niglit, unless 
 when compelled by fatigue i)r nausea to retire. 
 
 Mr. Conway, Underground Manager of Xo. 1 
 Slope, on descending, directed a crew at once to 
 collect all the living horses throughout the mine and 
 put them in the stahles at the foot of the slope. 
 Mr. Conway also endeavored to remove the wTeck- 
 age from the main level as far along towards the 
 
XpyimjIiiU Collirni Ihsashr. 5I 
 
 vioinitv of tho .x,,I„sion as ,H.ssil„..,s„ that a trolley 
 .M.^^l.t nn. alor.i. tl.o rails to ..u.v.v .load bodios to 
 f'"- »<">t of th<. slope, where they were hoisted to the 
 surtace. 
 
 I>.irin.i, the ni.irht .^rn-at progress was made two 
 tho„sa,.d i'.A of the level havin.j; heen cleared, ...d 
 the worst .>l,structions reniove<l from the passa^.es 
 li'adui.i; M, here the men had died. 
 
 At hulf-nast six oVIck o„ Sabbath morning, 
 Mr. (\„., .V xvas so overeonie throu-h the effects of 
 i^^nv aM<l after-damp that he left the pit and 
 remained on the surface until eleven o'clock, when 
 l.omorrha^re set in, and he bled so freely that he was 
 <-<>"il>elled to ^m home and remain under medical 
 tre. Tiient for several days. Meantime, Thomas 
 Heott acted in his place. 
 
 Sabbath AfoRxixXo, 
 
 on arrival of Mr. Conway at the surface, lar^^e 
 crowds of volunteer relief parties went down, as the 
 mine was tlien 'onsidered free from the dangerous 
 ''='"»P by Inspector Gilpin and Deputy In'spector 
 Ma<l<len, who went into Xo. 1 Slope and passed up 
 into No. 2. The local searching parties were assisted 
 hy <= number of brave men who h; come by rail 
 'iuring the night from Stellarton a^d '^estvin. a 
 
 1 
 
 ' i iff 
 
i I 
 
 5:^ 
 
 Spriiifjhill Collar J Jj(Sa,'</n'. 
 
 
 crew from the Joggiiis also rendered valualile as^ist- 
 unee, and l)v six o'clock on SabUatli evenin^i; over 
 one hundred dead hodirs had been recovered. 
 
 That day was one t(» he reniemhered. It did not 
 seem like Sahhatli. Few realized it was a holy day. 
 The svvee[»inir u'rift' was so irreat that the Sahhath 
 sacredness was overwhelnud, and the sanctiuiry ot" 
 God invaded tluTchy. 
 
 Some of the bodies found were horribly mutilated, 
 and a few could not be recoo-nized only by their 
 clothi'i"-. Others were (luite natural. The position 
 of (»ver fifty of the dead recovered showed that they 
 had not been kill-d by the force of the exi.losion, 
 iMit were overcome by the after-damp while trying 
 to escape. It was evident that n(^ne had escaped 
 who encountered the full blast of the tir>t sweep of 
 the tire-damp. It could be seen, by the way some 
 held their arms, and with their safety lamps in their 
 hands, as they lay on the bottom of the pit on their 
 faces, that they had 
 
 1)1 Kl) KIloM Si I'FOCATIOX. 
 
 Many, when found, alttiou.u'h cold and still in death, 
 looked as pi'aceful in the face as thouii'h they were 
 merely sleeping. In a few cases the clinchc<l hands 
 and twisted liml>s showed that the p(»or men had 
 died in convulsioiis. 
 
"^pn'iif/hi// CoUim/ Disa.^ter 
 
 »3 
 
 I 
 
 Tilt' u:enerul t'vidt'nce was ovcrwlielminii; that 
 doatli was .uidclen in the inaioritv of cases. One 
 raa»), wlien kilUd, had been in the act of smoking, 
 and tlie stem of liis pipe, lield by the month, re- 
 mained nntil taken .mu after recovery. Another 
 liad a moutliful of bread, as if in the act of eating 
 his dinner. A few of tlie dead were found standing 
 in the most natural positions. One was leanin<j- 
 against a post. 
 
 The liodies of Daniel Lockhart and Peter 
 (-rallagher, when recovered, showed that Gallagher 
 liad a tirni hold of Lockhart, as if assisting him to 
 climb over a fall leading from the bord where they 
 were killed. Two mi'ii had clasjied hands, and 
 evidently ran nntil the damp overtook them, when 
 tluy tell on their faces and died with their hands 
 united. The body of one man had his dinner-can 
 straj»ped on his ]»ack. Two brothers, named David 
 and .lames McVey, were locked so tightly in each 
 other's iiniis that they were taken out and couveved 
 to tln'ir home in their embrace of death. The res- 
 <Miing iiiirties mi't with many other 
 
 T^xi'.vkallp:t-kd Skjiits 
 
 in their search for the dead. They also found nnich 
 ditiiculty in some [)laces proceeding with the work, 
 
 :il 
 
 M 
 
 i 
 
 nfii 
 
 H 
 
!!':ii| 
 
 54 
 
 SprwjhiU ColUery Disaster. 
 
 ' 
 
 I 
 
 owing to the falls of timber and other debris block- 
 ing up the way, and concealing dead bodies. In 
 the vicinity of where the explosion occurred was 
 apparently a total wreck. Six loaded cars, each of 
 which weighed from 1,600 to 1,900 lbs., were com- 
 pletely overturned at the head of the Xo. 7 Balance. 
 Iron rails were torn from their fastenings and twist- 
 ed into many forms. The writer saw one of these 
 rails, wlxich was bent like a barrel hoop. His 
 attention was also directed to a shovel found at 
 the place where Manager Swift's body was discov- 
 ered, the iron portion of which was rolled up like 
 a scroll. In the neighborhood of 6 and 7 Balances 
 the force of the explosion had rent asunder the tim- 
 bers supporting the roof of the various chambers. 
 One of the greatest havocs was in a bord where 
 the bodies of Richard Dawson and his son Samuel 
 were found by Joseph Robertson. These bodies 
 were in a standing position close to each other, 
 and covered to the neck by the ruins. They were 
 dragged out with the greatest of difficulty, owing 
 to the small space through which the searching 
 party had to crawl. A number of the rescuers in 
 one place had a narrow escape from a break-down. 
 An avalanclie of rocks showered down from the 
 roof whilst they were carrying the dead body of 
 
SpringhUl CoUiery Disaster. 
 
 55 
 
 Richard Murphy, which they were compelled to 
 drop at the foot of No. 7 Balance, and run for their 
 lives. This hody was taken out three davs after- 
 ^vnrds by Overman Reese and James Ferguson. 
 
 :S'otwithstanding the enormity of the labor in- 
 volved, the volunteer parties continued their search 
 night and day, for five days, -until Thursday, 26th, 
 at four o'clock, when the last body had been 
 recovered — that of 
 
 Henry Swift, Underground Manager 
 
 of the mines, which made the number taken out 
 dead one hundred and twenty-one, besides four of 
 the injured, who have since died, making the whole 
 number killed one hundred and twentv-five. 
 
 The searching party who discovered Manager 
 Swift's body consisted of Malcolm Blue, A. D. 
 Ferguson, W. D. Matheson, Neil McDonald, John 
 (\)lwell, and Luke Harrison. The l)ody was found 
 under about three feet of rock. The face was down- 
 wards, and not disfigured. The place where the 
 l)0(ly was lying was on the main level, about 500 
 feet from where the explosion occurred. 
 
 The last two bodies found previous to that of 
 Manager Swift were those of Archil.ald Shipley and 
 •'ames Nairn. These bodies were discovered in the 
 
I 
 
 .')«; 
 
 Sj)riiif//i>// CoVitni Disaster. 
 
 vicinity of wlioro Swift s body was lyinir. Xairn^'s 
 body was found on the morning of the 25th, and 
 makes three of the Nairn family killed in the pit. 
 
 ( )n the day previous to this date the bodies of 
 William Ilvde, Donald McKav, Ilenrv Livin<rstone, 
 Richard Murphy, John Francis, Andrew Bunt and 
 Neil Mcl.eod were all discovered under heavy falls 
 of stone and coal, wliich had to be removed before 
 gettinir at the bodies. On the 24th, the bodies 
 of dohn ilunter, Roger Xoiles and John J. Mc- 
 Donald were found by the searching ]>arties. 
 NfcDonald was thrown u}* an incline seventy-five 
 feet from where he had been working. Ifis l)ody 
 was sliockiuirlv mutilated, and one arm was missinsr. 
 Nodes" l»ody was also badly cut and torn. John 
 (rillis" body was taken out of Xo. 2 Sloi)e on tlie 
 afternoon of the 23r(l. It was thought that he had 
 escaped injury, as his name did not appear on the 
 list of the missing. He was a single man, and 
 belonged to ('ai»e Hreton. 
 
 .Vfter the dead miners had been recovered, the 
 dead bodies of horses v^-ere collected, taken out of 
 the pit, and cremated. The number of horses killed 
 was seventeen. 
 
m 
 
ii 1' 
 
 1:1 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Care of the Wounded. 
 
 The first duty devolving upon those who had 
 charge of tlie mines was to look after the injured, 
 and this was promptly attended to. As soon as the 
 state of affairs was learned, J. R. Cowans, General 
 Manager, telegraphed at once to Amherst and Parrs- 
 boro for all the Doctors that could be spared in these 
 towns to come on with despatch. This request was 
 promptly responded to by Drs. Black, Hewson, 
 I Allen, McDougall, Bliss and Campbell, of Amherst; 
 and Drs. Boggs, McKenzie, Babbitt, Atkinson and 
 Rand, of Parrsboro. A\rhen word of the disaster 
 had reached Oxford, Drs. Cook and Morrison, of that 
 place, started immediately with their operating c;ises, 
 expecting that there w^ould be a larger number of 
 amputations and other surgical operations to perform. 
 By the time these medical gentlemen had arrived 
 ill the injured had been brought out of the mines, 
 ^ind . arefully treated by Drs. Cove and Hayes, who 
 •«dc in the place. Dr. Bayard, another physician 
 >f Springhill, would also have been in attendance, 
 y>nt owing to sickness was confined to his house. 
 
 ■Bi'ic ]>iivsiciajis frnm Arnli£>».of r\^.e,.^.i „., J 0-. 
 
 (59) 
 
(10 
 
 Spnnf/hlll rofliny DlmsfiT. 
 
 
 boro, hov/cviT, did every thiiiir that they could to 
 UHsist alU'viating the f»uftV'rini;s of the wounded. 
 But, outside of tlie neveii who had been brought out 
 burned, and several others partly suffocated l>y tlu- 
 after-damj), no medical aid could avail anything. 
 
 Explosion occurred seventeen minutes to one 
 o'clock, and no livitig person was removed from tlu' 
 mines after two o'clock. As members of the relief 
 parties were being constantly returned to the surface. 
 badly affcvtcd bv the after-damp, it was <leemed hef«t 
 to station medical men at the pit heads for the pur- 
 pose of attending to such cases without delay. Dr. 
 Mcl)..ugall, of Amherst, and Dr. Atkinson, of Parrs- 
 boro, were stationed at the West Slope, and at tlio 
 East Sloju" Drs. Hoggs and Babbitt, of Parrsb()ro,aii(l 
 Drs. (\.ve and Jlayes, of Springhill. Ail the other 
 medical men returned to their homes that evening, 
 Those stationed at the entrances to the slopes re- 
 mained at their posts of duty until six o'clock Sal.- 
 bath morning, when it was considered there was no! 
 more danger, thorough ventilation having lHTn| 
 restored to the mines. The following is a 
 
 RkcoRU ok iN.n-RIKS SrSTAINKI) 15Y KaCIi 
 
 individiuil and the result in each case : 
 
 Willard Carter had a severe gash on face jn^il 
 below left eye, extending about one and a half inciuM 
 
Sprit)(/hi/f ColliiT;! Disiishr. 
 
 61 
 
 (iowii sidr ot'fiicc, iiinl oblifiiU'ly inward and upward, 
 M) that it ('(udd hv jtrobcd to a dt'pth of fivo inches. 
 lii'sidt's tliis, he was seriously l)urne<l ahout tlie 
 haiid- .d face. He remained in a profound stupor 
 until \^) o'clock that niirht, when he died. lie was 
 thirteen years old, son of Keid Carter, who was 
 killed with his ehlest son in the niiiu', and not 
 iHcDNcred until tlu' followini; niorninir. 
 
 .loshua McNeil was taken to his l»oardin<i; house 
 in a state of stu])or, and was thoutrht sini}>ly to he 
 atlected hy the after-damp. He soon developed 
 violent <'onvulsions, and (iied ahout 8 o'clock Satur- 
 day evenini;, showinii; evidence oi* luivini; sustained 
 a fracture at hase of the skull. He was twentv-one 
 
 vcars of ai2:e, ai 
 
 id u 
 
 nmarried 
 
 Xeil S. McNeil was severely hurnetl on liands, 
 arms and face, and side of hody. He died one week 
 after exi)losion from exhaustion, resulting from extent 
 i>t' surface hunu'd. He was unnuirried, and twenty- 
 tliree years of a*;e. 
 
 Henry Xash, severely burned ahout body, Ir- nds, 
 anus and face, died on fourth day from shock and 
 <'.\lia!!stion. His age was twenty-four. His family 
 ^••'iisisted of wife and one child. 
 
 Dannie Robertson, the hero boy referred to on 
 auote.'.'!' i!;-!""*' as. sjivinc AVilb*' T'^arris. she little 
 
 1 
 
 i^^il 
 
 i \ 
 
62 
 
 Sj)rittt/hill Cofficn/ Dis((s/«r. 
 
 4 
 
 trapiKT, wsiH Itjully Imnu'd about tlu' head, fact;, 
 arms, and side of body, lie was in a critical condi- 
 tion for some days, l»nt is now considered out of 
 dani^cr, althoui^h suffcrini^ groat pain at time of 
 writing (May 1st). J lis age is fourteen years. 
 
 Willie Karris, a trajtper boy twelve years old, who 
 was aved by Dannie Robertson, had the tips of his 
 ears slightly blistered, and small blisters on his hands 
 and side of his face. lie was terribly frightened 
 and bewildered in the darkness of the pit, but wua 
 all right again in a few days. 
 
 Daniel Beaton, a lad of thirteen, who was rescued 
 by an older brother, had his face, hands and head 
 badly burned, and two severe wounds on head, one 
 of which laid a portion of the skull bare. His 
 recovery was rapid. 
 
 Adolphus Landry was severely burned about 
 the face, hands, arms and body. Catching a glimpse 
 of the flame of lire as it came, he put his hands 
 over his face, and dropped behind the horse he was 
 driving. The horse w^as killed and partly falling on 
 him, thus pinning him in and saving his life ; his 
 sufferings w^ere so intense before he w'as rescued 
 that lie was praying that death might come mW 
 relieve him. He was fourteen years of age, and is 
 recovering. 
 
Sprinf/hiff Chf fieri/ Disasftr 
 
 ♦;:} 
 
 .hmios Liddlo was working in No. 1 Slope, and 
 jj^ot liurt < jinin*^ up in the hoxos, there l)eing such 
 a crowd of men that he could not get low enoutjh, 
 and got Jannned again.st the roof. The force of the 
 concussion pnu' -cd injury to the spijie, sufficient 
 to cause paralysirf of tlie lower parts of the hody. 
 He was taken to the Halifax liospital, and is ini- 
 j)n)ving slowly. The following letter, which he 
 sent from Halifax to the writer, will he read with 
 interest: 
 
 Victoria General Hospital, 
 
 Halifax, N. S., April 24th, 1891. 
 
 Dear Sir: Your favor of 22nd U hand, and in reply 
 would say : At the time of explosion I was at the bottom 
 uf No. 1 Slope, and all at once my light went out, and 
 then I smelt gas, and knowing something was wrong, I at 
 once tried to make my escape, and almost got up to the 
 •surface when I was struck on the back by a boom. When 
 brought to the bank head I waa senseless. When I came to, 
 my legs, from body downwards, were paralyzed. I was 
 taken immediately to my boarding house, where I stayed 
 until removed to the hospital, where I have been slowly 
 improving. Hope to get around again in a few months. The 
 tilings published about me are wrong. They have got my 
 name "David" instead of James, and my age "22" instead 
 of 16 years, which it ought to be. This is about all the 
 information I can give you in regard to the Springhill 
 explosion. Yours truly, James Liddle. 
 
 id 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 -■'? 
 
 
H' 
 |.|1« 
 
 •I 
 i 
 
 i!i!:ii 
 
 ♦;4 
 
 Siniii'/liifl (offirri/ I)ististi\ 
 
 .loliii (!(iii\v:iv, flu' tliii'tccii vtar old son of \V"i. 
 CoiiWiiv, riKicricriMUHl .\lim;iir» r of >»». 1 Slope, 
 was sliiilitlv itrirctcd l»v :itt('r-(laiii|i ; liis escaiK- tVoiii 
 tiii'tlitT iiijiii-v was a iniraclf. Ills case is rctfrriMl 
 to ill aiuttiiiT cliaptcr. 
 
 .laiiKs |)ai:i«'l McI )(»nai(l was jxtiscu'd l»y after- 
 (laiiiii; he liatl \ioU'iit convulsions tor tour or five 
 liours. When In- i-('co\ cred iVoni the eftects '>♦" the 
 dainji he had lost his reason, and at time of wi'itiny; 
 it had not l)een nst(»red, hut his symptoms were 
 favorahle. i 
 
 Cvrus Munro«'. Kodi^^T i^tvvis, .lohn Dvkons, 
 
 (ntnlon ('annichael, l)iivid Merritt and Jlyall 
 
 Nodes, Were all atiected more or less severely by 
 
 tlii' after-damp. I>ut soon recovered nncU'" medical 
 
 treatment. 
 
 Amoiiii' those who formed tlu' rescue parties tlie 
 
 t'ollowinu- were sevi-rely attected hy the after-damp: 
 Alex. Mclnnis, Assistant rnderi::round Manager: 
 Win. Conway, rnderuround Manager, Xo. 1 Slope; 
 Malcolm IJlue, Thomas Fletclu-r, (leorge Kitehell, 
 .lesse Arnnshaw, Thomas Foster and Thos. Brown. 
 As the condition of some of these are referred to in 
 other departments, the extent of their injuries are 
 omitted in this coimection. 
 
 Of l)erson att'ected hy tlie after-damp among the 
 rescuers, and those who had heen discovered in the 
 
S^niiKjIiill ( 'itUhrii I}i,<n!<t{ 
 
 65 
 
 jiiim-. Thoirias Hrowii was tln' i^rfatost siilitivi-, who 
 rcfovered. Artor coiiiiiiir out (»f the pit lie waa 
 takt'ii to tlu- oftire of Dr. (Nht, and reiMaiiu'd lor 
 
 ahoiit cijrlit hours in ti-rnhl 
 
 t' convulsiouH. It took 
 
 oil 
 
 tl 
 
 ic 
 
 tour or five uicn constantly to liold 1>' 
 >ii('h. Jle wiiH reniovod to his home, and liad fully 
 
 juro<l. 
 
 <•( 
 
 /liT in 
 
 rrcovcrod in twenty-four hours aftei 
 
 Many other- were affected by the after-dar. 
 hut as tliey did not re(|uire medic.J treatment thei'- 
 names are not mentioned in this chapter. 
 
 ip, 
 
 m 
 
ll 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Scenes at the MuianE, 
 
 Duriiiir tlu- five days in svliidi rlif (k-ad bodies 
 were l)ein«^ l)rou<,'lit uj) out of tlie pits, many <.t' the 
 scenes at the ('arpeiiters Shoi), at the nioutli of the 
 East Sh>i»e, whicli was used us a Morgue, were 
 heart-rending, and shall never be forgotten by the 
 spectators. The remains of many who had perished 
 in No. 1 ^r^ne were taken to this place after coming 
 to the surface that they miglit be prepared for iden- 
 tification by their friends and interme it. M times 
 it seemed that none remained in the town wlio were 
 i^ble to run to the Morgue. Benches wer j arrano-ed 
 within the building, and the ,.'ori)ses, after being 
 washed, were laid on them. Those in charge of the 
 Mo.gue were AV^m. Henderson, Samuel Richmond, 
 Samuel Russell, and John F. McDonald. Others 
 tried it also for a time, bur could not endure 
 the nerv(Mis strain. Although a large number of 
 the dead were natural, yet others were burnt and 
 mutilated beyond recognition, and the place liad 
 the semblanee of a veritable slaughter-house for a 
 
ii 
 
 kl 
 
 ™ 
 
 $- 
 
 v::llH 
 
 i 
 
 ' ' ' i-r 
 
,,i r. 
 
 ' I 
 
 \l ' 
 
 1 
 
 ii 
 
 i 
 
 ■J. * 
 
Sprlnghill Collier;/ Disaster. 
 
 69 
 
 time. Remains of some were brought in and laid 
 on the table, over which the veil must be drawn, 
 lest the deformity of death might distress the reader. 
 
 However, the following case is too important to 
 leave unnoticed. The body of Lemuel Morrison's 
 13 year old son, Thomas, was cut in two, and other- 
 wise niiingled beyond recognition. The father had 
 been through the morgue several times vainly look- 
 ing for his son, and had passed and repassed this 
 body, having satisiied himself that it was not the 
 one he sought. Finally the mother came, and after 
 looking over all the other bodies in the place, asked 
 her husband where the bodv was he told her about, 
 lie took her to the lifeless form, remarking, " It is 
 not our boy." The mother proceeded to examine 
 the clothing, as the mangled body could serve no 
 purpose of identiiication, only the trunk being before 
 her, the rest of the body some distance away. She 
 turned up the shirt, and on looking over it found 
 traces of her needle where she had l>een mending it 
 the night before, and could only exclaim, " This is 
 my poor boy ! This is my poor boy I " 
 
 Although a few others hardly l)ore a trace of 
 human semblance, yet they were " Those whom 
 somel)ody loved," and though seen in their deformed 
 state, and in that horrid place, were still dear to 
 
 f.-^J^ilH; 
 
re 41' 
 
 70 
 
 Sprih</Iu// Collit'i'ij Disasln: 
 
 tlieir friends and thankfully reeeivod. The widowed 
 wife and eliildloss n...fher knew the remains of lier 
 oflfKj)rin^ or hus])and, no matter how ('eformed, and 
 no earthly i>()wer (•t)nld separate her from the loving 
 form of lier tender boy or kind husband until the 
 strength of her frail body succumbed to ^he superior 
 force of her grief, and she Avas carried oft in the 
 same direction as the remains of lier loved one. 
 
 It was a sad sigiit at one time to see over twenty 
 bodies stretched on the benches and several otliers 
 in pieces, and around them frantic women and 
 weeping friends in search of those they loved. Frail 
 women wept without restraint ; strong men sobbed 
 and broke down. Others, too frenzied to allow 
 vent to nature, stood amazed and availed, and silent 
 -and passive amid the scene. Some who had seldom 
 grieved before, insj^ired a sigh and felt sensations as 
 the mangled form of some pleasing associate was 
 unveiled before their eyes. All felt that one of the 
 saddest calamities ever realized by man on earth 
 had fallen like a thunderbolt upon the peaceful 
 inhabitants of Springhill, and in the dark but peace- 
 ful i.icture, there was only one back ground of 
 consolation — sKh))iisst'())i to the Divine iriU. 
 
 Among those wlu^ mourned thus for their 
 departed ones, many felt that God was near, and, 
 
S^prim/hill Collier n Disa.^fer. 
 
 71 
 
 In- faith, looking up throuiz:!! tho rift in the dark 
 cloud, couhl (See the kitid liand of a lovhig Father, 
 and feel assured that 
 
 " Behind a frowning providence 
 He hides a smiHng face." 
 
 Aiiiiil such scenes and nnisincrs as these at the 
 inorifue, the work of preparing tlie dead for removal 
 ro their former homes or last restinij place went 
 steadily on. Each hody was stripped and washed, 
 and the tattered and hurnt clothinir was taken awav 
 and destroyed, except in the case of hodies not 
 known, when their clothinjr was carefully juvserved 
 ;is I ifuide to their frien-' Dy which they mio^ht be 
 able to identity them. Atb/r bodies had been 
 arranged and identitied, they were taken away to 
 their former homes or the ])lace of interment. 
 Carbolic acid re<|uired to be used as disinfectant in 
 some cases. When decomposition had freely set in, 
 hodies were buried without delav. 
 
 ji r.paAfl 
 
1^ t 
 
 * s 
 
 
 1 ■ ■ : :' 
 
 i ■■' 
 j 
 
 i ■ \ 
 
 I 1 
 
 1 
 
 ^ j . . 
 
 V 
 
 i 
 
 
 ; ■■■• 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 j tf 
 
 9 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Gloom Deepens. 
 
 After the first shock of the terrible calamity had 
 passed over, and it was possible to get reliable 
 information, the people began to realize the enor- 
 mity of the disaster. As the death list from the pit 
 swelled, and as one body after another was taken 
 from the morgue to its former residence, or its last 
 resting place, the gloom began to deepen. Two 
 car-loads of coffins, manufactured by Christie Bros., 
 of Amherst, having arrived on Monday evening, and 
 distributevl throughout the town, besides those made 
 by the undertakers of the place, it was 
 
 A Sad Sight 
 
 to see two or three of these coffins enter the doors 
 of several dwellings within a short distance of each 
 other. 
 
 The houses where the dead were laid were 
 brightly lighted up during the solemn hours of the 
 night, and because man having gone to his long 
 home " the mourners go about the streets," and 
 from house to house during the night. In many 
 case- moans, so1)S and bitter wailiiigs within those 
 
Spn'nf/hi/f CoWmf Dmtster. 
 
 78 
 
 be.X'uved homes told too plainly the sad story of 
 desolation and death. One of the saddest cases of 
 the accident was that of Fred Carniichaers family. 
 Three brothers of this household were killed in the 
 mine, and one was carried home unconscious, being 
 injured by the after-damp. The affliction in this 
 family is very great, and the sorrow is intensified bv 
 the fact that another son in the same family was 
 killed by lightning three years ago, and Mr. Car- 
 michael got his left arm and collai--bone broken a 
 short time before the explosion. In this case, 
 although the experience of good old Jacob was 
 realized, when he said: "Me have ye bereaved of 
 my children : Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and 
 ye will take Benjamin away : all these things are 
 against me," or that of Job when he uttered his 
 plaintive wail: "Oh that it were with me as in 
 months past * * when the Almighty was with me, 
 when my children were about me:" vet Mr 
 Carmichael was amazingly resigned to the Divine 
 will, and could say, "God lives, bless'd be my 
 Rock." One who was endeavoring to comfort the 
 bereaved in their affliction, records his experience 
 of this trial thus: "When his three boys were 
 brought home he showed more Christian fortitude 
 than any other that I visited. The power to control 
 

 iij 
 
 74 
 
 M 
 
 Spn'ttf/hif/ Collu'iy Difiastrr. 
 
 I llMt 
 
 liirnHt'lf was amazing, and the perfoct repignation 
 to the Divine will was a lesson I ean never tbri^et." 
 
 A Mysterious Cask of Trial 
 
 was also experienced hy Oliver Diipee. While this 
 broken-hearted father was conveying home the body 
 of his son Joseph from the morgue, another child, 
 four years old, ran out to meet him. The hoy 
 slil>I)e(l on the ice, falling on his head, and was 
 instantly killed. 
 
 Hour by hour, as time wore on, the seene of 
 sorrow became more desolate. As l)odies were 
 taken to i)e interred a mournful dirge was tolled. 
 
 The body of Manager Swift remained in the pit, 
 and his death was peculiarly sad. Manager Conway 
 had become prostrate owing to over-exertion in the 
 mine attemi)ting to free the imprisoned bodies. The 
 lives of Mrs. Swift and a number of other broken 
 hearted widows and bereaved mothers were heinir 
 des})aired of. 
 
 The mother of one large family of childr< ii left 
 in destitute circumstances had become demented. 
 Another widow with three children w\i8 entirely 
 bereft of all her friends. James D. ^[cDonald, one 
 of the injured, was suffering from a bad dose of 
 after-damp and nervous shock. His mind had be- 
 eoiue deranged and he could not he comforted. 
 
 ! I % 
 
SpriiHjhill CoUknj Disaster. 75 
 
 Tlio houHcholds of J,.},n Xairn, Held Carter, 
 Kichard DavvHon, Hugh Bunt, Neil Kos., Robert 
 McVey, Jesne Annisliaw and several others, were 
 shrouded in tlie deepest «:loon., two and three of 
 each family liaving been killed. 
 
 The Sad and Solkmx P:.\j'ekie.\( k 
 
 of those two hun.lre.l and thirty-four orphans, 
 widows and widowed mothers, during the few days' 
 after the explosion, must long remain -upon the 
 tablets of enduring memory." Oh, how the hearts 
 went down into that lonely pit wlm-h was the seene 
 of all their woe ! Those nights were full of tears; 
 the agony of many hearts was only known to God! 
 Those ministers of consolation who endeavored to 
 symi.athipce and alleviate the trials of bereaved and 
 stricken ones, taintly realized how deeply the arrow 
 had pierced, and how the soul was riveil, but there 
 were none who knew it all. To God\« a/e, a»d that 
 nhu,', was the grief revealed, and in His bottle were 
 the tears preserved. 
 
 Amid the dark.iess of such a scene it was com- 
 forti.ig to know that some of those stricken ones, in 
 the sj.irit of resignation, could say, " Tlie Lord gave, 
 and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the namJ 
 of the Lord." 
 
 Iff 
 
 Pf! 
 
 ikf. 
 
 \mn 
 
t. < 1 
 
 ' lii 
 
 CHAPTER Vlir. 
 
 Personal iNciDENXf^. 
 
 Many tiiid varied were tlie personal incidents in 
 connection with the great diHant^r. These incidents, 
 ii8 told ])y variouH persons who e8ca[>ed with their 
 lives and a numher of the rescue parties, are given 
 that the reader might have a record of important 
 events not mentioned in other chapters. 
 
 One man who escaped states that he saw two 
 lads fall as they were running towards the entrance. 
 He 8topi>ed to help them, but the damp came so 
 nearly overcoming him that he was compelled to 
 hurry on and leave them to their sad fate. 
 
 The searching party that recovered the body of 
 Manager Swift are confident he rose to his feet 
 after the explosion and was knocked down by the 
 falling stone beneath which he was covered. It is 
 supposed that at the time of the disaster, the late 
 manager, as he was wont to do, was leaning with 
 his back against a box, conversing with the two 
 miners at the tace of the level. When found his 
 head was towards the bottom of the pit and about 
 a foot of stone was under him, which is considered 
 (76) 
 
S/n-iix/hi// Cof/ien/ JJisa.ifer. 
 
 77 
 
 proof that ho had r^pruiitr t(» his ivvt after the 
 exploHion and was makin^r his way out. But he 
 .V'ot only ti'n tbot from tlie faco, when knocked down 
 either by after-damp or tilling rock. Hi. nose was 
 sHghtly burned, l)ut the body was not disfigured in 
 any other way. To „ne of the sliiftmen Mr. Hwift 
 announced his intention of going to the ])ank at 
 noon, but on reaching the pit bottom he found that 
 timber was being hnvered, and started into tlie face 
 of tlie level. He was a tiist walker, and, even 
 allowing for this, he had barely time to reach the 
 [)oint where liis body was found. It is singular, 
 however, that the searching party that proved sue- 
 eessful, after consultation among the men, decided 
 to make the attemj.t, though many tried to dissuade 
 the and were con\inced that Mr. Swift could not 
 have got so far into the level ; but the little party 
 could not be swerved, and their theory proved 
 correct. 
 
 A Very Sad Case 
 
 was experienced by a young man whose brother was 
 killed in the mine. He started to take the body to 
 Cai-e Breton. Tlie poor fellow, when about half 
 way on his journey, was so overcome by grief that 
 he became demented, and another friend had to 
 follow to Antigonish to take him home. 
 
 i 
 I 
 
78 
 
 Sl)l'illi//iill ( 'n/li( n/ I)iSil.<i( V 
 
 I 
 
 Sf\«Tiil iiiiiicis who csciiiicd s:iv tli:i; tlicv iicv-t 
 lu'.ir<l siicli rric'S ils tll()>»' w ilicll »;illir tVotll soliic ot" 
 till' liK'ii ;iir«Mtt(l l»v tin- ;irtt'l"-dillii|t, wlio iH'illi/A'l 
 llint tln'V must lie dow ti mid die. 
 
 ()m' nt' the sriifcliiiiir piiftv ill piissiiii; tliroiiifh 
 stc|»|»rd on ;i iiiiin's hitck. It was tlic oiilv part 
 visiltli', tlu' head and liiid.s hriiit; covered with 
 stoui's and llilleii heaiiis, and it took eonsi(K'ral»le 
 time to reii .' du'se. 
 
 Mideidni iMiie, another of tlie rescuers, in one 
 })laci', wliilst irawliiii^ . i his liands and knees near 
 the face «»t' tiie K'vel, put his hand on the face of 
 tlie dead hodv of W'illia.i llvde. h was unexpected, 
 and he (hvw ' ack with a shiver. 
 
 Anioiiij the victims was Joseph Tattersall, tlie 
 well known cricketer who came out from England 
 to coach the Wanderers' Cluh of Ihilifax. He came 
 to the mines to work durini, !ie winter, A few 
 weeks ago \w sent his wife home. 
 
 A. J. McKay, one of the klim', had only heen 
 working in the mines tlriH' days. Another of the 
 unfortunates had nuule \\\. his mind to go out of 
 the company's employ ami he would have left within 
 a month. 
 
 A number escaped bv not ixoiuij into the mines 
 that fatal afternoon. Those who worked in their 
 
Sl>,>'iH//,i// Cnlliirii I);.'<,isf,i\ 
 
 79 
 
 I'ill-f of the |.if UC.V I,r,.M-l,t n,it <l,.:,(| ul, tlir f;,ll,,w. 
 \\\\i MKM'Ililiy-. 
 
 <''"",ir«' Allis.,,1, A !;.,.. I.aiTirnor, :,.i<l six nv 
 s.'Vf.M.flurs, 1,;hI a wundciful ..s,.a|u.. Thcv had 
 '"■•<> workii,!,. in tl,(. ,Mi,M-sa.i l,„„r pivvieus f. fl,r 
 «x|.I.>si,,n, iMit Mviv sent out for l.,a«lii,j.r ba<l roal. 
 ''"••lii.ior was in fl,,. tcirihU. Dnnuniond explosion 
 ><•»..»■ finic auM, and was ivscu.l l,y Ti/„(.th.v L,,,<i- 
 '"•ittcr, touetlicr with a nunihi-r of others. 
 
 Tlieahs,.M(e of Overman Keeso from Xo. 1 .SJoj^. 
 iif the time of exi,N,sion was evidently j.rovidential. 
 Havin- been appointed to assist in the mine for a 
 short time that (h.y in the ahsenee of some of those 
 who had -(„„. to Maeean, he was h.okod for l,nt 
 <'<>id<l not he fou.id, heing off (hity at the time, and 
 liaving taken a ,stroIl down the Railway towards 
 i'arrshoro for some distanee. On his retiirn he was 
 advised of the matter, and at onee started to enter 
 Xo. 2 Slope, and " .^d only reached the surface wjien 
 'lie Hrst miner who had eseape<l eame rushin- out. 
 
 
m 
 
 r- 
 
 1 ■' 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 t 
 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Experience of Survivors. 
 
 Almost every one who eseaped from tlie mine 
 experienced something remarkable. These experi- 
 ences are worthv of record, as they form a picture 
 of the sad sceni' in its various features. 
 
 One uian, who fell as though dead on reaching 
 the surface, states that he never experienced any- 
 thinir like the feeliuir he had when the after-damp 
 began to overtake him. Despite all efforts to keep 
 them open, his eyes elosed, liis joints began to 
 stiiten, and he felt as if he must go to sleep. Many 
 others were similarly affected. Two miners, whose 
 eyes were bloodsiiot, and faces bruised by their fall- 
 iuff on them, heard nothing, felt nothing, and said 
 nothii.:^ until they were revived some time after 
 being brought to tlie surtaee. Another, who was 
 unconscious, states that he knew nothing that hap- 
 peiK'd before he dropped as if dead. One who got 
 safely out tells with a shudder the sensations of his 
 experience. The damp, he says, poured in his ears 
 and down his throat, and almost suftbcated him. 
 "VS'ailst running for his life in the darkness of the 
 mine, as every lamp had gont- out, he lieard men 
 (80) 
 
Spritif^hiU CoUicnj Dis(i,-<tcr. 
 
 81 
 
 slirifking und falliiiic behind liini. Sonu- wlio 
 paused in their flii^ht to hel}* along a oonirade fell 
 uiioonscious as if in a swoon. One strange experi- 
 ence was that of 
 
 rvius ^^T■^'ROE. 
 
 He and his hutty, James Morrison, nd their loader, 
 .1. I). McDonald, were working in a part of Xo. 2 
 Slojie. On hearing the report, th? question arose 
 as to what it was. Morrison said that it was either 
 ii fall or an explosion. All being deeply impressed 
 that it was the latter, they caught up their dinner- 
 cans :ind started to escape from the mine. ^AHien 
 they got a short distance they were met by what 
 i^eemed to be a thick fog. Munroe attempted to 
 change his course, found his lamj) going out, and 
 felt a sweetish taste in his mouth. This is the last 
 he remembered. When he recovered consciousness, 
 some hours after, he realized tliat he was in a house 
 ne.;.- the entrance of the West Slope. Morrison was 
 found dead, and McDonald's deplorable situation is 
 referred to in the chapter relating to " Care of the 
 
 Wounded.'" 
 
 Alexander Blue 
 
 was probably nearer the scene ot the explosion than 
 any other who escaped. His experience is very 
 reiimrkable. As soon as he heard the tirst sound he 
 
 
 r-:s 
 
 < i 
 
 ? ill 11 
 
I >!'. 
 
 i -- 
 
 < 
 
 82 
 
 SpruujhM Collienj Dif^dstcr. 
 
 knew what it wa^^, and jumped to the low side of the 
 place where he was working, and scpieezed in be- 
 tween the timber projts. The blast came like a 
 lightning flash, and, in passing, caught liis safety 
 lani]), which projected outward from his hand, and 
 carried it away as if in the bore of a miditv cannon. 
 The instant it passed, young Blue, being unhurt, 
 took from his pocket some cottou waste and dipped 
 it in c;. -me water that was uiider his feet, and stuffed 
 his inouth full. This he intended to act as a filter, 
 as well as to prevent him from inhaling ^arge quan- 
 tities of the i)oisonous gas. Beiug a robust young- 
 man, who had grown \\\\ in the mine from childhood, 
 he knew every inch of the way as well in the dark 
 as with a light. He started to run with all his 
 might, and never stopped until he reacbcd the sur- 
 face. A large number of men were found dead 
 along the whole course he had run. 
 
 Patrick Ilennessy, Edward Chandler and Hanry 
 Nash were all together at time of explosion. At 
 first sound Chandler and Ilemiessy jumped to the 
 low side of the shute in which they were Avorkii • 
 drawing their coats over their heads and putting 
 their arms over their faces. They both escaped, 
 and Xash, who was only six feet from He, .^essy, 
 being out in tlie chamber unprotected, was burned 
 
SpnyighiU ChUiery Disaster. 83 
 
 80 badly that he died on the fourth day, as recorded 
 ill Chapter V. 
 
 John Conway, who in a referred to in the 
 same chapter, was sitting on the edge of the front 
 box of a rake driving liis horse in the level 2,000 feet 
 from the slope bottom at time of explosion. The 
 horse was severely burned, and killed, falling on 
 toi> of the boy in some way so as not to injure him, 
 ^md at the same time save him from the flame.' 
 This boy was found by some of the re .-ue panics 
 after they thought the living had all been rescued. 
 These parties were attracted by the cry of " Mother ' 
 Mother ! ! Mother I ! ! " i„ a low, feeble tone coming 
 from a distance along the level, and rushing to the 
 place whence it came, listened and heard a feeble 
 cry of "Mother'- coming from under a dead horse. 
 On turning the horse over they found the boy only 
 .^lightly affected by the at^er-damp. lie was taken 
 to tlie surface and soon recovered, xhe experience 
 and escape from death of three otlu> lads, John 1). 
 licaton, Judson Farris and Dannie I' ,bertson, were 
 also remarkable. Beaton's tifto. .ear old brother, 
 who was working in another p.rt of th i mine, and 
 ""injured on hearing the exu' ./.on, immediately 
 'an to the place where be knew his younger brother 
 n-as working, and found hii'i burnt, wounded, and . 
 

 1 
 
 ti ir:j 
 
 ijil 
 
 i 
 
 84 
 
 Spi-ingMU Colliery Disaster 
 
 his clothes on lire. After extinguisliing the fire he 
 put him on his shoulder, and would not give up his 
 charife to anv one who ottered assistance until he 
 had taken him out of the mine and laid him on a 
 lounge in his own home. 
 
 Little Dannie Rohertson, who is justly called 
 
 The Hero Boy 
 
 of the disaster, was driving a rake of empty boxes 
 into the level on the west side. He was sitting on 
 front of the foremost box, when, in a moment, with- 
 out any warning, he was struck by the terr-iic blast 
 of fierce flame, and knocked backwards mto the 
 box. His light was put out, and the horse "Jennie," 
 which he drove, was killed instantly. After lying 
 in the box for a few minutes in a state of bewilder- 
 ment, he was brought to a true sense of his perilous 
 situation by crashing of timbers and the roof-falls 
 around him. On springing from the box he dis- 
 covered that his clothes were on lire, his horse dead, 
 and he alone in the awful darkness, and the roof of 
 the mine falling around him. 
 
 Under such circumstances, with heroic effort he 
 threw oft' his burnii.g coat and vest, and, with hands 
 and arms painfully burned, he started to find his 
 w-ay out of the pit. But he had only gone a short 
 
SprliigJuJJ OjlUen/ Disaster. 
 
 85 
 
 distance wlien he heard the piteous cries of Httle 
 Farris, the trapper, whose life was saved by dodging 
 under his seat, coming from a distance, and rushing 
 to the jtlace, and groping around in the dark, found 
 the victim almost frightened to deatli. By this time 
 Robertson's liands were so painful with the burns 
 that lie was almost delirious, and could not take 
 hold of the bovto assist him out; but with unfailinir 
 courage he sat down, tclliuii: the lad to ":et on his 
 back, which he did, and su]>porting him in position 
 as best he could, ran with his precious burden until 
 he gained the bottcan of the sloi)e, and leaving the 
 lad at this place of safety, he in(iuirod after the 
 safetv of his brother John, and was about to return 
 into the level to search for him when some of the 
 rescue parties caught him, placed him in a box with 
 other wounded, and had bin taken to the pit head 
 without delav, where his brother was awaiting him. 
 On their way home, little Dannie requested the man 
 who took him home on a sled that he be allowed to 
 walk into the house alone, so that his mother might 
 not be alarmed. He is a member of the " Boys' Bri- 
 gade" in connection with the Presbvterian Church 
 of Springhill, which is under the pastoral care of 
 TIev. David Wright, whose name is mentioned in 
 connection with the rescuing parties. As the hero- 
 
 1 
 
MM 
 
 P 
 
 {:;. 
 
 i t'lll 
 
 86 
 
 Spring hill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 ism of this brave boy is, perhaps, unparalleled in 
 history, an effort should be made at once to reward 
 his bravery in some suitjible way. His portrait is 
 give i on the following page. The boy Beaton, who 
 saved the life of his younger brother, although 
 not a member of the " Boys' Brigade," his bravery 
 is also worthy of public recognition. Four mem- 
 bers of the "Boys' Brigade" at Springhill were 
 killed in the mines. Their mimes are Philip and 
 Murdoch Ross and James and David McVev. 
 
DANNIE ROBERTSON. 
 
 .!,? 
 
 w 
 
 M 
 
 Ifl 
 
 kumiada 
 
 
 j' ft 
 
 9 
 

CHAPTER X. 
 
 List of the V 
 
 ICTIMf 
 
 As the names of our loved departed ones are 
 still dear to us, and their memories freijrlited with 
 undvinu' aft'ection, the writer ineludes this chapter 
 as a ineniento to relative's of those who lost their 
 lives l)v the sad disaster, and a sacred record for the 
 intiM-est of the y'eiural jiuhlic, whose sympathies 
 
 have so liherallv heen extended to th 
 
 lose who Were 
 
 so s 
 
 uddenlv hi'reaved of father; 
 
 «ons. husbands. 
 
 i>rothers. and other dear friends. 
 
 The followini,^ is a classitied list of all who were 
 killed in the mines, inonidiniii; the four who died of 
 their injuries up to date of writinii; (May 1st. 1S91), 
 irivini; the numher of widows, or[»hans, and widowed 
 mothers left destitute hy the calannty : 
 
 Married Men wihi Families. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 DEPENPHNTS. 
 
 dohn Bentlitte, 
 Donald Camphell, 
 Reid (barter, 
 John ^'armieliael, 
 V.llliam ('arrii>-an. 
 
 Wife and five children. 
 AVife and seven children. 
 Wife and three children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and tv\o children. 
 (89) 
 
 rii 
 
 
 n 
 
 11 
 
 - ii 
 
! i ! 
 
 I: 
 
 ^|i 
 
 J, 
 
 ! 
 
 
 n 
 
 90 Spn'rigkUl Collhn/ Disaster. 
 
 Markied Men with FAMrLif:8. — Continued. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 Jiimes C^onway, 
 John C'Onnerton, 
 Muttliew Collins, 
 Kichard Dawson, 
 Hiram Fife, 
 Daniel Findlavson, 
 Thomas Fletcher, 
 Peter (lallaghcr, 
 Lazarus (iruthro, 
 John Hunter, 
 William Hyde, 
 William Kent, 
 Frank Letcher, 
 Daniel Lockhart, 
 James Miller, Sr., 
 John Mitchell, 
 Ernest Mott, 
 James Morris, 
 Jeremiah Murphy, 
 Angus McKinnon, 
 Allan McKiimon, 
 John J. McDonald, 
 Rorv "B. McDonald, 
 
 DEPENDENTS. 
 
 Wife and three children. 
 
 Wife and one child. 
 
 Wife and three children. 
 
 Wife and six children. 
 
 Wife and two children. 
 
 Wife and three children. 
 
 Wife and two children. 
 
 Wife and three children. 
 
 Wife and four children. 
 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and six children. 
 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and two children. 
 AVife and six children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and six children. 
 Wife and three children. 
 Wife and eight children. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 91 
 
 Married Men with Families. — Continued. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 DEPENDENTS. 
 
 William XfoGilvery, 
 Donald Mc'Kav, 
 John F. MoXoil, 
 Rorj MoLood, 
 Norman McLeod, 
 Charles Xash, 
 liod^fer Noilos, 
 Malcolm Nicholson, 
 Hugh Robertson, 
 Stephen Rushton, 
 Archibald Shipley, 
 James Sharpies, 
 Robert A. Sherlock, 
 Ilenrj Swift, 
 Joseph Tatterstal, 
 William H. Turner, 
 Alexander Vance, 
 Edgar Wry, 
 Philip B. White, 
 George Wood, 
 Thomas Wilson, 
 John Williams, 
 *Henrv Nash, 
 
 ♦One of the 'njured who died. 
 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and one chihl. 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and six children. 
 Wife and three childi n. 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and five children. 
 Wife and five ch'ldren. 
 Wife and five children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and two children. 
 Wife and four children. 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and one child. 
 Wife and six children. ' 
 Wife and one child. 
 
 ' ^ 
 
1^ 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
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 b^ <^#,^^'^' 
 
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 1^ |2£ II 2 5 
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 ^7 
 
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 V^ 
 
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 nioTogiBpmc 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, NY. 14580 
 
 (716) 873-4J03 
 
92 Sprinyhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 Married Men with Wife Only. 
 
 John Boyd, 
 Robert Clark, 
 John Francis, 
 John McKinnon, 
 
 "William McKee, 
 John Nairn, 
 Malcolm Nairn. 
 
 YouN(} Men who Supported their Mothers. 
 
 Alonzo Eiidd, 
 Ernest Bainbridge, 
 Neil McLeod, 
 Joseph Pitt, t 
 
 Bruce Ryan, 
 Thomas Rosrers, 
 Henry Wry, 
 ♦Joseph Tatterstal. 
 
 Young Men who Resided with their Parents, 
 and Otherwise. 
 
 Arthur Anderson, 
 Herbert Armishaw, 
 Jesse Armishaw, jr., 
 William Birchell, 
 William Bro\vn, 
 George Bond, 
 Andrew Bunt, 
 Alexander Campbell, 
 John D. Campbell, 
 Clarence Carter, 
 Jude Casey, 
 
 Andrew Carmichael, 
 William Carmichael, 
 John Crawford, 
 Samael Daw^son, 
 Fred. Dillon, 
 Samuel Furbow, 
 John Grillis, 
 Peter Hannigar, 
 Thomas Hallett, 
 John Hayden, 
 Samuel Legere, 
 
 •Mr. Tatterstal had a wife and five children besides his mother. 
 
 J till 
 
SprmgMl Colliery Disaster. 9S 
 
 Young Men who Reside with their Parents, 
 AND Otherwise. — Continued. 
 
 Henry Livingstone, 
 Th( mas Morrison, 
 William J. Maiden, 
 Richard Murphy, 
 Samuel Muckle, 
 John D. McEachran, 
 Laughlin McKinnon, 
 Alexander J. McKay, 
 Charles McNutt, 
 Neil McPhee, 
 
 Robert McFadden, 
 Henry McLeod, 
 Roderick C. McNeill, 
 James Nairn, 
 James Overs, 
 CliiFord Ripley, 
 James Robbing, 
 Howard Simonds, 
 David Watt. 
 
 Boys Sixteen Years of Age, and Under, 
 
 Alexander Bunt, 
 Ernest Chandler, 
 Thomas Davis, 
 Joseph Dupee, 
 John Dunn, 
 Roger Ernest, 
 James Johnston, 
 George Martin, 
 
 David McVey, 
 James McVey, 
 James Pequinot, 
 Peter Reid, 
 Murdoch Ross, 
 Philip Ross, 
 Edward Smith, 
 Douglas Taylor. 
 
 Wounded who Died from Injuries. 
 
 Willard Carter, 
 Neil S. McNeill, 
 
 Joshua McNeill, 
 Henry Nash. 
 
Il i 
 
 
 ■! 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 94 
 
 Springhill GolUery Disaster. 
 
 Bj enumerating tlie former list the numl)er of 
 orphans, widows, and widowed mothers, left desti- 
 tute by the disaster, as well as the ( ^act number of 
 the killed, can easily be ascertained. 
 
 The number of the difterent religious denomina- 
 tions of the dead are as follows: Presbyterians, 40; 
 Methodislo, 23 ; Roman Catholics, 24 ; Baptists, 6 ; 
 Episcopalians, 29; not known, 3— netting in all one 
 hundred and twenty-five. 
 
 1) 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 Coroner's Inquest and Verdict. 
 
 Monday evening after the explosion, the inqueat 
 commenced in Fraser's Hall before Coroner Dr. C. 
 A. Black, of Amherst, the resident Coroner, Dr. 
 J. W. Cove, being ineligible to act on the occasion, 
 owing to his official position as medical adviser for 
 the Company at the mines. 
 
 The following jurors were duly impannelled and 
 sworn : William Hall (foreman), Daniel Ferguson, 
 A. E. Fraser, George Watt, Daniel Coghill, Simon 
 Fraser, Timothy Leadbeater, R. W. McDonald, 
 Robert Gray, Charles Simpson, Richard Bennett, 
 and Robert Scott. The jury, after viewing the 
 remains of John Connerton, one of the victims, 
 descended into jN'o. 1 Slope, to investigate the scene 
 of the disaster, at half-past seven o'clock, returning 
 in about two hours afterwards, when the court was 
 opened for examination of witnesses, and continued, 
 with the exception of a short respite, until the fol- 
 lowing evening, when an adjournment 'vas made 
 till [the 10th of March, in order to give time to 
 
96 
 
 Spr ill (j1 till Collie rij DisasUr. 
 
 collect all the facts possible in connection with the 
 case. After the incjuest hat! been adjourned by the 
 Coroner, InvSi)ector Gilpin commenced a thorough 
 investigation as to the system of operating the 
 mines, cause of the explosion, etc. The chief por- 
 tion of the evidence taken at this examination was 
 presented to the jury at the Coroner's Inquest. 
 
 The investigation throughout was one of the 
 most t!iorougii ever made at any inquesc, and all 
 connected with the case felt that every :hing that 
 could be done Was done to throw lig)it en the real 
 cause of the explosion. 
 
 At the inquest, Robert Drumraond, of Pictou, 
 Secretary of the Miners' Union, and editor of the 
 Trader' Journal, ably represented the miners, and 
 examined witnesses on their behalf, witi a view of 
 obtaining tha fullest information possible, not only 
 for :he benefit of the men, but for the satisfaction 
 of all parties interested. Hector Mclnris, of Hali- 
 fax, watched proceedings on behalf of the Company, 
 and Chief Inspector Gilpin appeared as representa- 
 tive of the Government. 
 
 Many and various were the evidences submitted, 
 but, as much of the details might not pro\ e interest- 
 ing to the reader, and would, of themselves, form 
 a large volume, only a summary of those portions 
 
Spr'iHyluU ColUery DiaaaUr. 
 
 97 
 
 hearing most directly on the suhjeet u.e given in 
 the following part of this chapter. 
 Malcolm Blue was 
 
 The First Witness Examined. 
 
 lie was satisfied that the explosion had taken 
 ])lace in No. 7 Balance, and prohahly in No. 3 Bord, 
 hut did not think there was sufiicient powder in the 
 mine to cause it. 
 
 Alex. Mclnnis, Assistant Manager, gave his testi- 
 mony hefore the Coroner as follows: "Passed the 
 head of No. 7 Balance about 9.30 Saturday morning; 
 was in there about a week ago. I was at Springhill 
 Junction at the time of the explosion. About two 
 o'clock, after the explosion, visited No. 6 Balance. 
 The ohot firers were instructed by the manager. Do 
 not think the shot firers should indicate the position 
 of shot. Mr. Swift, manager, had charge of No. 1 
 Slope at the time of the explosion. Could give no 
 opinion of what caused the explosion ; do not think 
 the shot I saw last night in No. 3 Bord caused it. 
 Do not think that even a gun shot would have com- 
 numicated with the balance to have caused it. I 
 never saw an explosion o^ dust. I ■■ i satisfied there 
 was no gas in the level below. Shortly after the 
 bord started w^e began to use water." Again, at 
 
 G 
 
rt- 
 
 '?i^V 
 
 98 
 
 Sprliiffhi'fl 0>/lie)'i/ Disaster 
 
 Inspector (Tilpin'.s investigation, ]\v wan submitted 
 to an examination of several liours. Ii' this exami- 
 nation lie explained the system of .entilation and 
 the speed at which the fan was run before and after 
 the explosion ; also, in reference ro the condition of 
 the workings of the mine. He stated that when he 
 was in charge of No. 1 Slope a few years ago, bodies 
 of gas were sometimes met with. The air was testea 
 daily by Conway, and a water gauge was kept, In the 
 fan house and regularly examined by the night iire- 
 man. lie knew of no lying gas in the mine. On 
 being examined more particularly respecting indica- 
 tions of gas within the past year, he believed the 
 men under Conway did their work faithfully. Se^ - 
 eral years ago, when the w^ater w^as heavy in the 
 mine, two large bodies of gas v/ere met with. This 
 was in the second balance from the bottom. They 
 stopped using powder in the levels about two months 
 ago when he was in Xo. 1 Slope. No men were 
 burned in the vicinity of this district of the explo- 
 sion. There was not a flaming shot since he had 
 been assistant manager. There was a feeder of gas 
 in the level ignited by an open light, but no powder 
 was used. Since the feeder was discovered in driv- 
 ing the bords in No. 7 Balance, a little gas was met 
 occasionally, but never in large quantities. Mr. 
 
Spri»(//ull Cotlleru Disaste 
 
 99 
 
 Mclni.is' teHtimoiiy ooncerning tJie turning of the 
 fan WU8 c-orroljoratod l.y the fun man, Angus Munro. 
 (Charles Mitchell also supported part of M. funis' 
 evidence. A[r. Mitchell was examined at great 
 length. Jle was night fireman in No. 1 Slope, and 
 made the last examination of tlie fatal district of 
 thi, place before the explosion Saturday morning. 
 H?s report was to the effect that the pit was clear of 
 gas. He again entered the mine after the explosion, 
 and tlie atmosphere was thick with damp. Shot 
 I-'irer Wilson, he said, had ^old him a few days 
 before the explosion that no holes were loaded and 
 not fired, lie did not think the holes were bored 
 too near to the rib. He had never known of a 
 sudden outburst of gas in the mine. He did not 
 ref\i8e that day to fire a shot. No powder was used 
 in No. 7 Balance pn the level. He had never seen 
 any accumulation of gas of any importance in the 
 mine. If there had been a hole in No. 3 he would 
 have noticed it. He had fired a shot in No. 3 Bord in 
 :N"o. 6 Balance when relieving Wilson two days pre- 
 vious to the explosion. Assistant Manager Mclnnis 
 gave detailed instructions to the shot firer, then the 
 miners take their instructions from the shot firer. 
 He had been nearly two years employed as fireman. 
 There w^as not much dust in the bords. He thought 
 
 Hill 
 
100 
 
 Springkill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 twice a woek Hiilliciejit to lire the bords, and that 
 was the practice. GaH wan found in nniall quantities 
 in BordH Nos. 2, 5 and 7 of No. 7 Balance. The 
 morning before tlie accident there was a small quan- 
 tity in Bord No. 2. On one occasion he had gone 
 in ahead of the ten o'clock shift and brushed tlie gas 
 out. He was always as much afraid of the dust as 
 of the gas in tliat part of the mine. The dust was 
 very wet that Saturday morning, and could not have 
 dried sufficiently that day to have caused the explo- 
 sion, lie always watered a dry place before firing 
 a shot. It looks as if something from No. 3 Bord 
 connected with something outside. The shot tirer, 
 Thomas Wilson, being found in No. 3 is the only 
 reason to suppose the explosion occurred there. He 
 did not think a blown out shot would send flame 
 into the balance 150 feet away. .The latter state- 
 ment was made on examination by Mr. Drummond, 
 and is considered important by mining men. 
 
 Dr. Hayes testified as to the cause of death in the 
 case of John Connerton. Showed that it was attri- 
 buted to after-damp. 
 
 Patrick Hennesey, who has worked as a miner 
 in Springhill for fourteen years, testified that there 
 was a terrible gust of wind and coal flying up the 
 shute in which he was working when the explosion 
 
Spn'm/hif/ Collhri/ Disastt\ 
 
 101 
 
 occurred. Tn order to avoid it he threw himself 
 down and placed his head against the rih. He saw 
 the tire. It was hurninu^ around him. The fire 
 passed rapidly ; the noise was very loud. Henry 
 Nash was seriously burne "* fivo feet from him. It 
 passed back over them again. He stayed in the 
 corner close to it all the time with his hands over 
 his face. He was 250 feet up the shute. Atlter the 
 iire passed the air was suffocatingly hot. When he 
 saw the blast was gone he called to the others to put 
 their clothes over tlieir mouths and tret out. There 
 was no gas lying at the top of No, 3 Shute. The air 
 was good. There was a good many particles of gas 
 i'.i the blast. He never saw dust ignite from a shot. 
 They always sent for the shot firer before firing a 
 shot. He had only worked in No. 6 Balance a few 
 shifts about thrc.^ months ago. At that time there 
 was not much dust there. 
 
 Messrs. C. Hargreaves, William Conway, William 
 McGillvray, James Ferguson, William Murray, and 
 others, who hold various official positions under- 
 ground, were all questioned relative to the system 
 of working, and instructions given by them to sub- 
 ordinates, their testimony on the whole going to 
 show that everji;hing was in good working order. 
 
 Mr. Conway, Underground Manager in No, 1 
 Slope, gave it as his opinion that the explosion took 
 
102 
 
 Sprin(//iil/ OtlUirj Di'^iiifihr. 
 
 *. - ... -,: ,. 
 
 '.im^, 
 
 I 
 
 place ill Xo. Ji Bonl, Xo. 7 Balaiicc, mul tlmt it was 
 caiiHod l»y <'oal duHt ignited by tlic shot fired by 
 Wilnoi), wbieli lie thought iniiHt have had too much 
 powder. Ife believed tliat eoal dust would explode 
 un<ler certain conditions wlien no ^as could be de- 
 tected, in support of the theory that the shot in 
 Xo. :^ liord caused the explosion. He said he con- 
 sulted with Manager S.»'it't every night reganling 
 the Kast Slope. Mr. Swift had never ex[>reHHed 
 fears of an accident on account of gas. Before the 
 Workmen's (Mniinittee examined the mine, Swift 
 had told him that "Mother CV)o" had predicted 
 there was to be an explosion in May, and he (Swift) 
 had comjuded they had better have an examination. 
 He had talked over the question of dust several 
 limes. Swift would not admit that the dust was 
 dangerous to a tlame, but considered that the dust 
 should be kept down for the health of the men and 
 for safety. 
 
 Regarding the examination referred to above, 
 and its results, as well as the state of the mine, 
 the following extract from a letter written by Mr. 
 Conway to a friend in Ontario a few days after the 
 explosion, and published in the SprmyhiU Neirs, gives 
 full particulars : 
 
 " On Thursday morning, shortly after six o'clock, 
 I met a committee of practical mining experts, each 
 
SpriiKihill Collln'if Di\y<ts(,r. 
 
 103 
 
 }iol<liu«r (fovcnimeiif <'frtiricatt'H, allowing tlu'iii to 
 lit'coriic imdtTi^rouiul iiiaim^tTH in roal niiju'H in 
 X »va Sc<»tia, at tin- lK>tt'»,M of tlu- sloju-, 1,;M)0 feet 
 liclow tin- siirfact'. Tlicso men were ai»jM):nto(l by 
 iIm- MiniTs' Tnioji to «;«) (l();vn my nlopc, cxaniini' it 
 thoroiiirlily, and make a report on the eomlition of 
 tiie mine i'l every resjK'ct \ asketi these men what 
 tluy desired — if they wished to t^o throu;:,;! rhu 
 mine by themselves or would [ send a /,'ood shift 
 man with them for comi)any. They said no, tl)ey 
 would rather T would ijo with them, that tlity felt 
 sure I would inH)rm them about anythim,^ t! y could 
 not understand, and would make matters plain to 
 them. We started throuij:h the mine at)out seven in 
 the mornin<i: and examined all air eourses, measured 
 the air an<l found H8,000 eubie feet per minute; bar- 
 ometer, .SO^^ 4' 10"; thermometer 54°. We travelled 
 the mine all through, and ^^ot to Ihe bottom of the 
 slope about one p.m., where I received cons^ratula- 
 tions from tliese men on the 
 
 Splendid Condition of my Mine 
 
 and the thorough ventilation of the mine in general, 
 <»ld workings as well as new. They also admired my 
 system of waterworks through iN'os. 7 and 6 Balancs, 
 fomprisinga section of the mine about 1,000x600 
 
i! Wi 
 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 'Ml 
 
 II 'I 
 
 m 
 
 i: 
 
 II 
 
 m 
 
 104 
 
 Sprh)(/hi// Coflun/ DisaMer. 
 
 fl'ct, in which wore inuny tunnels or l)onls, twenty- 
 tlirce in ull. In some onlv ^.vo men were working 
 and in some three men. All these men were killed, 
 and the hoys and th«' horses that took away their 
 loose ooal. I had waterworks through these two 
 balanees, and every working place had a one inch 
 tap for its own use. The men reported these tacts 
 to the Miners' Union, and left a copy of their report 
 in the company's office for the management. On 
 Friday (next day), Deputy Tn8i)ector Madden was 
 down my mime on his monthly inspection for the 
 Govenmient, and had his gas indicator with him. 
 He tested my mine all through, and only in one 
 place found one per cut. of gas in the air, in a sec- 
 tion of the mine where we used onlv safety hui..p^ 
 and excluded all blasting, loosening the coal w^th 
 mall, wedge and pick. Mr. Madden pronounced 
 my mine the best conducted and one ( f the safest 
 in the province. He left the mine at noon. On 
 Friday evening I was aj^pointed by Manager Swift 
 to go l.> Maccan next day (Saturday) to meet the 
 mining otHcials of Cumberland (Vmnty, the object 
 l)eing TO form a society that in the near future mi«»-ht 
 have its intiuence felt in government circles, in legis- 
 lation for protection of mine officials. We have 
 none now. Mr. Swift was to take my place in the 
 
spring fit'// CoWrr/ Disaster. 
 
 105 
 
 mitie. I went down at six a. m. Saturday, measured 
 the air, and found 73,000 cubic feet per minute, bar- 
 ometer 30° V 10"; thermometer 54°. I went to all 
 air courses and saw everything regarding ventilation 
 throughout the mitie in splendid condition. I then 
 visited No. (> Balance, where T got a report ii <m my 
 deputy, Tliomas Wilson, a sterling S<'otchman, that 
 everything in his part of the mine was in good con- 
 dition and entirely free from gas. Xos. 6 and 7 
 Balances wen; in his section, and he was throusrh 
 them, and all of his section, when 1 got his report. 
 I i>assed through this No. G Balance and gave sev- 
 eral trifling orders. I then left the nunc at 10.30 
 a. 111. in charge of my deputies, nine in number, and 
 with them Mr. Swift, and went home, got ready, and 
 left Spriiigiiill Station at noon. 1 was at Springhill 
 Juiictiou oidy about five mimitvs when I was called 
 })ack and told that 
 
 TiiK Mine had Kxi>l(»i)p:i), 
 
 and men and bovs were all in. A si)ecial euirine 
 rail me up to the mines. I got a lani}) and called 
 tor volunteers. I got plenty to follow uk, but I 
 only took six men, and explored as far as I could. 
 I was satisfied that all inside were dead. * * * 
 The cause of the explosion was dust in the air from 
 the men working, the draitiage gas off the coal, and 
 

 106 
 
 i'. ^ 
 
 SpriiKjldll Collhrii Disaster. 
 
 too much powdiT ijj a l)la8t, whi( h niade a concus- 
 sion that put t}ie air in a cDnditioi. tliat the dust and 
 gas isrnited from tlio Hamc and smoke of the pow- 
 der. The force of tlie flame raised tlie dust as it 
 went alon,£r, and the liead of the flame dried what 
 was wet, carried it aloui^, and converted it into flame 
 as it travelled. We kept Xos. M and 7 Balances 
 damp with water from these waterworks, which is 
 a measure ahove what is re(iuired hy law to do for 
 safety i:. a mine, hut, with all our care and caution, 
 we had niorc» to conten<l with than is generally 
 known in the science of mining. 
 
 " I feel very much '.)ut of shape myself, altliough 
 I feel that my conscience is clear from any neglect 
 of duty. I did all that man and experience could 
 do to have my mine in safe condition, and saw that 
 my dei>uties and men under me did their duty fully. 
 I never would allow any gas in the mine while men 
 were working in it. If any gathered through the 
 night I was always down the mine an hour, with a 
 gang of men called sulphur men, hefore the miners 
 and boys came down, and had the gas all blown out 
 and the })laces ventilated before they went to work. 
 
 This was Never Xeglected. 
 
 Neither was any other measare of safety at any time 
 throughout the day or night while men were work- 
 
Springhill CollUry Dimster. 
 
 107 
 
 in^ in the mine. From six a. m. until two p. m. 
 every day I was in tlie mine with nine deputies and 
 a time-keeper to look after the mine during that 
 tiine. T was relieved at two p. m. by a certificated 
 man and four deputies, and five of my dej)utie& 
 st()i)ped in the mine until all the men and boys were 
 out. At ten p. m. this certificated man and four 
 deputies were relieved ])y \iiree night watchmen, 
 ivho were experts in gas, and travelled all the mine 
 iiiid examined every place, and had to leave their 
 mark in chalk to show what time th<'y had been 
 there, and T am hapj)y to say they never neglected 
 their duty. Tt was the first thing the men looked 
 for — this mark of the night A/atchman. From my- 
 self downwards, through all the deputies, we had to 
 write reports of our doings through our several 
 shifts, which were sent to the general office for in- 
 siK'ction and comment. I myself had also to write 
 a report similar to the one in the general office^ 
 which went to the head office in Montreal daily. 
 So you can judge from this what care must l)e taken 
 of the works all through its management. Presum- 
 ably there will be such terrible disasters as this as 
 long as there is mining, as there are drownings 
 while men gt to sea in ships, but we must liave coal 
 and we must have fish." 
 
 ^Ifl 
 
\l 1 
 
 
 108 
 
 Sproh/hill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 At the inquest Inspector Gilpin was examined at 
 length. He believed there were occasional cases 
 where coal duat alone has been known to explode, 
 but not in this country. He would prefer to say 
 that under ordinary circumstances there must be 
 more or less gas present to cause dust to explode. 
 If there is an inflammable dust the heat M^ovdd drive 
 oflTthe gas from the dust. He also pointed out that 
 this explosion was most singular. It occurred about 
 midday, which is something unusual in the history of 
 colliery explosions, as they often occur early in the 
 morning when work begins or when a shift is beincr- 
 relieved. In this ease it happened immediately 
 after the dinner hour. He also expressed an opinion 
 that it might have been caused by an accumulation 
 or outburst of gas tliPt may have taken place during 
 the time the men were eating their dinner. 
 
 The evidence having been all submitted, the 
 jury retired at Ave oVlock ■\Vednesday evening, I Itli 
 March, and remained out al)out three hours. After 
 the evideni-e had been read over and considered, 
 the foreman, William Hall, road the followino- 
 
 Verdict : 
 
 " The jury do say, upon their oath, that the late 
 John Connerton and others came to their death by 
 
Spirighill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 109 
 
 an explosion which originated in No. 3 Bord of No. 
 7 Balance, in the west side of the East Slope, on the 
 21st February, 1891; they further believe said ex- 
 j»losion was caused by the Hame from a shot fired in 
 said bord igniting the coal dust and a certain por- 
 tion of the gas which might have been present at 
 the time ; they also believe that there was an unusual 
 riame from said shot, owing to a slip in the stone ; 
 they believe the explosion was accidental, that no 
 blame is attached to the management, and that they 
 have taken every precaution for the safety of their 
 workmen. 
 
 "The jurors make the follov.'ng recommenda- 
 tions : First, that in future, where safety lamps are 
 used, and in very dusty places, powder should not 
 be allowed ; second, they recommend that in gaseous 
 portions of the mine, before the men resume work 
 after dinner, the places should be examined by com- 
 petent officials ; third, they recommend the procure- 
 ment, for the use of the Deputy Inspector of Mines, 
 of a Shaw machine for testing gas." 
 
 Among the workmen this verdict was favorably 
 commented on, and confidence in the management 
 of the mines restored. 
 
 The state of the mino after the ruins were all 
 cleared out was also the subject of many remarks. 
 
' ^ 
 
 ■■-.'u 
 
 110 
 
 Springhill ColUertf Disaster. 
 
 Mr. Ford, Manager of the Drummond Colliery, 
 who was at Springhill for csome days, remarked that 
 he never saw an explosion attended with so great 
 loss of life and so little damage to the works. 
 
 A few days after the dead hodies had been all 
 recovered the men went to work as usual. All 
 open lights were superseded by safety lamps of the 
 '' Marsaret " and " Clanny " style, with a few " Davy " 
 lamps for gas testing purposes. The "Marsaret" 
 lamp is known by miners as the " boiler lamp," and 
 is extinguishpd in the presence of gus in sufficient 
 quantities to be dangerous. The dark cloud which 
 hung like a pall over Springhill for a time, it is 
 hoped will soon vanish, and palmy days return 
 again to the place. 
 
 It is encouraging to know that the Company 
 paid all expenses connected w^th the burial of the 
 dead, which amounted to nearly $2,000, and also 
 paid for all labor in connection with their recoverv. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Burial of the Victims. 
 
 The closing scenes of this sj.d disaster were too 
 impressive ever to be forgotten by th se who wit- 
 nessed them. 
 
 However dear the dead !)ody of our loved one 
 may be to us, the time comes when it must be laid 
 away in the silent tomb to sleep in kindred dust 
 until the resurrection morn, when God shall collect 
 the elements and fashion it for the immortal life. 
 
 Public arrangements having been made for burial 
 of the dead, in order that stricken families might in 
 some measure be relieved from care, the funerals 
 commenced on Monday afternoon at two o'clock, and 
 continued daily until Friday afternoon, when the 
 body of Manager Swift was interied. 
 
 All flags throughout the town were at half-mast, 
 and in many cases large processions accompanied 
 the remains of the dead to their last x-esting place. 
 
 When the hour had arrived for a certain number 
 of fimerals to take place, the corpses were taken to 
 the churches, according to pre-arrangement, and 
 after brief services had been held, they were con- 
 veyed to the various places of burial and interred. 
 
 (Ill) 
 
 ^f1 
 
 'Hi 
 
 ' . I 
 
 -L-»-J-X£I- 
 
 -i - f f i 
 

 ;: 
 
 112 
 
 Si>riiHihH1 Co/lf'cn/ Disaster. 
 
 The nai>tist, Mi-thodist and rn'shyti'riaii Minis- 
 ters agrt'od to work togctlu'r, and the bodien l)elong- 
 ing to tliese denominations were taken to the 
 Metliodint ChiLvli, as it was oasy of aeeess, being 
 Htnated oti the main street. 
 
 Tlie F.pisfojtalians were taken to the Oiurch of 
 Englaiid House of Worship, and tlie Catholies to 
 the Roman Catholic Chapel; and funeral services 
 eondueted in each plaee by the respective Clergy of 
 each denomination in harmony with their modes of 
 burial. 
 
 A number of funerals were also conducted by 
 the different societies to which some of the dead 
 formerly belonged. 
 
 Committees and sub-committees \\ere appointed 
 to look at^er grave digging and the funerals. In the 
 cemetery large crowds of volunteers were employed 
 some days digging the graves. Owing to the frosty 
 hardness of the ground, and the extreme cold that 
 prevailed, grave digging was a difficult m .tter. A 
 large fire was kindled in the vicinity, and refresh- 
 ments and liot coffee were liberally provided to 
 refresh and warm the workers. When two or three 
 of one family were to be buried in the same lot, a 
 large grave was d ig and the bodies laid side by side. 
 One extra large grave was dug in which the dead, 
 
V: 
 
 1 
 
 A CEMETERY SCENE. 
 
 H 
 
i 
 
 
 Iff 
 
Spring hill Oil Her If DinnMer, 
 
 115 
 
 who liad no rolativen to look atU-r them, were 
 hnricd. This ifruve is called 
 
 "The Strangers' Grave." 
 
 The lot was provided hy Manager Cowans. It 
 in j/i a choice portion of the cemetery, and was one 
 of the most impressive sights the writer saw in the 
 hnrying ground. In this sepulchre in the strangers' 
 jsoil a numher of bodies, some of whicli were gar- 
 nered in tlie harvest of flame, were laid away to rest 
 by the hands of strangers, after the wnn^in^ sheet of 
 snow had been drawn aside and the grave dug for 
 them. Although other sepulchres in the beautiful 
 mound are calculated to impress the visitor, yet, 
 standing at this grave the Christian is reminded that 
 our Redeemer was laid in a borrowed tomb. He 
 can also by faith look forward to the resurrection 
 morn aud 
 
 " See Truth, Love and Mercy in triumph descending, 
 And nature all glowing in Eden's first bloom,— 
 On the cold cheek of death smiles and roses are blending, 
 And beauty immortal awakes from the tomb." 
 
 Besides the strangers who are buried in ^his large 
 plot, tw^enty-one others, who had no relatives in 
 Spriiighill, were claimed by friends and taken by rail 
 to other })laces for burial. 
 
 II 
 
 \ * 
 
 Wt 
 
 !i1 
 
 
ipr 
 
 no 
 
 SprhiyhUl CuUicry JDisasfir. 
 
 I 
 
 When i^nivi's tor a certain iiuinlK-r were ivady. 
 a coiniiiittoc in (•liar<(t' at tlu- cciiU'tory, who wiTc 
 I»rovi(l<Ml witli lists of tin- dt-ad, ncnt wonl to the 
 otluT coiiiiiiittcc with hi'a(l«(Martors at the Methodist 
 Church, and the bodit's were at (»!i('i' sent down on 
 sleds and interred. In some eases a dozen (»r more 
 l>odies were sent down at the same time, and two or 
 three cofHns on one sled, sorrowin<,^ friends follcwin*'- 
 in procession to see the remains of tlu-i; dear ones 
 laid away in thi' siU-nt toinh. 
 
 The cemet,ery is situated on tlie Salt Spring 
 Road, at the ])ase of the liill, eastern side of tiie 
 town. It is one mile from the Meiliodist riiureh, 
 and is known as Hillside Cemetery. 
 
 J)urin^^ the days in which the funerals continued 
 business places were closed, suid the \n hole jdace 
 was shrouded in the deepest sor»'ow. 
 
 A number of outside ministers assisted the 
 resident clenry in conducting the funeral services, 
 and ministering consolation to the bereaved. Revs. 
 "»^p+b.-r Ega I, of til e (Vitholic Church, was assisted 
 i,y bathers Cummane, of Truro, and AValsh, of Lon- 
 donderry. The Episcopal Rector, W. C. Wilson, 
 was aided by Rural Dean J. Ko\ Campbell, of Dor- 
 chester, and lievs. C. E. McKeii/.ie, Rector of Shediac, 
 J. L. Downing, Rector of River John, and Simon 
 
 O-ll-il^z-v.^.. l^/^,.*^. 
 
 •Jlij:. 
 
 .i- I), 
 
 ii*"*, iV^'CtV^i Wi J UiTi-SUOi'O. 
 
Spn'/tff/i)// Co//ien/ Disaster 
 
 117 
 
 On luariiig ot the exploHioii, Rector (iibhonrt 
 hurried to the parish and worked five duyn, assisting 
 in ministering eonitort to the living, atid in burying 
 the dead. Dean ('ani|l)eirs rii»e sympathy eontri- 
 l.nted much ('(jinfort to tlu distressed. Rector 
 Mackenzie was a former Rector of the Parish, and 
 came to perform the last solemn rites over many ot 
 his forme, parishioners Rector Downing came to 
 look after some of liis cuu ^.rtgation who were killed 
 in the disaster. 
 
 At thv Melhouist Cliurch, Kevs. D. Wright, D. 
 AV. Johnson, and II. B. Smith attended. Rev. J. 
 V. Robinson, of Moncton, and Revs. John Craig, of 
 Southampton, and Thomas Evans, of Oxford, visited 
 the afflicted households, and also assisted at some ot 
 the funerals. The arrangement was tliat one of tlie 
 elerjry should always be at the church, one at the 
 cemetery, and another accompanying tiie funerals to 
 the grave, each taking his turn alternatelv. It was 
 at these funtral services in the Methodist Church 
 that the most 
 
 IIeart-Rendino Scenes 
 
 were witnessed. The greater number of the dead 
 were taken from this place for interment. Here 
 Weeping friends assembled to mingle in the services, 
 ihe long rows of coffins visible \\ere too much for 
 
 viW- 
 
 h 
 
 j.' 
 
 h 
 
 i. 
 
■ 
 
 
 
 I i 
 
 118 
 
 S])ri?ighill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 frail nature to bear. At times it apiteared as if 
 there were no oasis in the dark wilderness. Many 
 of the bereaved here "mouuied with a srroat and 
 very sore lamentation." Ministers tried to read 
 portions of seripture, offer prayer, and speak words 
 of eomfort to the distressed, but were often over- 
 (H)me l)y their feelings, so that they could only 
 mingle their tears with the congregation. One who 
 took an active i»art in these services, in a communi- 
 cation to tlie writer, states : " The words seemed to 
 come back ui)on myself Words were whollv inade- 
 quate to express either what ministei or people felt. 
 The feeling was what ran we say, or what shall we 
 say that will be most ap})ropriate. It was a time 
 when the heart felt, but found no channel throu^rh 
 
 ^ , & 
 
 wnich it might or could express itself To look on 
 was worse than taking a part. To look was to 
 shiver and feel siek ; to turn and help was the only 
 way to escape a sickening feeling creep over vou." 
 At the Episcopal Church some of the scenes were 
 also very sad. Of the twenty-nine who belonged to 
 this denomination two were taken away by train, 
 two were buried at Windham Hill, and the twenty- 
 five buried in the Springhill Cemetery were all taken 
 to the church, with the exception of one lad, who 
 was buried as a stranger, his own father not beinif 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 119 
 
 able at the time to recognize what remained of a 
 dear son. The remains of this boy were exhumed 
 ■ifterwards, and placed in the family lot with full 
 funeral obsequies and service. At one time seven 
 caskets were in this church, and in three sad instances 
 these funerals took place from each of the three 
 households. In addition to the burial services held 
 in this church, a memorial service was held on the 
 second Sabbath after the oxj)losion, and the offer- 
 tory, which was a liberal ono, is to be devoted to the 
 erection of a brass Memorial Tablet in the proposed 
 now Cliurch of England, which is soon to be erected. 
 This tablet will contain the names of the church 
 members who were killed. It is expected tliat the 
 new church will in many respects be a "memorial" 
 church, as several i)arts of the structure and of the 
 furniture will l)e given as memorials. Special con- 
 tributions from church people in all directions have 
 l»een asked for this olyect. 
 
 Some of the funerals were of a public nature, 
 tlie }»roeessions accompanied by bands of music and 
 other demonstrations of honor for the dead, and 
 ireneral symi>athy for the friends bereaved. 
 
 OnK TaRTK ILARLY PaINFI L FuNERAL 
 
 took place. Tbe remains of John Hunter were re- 
 co\cre(l lure in the evening, and it was absolutely 
 
 I! 
 
 
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120 
 
 SprwcfhiU ColUen/ Dismtei: 
 
 i ', if 
 
 necesHary to inter the body at once. Kev. Dean 
 Canipb^'ll read a brief service at the chnrcli, and 
 Rector Wilson met the body at the ceniet' Th(> 
 
 <hirkne8s had set in, the diggers had left .or the 
 night, and it took some time to get the grave readv. 
 Two faithtiil peidons stood by the casket, and by the 
 ghmmering light of the lanterns the service was 
 read and the body laid in its narrow house a short 
 time before the hour of midnight. 
 
 The Funeral of Manager Swift 
 
 was the last fune?-al of those who were killed in the 
 mines. 'It took place on the afternoon of Friday, 
 and was public in its nature. After brief services 
 had been conducted at the late residence of the 
 deceased by his pastor. Rev. D. Wright, and Rev. J. 
 M. Robinson, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at 
 Moncton, the remains were taken charge of by the 
 P>eenuisons and buried with the rites of the Masonic 
 Order. Besides members of the Order in Springhill 
 i.iany were present from otlier places. The proces- 
 sion was headed by the band of the 93rd Battalion, 
 accon.panied by the Cumberland Cornet Band. Tlic 
 procession was fully three-quarters of a mile long, 
 and the route Avas liiu-d by ,'row<ls who silently wept 
 as tlie cortege j.assed, and many of whom followed 
 
Springhill CoUier-y Disaster. 
 
 121 
 
 tho remains to the cemetery. The band played a 
 mournful dirge. At the grave the services were 
 conducted by Revs. J. M. Robinson, S. Gibbons, and 
 D. "Wright, and were most impressive. The circum- 
 stances of the case were calculated to make a deep 
 and lastnig impression. The snroud of snow now 
 stained by the new made graves, iuz wind moan- 
 ing through the leafless b'^anches of surrounding 
 trees, the sad strains of the funeral dirge, sobbing of 
 bereaved spectators, and the solemn hush felt by all 
 in the presence of death, formed the last sad scene 
 of the great calamity which had filled the town with 
 the deepest gloom for a whole week. 
 
 In connection with this last funeral it mav be 
 
 stated that 
 
 The Late Henry Swift, 
 
 Underground ManagiT of the Springhill Collieries, 
 took a deep interest in the welfare of the men over 
 which he was placed as Overseer. Being a self- 
 made man, and having a thorough understanding of 
 coal mining operations, he was naturally looked 
 upon as a leader among his companions. lie was 
 an Englishman by birth, born it Beckerstafl^*, Lan- 
 cashire, in 1850. When twelve years of age he went 
 to work in one of the mines of the Ramford Coal 
 
 . -- J ^. . . . ,.^ . . . . . I jtVii'- tv- 
 
122 
 
 Sprim/hill Ordlim/ Disaster. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Hhiro, which wore hold iindor loa«e from Lord Dorby, 
 fathor of Lord Staidoy, (Jovernor-(?onoral ( aada.' 
 ^ Mr. Swift workod at ooal inini.i- i,. Kn^.land 
 with much success, until ninotoou years of a-o, when 
 he emigrated to the United States. At^er sMondinir 
 a short time in some of the Anthracite Mines o'f 
 Pennsylvania, he remov.Ml to Maryland and thence 
 to J^-ova Scotia, working in the Alhion Mines until 
 1H74, when he came to Springhill and persevered In 
 his regular railing until the terrible disaster, when 
 he lost his life in the faithful di.cliarge of Iiis duties. 
 At the Albion .\rines Mr. Swift was married, in 
 1S71, to Miss McLood, who, with tive children, sur- 
 vives him. ilo was appointed rndorground Man- 
 ager of the Springhir (^ollieries, under Mr. Hall, 
 whom he succee(h>d, in April, 1890. Mr. Swift was 
 an active member of the Presbyterian Cliureh. lie 
 was also a member of the Masonic Order, a Justiee 
 of the Peace, Vice-I^-osident of the Xova Scotia 
 Tnstit::te of Mining Officials, and President of the 
 Relief Fund for the beneiit of sick and injured 
 miners. He was a hard worker, close student; a 
 nian of broad sympathies, a warm-hearted friend, a 
 kind /lusband, tender father ; and in nis death his 
 fam are not only left to mourn, but the com- 
 nmnity has sustained ah irreparable loss. 
 
lii 
 
 
 HENRY SWIFT, 
 Late Underground Manager Springhill Collieries. 
 
 wa 
 
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 CHAPTER Xlir. 
 Sympathy with the Dereaved. 
 
 The followinu; day at'ter the eyplosion a meet- 
 ing of the leading citizens, representative miners, 
 town council and clergy of Springliill was lield to 
 consider what should he done under the circum- 
 stances. At this meeting it was decided that an 
 a}»]>eal for aid to assist the suli'erers should he wired 
 at once to the leading cities in various parts of the 
 land. The appeal was transmitted free of charge hy 
 the telegraph companies to the principal cities in 
 Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. The 
 following is a coj)y of the urgent appeal made to 
 
 the puhlic : 
 
 "Springhill, N. S., Feb. 22nd, 1891. 
 
 " A mining disaster attended with fatal results, un- 
 paralleled in the history of Canadian miners, has fallen 
 u|)on the town and the people of Springhill. The loss of 
 life is probably as great as the combined appalling loss at 
 the Drummond and Ford pit explosion. 
 
 "About 117 lives are known to be lost. Fifty -one 
 widows have been left behind, and 157 children made 
 fatherless. The widows and fatherless will require abun- 
 dant assistance, and that promptly, from a public shocked 
 and horrified by this horrible calamity. 
 
 (.25) 
 
 mi 
 
i 
 
 126 
 
 Spriiuihiil Collieiy Disn.^ter. 
 
 "Seventy thousand dollars will be required to meet the 
 demands and to alleviate the sufferings of the bereaved and 
 distressed during the most pressing period of their direful 
 misfortunes. 
 
 "The residents of Springhill, in meeting assembled, 
 have appointed a committee, consisting of the Mayor, 
 Town Council, and all the resident clergy, to solicit and 
 acknowledge subscriptions to the Springhill Relief Fund, 
 and they confidently and ea-nestly ask for an immediate 
 response of all denominations, societies, guilds and nation- 
 alities. 
 
 ' " Wm. Hall, Mayor. 
 
 " A. McLeod, Secretary:' 
 
 This appoal wus sent Itroiulcast in the evening, 
 and responseis by telegraph expressive of sympnthj, 
 and guarantee of immediate aid ivere many ai.d 
 prompt. 
 
 On hearing the sad news, Qnoen Victoria cabled 
 at once, through Lord Stanley, Governor General 
 of Canada, to Mavor Hall the follovvino-: 
 
 " Her Majesty commands to inform you that Her Maj- 
 esty has heard with much regret of the Springhill colliery 
 disaster, and desires me to convey an expression of her 
 sympathy with the injured, and with the relatives of those 
 who have lost their In as. Be good enough to send details 
 for the Queen's information." 
 
 ill 
 
Sprim/hiV Co/llrn/ Dimster. 
 
 127 
 
 f:. vuiiiiuvtic:! with this cahlogrum, the mayor 
 rlso received the tbllrwiiior telegram from the Gov- 
 ernor General : 
 
 •* Ottawa, 23rd February. 
 
 " To Mayor Hall : I ara deeply grieved to L*am how 
 Bcrious the accident at Springhill has proved. Pray ex- 
 press, if possible, my sincere sympathy with the relatives 
 of those who have been lost. I shall be glad to hear how 
 the injured are progiessing. 
 
 "(Signed). Stanley of Preston." 
 
 The following is a copy of Mayor Ilall'M telegram 
 in reply : 
 
 " Springhill Mines, N. S., February 23. 
 
 " Lord Stanley of Preston, Ottawa : 
 
 "Her Majesty's devoted subjects are deeply grateful 
 for her gracious expression of sympathy iu their sore afflic- 
 tion. Please transmit to the Queen our warmest thanks. 
 
 "Henry Nash, one of the wounded, died last night. 
 The recovery of others is doubtful. Most of those brought 
 out of the pits, unconscious from the effcc a of atler-damp, 
 have rallied. The number of wounded now living is about 
 ten. The deaths caused by the explosion numbei one hun- 
 dred and twenty -two. 
 
 "Accept our grateful thanks for your own remem- 
 brances. 
 
 "William Hall, Mayor." 
 
W i 
 
 128 
 
 Sj>ii/u//,iff Collan/ D(.^a.<tt,\ 
 
 Tlif QiUM'ii donated a luuidsouu- cIumjuo, and 
 Lcrd Stanley advised a draft of five liundred dollars. 
 
 Other donations, avera,i,nn<^ from tiftv to inn- 
 thousand dollars each, wen- wired at once from 
 various se.-tions. I*ui;:i( nieetin_<rs wcr,. he|,l i„i. 
 ini'diatelv in manv cities and towns of Canada; sub- 
 8erij»tion lists were opetu'd; eitv councils donated; 
 churches, societies and individuals contrilmted with- 
 out delay, and in two months after tlie disaster the 
 contributions had netted nearly 
 
 0\K lilNDKKI) TmOISAM) DoLLAHs. 
 
 The followinir pr ss extracts, which have come 
 under the writer's nocice, will <rive some idea of the 
 promptness of response to the call for aid : 
 
 " Montreal, Feb. 24. — A meetiuir of influential 
 citizens was held in the lioard of Trade rooms 
 to-day for the i>urpose of forming a relief fund in 
 aid of the sufierors by the Springhill mine disaster. 
 The president of the Board of Trade i)resid ul^and 
 earnestly invited the citizens to respond liberally to 
 the appeal for funds. lion. George Drummond 
 and others spoke. A committee eonsistinff of the 
 wealthiest citi .ens of Montreal was appointed to 
 wait upon the finance committee of the city council 
 and at?k tliem to liead the list. Several lar^e sums 
 
Sjiritit//ii// ( o/fiiri/ Ui.sii^frr 
 
 129 
 
 liavf ahva<h 1» >'ii pioiniscd, and Moiitical inav In* 
 rxpcch'd to Mibscriltc lilK-rally to aid its siilicriii^ 
 l-ri'tliivii in a sistf- proviiic-. Sul>.scri|»tioii lists are 
 io lu' ojK'iu'd throiiirh tin- city and an apiK-a) iiiadf 
 to tlu' rlmrclu's of all di'iiomiiiations." 
 
 ''MuNCToN, Feb. 22. — TIk' disaster at Si.iiiiirliill 
 <'X(itt's uiiiviTsal sympathv Irtu. Mr. Wiiitney, 
 imcliaiiical siipi'riutci.dont of the railway, has tele- 
 -rraplKMl titty dollars. Mayor SiMmicr has also telc- 
 irraplu'd sympathy, and a [ndtlic nu'i'tiuir will be 
 lit'ld to considor the matter of tinaiu-ial assistance. 
 Kefcrence was made to the disaster in all chnrehes 
 to-day. 
 
 "The (jovernor (iejieral has already sent a con- 
 tribution, throuii-h the hank of British North ' 
 Amen a, for five hundred dollars, the t(.wn of 
 Moncton telei^raphs one thousand dollars, and .Jolin 
 M<i)ou<rall it Son, of Montrea', have subscribed a 
 thousand to-dav.'' 
 
 '' Varmoith, X. 8., Feb. 24.- -At a very lar^e 
 :iiid influential meeting of ei+'.^-ns in the court 
 lii'iisc this evening, the fo" .ving resolutions were 
 mianiiiiously adopted : 
 
 " That Mayor Leavift be authorized to convey to the 
 iTiayor and citizens of Springhill an expression of the 
 .sincere regret of the people of Yarmouth on account of 
 
 ■ T 1 
 
 ■ -l-i - 
 
 f *-^ I 
 
 I. 
 
 m< 
 
IJJO 
 
 Sjti'nnihill ('nlliii)/ Disdsfrr 
 
 tlic awful ciilaniity that has hcti Men tha*^ town, and thai 
 ha.s (li'('|»Iv stirred <»ur citizens dt" :;ll chisses and creeds, 
 and |iriini|)ts thi?. assnranco of heartfelt syinpalhy witii tho 
 Hutferers in their distress and painf il hereavenient. 
 
 " It was aiso resolved that, in tlu opinion of this 
 meeting, the town council of Yarmouth he authorized to 
 pay to the Sprin;rhill relief fund the suns of ?],0()0, and to 
 assess that sum otf the ratepayers of Hiis town. 
 
 'V\ 
 
 \v iii(»iie\ will i»c uiriMJ 111 tlu' iiionmiir. 
 
 Si'i{iNsiiiii,i,, Felt. -^4. — Ti'K'u^raiiis arc iiourii 
 
 in tVoiii all "[Uartcrs. 
 
 Tu 
 
 relief fund now aIn(mnt^ 
 
 t(» 9^:\:.m). 
 
 ^vnipatiietic 
 
 tek'Lj 
 
 i:ranis tiave hi'on i\ 
 
 ceivc'd iVoni Ardihisliop O'Hrii'ii and tlie M;iyors of 
 St. John, Moiictoii, Halifax, Urandon, C'obourg, 
 Shorlirookv, Hamilton, Anilicrst, Lunenburi^, Parrs- 
 horo, Little (ilace Bay, and Xortli Sydney, promis- 
 
 ing pro:; 
 
 contril)uti('iis lo tlie fund? 
 
 Falifax. Feb. 24. 
 
 M 
 
 ivor 
 
 Men 
 
 KTson re- 
 
 ceived a cable from Lon(h)n, this mornini:;, froin 
 Mr. William Miller, of MurdoelTs Xe})hews, statini: 
 that he and his brother would subscribe ;S1,000 to 
 the S]»rin<jhill relief fund, which would be paid 
 throuij;li ^^urdocl^s yi'phews, of this eity." 
 
 ''Toronto, Feb, 27. — The executive committee 
 of the city council have decided to ret-ommend a 
 ijrant of §2,000 to aid in relievinjjr sufferers bv the 
 Springiidl horror. 
 
Spi'liuihlll 0>Hl(i\ii Disost, 
 
 1 1 . 
 
 131 
 
 'MJi-iitid Ma.M.r li,,l„.rts(Mi, on hclinlf of f|,c 
 Mas.u.ic (irai.d L.Mlir,. ,,f ("anada, l.as forwanM 
 )?:2.')() to the fniid for the vv\\v\' of tl 
 
 U' 
 
 Ufft'tTI'S 
 
 l>V 
 
 flic (lisastiT." 
 
 •' nKL.,K\ M.I.i:, Ont., R.h. -J?.— Tl.r <-ify co.incil, 
 
 fills aftcniooii, vof, •(1^200 to the fund for flu- relief 
 of snfferers l>v tlie Sprinu-liill disaster." 
 
 "()TTA\v.\, Kci.. i.'7._Sid»scrij.tions are heini^ 
 taken n|. here f.r the relief of the Springhill 
 sufii iers." 
 
 "Si.RiN(iiiiLL, Feh. L>4.— Rev. Mr. .Johnson re- 
 ceiveu <)-(hiy, from an anonymous eontrihutor, a 
 letter w.thont a date inelosinir Pi:^^ and referrin-r 
 linn to St. Matthew's <ro^|u-l, chap, vi., verse 1, uLso 
 t'Xj.ressinir gratitude i\)v i^ast mercies hestowed upon 
 the writer. Mayor J. .no.-, of I'a-Tshoro, arrived 
 here to-day with S1,0()0, ;\}ii.-ji, consideriuir the size 
 <»f tlie town, is u magniticent contribution. IFe 
 says this sum will be supplemented by another eon- 
 fribution. The response is prompt and hearty, but 
 only those on the spot have the sliirhtest conception 
 of the great necessity. Cases of extreme destitution 
 are everywliere apparent, and the appeal sliould 
 have bee!i for a larirer s. m." 
 
 " St. John, X. B., J^ebruary 26.— xV public meet- 
 iiiir of the citizens vva>» held at CS*^- H-li ,•-... 4^^,..!.,.. :„ 
 
 III 
 
 #'■ 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 fl1 1 
 
 132 
 
 i<priii(ihi^1 Coll'cri/ Di.^nster. 
 
 response to a call from Mayor Lockhart. Georn;e 
 Robertson, (Vilhert Xfurdoch, V. W. Weldon, Q. C, 
 Geo. Y. {Smith, K. McJamhI, Q. (\, John McMillan, 
 Aid. Shaw, Aid. Hooertson, Aid. Lewis, Aid. lUisby, 
 Aid. Peters, D. Patton, Senator Dever, Rev. Canon 
 Brigstocke, Rev. (n'orge l)rnce, Rev. Dr. Macrae, 
 Rev. T. F. Fotlieringham, .lames Manchester, S. \). 
 Scott, ^\. ^V. Tur.d)nll, K. (\ Skinner, \V E. 
 Vroom, F. W. Ilatheway, .1. deA\^>lte Spurr, Sir 
 Leonard Tilley, U. H. Kmerson, i\ A. Everett, 
 Simeon dones and K. 1*. Starr. 
 
 " In calling the meeting to order. Mayor Lockhart 
 referred in fe* ling terms to the disaster at Springhill, 
 which had brought so'-'-^u to so many homes, and 
 left so many widows and orithans to be [ii'ovide(l for 
 at the hands of a charitable people. 
 
 " Sir Leonard Tilley, R. P. Starr, W. E. Vroon^ 
 and R. C. Skimier spoke of the necessity for aid, and 
 some of tliem wi-re of the opinion that the Common 
 Council should make an immediate grant of $2, 500. 
 
 '' Sir Leonard Tilley advocated that tlu- money to 
 he sent forward shotdd be raised by voluntarx sub- 
 scri}»tion. Sir Leonard said the ofhceis of the Pro- 
 testant Orphan Asyhu'i had ottered to provide foi a 
 number of the chihlren, and this was a most generous 
 and Christian-like act. 
 
^'pringhill CoUien/ Disaster. 
 
 183 
 
 " ^' W. Weldon, Q. C, tlion,<rlit it would be well 
 to re(iuest the Common Council to nuike a liberal 
 ai»propriati'-n and also ojten a voluntary subscription. 
 
 "Daniel I'atton moved the tbllo\vin<r resolution: 
 
 " Whereas, The recent calamity in the 8})ringhill mines 
 has caused the loss of many lives, with the sad result that 
 the widows and children of those who lost their lives are 
 now destitute ; 
 
 " Therefore resolved, That the citizens of St. John most 
 sincerely sympathize v.itii the bereaved and desire to aid 
 those who are in want ; also 
 
 " Besolved, That the Common Council be requested to 
 make a liberal appropriation to the Mayor of Springhill 
 and that a private subscription list be opened. 
 
 " The resolution was seconded by John McMillan. 
 
 '' Rew Canon P)rii>-stocke heartily airreed with the 
 spirit of the resolution, and hoped the council would 
 be aide to make the subscription a large one. The 
 <'alamity was a dreadful on ', and the people of 
 Springhill responded jiromptly when St. John was 
 in need. The St. John tire was not to be compared 
 with the mbiing disaster in point of the loss of life 
 resulting. lie th(Might all the churches and societies 
 an(' Christian organizations should lend a helping 
 hand in this case and take uji subscri{>tions. 
 
 "Mr, John ^[cNfillan rcmijidcd tlnirfp nroar^jj^ 
 
 ■ *, 
 
 
 ^ ill 
 
 ■ 111. 
 
 
 Ml; 
 
184 
 
 SpriiKjJiHl ('oUkr>i Disastc, 
 
 1 I I Si- 1 
 
 tliat iifttT th:' great fire in St. Jolm tlie citizens of 
 Springliill, tlieii nun)l)ering ])et\veen 1,500 and 2,000, 
 
 forwarded 8218 ro St. .Jolm. I 
 
 n view of this he felt 
 
 er.re that every tax]»a\er in St. John would feel that 
 he wouhl like to ii'ive soniething, even if it were but 
 
 little, to relieve the w'dows and on*] 
 
 r]»hans at >»j)nng- 
 
 l!ill. He thought the relief fund should take tl 
 form of a eivii- sjfitV. 
 
 le 
 
 Mr. \V. K. \ 
 
 room stated that he had wired 
 
 T? n. ('oo].er, the treasurer at Si>ringhill, and liad 
 been informed that I.iavor Hall and the clerirv of 
 Springhill, together with the committee of rhe Em- 
 ployees' l^elief Fund Association, and ^Fr. AFcLeod 
 of the company's office, had the matter of handling 
 the funds in charge. The matter could not, lie felt, 
 be in better hands. Thev thought .S70,000 would 
 
 be recjuired to relieve the distr 
 
 ess. 
 
 l'rol)ably forty- 
 
 five out of the fifty-four widows were in debt at 
 the stores on account of the late strike. There 
 were mo ■ than one hundred and sixty ori»hans, 
 and all were dep dent ninnx the miners, who 
 were now able to do little for them. All disposed 
 to contribute could be certain that the very best 
 jiossible disposition would be made of th funds. 
 
 " Sir Leonai-d Tilley held that there could be no 
 difference of opinion in remird to the wisdom witli 
 
"^j)!'! IK I hill Coll it I'll DiSdsit . 
 
 u: 
 
 wliirli the inoiu-y would l»e distributtMl. The iijeiie- 
 n»sity and universality of the sul)scri})ticn to the 
 Fred. Voung Menioriul had heen marked, and he 
 felt that the citizens would sul»scril)e libei-ally in the 
 present instance. The easiest way would he to have 
 the council dispose of tiie matter, but he thouijht 
 the etfect would be better if the money were raised 
 by voluntary contributions from those whose hearts 
 liad i>een toucheiL 
 
 "Mr. Starr said that he was intimately ac(juainted 
 ith the committee at Si>rin<j:hill, and assured the 
 
 w 
 
 laeetinii' tiiat the matter e(juld not be i'- better hands. 
 
 " Alderman Lewis moved that a mmittee of 
 five, of which the mayor shall be chairman, be ap- 
 pointed, with power to add to their number, to take 
 (•hartje of sultst-riptions. Carried. 
 
 " On motion of John McMillan a subscri})tion 
 list was opened in the meeting, and nearly $1,000 
 Were subscribed at once by those }>resem. 
 
 "St. John, February 2(1. — At the weekly meet- 
 ing of St. David's Church, last evening, the Kev. 
 'h'o. Bruce brought up the sid)ject of the Springhil) 
 coUicrv disaster, and at the sui2:i::estion of Senator 
 Hoyd (who referred to the noble action of the Pro- 
 testant Orphan Asylum Board), seconded by Mr. 
 ivobert Cruikshank. Presidcnit of the Joo-o-ins Conl 
 
 ■hi 
 
 \\' 
 
 
 1 ' ■ 
 
 r . 
 
 N Hi 
 
I3n 
 
 SprimjhiU O^Ulcnj Disaster. 
 
 w 
 
 Mininir Asr^ociatioii, who gave a most interesting 
 account from liis own experience of the danger of 
 ooal mining, tlie vote was taken to wliich there was 
 a unanimous response; and so St. David's collection 
 at both services Sunchiy will be in aid of the fund. 
 
 "At the morning ser\-ice in St. David's Church, 
 Rev. (ieorge Bruce preached from John xvii. 21 : 
 "That they all may be one." Xever did he speak 
 with more fervor, and his description of the morning 
 parting at his home with wife and children, as the 
 miner went to his work, and the unknown death 
 awaiting him there, was most powerful. His refer- 
 ences to the humanizing iiiHuences of suftering, an-i 
 the <-al)legram from our good Queen, whose widowed 
 heart, yet bearing the great sorrow of her bereave- 
 ment, was evidence of this. From every part of 
 this great British empire the help notes wer- heard; 
 from the humblest subject to the Governor General 
 here, and from the (^leen to the ruled there, but 
 one sentiment prevailed, which showed that we are 
 all one. The collection will l)e over $200. Many 
 have given in other ways," 
 
 These extracts are given as a mere sample of 
 
 how the hearts of all classes and communities were 
 
 touched on hearing the news of the terrible calamity. 
 
 In reference to the church responses, ministers of 
 
 all denouMuations throughout the land brouo-ht the 
 
spring hi/f Colli en/ DlsasU'r. 
 
 187 
 
 matter before tlieir congre^ijatioris in a tbreibie and 
 imjressive manner. 
 
 The tbllowinii: outlin'e of sermon, preached on 
 behalf of tlie Springhill sufferers by tlie Kev. A. J. 
 >[eFarland, of St. John, X. B., March 8th, 1891, 
 wliii'h the writer had tlie privileue of listening to, 
 is given as a specimen of the discourses delivered in 
 many i)laces on the occasion: 
 
 Text: Luke X. 29-:i7. Theme: "Our Neighbors, tne Springhill Sufferers." 
 
 From thi3 parable we may learn what was Christ's 
 conception of iieighborhood. The lawyer having been 
 convicted of great f-dlure in the light of his own law, hopes 
 to find excuse and justification in the answer to his question, 
 "And who is my neighbor." 
 
 Jesus in this parable presents a case and submits it to 
 the lawyer to decide who acted the neighborly part. As 
 the case was presented there was only one answer ; of the 
 three — the Priest, the Levite and the good Samaritan — 
 the latter alone " shewed mercy " to the robbed wounded 
 and half-dead man on the highway. Our Lord cuts short 
 the interview with the cavilling lawyer, by saying, " Go, 
 and do thou likevise." 
 
 Compared with the conception of Christ as exhibited 
 here, the prevailing opinion of the world is oflen narrow 
 and selfish. Many would confine their love and benefac- 
 tion to their kindred, their blood relations; some would 
 extend them to the circle ol their acquaintance, their social 
 
188 
 
 Spri)i(/}iiff Colliny DL^isfa-. 
 
 set; some would be willing to embrace in their view 
 those of their fellow-citizens with whom thoy desire an 
 interchange of civilities, while others would extend the 
 limit to those of their own religion or nation, but all these 
 views fall far inside the limit set by our Lord. His con- 
 ception would — 
 
 1. Break down the unreasonable and wicked barriers 
 of race. Christian i)rinciple and Christian spirit are in 
 accord with the fact announced by Paul on Mar's Hill, 
 that God had " made of one blood all nations of men to 
 dwell on the facte of the earth." The enmity cherished by 
 strong nations and races against those who were weak has 
 been foolish and illogical. The .leep racial prejudice of 
 our time is not natural. The Indian, the Chinaman 
 and the Negro are in Christ's view on the same plane with 
 the Caucasian. In Christ " there is neither Greek nor Jew, 
 Barbarian nor Sythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and 
 in all." 
 
 2. It includes the whole world. Wide spaces formerly 
 served to limit the knowledge of one part of the world con- 
 cerning other remote parts. As a natural conseijuence, 
 cases of need excited less sympathy than they otherwise 
 would. But science has in our day annihilated space so 
 far as our knowledge of the world is concerned. We get 
 the details of a disaster in the Antipodes as readily as we 
 do when it occurs in an adjoining province. Those who 
 lie wounded on life's highway in India or China I'sve a 
 
Spr'aujh'dl Colliery Disaster. 
 
 139 
 
 claim on our love and help, that they may be brought back 
 to life and health and joy, as strong as those who live under 
 the same flag with us. 
 
 3. It extends to eveiy kind of character; not alone to 
 the worthy and the good and the lovable, who are unfor- 
 tunate, but to the ungodly, the immoral, the erring, the 
 fallen. Christ did not take the "other side" as he passed 
 by the publicans and sinners of his day, but he exposed 
 himself to reproach by his readiness to mingle with them 
 with a view to help them up to a better and purer life. 
 
 The practical conclusion, dear brethren, from this line 
 of thought is, that this Christian conception of neighbor- 
 hood clearly includes such sufferei"s as those who were so 
 suddenly made widows and orphans by the terrible calamity 
 at Springhill. Our generous sympathy and practical kind- 
 ness should go out freely to tht 'jflfert'^ in our contribu- 
 tions to-day. S'^ek for more of that love to God whereby 
 we may be qualified for loving all whom He loves. 
 
 On hearing that four iiienihers of the Boys* 
 Brigade at Springhill had been killed, and another 
 seriously wounded, tlie First 8t. John Company 
 Boys' Brigade of Canada sent $50 for the benefit 
 of the sufferers belonging to that cor])s as a fraternal 
 gift to comrades. This being a private gift, the 
 amount is not credited in the following chapter. 
 
 w 
 
 ^^^K^^Bi 
 
 i 
 
 ■H 
 
 f 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^K 
 
 w 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^Bt' 
 
 W' 
 
 ^^^m 
 
 % 
 
 ^^mm 
 
 h 
 
 m 
 
t 
 
 :| 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Help for the Destitite. 
 
 Tlie writer would «rladly give the name in this 
 chapter of every person wlio conti-ibtitei; of their 
 means to the Relief Fund in aid of the orphans, 
 widows and widowed mothers left destitute bv the 
 
 A' 
 
 great calamity at Spriiiirhill, hut as several volumes 
 the size of this hook would not contain a complete 
 list of these names, were it ]>ossil)le to secure them 
 all, a summary of the wiiolc in many cases is con- 
 sidered most practicable. As the several anv-'nts 
 contributed have been duly credited in the pubHc 
 press, and will no doubt be published again in the 
 Treasurer's re[»ort, it is not essential that every 
 separate item slK^Ud appear in this volume. Besides, 
 taking it for granted that many who contributed to 
 the general fund gave in the spirit of the Master, wdio 
 says : " When thou doest alms let not thy left hand 
 knovv what thy right hatid doeth." In personal do- 
 nations the amounts are credited to the places where 
 the donors reside instead of to the persons who gave. 
 The following is a carefully prepared list of con- 
 tributions publicly acknowledged, as received by the 
 
 (140) 
 
Spriiif/hiH Collier )/ DisoHir. 
 
 141 
 
 wliole netting $86,504.4'2. In tlu- arningcnient of 
 this list tlio aggregate amounts ('(Mitributed by city 
 corporations, citizen'', eomniittees, societies, churches 
 and private individuals tbrniing one connnunity, are 
 all iticluded in the amount credited to each place so 
 tar as the writer has been able to collect them to- 
 i^ether : 
 
 Montreal, Q $22,435 5.") 
 
 St. John, N.B 7,639 22 
 
 London, Eng 3,336 91 
 
 Moncton, N. B 2,512 81 
 
 Truro, N.S 2,056 70 
 
 Lethbridge, N.W.T. 1,627 30 
 
 Windsor, N.S 1,431 48 
 
 Fredericton, N. B 1,109 00 
 
 Amherst, N.S 2,011 41 
 
 Yarmouth, N.S 1,100 00 
 
 Londonderry, N.S... 1,000 00 
 
 Pari«boro, N. S 1,07140 
 
 Dartmouth, N. S 975 82 
 
 Xanaimo, B.C 1,147 30 
 
 Pictou. N.S 
 
 900 00 
 803 00 
 
 Lunenburg, N. S 
 
 Gowrie Mines, C. B.. 
 
 769 75 
 
 Cliatham, N. B 
 
 730 50 
 
 Wellington, B.C .. 
 
 750 00 
 
 Caledonia Mines, C.B 
 
 645 00 
 
 Glace Bay Mining 
 
 
 Co. and Employes 
 
 551 00 
 
 ^Halifax, N. S 3,928 30 
 
 Sydmy, C. B $606 75 
 
 Sherbrooke, Que 532 15 
 
 Victoria, B. C 500 00 
 
 Vancouver, B.C 522 00 
 
 North Sydney, C. B.. 500 00 
 
 New Glasgow, N. S... 500 00 
 
 Sydney Mines, C. B.. 487 53 
 
 Toronto, One 1,73161 
 
 Reserve Mines, C. B. 450 00 
 
 Hantsport, N. S 450 00 
 
 Stellarton, N. S 7)0 65 
 
 Newcastle, N. B 410 50 
 
 Marysville, N. B 359 60 
 
 Antigonish, N. S 377 57 
 
 V ictoria Mines, C. B. 344 00 
 
 Charlottetown,P.E.L 1,114 05 
 
 Quebec 710 00 
 
 Brantford, Ont 235 00 
 
 Dorchester, N. B 207 00 
 
 Wolfville, N. S 207 00 
 
 Kenlvilb, N. S 209 80 
 
 Capelton, Que 201 25 
 
 New Westm'ter, B.C. 200 00 
 
 *In addition to the above amount, Halifax has donated about »12,()U0, which 
 will, no doubt, be publicly acknowledged by the Treasurer when received. 
 
142 Sprinr/Zu// (] 
 
 JIaniilton, Out $ 27(i 00 
 
 Belleville, Out 20r) 00 
 
 Brorton, Ma-.s. ( from 
 
 Provincialists) 200 00 
 
 Petersboroiigh.Ont... i;,7 00 
 
 Bridgeport, C. B 175 00 
 
 Lennox ville, Que ir,(; 00 
 
 Sussey, \. B mo 05 
 
 Canso, X.S l,'-,;^ yo 
 
 Annapolis, N.S 40 50 
 
 Winnipeg, Man 162 00 
 
 Petiteodiae, N. B 138 50 
 
 Digby, X.S : i.,f5 00 
 
 Great Village, N. S... 127 00 
 
 Camphellton, N. B.... 115 15 
 
 Windsor, Ont 330 75 
 
 St. Hvacinthe, Que... 214 00 
 Pt. Hawkesbury,N.S 125 25 
 Canning and Kings- 
 port, N. S 114 20 
 
 St. Stephen, X. B 187 47 
 
 Coaticooke, (^ue 105 00 
 
 Guelph, Out 125 00 
 
 Brandon, Man 171 1,5 
 
 Chatham, Ont lOO 00 
 
 Liverpool, .\. S HI 00 
 
 Niagaia Falls loO 00 
 
 Coburg, Ont 150 00 
 
 PortHood, N. S 30 00 * 
 
 Lindsay, Ont 100 00 
 
 Goderich, Ont 100 00 
 
 iIIkI'I l)/s/lsfr)\ 
 
 Wallace, .\. S $ ;{I8 50 
 
 St. Andrews, N B.... 84 00 
 
 Bridgetown, N. S HO .'{0 
 
 Shediue, N. R 192 OO 
 
 Port Mii:^",ive, X. .S. 77 55 
 
 Br; , .water, X. S.... 142 70 
 
 Lower Jlorton, X.S. (52 .50 
 
 Port .Med way, X. S... 61 50 
 
 Isaac Harbour, X. S.. 48 15 
 
 Woodstock, Ont ;)0 00 
 
 Port Hope, Ont 63 00 
 
 Stratford, Ont r,o QQ 
 
 1 Falmouth, X.S 49 50 
 
 Xelson, X. B 1455 
 
 Woodstock, N. B 294 38 
 
 Springhill Jet., X. S. 42 25 
 
 I'. Musquodobit.X.S. 40 40 
 
 Oshawi,, Ont 110 00 
 
 Canard Station, X. S. 27 00 
 
 Granville Ferry, N. S 45 00 
 
 Par. Blackville, X. B. 25 75 
 
 Port Williams, X'. S.. 15 00 
 
 Walkerville, Ont 200 00 
 
 Kingston, Ont 523 00 
 
 IngersoU, Ont 25 00 
 
 Hillsboro, X. B 25 75 
 
 Sackville, X. B 348 55 
 
 Westville, X. S 1,233 70 
 
 Oxford, X'. S 55 00 
 
 Joggins, X.S 490 00 
 
 Economy, X\ S 78 75 
 
S/)riiii/Jii// (^(i/lit')'i/ Dist/sfrr. 
 
 148 
 
 li 
 
 nirt'ctors and Kniployes Windsor iVc Annapolis Railway. 
 
 St. Andrew's Cluirchof S<'otlund, Lancaster, Ont 
 
 lencral Mining Association 
 
 H )le Hill and IJrookside 
 
 St. John Coiiffregatioti, Scotsburn 
 
 Knox Chnrch, (ialt, Ontario 
 
 Methodist Church, Pivcr Ilobert and Minudie 
 
 I'res. C'hiircii, I'nion Centre, Ant .jonish 
 
 Ashfield Pres. Church, Kentort, Ont 
 
 Laurel Lett je, L <).(». T., Lpper Stewiacke, N. S 
 
 Y. P. S. C. K. and other friends, Hopewell, N. iS 
 
 Sons of Temperance, Little Glace Ray 
 
 St. James Church, Herring Cove 
 
 St. Bernard's Church, Weymouth, N. S 
 
 Keewatin No. 1, L O. O. Foresters, Rat Portage 
 
 Acadia Village School, Horton Landing 
 
 St. John Presbyterian Church, Dalhousie, N. B 
 
 Presbyterian Church, Sheet Harbor, N. S 
 
 Methodist Church, Barrington, \. S 
 
 Milville Sewing Society, Middle Stewiacke, Is. ^ 
 
 Presbyterian Church, River Stewiacke, N. S 
 
 St. Mary's Parish Church 
 
 School Children's Fund, per Inspector Lay 
 
 Springside Congregation, Upper Stewiacke, N. S 
 
 Citiz'-ns Security Investment Co , 
 
 Union Church, H jpewell, N. S 
 
 Employes Albert Manufacturing Co., Hillsboro, N. B.... 
 
 Salem Presbyterian Church, River John, N. S 
 
 Y. P. S. C. E., Tatamagouche, N. S 
 
 Presbyterian Church, Onslo"- N. S 
 
 I. O. G. T., Bass River, N. & 
 
 Willard D., S. of Temperance, North River, N. S 
 
 Methodist Church, Bedeque, P. E. I 
 
 e„i. 
 
 f 571) 50 
 ;{7 (X) 
 243 33 
 58 5() 
 44 00 
 55 00 
 23 60 
 
 22 57 ' 
 50 00 
 30 00 
 H5 17 
 10 00 
 21 00 
 «2 00 
 
 25 00 
 15 00 
 60 00 
 20 00 
 
 23 00 
 13 00 
 15 00 
 
 26 36 
 66 60 
 32 65 
 50 00 
 10 00 
 
 182 00 
 37 00 
 
 27 95 
 34 30 
 30 00 
 18 00 
 65 00 
 
 Presbyterian Church, Alliston, Ont 20 00 
 
 nil 
 
 m 
 
 f : 
 
 M-- 
 
Preshvloriaii Clnirch, Sjindford, Out | 2() 00 
 
 ^wuth Side Ladiw' Sm-iety, Middle Stewiacke, N. S 12 00 
 
 Miners and Mine LalK)rerH AMsociation 783 50 
 
 Trenton I)., S. of Temperance, N. S 30 C-) 
 
 MetliodiHt Clmrcli, I'ort I'erry, Ont 16 JO 
 
 Sorcom Lcxlge, No. 60, Whycoeomagh, C.h ,. 20 00 
 
 Entield DiviHion, Pictoii Co., N. S (} (K) 
 
 St. Patrick's Society, Kiclunond, (^ue 53 75 
 
 Fioneer (; range, and (Jood Templars, Kings Co., N. S 51 2.3 
 
 Broadway United Presbyterian Cluircli, Broadway, R. 1... 1 II 00 
 
 Petite River, Lunenburg Co. N. S 18 12 
 
 Presbyte.'ian Church, Norwood, Ont 20 00 
 
 Vernon, B. C, per Rev. P. R Langille 33 00 
 
 Portapi(iue Congregation 50 00 
 
 Bank of Montreal, Picton, Ont 25 00 
 
 Start" Com. Cable Co., Hazel Hill, N. S 129 00 
 
 St. Croix tioap Company 2IO 00 
 
 West & ale Manufacturing Co., St. Catherines, Ont 50 00 
 
 Rexford Manufacturing Co., Bedford, Que 50 00 
 
 Virgin Lodge, No. 3, A. F. & A. M 50 00 
 
 Matthew, vi. 1 ;jO qq 
 
 Grand L Jge of Canada 250 00 
 
 Canada Life Assurance Co loO 00 
 
 Ladies Riverside Social, Middle Stewiacke 15 00 
 
 Teachers and Students .icadia College l^.S 00 
 
 Vesper D., S. of Temperance, Hants Co 5 00 
 
 Seaside Division and Youths Reform Lodge, various col- 
 lections in Pictou Co 65 00 
 
 (iolden Dawn Divi-ion, Musijuodobit 10 00 
 
 Friends at Leailville, Col 76 50 
 
 Friends in New York 571 40 
 
 Friends in Lynn. Mass 43 OO 
 
 Contr'butionf. from various places in (Janada and United 
 
 States 2.308 38 
 
ClIAl'TKR \V. 
 
 liKSSuNS KKn.M Tin.; ( j n km' ('.\I,\MITV, 
 
 
 ('oniplctiiiu- tlic lijiiTiitivi' of tii; siid <li>:ist 
 -peaking' <>i those vvIk* lu'i-islicd in the iniiir 
 
 <T. Ml 
 
 \vc 
 
 ;iic coiiipvlU'd to sav that all ihc lioincs left 
 
 \aeairt 
 
 liV this ealainitv will ha\c 
 
 ■had 
 
 ou on them maiiv 
 
 Veai's to eoliie. As there is ii 
 tioii which can nu-t 
 
 o earthU 
 
 ■t tl 
 
 ic case 
 
 fatl 
 
 cr 
 
 <oii.j»ensa- 
 , iiiotliers. 
 
 clilldl'eii, 
 
 widows, and other friends of the departe*!, 
 must weep, and the whole conimunity teel sail and 
 poorer on aeconnt of their l(»ss. And, a'Hioiiijli 
 there is appan-ntly ii(> silver liiuiiir to the dark- 
 cloud, or l)aekground of consolation t(t the sad |iie- 
 tiire, yet there is a ray (»f hope that, in that solemn 
 
 hour in the dark rece 
 
 sses 
 
 of 
 
 I lie 1)1 
 
 t, altl 
 
 louirli 
 
 'No earthly friend was there to wipe 
 Death's cold sweat from the brow, 
 Or loving hand to close those eyes, 
 
 Which sleej) in darkness now," 
 ly cases, ahove the awful crash of tlie explo- 
 
 ni niai 
 
 sion, the voice of I)i ine Love was h ard 
 
 to say 
 
 Leave thy fatherle^^^ liildren, 1 will preserve the 
 
 111 
 
 iilive, and let thv veidows trust i 
 
 n ine. 
 
 (145) 
 
 ^li 
 
: ( i 
 
 
 146 
 
 Spriiif/Jfii/ OiJIicrj Disaster 
 
 ( )iio inip(jrtant lesson to hv loariiod froni this 
 disaster is, that the 
 
 (Jrhat Forcks of Xat[re, 
 
 which are uiuU'r the ahsohite eoiitrol of the Ahnigbty, 
 • have a [lower and sacredness al»oiit them wliicli punv 
 man can onlv realize wlien bron<dit in contact with 
 snch scenes as those of tliis terrible calamity. 
 
 Althongh man is morally bonnd to nse all lawful 
 endeavors for the preservation of life and property, 
 yet, in the infir.ite wisdom of (iod, for some pnrpose 
 that we cannot comprehend, it is evident that he 
 must sometimes l»e o-iven to understand that, with 
 all his 1>oasted kuowlediji^e, and efforts ro handle 
 the lightnini,^s, control the storms, and make other 
 powerful elements of nature bow to his will, he 
 requires such terrirtle experience as that taught by 
 this calamity to enforce upon his mind the fact that, 
 with all his increase of knowledge and power to do 
 exploits and })rotect himself, there is no safety any- 
 where except in (iod 
 
 It is well to studv laws relating; to health an(i 
 preservation, employ skilU'd labor, guard against all 
 recklessness and blunderings in dangerous occupa- 
 tions, and to know that nature is uniform in all her 
 operations, and that the laws which govern her 
 
 m 
 
Sprit)(/hil! Coffic,-)/ Disdsfc, 
 
 147 
 
 foononiy are regular laws, which cannot be violated 
 with iiiii.unity; but in all the advancement of art and 
 attainment of knowledge, it iiH/.^t be admitted that 
 there appears but little safety from sudden death or 
 freedom from accidents. 
 
 Being, therefore, only t( 
 cord"" which binds our soul to its te 
 may !)" snapi>ed asunder at any moment by accident 
 or disease, ushering the spirit into the eternal world, 
 why should the warning voice of this calamity not 
 thunder in the ears of all who have heard thereof, 
 •' Prepare to meet thy (Jod,"" " Be ve also readv : for 
 
 )o evident that the ■•' silver 
 nement of clay 
 
 in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man 
 cometh."" 
 
 Surely, amid the troubled scenes of life, and the 
 <-ertainty of death, there is implanted in the (liris- 
 tian"s bosom an assaranrc of a higher life, which 
 free from all destructive forces, an( 
 t^hall be no more death, neitl 
 neither shall there be anv 
 
 1 wl 
 
 lere 
 
 ler sorrow nor < 
 
 the 
 
 13 
 
 re 
 
 rying 
 
 more pam. 
 
 Aft 
 
 er surveyini,^ the wisdom and irood 
 
 ness 
 
 of 
 
 (Jod 
 
 in our past experience, and His mercy in the 
 deliverance from eternal death, wrought out for us 
 by His Son, should we not endeavor to trust Ilim 
 
 ful 
 
 ly, and devote our lives to His service, havi 
 
 ner our 
 
 1 "ns girt and our lamps burning, that when the 
 
 «,-f; 
 
 -"'■TV ci4<'a VRol 
 
 ■._m^^ii^ 
 
i 
 
 148 
 
 SpViDflhill Citllnr;! Disdslfi' 
 
 messenger of deatli comes we may bo procured to 
 "enter in tlirouirli the <,^att's into the eity" where the 
 redeemed of earth sliall endure no more j.ain or 
 partintrfrom friends, and where ''the Lamh which 
 is in the midst of tlie tlirone shall feed them, :tnd 
 shall lead them nnto livini^; fountains of waters, and 
 (rod shall wipe away all te;>rs from their eyes.'" 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 Review of Other Great Coal AfrxixXii Disasters. 
 
 A glance at a tow of the great eollierj disasters 
 which liave taken jthice (hiring tlie past eighty vears 
 will enat)le the reader to see that the Springhill 
 calamity is among the greatest on record. 
 
 On the l^-)th of May, 1812, an explosion of fire- 
 dam}) occurred at Felling Colliery, near Newcastle, 
 England, by which eighty-nine miners lost their 
 lives. Previous to this time, in the history of mining, 
 many lives had been lost in the mines of Europe. 
 That coal mining was a dangerous occupation, owing 
 to the presence of inilammable gases in the mine 
 was generally acknowledged from a very early 
 period, but as fuel must be had, man> hazarded 
 their lives, believing that the danger was unavoid- 
 able. Candles stuck into a ball of clay, fastened to 
 the sides of the chamb(!rs near where the miner was 
 working, were the chief lights once used, and owing 
 to these open lights coming in contact with the gases 
 cf the mine, accidents were almost of daily occur- 
 rence. At the time of the great disaster alluded to 
 the public consci.'iice wa>^, aroused, ajid special atten- 
 tion wag dirpnto/1 f/» flw^ >^...f<^.... ^f ]„.,, • 
 
 (149) 
 
i 
 
 150 
 
 SprinrfhiU ColJicr;! D'-'<(i'^ft\ 
 
 protect niiiuTs in sf)mo way. Sir ITuiiii)hroy Davy 
 was then a coiispicuous fi<rure in coal mining dis- 
 tricts. After a trinrnphal tour of l»ri]Iiant experi- 
 menting,^ tlironi!:li France and Italy, lu- returned to 
 London in April, 1815, and in a short ti- >e had his 
 safety lamp completed. AVhen Sir Hun.phrey Davy 
 had his lamj) perfected to a point of safety, he and 
 Mr. Buddie, one of tlic chief colliery owners in 
 Eui^datid at that time, went down to Newcastle and 
 traversed a number of the most dan<ijerous mines of 
 the Bentham seam with imjiunitv. 
 
 About the same time Georire Ste})hens()n was 
 inventiuii: a s^imilar laini. to that of Sir Humphrey's, 
 and as others were also exj)erimentin<j^, it was con- 
 sidered that coal mininij disasters from explosions 
 were then at an end. However, such was not the 
 case. NotwithstandiniT all the safety lamps and other 
 appliances invejited tf> protect the miner, explosions 
 and ignitions of fire-damj) in mines are yet danger- 
 ously common. The history of coal mint' disasters 
 in the past leaves no room to doul)t that the lessons 
 of perfect obedience and watrhfulness are hard 
 lessons to learn. It has often ajtpeared that in the 
 face of all precautions and rules, to be observed by 
 the miner, there is always some carelessness or 
 blundering manifested by some one, and the error 
 is learneJ too late to prevent the result. 
 
Spr'mrjMll Colliery Disaster. 
 
 151 
 
 The following disasters are among the most des- 
 triK'tive coal minins: explosions recorded: 
 
 At Newport, England, in 1860, one hundred and 
 forty-five were killed. 
 
 In 1862, at the Hartley Pit, on the Blvth and 
 Tyne Railway, near Xewcastle, on the 16ch Janu- 
 ary, a heart-rending disaster occurred, resulting in 
 the death of two hundred and four miners. The 
 pit was six hundred feet deep, worked hv a shaft. 
 Kighr men were coming uj) in the cage, when the 
 l)eam of the pumping-enginc hroke and the mass of 
 twenty tons of iron drojtped down the shaft and 
 lodged with the wreckage it caused before it reached 
 the bottom, thus shutting ofi' the only egress to the 
 [)it. To get down in time to save the living was 
 impossible. AVhen the ruins had been removed a 
 week after the accident, a rescuing party descended 
 an- 'ound the dead all within the space of one 
 liundred ar.d tifty feet from the bottom of the shaft 
 — all had perished. One man was sitting as if rest- 
 ing from his day's work. Behind liim, on the gal- 
 lery, were the men and boys seated in three rows 
 and all asleep in death, as if waiting for the rescue 
 that was to come too late. Some boys sat with 
 their arms on their fath-ir's shoulder, and brothers 
 
*!i 
 
 
 152 
 
 'lasj»e(l 
 
 SpriiujhiU CoJller>i Disaster. 
 
 t'Jlcli 
 
 otl 
 
 lor s arriiH. 
 
 One 
 
 mail was 
 
 jnv.i.piiiii- ii|. a door hcyond tlic otluM- sleeperB, as 
 if lie had rosistod the ])oison loiiifor'than the rest. 
 
 At the feet of 
 
 •<oiiie of the dead were found eandi< 
 
 hoxes witli such 
 
 messages seratolied on tliem 
 
 as 
 
 these: " Afercy, () God. 
 
 My dear Sarah, [ leavi 
 
 vou. 
 
 If Jolimiy is alive, tell him to I 
 
 »e a i!;'ood 
 
 hoy to his God and his mother.*" When the 
 crals eommeneed it was found that every eottai^e 
 
 fun 
 
 in the plaee had its eofK 
 five, and another 
 
 n, some had two, one had 
 
 seven. 
 
 Tn 1806, at Oaks C\)llie 
 
 hundred and sixtv 1 
 
 ry, near Barnslev, thre 
 
 Swaithe Afaiii explosion at Barnsl 
 
 ives were lost. Again, at th( 
 
 12th. 187;'), one hundred and fortv-tl 
 
 ey, on Decemher 
 
 These Barnslev mine 
 
 of Yorkshire, one liundred and seventy 
 
 from London. 
 
 iree })eri8hed. 
 s are situated in West Ruling 
 
 •one miles 
 
 At A vondale, near Plymouth, in Luzerne County, 
 IVnnsylvania, on the fith Septemher, 1H<J9, ,,ne hun- 
 <lred and eight person? 
 
 were killed. This was one 
 
 ot the most notahle and peculiar coal mining disas- 
 ters known. The calamity 
 
 was caused hv a v 
 
 OUIliT 
 
 man named I'almer Steele going down the sliatt 
 with a load of hav for the 
 
 liorses 
 
 in tl 
 
 nine 
 
 When descending the shaft the 1 
 
 lav cani>-|if tire 
 
Spriiu/hill Collni')/ Disosfer. 
 
 153 
 
 Till' eu(5^i'et'r saw the flames and lowered the car- 
 riuire with uH haste. In a tew minutes the flames 
 were leajting one hundred feet upwards from tlie 
 toji of the shaft, and in a short time the surface 
 lmildin<i's were a mass of ruitis, blocking n[) the 
 onlv entrance to the j>it. A few hours after the tire 
 (H'Mscd the debris was cleared away, and two men 
 iianu'd Williams and Jones descended to search for 
 the miners. These men had oidy proceeded a few 
 feet from the bottom of the shaft when they fell 
 (lead from the effects of white-damp. The fire 
 occurred on Monday, and two days after, when a 
 tlioi-ontrh ventilating current had been established, 
 a rescuing j)arty descended, went up the plane some 
 distance from the foot of the shaft, and found a 
 mine car placed as a barrier across the gangway, 
 and the space between it and the w^alls [tacked with 
 clothing. On breaking this barrier no person was 
 found behind it. A short time after another party 
 was al»le to proceed a little farther, and discovered 
 a similar barricade. Outside this barrier lay a dead 
 liodv, and behind it lav one hundred and five other 
 dead bodies, who had evidently all been suffocated 
 hy the poisonous gases. The experience of these 
 imprisoned men shall never be known, a> no one 
 
 Ai-..^. \,A\ f/> «-->11 f].,. ^.f/wM- .^f Iw.w tlu>v 'li<'d 
 
 •• IV- 1% 11 t^- iv:: Liiv -1- 1 J V ^ 
 
 \- -IHI 
 
 i . • i ■ 
 
 -■- -A 
 
I 
 
 154 
 
 Spr>nf//ii/J CoUhni Dlsdsfer 
 
 j 
 
 HB 
 
 ! 
 
 MB 
 
 
 
 
 MW' 'Jt' 
 
 
 
 
 I^^B 
 
 
 '^^HK' 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ill till- Mollis Minus, Holi^niim. ii, 187"), tho killed 
 numJHMvd on., hundred and ten. Two Inmdred lost 
 their liv,.s at the llio-l, Blantvre CollieHes. near 
 (ilaso-ow, Scotland, in the yea: 1S77. 
 
 In 1H78, at the Ehhw Vale Collieries, situated in 
 the nei^ivldiorhood of the Monmouth and Hri.knoek 
 Iron Works, one hundred and seventy-eiirjit miles 
 north-west of London, two hundred and sixty-ei^ht 
 were killed. A short distanee from the same viHn- 
 ity, in ISHO, at Kisea Mines, on the l{iver Khhw, 
 . Momnouthshire, one hundred and twenty perished. 
 A«rain, at Seahani disaster, Durham, in the same 
 year, one hundred and forty miners were killed. 
 This mine is situated down the Durham eoast in 
 the thriviiiir seajmrt of Seahani. It is owned hy the 
 Marquis of Londonderry. The explosion took place 
 ahout two o'clock in the mornincr, and was so terrific 
 that the whole neighborhood became aroused as if 
 by an eartlKpiake. As a local flower sliow was to 
 be held on a comiuir holiday, and one of the miners 
 who had won the Queen's Prize of Slioeburyness 
 was to be i>resented with it by the Afarchioness of 
 Londonderry on that occasion, an extra nund)er of 
 hands were in the mine. Nearly two hundred were 
 at work at the time of the explosion, wliich occurred 
 from an escape of gas shootincr out from the face of 
 
\m 
 
 Spruu/hill Col lien/ Disaster. 
 
 Ufy 
 
 tlio workins^s. Tlio wrockau:*' was fearful. Tlie 
 bratticiiiij:; was set on fire, and bosidcs tlio great 
 luiniltor of mi* crs who lost their lives, two hundred 
 and fifty Shetland ponies were killed. 
 
 November 9, 18S8, a terrible explosion of coal 
 dust occurred in a mine at I*ittsbur<;, Kansas, caus- 
 ing tlu' death of over one h'undred nu-n. Biit the 
 dreadful explosions at 
 
 TmK DRr.M.MoNK CoLMKRV AM) VoKl) I'lT, 
 
 in Pictou County, Xova Scotia, in the years 187'^ 
 and 1880, although the loss of life was t)ot so great 
 as in some of the other disasters referreii to, yet^ 
 owing to the awful nature of the circumstances 
 connected with each case, they are, perha})s, un- 
 paralleled by any other. The writer has been able 
 to glean the following record of these disasters from 
 various authentic sources : 
 
 The Drummond Colliery is situated at Westville, 
 a thriving town of about four thousand iiduibitants. 
 This colliery was first opened in the year 1865. 
 At that time the entire surroundings were a 
 dreary barren district. ]>artly <'overed with young- 
 Juniper, poplar and birch, as the forest fires had 
 destroyed the large p'-^es and hendoeks that had 
 
 ll'„*l,ti l-TllV VI ill 
 
I 
 
 h s 
 
 
 li 
 
 I'ii 
 
 166 Sprltu/hiff OJfurj/ Disasff, 
 
 Tn tl 
 
 lis vicinity there are n()\v three diffbreut 
 mines in m-tive ()i)eniti()n, known as the '' Aeadia," 
 " Drumn.ond"' and - FJhick Diamond" Pits. The 
 Drunnnond ('oIli,.rv, altlioM.i,^li first to eoninienee 
 o[)erations, had l»een shut dinvn for several years 
 previous to its purehase hy the (\,al. Iron and Steel 
 ^'ornpany some two years ay-o. 
 
 This colliery comtneneed active work in the yejir 
 1SG8, and a railway extension of six miles to the 
 .Michlle River was huilt for the purpose of sliippinir 
 the coal. In tin- followinjr year this colliery, under 
 the management of the late James Dumi, Esu., 
 was fully e(,uipped for work, so that the output in 
 1872 amounted to 105,000 tons. The next year, 
 when shipj.ino- had commen.-ed, and elaborate pre- 
 parations had heen ma(U> for extending the output, 
 a Htrike of the miners, who desired hi-her wages 
 and certain privileges, closed the workings for one 
 week. An agreement having been made with tlie 
 men, work was resumed on the 13th of May, 187:}, 
 and everything went on as formerly until half-past 
 eleven o'clock, when a shot tired in one of the lower 
 levels on the south side of the pit caused the coal 
 to ignite. 
 
 Every endeavor was made to check the fire, 
 but it spread rapidly, and an order was criven. thnt 
 
m 
 
 SjiriiK/fii// Chfhfri/ Disitstir 
 
 la7 
 
 1 i 
 
 ;iil liaiids ii(»t volmitccriiii; to assist ]iiittin<r it (»it 
 "•hoiild Icaxc tlu' pit. To nMiiaiii in the iniiu- was 
 almost iiiij»ossil)l»', o\\iii«r to tin- iinnuusc smoke 
 t|i It |ir«'\ail(,'(l, ami witli tlic t'.\c('|itioii oT alioiit a 
 >'n/.t'ii wlio rciiiaiiii'd witli .Io>(|»li liichaidson, tlu' 
 (■|i(lcrii-roim(l Maiiai::fr, to liattl.' with the tlami-s, all 
 liaiids started to makt- tlicii- I'scaiic. A'liilst the 
 iiicii wcff tii(U'a\oriim" to i:;ct out, a tt-ri-itic cxplo- 
 >ioii tof»' .ihice, dealing death and destruction on all 
 -iiles. 
 
 So t:;reat was the torei- of the explosion that the 
 wooden I'ope rollei's w t-re toi'n from the track and 
 hurled out of tin- . lope as from tlu' mouth of a can- 
 non, Timht'rs fourteen feet lont;; hy nine inches 
 thick were thrown out with i^reat violence, an<l tlie 
 immense rush of air was so great that it swe]tt away 
 the ex})osed roof of tlie hank head. A second 
 explosion took place two hours after tlie tiist, killing 
 fou!' men who were nohly endeavoring to rescue 
 some men who were known to he wWw \\\ the bottom 
 of the pumping pit. 
 
 This second explosion con^detely destroyed the 
 ventilation, and as all hope of saving life was taken 
 away, attention was directed to saving tlie y»roperty. 
 All water available was turned into the pit to cut oif 
 the lower workings and seal the bottom of the pit \i 
 
 r 
 
 
 I ill 
 
Wi 
 
 IAS 
 
 S/rriiif/hm O'Uicri/ Dlsiisfn', 
 
 , ossihio, l)iit (Icsj.itr ill! cflorts iiia(h- dc. so, the 
 Hrt' ni^red f,,r tliirtv-Hix hours witli (Irciidttil tiiTe«!- 
 lU'ss, tin- lluiMcs shootiiiir upwards t'ntiii the luuny 
 opciiiiiirs idouir tlu' i-roj., t(. a lici-lif of from thirty 
 to forty t't'i't. 
 
 Ill two (hiysaftiT thr cxidosiou tlic ojK'iiin_i,^s luid 
 hc'i'ii tillrd, and flic lu'ry u'ravc of ilioso who jK'ri.shed 
 in thi' |.it was cfK'ctiially st-aK-d. At thi- t'lid of 
 October an o|»i'ninic was cftt'ctcd t(» the nruic and 
 thf air allowcl to circnlatc for a short time, when it 
 was found tlial Jhr hci't was still sutKcicnt to cause 
 tii;tli« r (•oiid)Ustion. Owinir to this matter the nnne 
 was aiiain closed. A new pit adjoinini;, however. 
 Hcvemy feet deep, was sunk ii-imediately, and under 
 the supervision of K(,l)ert Simpson, M. K., who had 
 heen hrou-j^ht from (ilasirow as nicina,«i:er, a new 
 slope was driveii to the south of the old workiu"^ 
 and in three years most of the water had l)ceii 
 pum])ed out, the debris removed, and tlie colliery, 
 vvit!i its three workin^i,^ inclijies, was in crood position 
 for future ()|)erations. As to the numiier of lives 
 lost in this explosion there is diflerenee of o[iinioti. 
 Some o-ive it from sixty to seventy-five; one u-ood 
 authority records it thus: "The total nui.iber of 
 I'ves lost was sixty, among whom was Mr. Dumi, 
 i.ie manager; thirty-one were married men, twenty- 
 
Spritif/hUl O'lfii'i'/ Disdster. 
 
 ir>!) 
 
 ■i^lit siiii^U" iiu'ii, and (Hu- Ixty, ii-aviiiji; twcntv-iiiiu' 
 
 widows, t 
 
 iiilifi 
 
 orpliaii ( 
 
 hildr 
 
 en, 
 
 l>i'si(|» 
 
 parcntd 
 
 (Ifju'mlcnt on the lost. Contributions h> tin amount 
 (if about !!?"J-J,()()(> were mad*- in \arious parts of the 
 hoTuinion and tlio Tnitcd .atrs for tlicir rcii'-f." 
 
 The Ford Pit is --tuati'd at Stellart;*!., on the 
 west sidi' ot' tin- Inirrcolonial Kailwav. it wuh 
 ()|)t'ni'(l over twcpty yrars auo, and «'(jiii[»|(cd with 
 tJR' ht'st machinery availahh' at tl ^inic for a large 
 output of coal, aiul c\cry possihle arrun<!;cment was 
 made for the saft ty of the operatorH. The hoi-lini^ 
 shaft stnu'k tin- main seam at a pei'petid.cular depth 
 of niin hundred aiul sixtv feet, hut ili» bottom level 
 
 was one tliousan( 
 
 I feet. 
 
 'I'he seam had been succssfully operated for 
 ome time, wh<ui, on Fridav, November 12th, 1880, 
 
 ()( 
 
 )out halt-pas^ >ix m the m(jrmng, an exi>loHiori 
 •curred on the soutli side of the pi All the 
 miners were at work iji the ditterent bords. The 
 exido.-sion was so terrible tiuit it swept ucrosi-' to the 
 north side of the pit. The pit had north arid south 
 entrances. Owiiuz; to this all the hut. am; oovs on 
 the north side were safely got to the surface, with 
 the exce}>tion of a few who were badly aflected by 
 the deadly after-damp. 
 
 There were over tiftv miners o" the south side 
 
 i 
 
 H * 
 
I 
 
 m) 
 
 SinuKjIull OiUiini Diynsfi, 
 
 when t]u' explosion took |.la(c, and ot thesi- o,,l\ 
 
 two moil and four l»ovs wcvv v 
 
 t'sciu'd aliv 
 
 As the pit took- tirr after the explosion, and 
 burned with awful violence, n,.ne (.f tlie dead l)odies 
 could l)e rt'eo\ered. [n ord 
 
 er to save the iuii!(> fr 
 
 on I 
 
 utter (h-struetion, the waters of the Kast \{ 
 let into it. It tool 
 
 iiver ".vere 
 
 v seven years to puni|> ti> water 
 
 out of the pit. This was aeeoinj>lished ovi 
 
 veai 
 
 aijo, and the Ford Pit 
 
 uow in sueeessful operatitxi 
 
 I 
 
pi 
 
 1 • m 
 
 1^' i| 
 
 hi 
 
 CIIAPTKR XVll. 
 
 l)A.N(iH]S ()'• CoAl, MiMNo ( )|M;HATI(tN,<. 
 
 Coal iiiiniiiii' lias loiio^ \)vvu coiisicK'rt'd o\w ot'tlic 
 most (langei-oiis occupaii >iis of man. Oiu' of tlic 
 cliicf dangers to which the luiiu'i- is suhjccted arises 
 troll *^he cscajtc of (h'striictivo i^ast's from the coal. 
 This <ras is li<j;ht carhiircttcd hydroucii. and is identi- 
 cal witli the mar.-sh y-as. which the student of 
 clcmentarv chemistrv is tau^^ht to helieve is a pro- 
 duct of \H't!;etahle leaf ('ecomposition under water, 
 l>nhhles of which rise to the surface on stirrinir the 
 waters of a stai:;naut pool. This <ras is .ailed hv 
 miners 
 
 Fi UK- Da. Ml*. 
 
 it is tasteless, colorless and inodorous, and is ijiveii 
 l»y some authorities as consisting of four } irts of 
 hydrogen to oni of -arljon, and a))out one-half the 
 weight of air. lacing thus hgliter than air it natur- 
 ally rises to rhe roof of a mine chamher. and as it 
 accumuiates i*^ extends downwards. Wlu-n mixed 
 with ten times its volume of atmospheric air, or 
 twice its volume of oxygon, it hecomes violently 
 explosive on tlic application of the open tiaine of u 
 
 (Kil) 
 
 1 1 ' "4 
 
 : : i 
 
 ^^"i 
 
 1 
 
 I'll 
 
 1 
 
I ' 
 
 J 1 
 
 ie;2 
 
 Spr hit/hi// Coflicr// Disaster. 
 
 laiiiit. In its unalloyed state it is iion-explo.sive and 
 i'lflainmable, l)urninir with u bluish-yellow non- 
 luminous flame. 
 
 One of the most danirerous features of this gas is 
 that it sometimes escapes copiously and suddenly 
 from a cavity in the coal seam. This rush of <ras 
 from the crack or seam is called a '' blower," and in 
 this state it is said to contain, besides the carburetted 
 hydrogen, from one to four }>er cent, of nitroiren, 
 and about one per cent, of carbonic acid. Its pre- 
 sence being jiiddcn in a cavity of the coal, the 
 miners' drill mav free it at anv moment, or it may 
 burst by its own ])ov»'ei- through the facing, caus- 
 ing immediate destruction to those workin*'- in the 
 vicinity. One thoroughlv aciniainted with minin'' 
 operations (k'scribes it thns : 
 
 "When the naked Mght of the miner comes into 
 contact with any considerable (quantity of fire-damp 
 in an explosive state, the shock that follows is terrific. 
 Men and horses, cars and coals, are hurled together 
 to destruction. AVahs are swe})t out, iron rails ar.; 
 bent (h)uble, doors are torn from tlieir fasteniuirs, 
 the mine is laid waste.'' 
 
 It is well known tnat the dannige resulting from 
 exi)losion of gas is greater than that due to mere 
 ignition, and burning without the explosive force. 
 
SprinfiluU Collier >/ Dii<a.^kr 
 
 163 
 
 Tlie danger to the miner in the lattor ca.se, however, 
 is but sliglitly diiuiuished, and he is liahle to r"ct'ive 
 fatal injuries. The burning lani}) of the miner 
 hursts into tiame on coming in contact with the 
 body of fire, and is (juickly jtropelled along the roof 
 of tlie chand»er. This tire-dami), "' i^-^ <lestruetive 
 fourse, collecting enough oxvgen from the atmos- 
 pheric air to add tierceness to the cond)ustion, often 
 returns to the face of the cluunber with "a violent 
 contractile sui-ge, scorching everything in its path, 
 :ind then, ]»erliaps, after another brief sally, it burns 
 itself out."' 
 
 The miner who accident dly tires a block of fire- 
 damp in tlie [)it should immediately fall on the 
 Hoor, covering his eves, mouth, and nose so as to 
 save them from the heat and ilame, at the same time 
 clasping his lumds over his neck and head to protect 
 these parts from injury. In this position, however, 
 lie must not long remain, as the flame will soon 
 burn it.self cut, and the fatal after-damp is sure to 
 follow (piii-kly. His only safety from certain death 
 lies in immediate flight as soon as the flame has 
 passed ovjr him. 
 
 In mines where gas is found even in small quan- 
 tities the miner should not enter his chand)cr until 
 it has been brushed out into the air current. 
 
 t : 
 
 i\m 
 
 ^^P'l^ mH 
 
 
 ■^^^E~ ' ^^^1 
 
 
 ^^H 
 
 '^'^M. I 
 
 ^^^1 
 
 
 ^^H 
 
 -H'' H 
 
 ^^H 
 
 •^;iT;r|| 
 
 ■ » 
 
 1 
 
; 
 
 i i 
 
 m 
 i 
 
 104 
 
 Spri))f/hl// Collier;! Disaster 
 
 Tf, ;n(>st (lanircrous aceuniiilafioiis of tire-damp. 
 Iiowcver, arc ii(»t found in workino; cliarnlKTs, hiit 
 in portions of tlic mint' worked ont and al>andoned. 
 ('()lleete<l in tliese sections in larii:e bodies it remains 
 unnoticed unHl some persoi), iirnorant of its presence, 
 approaches it witii an open lamj), wlien an instant 
 explosion is the natural result, 
 
 A fatal explosion ocMurcd from such a cause on 
 the 14th of Auirust, 1871, at the Kao-le Shaft of 
 IMttston Colliery, in the State of reimsylvania. On 
 tlie morninir of that (hiy, at nine o'clock, a boy 
 named Martin ^fori^an was drivinir a )nule with a 
 trip of mine cars along an up]>er gani^wav. !n a 
 worked ont section of the mine above him a large 
 body of tire-damp had l)een allowed to collect, and 
 as tlie boy passed a sudden fall of roof in the aban- 
 doned works drove our the inflammable o-as, which, 
 on touching his lighted lamp, exjjloded with terrific 
 force. Tlie exjdosion was so great that peo])le 
 heard it a mile away, and hastened to the scene of 
 (lesolation. The dead bodies of seventeen niners. 
 who were working in the vicinity of the exj.losioii, 
 were discovered the following day, all of wliom had 
 been kilk ' by the after-damp. 
 
 One of the cliief dangers to the miner from the 
 burning of fire-damp is in the j.roduct of its com- 
 bustion, known as 
 
Sprim/hill Collie)^)/ Disaster. 
 After-Damp. 
 
 165 
 
 This gaseous substance consists chiefly of carbonic 
 uci<l and nitrogen. It will be seen by referring to 
 the Glossary that it is a mixture of ifases resulting 
 from the burning of tire-dam}). As it is heavier 
 than atniosjdieric .ur, it consequently falls to the 
 l>()tt(m) of the mine immediately on its formation 
 from the burnintr of the liirht carburetted hvdroiren. 
 Being intensely poisonous iu its nature, and irrespir- 
 able, immediate insensibility and death is the result 
 of the first inhalation of it in its j)ure state. So 
 quickly (l< this gas form, and so deadly is it in its 
 effect, t1 , r there is no escape for the miner, who has 
 fallen on his face to save himself from the fierce 
 flame of the burning fire-damp, but in inmiediate 
 flight as soon as the fire has f)assed along. 
 
 Another destructive gas with which the miner 
 has to contend is the presence of 
 
 Black-Damp. 
 
 This damp is carbonic; acid gas, and is given as 
 containing two parts of oxygen to one of carbon. 
 It is the chief constituent of after-damp, and is 
 often called "choke-damp," as they are both 
 composed of the same elements and i)roduce the 
 
 f f If 
 
 inn' 
 
 if , 
 
 ill ^ 
 
 
 (k- 
 
 ■^"ili 
 
166 
 
 li 
 
 It '. 
 
 ! 
 
 m 
 
 Spi'WfjhiU Collkrn Disaster. 
 
 Black-dump is said to escape from the coal the 
 fiamc as firc-damj). It is also ijivcii by ii^ood authority 
 as one of the products of burning coal, of burning 
 oil, and of the nspiration of man and beast. It i(t 
 one and a half times as heavy as air, and is therefore 
 always found next to the floor of the mine. An 
 expert says of it : " Its presence may be detected 
 by the conduct of the flame of the iani]). In an 
 atmosphere containing but a small percentage of 
 it the lamp light will grow dim, and. as the pro- 
 portion of gas increases, nill become more and more 
 feeble until it is Anally extinguished. An atmosphere 
 containing from eio:ht to ten i)er eent. of this mis 
 may be breathed without immediate (Uinger: it will 
 simply occasion dullness of intellect and numbness 
 of body. This condition changes into one of insen- 
 sibility as the iidialation continues, or as the 
 percentage of gas is increased, and to enter an 
 undilut-d body of it means sudden death." Of all 
 the gases in the mine, however. 
 
 White-Damp 
 
 is the most to be dreaded. A practical miner of 
 experience says of this gas: " It is possible the miner 
 may conceal himself from the surging flame of the 
 
 ■fir<»_<1;inin •inrl Vi 
 
 
Sprl)i</inl/ Col/icn/ D!s(i.s(i r. 
 
 1G7 
 
 
 I 
 
 l)hic'k-(liiTni», hut if he coiiu'h hi coiitat't witli an 
 jiocuinnlation of tliis ti'rnl)lf white-damp, instant 
 (loath is ahiiost cntain. Uciiii:; tasteless, colorless 
 and odorless, its presence cannot he detected i)efore 
 it has done its work of (h-ath. It is pure carhonic 
 oxide, and is eomposed ot' e([ual parts of oxygen and 
 carhon. Ft is a fraction lighter than atmosplieric 
 air, and has therefore a tendency t(» rise. Ft is^ 
 supposed to l)e formed wjien the carhonic acid 
 passes through any ignited cai'honaceous material, 
 or when the steam jiasses over hurning coal. Ft is 
 held hy some to he }»roduced most frcijucntly hy 
 sniouldering goh tires, hy hurning wood in the mine, 
 or hy a shaft on tire, and may exist as one of the 
 results of an explosion of tire-dani}* or of hlastinj 
 powder. It at'ts on the system as a narcotic. It is 
 generally incomhustihle, and }>ro(luces no effect upon 
 the tlame of a lamp. If present in a state of purity 
 it hums with a hlue Hame." 
 
 One mining engineer of repute says of this des- 
 tructive element : " AVhen a fire started hy a stream 
 of gas coming from ;; crevice which has hurnt Ions: 
 enough to cause great heat, carhonic oxide gas is 
 generated. When this gas is present, a lire burning 
 at the crevice may have been dashed out completely ; 
 •.:ut it a certain amount of hoat is spread about tiie 
 
 Mi 
 
 7t 
 
 '■hi 
 
I : 
 
 ' 
 
 i«;8 
 
 SpriiH/h>7/ Co//it',y Di.<if/.<!frr 
 
 locality, jmd tivsli air is allowod to mijiirlo with tin- 
 '""••x.i.ic oxi.l,., jui ("xpl„si()M will, hv tlu'ii- contact, 
 ''"^"*"- * * * This ijas socinstomiuiiv nothiii^r 
 iiioiv than heat and f'lvsh air (without Haiiic) to star't 
 u conHa^ratioii. Who knows that this w;as has not 
 heen the cause of serious mischief in mines hy hoin.ir 
 .i^enerated from coal dust l)urnin.<r within the wire 
 i'vlinder <rauzc of a safety lami>?" 
 
 Coal Drsr 
 
 in the mine is another danirerons element, and has 
 hitherto failed to receive the attention it should. 
 Whatever oi)inions may l)e held as to the harmless 
 nature of coal dust as an exj)losive agency, it has 
 lately i)een authenticated hy irood authority tliat 
 under certain conditions it may hecome violently 
 explosive. One practical authority states : " When 
 It is mixed with air, with or without the presence of 
 tire-damp, and is set into sudden and intense vihra- 
 tion hy a heavy powder l.last, a fall of roof, or other 
 means, it may explode with greater destructive force 
 than even tire-damj) is capahle of" Another un- 
 •iouhted authority says: "In coal mines coal dust 
 and coal gas form tlie active combustibles. Coal 
 dust so finely jiulverized disseminated through the 
 air as to be almost imperceptible, forms a dangerous 
 
Si)i'iii(jliill Colli I It/ Disiisfjr 
 
 169 
 
 ( () 
 
 iistituciit, and one which <l(»os not rt'ct'ivc tlie 
 
 attention it nuTits, 
 
 It 
 
 is a inoiv unniana 
 
 ijcahl 
 
 I' in- 
 
 ijrfdicnt than t-oal i^as itself. 
 
 T\ 
 
 !<.' sami' an 
 
 tliority 
 
 state's: "A swift curront of air traversiiiir a ininiiiii^ 
 nassaijre, not liavinii; its si(U's moistened l>v artiiit-ial 
 or natural means, ii;athers u|» tiie dust on its route 
 and lu-ars it througii the workinij; places. * * * 
 The stronii' men who work a few years in such 
 
 si 
 
 IOW( 
 
 rs of dust hi'come weak, and their faces hlaneli 
 
 from the <'ontinuous ahsorption of the coal dust into 
 
 tl 
 
 U'lr SVsti'lUr 
 
 Th 
 
 le intlammahlc nature 
 
 of 
 
 div coal dust <*aii 
 
 easily he ascertained hy throwiny; a i)ortion of it into 
 a hriii:ht fire. If the circumstanees are favorable it 
 will iijnite almost as (luickly as <j^un-powder. The 
 writer has tried it more than once. 
 
 Some i^ood authorities assert, however, that coal 
 dust is not intlamma))le without the presence of from 
 five to six per cent, of fire-damp, when comhustiou 
 will take place by brini::ini; an open lam}) into eon- 
 tact with it. The Prussian Fire-damp Commission, 
 who lately iiivestiij:ated this matter, states : " The 
 presence of coal dust within the radius of an explo- 
 sion ii:reatly increases the force of it, and with certain 
 sorts of dust an explosion may result even in the 
 
 ■■ = i 
 
 •Mi 
 

 ! 
 
 I: 
 
 [j 
 
 CIIAI'TKR XVIII. 
 Safe(Hiari)h A(Jainst Accidknts in Minks. 
 
 TIk' Hrst ossontial clcini'iit to tlu- snfctv oflicultli 
 and proiKTt.y in u coal iniiic is the (|iiaiitity and 
 purity of tlie atoiosplu'ric air circulatinir tlirouir}, 
 the chanihers of the workiuirs. As man is an air 
 breathinir animal hi" must die if the snpph- of air 
 essential to his existence he cut off The mine will 
 alsosutfer destruction from tli.' explosions of poison- 
 ous jrascs if they are not driven out hy a current of 
 fresh ail- as (piiitkly as their formation takes place. 
 The tirst re(piisite, therefore, in mininir oi)erations 
 is the estahlishment of a j.roper air current in ordr 
 that the ventilation shall he <rood. Altliouf>-h the 
 atmospheric air will tind its way into the mine 
 throuirh the surfaee openiui^s, yet, if not replaced by 
 fresh air in a short time, it becomes dead and unfit 
 to breathe. 
 
 Tf, while lyiTiir in this dead state, it takes \^^ the 
 poisonous gases wliich are sure to escape iWrni all 
 coal measures, it soon becomes fatal to human life, 
 and an explosion may tiike place at any moment, 
 llenee tbe necessity of a living continuous current 
 (170) 
 
Sprinf/hilf CoUiiri/ Disaskr. 
 
 171 
 
 of pure atmosplicric air, cirotilated in ahiindiuuH' to 
 carry oft' tlu'st* foul pisos and ^ivo life and vii^or to 
 the ontiro workini^s. IJut as the air curri'nt ijoes 
 nowhere \)\ chance, the uir channels slionhl he so 
 arranged that no portion ot'thi' mine he left withont 
 itfl direct air current. On this 
 
 TnouoriiM Systkm ok Vkntilation 
 
 depends the lives and health ot' the workmen and 
 the successful operation of the mine. If tlu- venti- 
 latinir system he imi»i'rfect, no security of lite or 
 property can he expi'cted. One who is tiimiliar 
 with the whole system of yentilation says: "A 
 failure of the air current for I'ven an hour might 
 in some mines result in tlu' death of all those who 
 chanced to he inside, for this current not only 
 PU}>plies air for hreathing i)urpOHes, hut it takes up 
 the smoke, the dust, the dangerous and the 
 poisonous gases, and carries them to tlie surface" 
 through the u^'cast air shaft,. 
 
 Proper Drainace 
 
 of the mine is another important matter that caimot 
 he disregarded with im})unity. If an oyeriiow of 
 water is allowed to colle(!t and remain for a certain 
 
 11 ; ' 
 
 V i 
 
 o > 
 
172 
 
 SpriiKihill (^)llicni J)isiist,t' 
 
 ii 
 
 '•• 
 
 pro^'iii'tc.l witli the ^rcrnis of discr e an . (kuth, and 
 the iTii.s l.ul»l)lcs thrown oft' m.iy .. i loadin.r to 
 ucttial accidi'iits w itli fatal results. 
 
 The followin.ir rules, _i;ivon l.v ;* • ical niininir 
 t'n.4,nnc('r of hitrl, standincr, will ho foiual sovort-igu 
 safoijuards ai^^jinst accidents in tnini-s : 
 
 Keep in advance all di-ad work, and ulnre .ra.. 
 is verv ai)undant, and the slips and .-revices fre- 
 <|uent, Lore ahead holes not less ijian four inches in 
 diameter and twelve feet in leiiirth. Ihthe examin- 
 ation ..f tlu'si> hore-holes daily, an idea of tho 
 quantity of ^'as contained in the coal may he 
 formed, and s.n'den outhursts, to a certain extent, 
 uvoidud. The pis will drain off throuirh such i)ore- 
 holes very ra[)i(r ,-, j)ut with much «rreater re«^ularity 
 tlian if such bodies of i^as were let out hy the 
 sudden »vmovid of lari,^' <piantities of coal, as in 
 the case of h'as'inir. 
 
 Daily exami!ie the abandoned e.\.'avatIons, and 
 note the state o. the .dr within them. 
 
 As olton as necessary to keei» ^li^' «iir sweet and 
 respirable, .iivide tlu ventilating air current. Let 
 the amount of coal mit in any particular district 
 regulate the amount of air sent to it, more tlian the 
 extent of sucii district. Thus, if you mine a hun- 
 dred tons of coal in a run daily, send in tlie air to 
 
i r 
 
 Sj)riii<ihill C<)lliir>i Distisfd-. 
 
 178 
 
 Mi- n 
 
 this run or Itn-ast in siitHcii-iit (Hiiiiitity t<» dilute tlic 
 iTiis i^ivcii oft" hv ilic ininiiiir inid l»r»:ikiiiir ii|> ot' 
 those hiiiuh'efl t(»iis of coiil. Let tin- air passiiii^ 
 t'rojii sr,ch part (tf a mine i^et into a return air 
 course in the most dii'eet manner po^slhle, l»y i»ass- 
 in<j,' it direct to an ujiper h'\el : or. it' this is not 
 [tractieahle, |»ass it into a retuiii air course, such as 
 a monkey i::anu:\vay, hy earryiiiii- it over a main 
 course l»y means ot" an air erossinir. It' \<>u have 
 
 Sl'VCKUS .\ IK WAYS, 
 
 and tliese vou nnist liavi' in order to ohta'ii 4.00(1 
 and sntHeient vi'iitilation, ust' rei^uhitini,^ doorn to 
 ijovern the " splits," and lo«'k them seeurely at each 
 setting. Place roii:iilati i<i^ <loors at ii point in the 
 return whore the air of its district is makinir its final 
 exit before it joins with the main out-ij^oi)).ir current. 
 Tsc as few air doors as possible, and none at all in 
 tlie T., lin intake air courses which wairons have to 
 traverse. Bnild air stopjtings so v/ell and hind them 
 so securely that the force of an ex] losioi will not 
 carry them away. 
 
 Drive air crossing?; in the solid strata where it 
 is possible to so. Wlien this caimot be done 
 huild them in the most substantial manner, binding 
 
 tlwTn UA uo/"'!! I'iil \- ]t\r o^-T-rvjiir it«r>»i lir\/\r%c; /»t» i-nl^niT^ fir ark 
 / ■■.' r- •:■ ■■ -j^ T ^ 
 
 I. '• 
 
174 
 
 SprhifjhiH Collier u Disaster. 
 
 l! i 
 
 Hi I 
 
 \i ! 
 
 It I i 
 
 that thoy iiuiy he ahlo to stand the tbrcv of 
 -ion actiii'^ undir tlie arcliwuv. 
 
 ail cxplo- 
 
 Mak 
 
 e air courses as straiijht, direct and ean: 
 
 ipaoious 
 
 as possihh'. Duplicates ot'al] iriechanical a})p]iance8 
 required in the ventilatill^■ force shouhl l»e lield 
 
 HI 
 
 readiiit 
 
 iscover 
 
 tl 
 
 le 
 
 ess to (|uicki_v rejjhice ttiose m use if destroyed 
 hy accidt'iit. 
 
 All mine otHcers should he ahle to d 
 presence of i^as in the air, and to judi^e of its q 
 tity hy the manner in which it hums over the fl; 
 of a caudle. Two per cent, of carhuretted hydrogei 
 in the air can easily h'.' detected hv the tlanie of; 
 
 uan- 
 
 imo 
 
 elosel 
 
 V snu 
 
 tfed 
 
 candlt', or hv ihc tlame of an oil 
 
 him}) heing reduce<l to hurn hrii^^htly at its minimum, 
 which nuiy he done hy clearino- off the toj) of the 
 wick, and the pulling of it down so that its top will 
 be even with the level of the tuhe. By the use of a 
 tli'me of hydrogen, on account of its great heat, the 
 gas in the air may be burnt, and its Hame seen if it.s 
 proportions in the air are as low as one-half of one 
 per cent. I'.y burning this tlame in })ure air, and 
 then in a mixture of air and gas,, the ditferei 
 which is marked, can easil\ be discerned. 
 
 ice, 
 
 Iftl 
 
 1" jtercentage of marsh u'as is small the Hanu 
 
 simply lengthens out and becomes smoky. If the 
 gas is mixed with from eight to fourteen times itt< 
 
S/)niH//u'// Coll an/ Dii<ashr. 
 
 175 
 
 voliiiMo ' f atinos}»lu'ri(' air, the flume of tlic wick 
 t'litircly (lisappears, and tlie interior of the cylinder 
 ItecoTnes tilled witli the hlue flame of hurninir ^'as. 
 To remain with the lamp loni:; in tliiw latter poHitiou 
 is danuvrous, as tlie wires will s;)on hecoine red with 
 heat, and the otiter y'as may l»eeome i^jnited from 
 them at any moment. It may he learned from this 
 that even the sal'ety lamj> is not an ahsolute protec- 
 tion against daiii^er from explosive and inflammahle 
 <i:ases. Takinti" all tiling's into consideration, it he- 
 conu's ohvious that there is really no i)rotee^i()n from 
 accidents lesnltiny" from explosions in mines where 
 a copious current of pure air is not aliv)wed to 
 enter. Timhers safety lamps, hoistinii; L''ear, and 
 other necessary apj)liances, should have careful 
 attention daily. As defects of these appliances can 
 he seen l)y the eye, they may l»e detected hy any 
 l>ers()n who is at all accpiainted with them; hut the 
 nature of tiie air in the mine, which is often laden 
 With the elements of death, may at any moment seal 
 \\w doom of the unsuspecting miner, who is not 
 aware of the presence of his enemy until it is too 
 late. The followin«i:: advice, hy a practical eni^nneer, 
 if adopted generally, woidd, no douht, }>revent many 
 <lisasters in mining o])erations : "All mines should 
 he so well inspected daily hy its own Htaflr* of otHcera 
 
1 
 
 ]' t 
 
 !. F i 
 
 !• f 
 
 IMf 
 
 17ii 
 
 Sf)roi(/Iii/! Collier 11 Disa^fti 
 
 ns to rriidor tlic insju'ctioii of thou hy auv jj^ovcrii- 
 riiciit officer 'hiikti'ssju'v."' 
 
 Accordinti- to rndcrirromid Miumwr Cot 
 
 iwav 
 
 H'port this system of daily iusju'ction at Sprinyliill 
 mi IK'S was faithtully attended to; and tliere is also 
 no reason to donht that the air enrreiit in thv mine 
 where the explosion oecurn'd was inefficient in anv 
 way. Howewr, notwithstandiuii' all the care for- 
 
 me-ly exercisi'd I»y the officials of these mines, 
 greater care shall, no douht, he taken in fntnre. ( ) 
 
 tie 
 
 who is in connection with .m-se 
 
 )11 
 
 coiiiei'ies, 111 a com- 
 
 munication to the press n few days ag'o, states: 
 
 " Since th.' exi)losion all open lights have heen 
 superseded hy safety lamps, (ireat care is observed 
 in liandlinii- these lamjis. There are ahont 1,00(1 in 
 Urie. They are i)riiieipally ' Marsaret ' and ^ ( 'lanny " 
 lamps, with an occasional old-fashioiu'd ' Daw " for 
 testino- piiri)Oses. The ' I)a\y " lamp is relied ui)on 
 for <ras testing purposes, as it will detect a smaller 
 percentage of gas than either the '(Manny " or ' Mar- 
 saret." The 'Marsaret," familiarlv k? 
 tl 
 tl 
 
 own among 
 
 'lliTUlS 
 
 bed 
 
 le miners as the ' boiler lamj*,' is e 
 
 u' })reseiKH' of gas in suffii lent (piantities to he 
 dangerous. These lam[»s are a 'ocked by keys only 
 in the [tossession of lamp lighters, and tam}>ering 
 with a lamp is an offence punishable by dismissal 
 
SpnmjhiU OAllirij Dlsaskr. 
 
 177 
 
 and fine in court. Xo inatc-hes are allowed in 
 .j^mseons par^ ■ of the mine, and the pockets of the 
 workmen are frequently searched. " 
 
 The day is cominir, no doubt, when the accidents 
 in coal mines from exjilosions will be reduced t^a 
 nunimum l)y the use of 
 
 Electricity ix the Mine 
 
 instead of oil. This mode of li.rhti,.,ir the streets 
 and stores of our to,\ns aim cities is now beinu; 
 adopted gvuerally with -reat satistaction, and, 
 according to the writer's opinion, there is no Just 
 reason that can be given why he, whose lot it is to 
 work in the subterraneous caverns of th^ earth, 
 should l)e compelled to labor in semi-darkness, were 
 there no other conMeration, when science has 
 ijrought to his aid a ray of li^rht that will illuminate 
 liis path and cheer up his gloomy chamber with the 
 l)righfness of the noon(hiy sun. 
 
 By the use of diis light in the mine the miner's 
 •langer from expL dons would no )idy be reduced, 
 I'tit his aj.p .v.ice, as he passes from the mine to 
 bis homo, u ould be improved. As it now is, coming 
 np out of t^'c mine with his face, hands and nav- 
 iiKii s Mack with coal dust, powder, smoke, and 
 •siturattd with oil from the little tin lamp which is 
 
178 
 
 Sj>viii(jJiiJl QiUki'ij Di^aiitcr. 
 
 liookrd to tlu' tVoiit of liis cap, liis t'eatmx's are often 
 liard to rec()u:nize. Althouirli tlu' dust would settle 
 on his person as tornierly, yet the absence of oil 
 would enable him to I'eniove it nioi'e easily, and his 
 Avliole lile, and that of his family, would be cheered 
 bv this new ra\' ot" liu'ht bcaminir in his workinn" 
 apartment. Minim;' operatives, as a u'eneral rule, 
 ai'e as intelliii'ent, law-abidinu", peaceful, sober and 
 industrious citizens as artisans and others who work 
 in the outside world, and have a claim to share in 
 all niodi'rn iniproveinci:;.< an.d convenieut'es that 
 scii'iice and art can dc\ isc. Where the miner <;ets 
 a chance, his possibilities of ad\ Micement are per- 
 liaps ii-reater than any other class of workers. Mine 
 superintendents, insjieetors, manaii:ers and other 
 minim;: otHcials are always wanted, and younji: men 
 of character, judirment and skill are i:;enerally 
 promoted from the ranks to till the higher posi- 
 tions. It is also well known that in many coal 
 regions lawyc' >, preachers, bankers, merchants, 
 clerks, ; (Hi-ineers, contractors, and others have 
 stepjted into those higlier jiositions from the cham- 
 bers of the mine. As it was in the past so it i> 
 to-dav — "there is room at the top" for faithl'iil 
 Workers of skill and entor})rise. 
 
n 
 
 CHAPTER .ax. 
 
 History uk Si-rix.jhill and its Cullieuies. 
 
 An historical skctdi of the minos whero the 
 irreat disaster occurred, and cf the town that lias 
 risen ahoutthem, heing considered )t' special interest 
 to the general rea<ler, tlie writer has made extra 
 endeavor to collect material for this chapter hearing 
 o'l the suhject. 
 
 .Solar as the writer has heen ahle to ascertain, 
 there is no reliable record as to who made the 
 
 First Discovery of Coal at Si'Rix.iiiiLL, 
 
 or at whn date the discovery was made. Tn the 
 year 18:34, however, a gentleman named Lorlewiek 
 Ifiinter was oj.erating a small mine at the place, 
 and selling the coal to l)lacksmitlis in the surround- 
 ing country. 
 
 ^fr. Charles Dixon Lockliart, who now resides 
 in Tfartford, Carleton County, Xew Brunswick, was 
 then an apprentice lad to Thomas Leak, carria-e- 
 niaker, who live.l at Westbrook, a village on tie 
 I'ost road leading from Amherst to Tarrsboro, 
 tifteen miles from the mines, and in that year 
 
 (irii; 
 
Ill 
 
 '5 :J 
 
 m 
 
 : S! . 
 
 180 
 
 Spri}n//i(U Collhrii Dimsta' 
 
 carted a load of the coal, which was used hy Mr. 
 Leak in his forije. Fifteen years afterwards he 
 again visited Si>rinu:hill, and, in interview with the 
 writer, states that an exploring crew were then to 
 work at the place. Mr. Lockhart was seventy-three 
 years old on the 14th of February last. He is hale 
 and strong, and has tnll remembrance of his hjng 
 trip through the woods after the coal wlien a boy 
 of onlv sixteen. An im-ident connected witli his 
 second visit to the place settled the (bite also vividly 
 in his min(b This statement of Mr. Loekhart is 
 supported by another undoubted authority stating 
 that, about the year 1840, Thomas Bell and William 
 Patrick were employed, under the direction of 
 Joseph Smith, the Albion ^fining C'ompany's 
 Engineer, to ex}»lore at Springhill chietiy with the 
 design of locating the four square miles contemplated 
 in the area. It is recorded by one of the exploring 
 parties, that previous to their work, one of the large 
 seams which is now m ojteration had been opened 
 ill the bank of a l)rook and from which coal was 
 then being mined for smithing purposes, etc. 
 
 It is also given upon good authority that in 1863, 
 William ]*atrick, one of the exploring parties refer- 
 red to, induced two American gentlemen, named 
 Howe and White, to visit Springhill in company 
 
Sprlinjjilll Col Vert/ Disa-^Ur. 
 
 LSI 
 
 with liim for the purpose of l,)cutin.ir u niinin- area 
 and workiii- it. ]^ut after retiecting on tlle^rreat 
 expense neeessary to reacli a shipping place, as tliere 
 was no prospect of a railway ever corning that way, 
 together with the fact that a clause in the mining 
 law hound the parties or conipa.iy leasing mining 
 property to oj.en and w..rk the mine efHciently 
 within two years, or the lease would then l)ecome 
 void, and the property and what improvements 
 might he made upon it should go to the (Govern- 
 ment, flicy ahandoned the enteri)rise. At this time 
 anoth r vein, hesides that which had heen opened 
 hy Hunter, was heing operated in a small way by 
 William Simpson, who is credited as securiuir 
 
 Ti[E First (iriAXT of Land in Sprin(;iiill. 
 
 About the same time Xathau Parks, who then lived 
 at Springhill, but now resides iu Lewiston, .^[aine, 
 commenced operating another portion, under the' 
 privilege of Mr. Georg- Ilibbard, of River iribl)ard, 
 who owned the property, Mrs. l>arks having made' 
 the discovery of the ■ -,al outcrop during a stroll 
 one afternoon through the woods. 
 
 A short time afterwards Messrs. James Hickman, 
 Charles J. Stewart, C. Milner, J. II. Harding and 
 some others secured the right to search over the 
 
 iWft 
 
H 
 
 ii 
 
 182 
 
 Sprhit/lu'll, Colder 1/ Di'^astrr. 
 
 S}triiii;hill coal areas, and after scleetiiii; a tew 
 hundred acres, the right to hegin oi»eratious was 
 secureih 
 
 After sanqtk's of coal had been taken out of 
 several ]>laces and submitted to due inspi'ction, the 
 }«ros[>ects were so good that Messrs, Charles IT. M. 
 Hlack, Alexander Macfarlane and ('has. J. Stewart 
 Itecanu' (t'cpl;- interested in the cntcrjirise, and, in 
 1<S7(>, secured an Act of Incoiporation to estahlish a 
 ooi ijiany ft-r the purpose of opei.iting ilie mines. 
 1'his c(Un})any was t(» he i-alled 
 
 "The Si'kin(! 1Ii!>i> Minino Company," 
 
 aiul *:h act to incorporate it was j.assed hy the Gov- 
 ernor-in-Coiincil and Assend)ly of Xova Scotia on 
 the LSth day of April, 1870. The Act of Incorpora- 
 tion states that "the cajntal stock of the company 
 shall he four hundred thousand dollars, in shares of 
 not less than fifty <lollars each, which shall he per- 
 son.al property, transferable and assignable as such 
 bv assignment recorded in the books of the com- 
 pany : and the company shall have i)Ower to increase 
 their ca})ital stock to one million dollars by the issue 
 of new shares by a vote of a majority in interest of 
 the stockholders, but the company shall not go into 
 operation until twenty-five per cent, of the capital 
 
Spri}i(j},HI Col I an/ Disashr. 183 
 
 >tork slial] be actually paid iij., Tlie company may 
 
 uc 
 
 ■*t()('k 
 
 111 i»aymeiit of lands, mines, mil 
 
 iinir 
 
 lie (IccnuM 
 
 leases, or ri>rlits or other {.roperty on such terms as 
 the directors may deem hcst, and such stock sliall 
 1 lull paid up stock as it' paid in money, 
 'i'he company may also issue honds, hearinu- interest 
 payal.le within Canada or Knu'land, or the Tnited 
 States of Ami'rica, and if dci'iued expedient secure 
 the same hy luorfo-airc of tlu' property or franchises 
 «'f the comi.any, and dispose of the same in such 
 manner and at such [iricc as the dir^'ctors ma\Mlcem 
 hcst."" The 10th section of this Act states that it 
 '•shall cease and determine if etiicient work shall 
 t he constructed and contimied under it within 
 years from the date of its i)assin<r." Ilavino- 
 si'cured this Act of rncorjioiation, a company was 
 termed, and operations commenced at an earl v date; 
 hut owino- to lack of facilities to rei 
 
 no 
 
 two 
 
 nove the raised 
 
 CO 
 
 ;tl from the vicinity, it 
 
 w 
 
 as slow work, th 
 
 e coa 
 
 having: to he .-arted a l.-n-- distance thron<i-h tl 
 
 10 
 
 \\(>( 
 
 ><ls to Athol, .Salt Sprin_u-s, and other places. The 
 ivater portion of the coal raised was used i»v the 
 
 locomotives which were in operation ballastin^i^ the 
 Intercolonial liailway between Andierst and Truro. 
 Ihmever, much prospcctinjr was ])einf>: done bv John 
 Anderson and several other interested parties in the 
 
 
 i 
 
^H^'^ 
 
 ^^^ffi 
 
 ^^U ■ ^ 
 
 H , ; 
 
 ■i 
 
 ^m , ' 
 
 1 i 
 
 1 if 
 
 184 
 
 Sl>l''lii//"lf Cnlltcfil I)iS(lst( r. 
 
 coal ai'i'iis ot' Siiriiiirliill. Saiiiplcs ot" tlir coaU were 
 sfiit to various places, tested, aiul proiiomiced " tirst- 
 class "' Ity all w lio had used tliein. Sjiriiiirliill soon 
 lu'caiiic a Jitiiiscliold woi'd. ('a|iitalists j^rasjied the 
 idea that there initrht hi' soiuetliiiiL; in it worth look- 
 iiii:; after. Works ln-arinij; ()i\ tlu' great coal tields of 
 Nova Scotia were scanned as never hefore, and 
 
 A " I)0()M " WAS Co.MMKNCEI) 
 
 un(h'r the leadership of E. X. Sharp, a stock hroker 
 of St. dohn, that soon resulte<l in the formation of 
 a coniitanv to huild a railwav from the mines to 
 I'arrshoro, and o])erate coal measures adjoinin<»; tlie 
 other company's property. 
 
 Mr. Sharp heini:; earnest, eloquent and good look- 
 ing, commanded ii liearing in all |>luces he visited. 
 Armed with his coal sam})les, snhscription list and 
 prospectus sheet, he was, it is said, a far more im- 
 posing |)ersonage than (Tcorge Washington, when 
 canvassing as a hook agt'ut for " IFow the American 
 Savage mav he Tamed hv the Wea])ons of Civiliza- 
 tion."" The following is an extract from Mr. Sharp's 
 l)rospectus : " In this coal tield have heen discovered 
 several seams of coal of excellent (juality ; among 
 which are a thirteen feet six inch seam, an eleven 
 feet three inch seam, and a six feet seam, and others 
 
 "I 
 
Sprimjh'dl Colin vj Di'^dsUr. 
 
 18-' 
 
 tVom four foot to four aud a half foot each in tliick- 
 itcroitH of soino of thoso soaius have 
 
 MOSS. 
 
 ^r 
 
 no on 
 
 alroady heon tracod for :i!«out ono inih' into the 
 company's aroa, and proliahly oxtond at loast an- 
 othor mih'. In an adjoiniiii; aroa aro the collieries 
 which have lately hcon opened on the eleven feet 
 
 throe inch soani, testing; this seam of the _<,m)up to a 
 doi>th of tivo hundred foot. The Sprin.iiiiill coal 
 Held is situated near the centre ot the triauijular 
 C\)unty of Cumherland, ahout tuenty-seven miles 
 from the Harliorof Parrshoro, on the Hay of Fundy, 
 to which it is proposedto construct a railway." 
 
 Duriiiiz: the time that Mr. ^liarp was talking up 
 the enterprise in St. John the " "uissing link '' of the 
 Intercolonial Kailw;>y hotwoen .Vndierst and Truro 
 was Itoing completed. A connectitig line from the 
 mines to the Intercolonial Junction was also under 
 consideration. This line \ as built hy the Springhill 
 Mining Company immediately afterwards. 
 
 The lirst passenger train from St. John to Hali- 
 fax was run on the 17th X()veml)er, 1872, and the 
 first car load of coal that left Springhill mines by 
 rail was taken to the Junction in the fall of 1873 by 
 Mr. lluirh Tait, eni2:ino driver on the Intercolonial. 
 
 Ownng to the exertions of Mr. Sharp and others 
 many of the shares of the Springhill Mining Com- 
 
» 
 
 \ 
 
 ^*iM", 
 
 
 W: 
 
 ^^J^ 
 
w 
 
 ^^^ ^ '^'\^ 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-S) 
 
 // 
 
 
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 ^ 
 
 
 V ^^^ 
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 f/^ 
 
 f/- 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.25 
 
 !^ "^ IIIIIM 
 
 ^ "^ IIIIIM 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.6 
 
 ^^^ 
 
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 Sf 
 
 7/w 
 
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 PhotogTdphic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 33 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, NY. I45B0 
 
 (7K' ) 872-4503 
 
 iV 
 
 iV 
 
 Ln7 
 
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 V 
 
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 ll 
 
 186 
 
 SprwfihiU Collie, -ij Disaster. 
 
 pany were purchased by a large uunil^er of capi- 
 talista, chiefly composed of St. John merchants. 
 Some amendments to the Act of Incorporation were 
 passed the 7th of May, 1874. 
 
 The by-Laws of this company record tliat the 
 officers of tho company shall be live directors, of 
 whom one shall be presid.Mit, a treasurer, and a 
 secretary. The treasurer shall ^^ive bonds and other 
 securiiies satisfactory to the directors, for a sum not 
 less than ten thousand dollars. He " shall have the 
 custody of M valuable j.apers and documents of 
 the company, 8u])ject at all times to the inspection 
 and control of the directors, and shall make his 
 cash deposits in the Bank of Xew Brunswick, or 
 such other bank as tlie directors may appoint, as'the 
 money is received, ajid his book account shall be 
 kept in the name of the company, and all cheques 
 to draw the same shall be signed by the president or 
 two directors, and countersigned by the treasurer." 
 The by-laws also state " The corporate seal of the 
 company shall be a circle l)earing the name of the 
 company and the year 1872, of which seal the 
 treasurer shall have the custody." It is also 
 recorded in these by-laws that "The office for 
 conducting the general affiurs of the company shall 
 be located in St. John, X. B., or such other place as 
 
Spriughill CoUimj Disaster. 
 
 187 
 
 tlie directors may hereafter appoint, with the consent 
 of two-thirds of the stockholders represented at a 
 (special meeting called for the purpose." Alex. 
 Macfarlane, of Wallace, N. S., was president, and 
 William E. Vroom, of St. John, treasurer. Among 
 the largest stockholders in this company were Alex. 
 Macfarlane, Magee Bros., James L. Dunn, Sanford 
 Fleming, EdM'in Frost, R. B. Dickey, Hall & Fair- 
 weather, J. & W. F. Harrison, George McLeod, John 
 W. Xicholson, W . J. Ritchie, Robert Reed, Charles 
 J. Stewart, George F. Smith, R. P. & W. F. Starr, 
 AV. W. Turnhull, John F. Taylor, William L. 
 Black, J. r. G. Burpee and Charles Merritt. These 
 trentlemen owned from one hundred to nearly one 
 thousand shares each. 
 
 An Act of Incorporation was secured in 1872 by 
 Messrs. John Taylor, John D. Thompson, George 
 Ilibbard and John T. Wilde to form the other com- 
 pany Mr. Sharp had worked up, knowTi as the 
 
 " Springhill and Pakrsboro Coal and Railway 
 Company, Limited," 
 
 with a capital of $1,000,000, with power to increase 
 to $5,000,000, in shares of $100 each. 
 
 This company was organized in 1873, with the 
 following Directors: Robert Reed, John Taylor, 
 
188 
 
 II 
 
 li 
 
 ?■«'• 
 
 I 
 
 SprimjfdU OdUery Disaster. 
 
 George Hilibard, William Magee, George F. Smith, 
 Edwin X. Sharp, and Edwin Fisher. * Mr. Reed was 
 appointed President, Mr. Sharp, Secretary, nnd Mr. 
 Magee, Treasurer. James J. Kaye, Q. C, was also 
 appointed Solicitor. 
 
 Subsequently, Mr. Reed having sold his stock, 
 Mr. Edwin Fisher was appointed Tresident. 
 
 The first meeting of the company was held in 
 the Board of Trade Rooms, St. John, on the 16th 
 October, 1873, when a code of by-laws similiar to that 
 of the Sprmghill Mining Company was adopted. 
 
 The prospectus of this company states that it 
 "was incorporated for the purpose of building a rail- 
 way from the coal fields of Springhill to Parrsboro, 
 and for the i>urpose of developing certain coal pro^ 
 perties within and contiguous to the Springhill 
 district." 
 
 According to this prospectus the net profit the 
 first year was to be $9,000, and the second year, 
 137,000, "assuming that the coal supply be ready on' 
 the completion of the railway." The road was to 
 be a narrow-gauge line of two feet nine inches, of 
 easy construction, with a down grade nearlv the 
 whole length from the mines at Springhill,^ five 
 Hundred feet above the sea level, to the port of 
 Parrsboro. Tlie estimated cost of tlu road was 
 ^280,000, with an extra $120,000 to construct a 
 
Sprmgh'dl Colliery Disaster. 
 
 189 
 
 -wet dock," which was considered indispensable 
 tor a large traffic. 
 
 It is also recorded in this document that " The 
 company have acquired by purchase, and now hold, 
 under lease from the Government of j^ova Scotia, 
 three square miles of the richest coal deposits in the 
 Springhill coal district, Cumberland County, i^ova 
 Scotia, and four hundred and thirty acres of land, 
 in fee simple, situate most advantageous for pur- 
 poses of opening and working collieries on the 
 company's mir ' ■ g area, and capable of supplying 
 the timber required for the mine." It moreover 
 states that this company, by Act of the Legislature 
 of Nova Scotia, had been granted a subsidy towards 
 the construction of the railway, amountinf^ to five 
 thousand dollars a mile, and also ten thousand acres 
 of timber lands. 
 
 Such in'lucements to speculators being irresist- 
 il)le, many arranged for shares in both companies. 
 Preparations were made to work the collieries on a 
 large scale, and the mines, to be operated by exten- 
 sive machinery at Springhill, were formally opened 
 with a grand jubilee held in the vicinity, June, 
 1873. Many excursionists from St. John and other 
 places met at the mines to ^^elebrate the great event, 
 which introduced a new state of aftairs at the mines. 
 
 . > i' 
 
II 
 
 r: 
 
 It 
 
 100 
 
 Si>rh}fiMU (hWcrii Disaster. 
 
 The Essential IIistoby of Sprinoiiill 
 
 justly commenced at this date. A few days pre- 
 vious to the Jubilee, Mr. Hall, who was to mana"-e 
 the collieries for the " Springhill Mining Company," 
 had arrived at the mines, and was looked upon as 
 one who would soon infu^^e new life into the work- 
 ings. Mr. Hall is a native of Durham, England 
 He started in life as a trapper in an English colliery. 
 When a young man he came to America, thirty- 
 eight years ago, and worked his way without friends 
 or influence. He came to Springhill from the 
 Albion Mines, Pictou County, on the 20th May, 
 1873, to act as manager of the Springhill Collieries. 
 Previous to this date, Mr. Hall was underground 
 manager of the Albion Mines. As a colliery man- 
 ager Mr. Hall was most successful. He resigned 
 the position which he had held for nearly seventeen 
 years on the first of A^ril, 1890. He is now Mayor 
 of Springhill, is largely interested in real estate of 
 the place, and takes an active interest in all matters 
 pertaining to the welfare of the town. 
 
 At the time Mr. Hall came to Springhill the 
 place was a dense forest, with the exception of a few- 
 small clearings in the neighborhood, which had 
 been made by some settlers who had come to the 
 vicinity some thirty years before. These settlers 
 
WILLIAM HALL, 
 
 Mayor of Springhill at time of Colliery Dinaster, 
 
 and for seventeen years Manager of the 
 
 Springhill Collieries. 
 
 \ 
 
 li 
 
 U 
 
 1 
 
SpringhUl Colliery Disaskr. 
 
 193 
 
 included Nathan Gilroy, Barney (^ilroy, Tliomas 
 L^dsworth, Lodewick Hunter, and Wm. Simpson. 
 A good authority assures the writer that in 1871 
 there wen on.'y ^ivo Pinall houses and twenty inhabi- 
 tants in the whole region, and that Dr. Cove, who 
 then resided at River Philip, was the physician to 
 these pe0| le. 
 
 Immediately after operations commenced undsr 
 the maiiagement of Mr. Hall, two rows of double 
 tenement houses were built for the use of the men 
 operating the minc!^. The following year another 
 block was built, making iu all accommodation for 
 forty families. 
 
 An oflice for the use of the cashier, Mr. John 
 Cooper, was also erected in 1873. The following 
 year the place coi'ained five stores, one church, one 
 hotel, seven sav^ mills, and had a population of two 
 hundred. 
 
 In 1873 the West Slope was sunk to a depth of 
 400 feet. The East Slope was also sunk in the same 
 year, and the following to a depth of 800 feet, which 
 formed the first lift of this mine. Work at the mines 
 was pushed forward ^\'ith vigor. The Springhill 
 Mining Company operated the mines, and the Spring- 
 hill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company built 
 the railroad, and had it so far constructed that the 
 
 N 
 
 m 
 
 \\\ 
 
 m 
 
 PI 
 
 
194 Sjn-myhtll Collier >/ Disaster. 
 
 First Shipment of Coal by Rail to Parrsboro 
 
 from tlie minert was nuide on the 15111 Miirch, 1877. 
 At tliat time, tho Intercolonial Railway being in 
 operation between St. John and Halifax, and a con- 
 necting line running past the mines to Parrsboro, a 
 bright future for Springhill was anticipated by many. 
 Some fancied they saw a city of Corinthian archi- 
 tecture rise on the summit of " an isthmnn washed 
 by two seas." 
 
 On op6nmg the railway to Parrsboro an exodus 
 to the mines from various parts of Nova Scotia com- 
 menced without delay. The forest rapidly disap- 
 peared, dwellings, churches, hotels, school houses 
 and public halls were constructed, and in a few years 
 Springhill appeared as a city set on a hill that cannot 
 be hid. 
 
 The First Church at Springhill 
 
 was built by the Methodists at what is known as 
 " Miller's Corner," on the Athol Road, and in the 
 same vicinity James Miller opened the first hotel in 
 the place. 
 
 The site of the present town is about one mile 
 east of where the hotel w^as constructed. The first 
 mining operations were conducted at Miller's Corner, 
 
SprhHjhiU Collier u Dtsastn: 
 
 195 
 
 ■H 
 
 I 
 
 whicli (loiibtless accounts for the ercttion of build- 
 
 iii.LTs ill that tliHtrict. 
 
 Tlie first drui,' ntore in the town was opened by 
 
 Dr. Cove, who was induced to remove from River 
 
 I'hilip in 1873. Dr. (^ovc was the only medica. 
 
 Tnan in the phice for ten years, until Dr. Byers came. 
 
 He and Dr. liycrs subse(piently anuilgamated as the 
 
 colliery doctors, and have ofJiciated toi,a>ther as such 
 
 up to the present time. 
 
 The first store at Springhill was kept by James 
 
 Hickman, in a neat frame buil(liii<r, erected in 1873. 
 Although Springhill had increased from its 
 
 origin, and the prospects for the future ifood, vet 
 
 the companies wlio commenced developing the 
 mines and constructing the railroad failed to realize 
 tlie hirge dividends on their invested capital tliey 
 luid anticii)ated. The expense connected .vith coal 
 mining on " a large scale," and operating a railroad, 
 was greater than many had contemplated. As to 
 the company connected with the railway, they found 
 that rolling stock was expensive and the "adjoining" 
 coal measures were difficult to develop. Owing to 
 small profits on the outlay, some of the stockholders 
 got dissatisfied, and after working the collieries for 
 ton years, sold out their claims to a company of 
 Montreal capitalists, and retired from coal minino- 
 ^^peculations. 
 

 196 
 
 i<pri)i(/hill CoUkry Disaster, 
 
 The amount rejil-ztMl for the niinoH of the Sprini;- 
 hill Mining Coniitany, and railway from the mines 
 to the Junction, in the inter nt of Htockhohlers, wan 
 $801,250. Thin niim wa** paid on the 2nd January, 
 1884, to Mr, AVnu E. Vroom, of St. .lohn, secretary 
 and trcaHurer of the company. McHwrs. R. U. Leckio, 
 present manager of tlie L ndon«lerry Iron Works, 
 and the late William Ileadh-y, who was numaging 
 Dun, Wiman k Co.'s Commercial Agency in Halifax, 
 negotiated for the Montreal capitalists, and conducted 
 the transfer of the mines from the Springhill Mining 
 Company to the Montreal Company. 
 
 The Springhill and Parrshoro Coal and Railway 
 Company transferred their interests to the Montreal 
 Company also for a considerahle less sum than the 
 Mining Company received for their claim. 
 
 The Montreal capitalists commenced operations 
 under favorable circumstances. New machinery 
 was introduced and the work pushed forward with 
 avidity. Capital was invested without stint. This 
 company organized under the name of the 
 
 Cumberland Railway and Coal Company. 
 
 The present officers of the Company are: John 
 McDougall, of the Montreal Witness, President; J. 
 R. Cowans, General Manager; H. R. Drummond, 
 Secretary, and R. H. Cooper, Cashier. 
 
Sprint/ hi// Coi/ierji Disaster. 
 
 197 
 
 
 I i 
 
 After this compatiy took {K)SHeHnion of the iDines 
 ail extra vein of life und hope was infused into the 
 place. New and eidarf^ed stores were erected in 
 the town. In some cases the low cahin ijave place 
 to a stately mansion. Small ehnrchcf^ were enlarged, 
 and new ones, with l)elfries, constructed. 
 
 In 1885-07 the Syndicate Slope was sunk on 
 the north :4eam, to a deptli of 2,800 feet, for 
 the p»iri.»>se of prospecting. Tliis- pit was ahan- 
 doned in 1888. owing to a tire which liad broken 
 out, although successfully extinguished. Tlie same 
 year that this pit was abandoned another slope, 
 known as the Aberdeen or No. 4 Slope, was sunk on 
 ilie West Slope seam to a depth of 1,200 feet. The 
 entrance to tliis mine is about three-quarters of a 
 mile to the east of the East Slope. 
 
 In 1887 the output of coal at the mines netted 
 489,252 toiis, and during the same year nearly 200 
 new buildiDgs were erected in the town. The num- 
 i)er of hands employed in 1887 at the collieries was 
 1,400, and the average monthly wages paid to the 
 men was $51,000. The enormous quantity of 2,400 
 boxes of coal, averaging three-quarters of a ton each, 
 was raised from the 1,300 foot levels of two of the 
 pits In one day during that year. 
 
 Owing to the progressive nature of affairs at this 
 
 I 
 

 n 
 
 5 ■! 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 198 
 
 Sprmr/hill CoUkrij Disaster. 
 
 time it was considered that the town should be in- 
 corporated. The matter was agitated, and an elec- 
 tion of the citizens to decide was held on the 31st 
 December, 1888. The majority in favor of incorpor- 
 ation was lifteen. The election for mayor and town 
 councillors was held May 2nd, 1889, and A. E. 
 Fraser was elected 
 
 The First Mayor of Springhill 
 
 by acclamation. The councillors were R. II. Cooper, 
 A. D. Ferguson, E. B. Paul, Charles Simpson, 
 Solomon Keiver, and Fred. F. Xoiles. 
 
 Mr. Fraser being the first chief magistrate of 
 Springhill, the writer has secured his portrait, and 
 collected a few ])iographical items to embody in this 
 conu'^ction. Mr. Fraser was born in Pictou County 
 over tifty years ago. He came to Springhill when 
 the mines were first opened, and ever since has taken 
 a dee}) interest in the progress of the town. He is 
 of Scottish ancestry, and Presbyterian faith. His 
 business career has been most successful. ^Ir. Fraser 
 was not only elected bv acclamation as tirst mayor 
 of Spririghill, but he was returned the second year 
 without opposition. Previous to incorporation of 
 the town, Mr. Fraser represented the district of 
 Springhill in the County Council. In 1885, he was 
 
ALEXANDER E. ERASER, 
 First Mayor of Springhill. 
 
SprmgldU Colliery Disaster. 
 
 201 
 
 appointed a Justice of the Peace. lie is an active 
 worker in all kinds of church work. 
 
 Mr. Hall, second Mayor of Springhill, was elected 
 February 23rd, 1891. His council is composed of 
 E. A. Porter, A. B. Ferguson, Simon Fraser, Charles 
 Simpson, E. B. Paul and Solomon Keiver. 
 
 The present inhabitants of Springhill number 
 about 6,000. ^Notwithstanding the late disaster tho 
 prospects of the place are hopeful and inspiring. 
 Although many who worked in the mines left after 
 the explosion, yet others have arrived to take their 
 places, and it is evident that the town must continue 
 to increase for many years to come. The '3oal fields 
 in the vicinity being computed at 56,000,000 tons, 
 and the place being centrally located between Minas 
 Basin and !N^ortliumberland Strait, with railway 
 extension to each port, and a large surrounding 
 country adapted for farming purposes, it has an 
 advantage over many other flourishing inland towns. 
 
 The SpRiNGriLL Mines 
 
 were never in so good condition for large output 
 of coal than now. New engine houses for hoist- 
 ing engines have lately been built at East and 
 West Slopes. Two new dams, ipable of hold- 
 ing 2,893,000 gallons of water, have been con- 
 
 'P'iliil 
 
 :^liiiiifi 
 
 iti' 1 
 
202 
 
 SprinfjhUl Colliery Disaster. 
 
 • \ 
 
 structed, increasing the reservoir accommodation 
 of the collieries to a capacity of 4,289,500 gallons. 
 The travelling slope of the West Mine has been tim- 
 bered from the surface to the 800 foot level, and the 
 main and pump slopes of the same mine have been 
 re-timbered to the bottom level. The East Slope 
 has been re-timbered from surface to the 1,900 foot 
 level, ana another lift has been sunk from this level 
 600 feet, making the depth of East Slope 2,500 feet. 
 At the East, "West and North Slopes the capacity of 
 the airways have been increased to double their 
 former areas. A new fire-proof fan house has been 
 built at the N'orth Slope, and engine connected direct 
 with the fan. The bankheads have all been newly 
 stepped ai.d repaired for convenience of the men 
 getting on and oif riding rakes. A new foundation 
 h£.s been placed under the fan at the East Slope, and 
 the West Slope engine has been connected with fan. 
 The number of steam boilers operating the collieries 
 are now twenty-eight. Iron booms have been intro- 
 duced into airways and pipe heads. Two new 
 cupolas have been built. A number of mules in 
 connectiou-with the horses are now to work in the 
 mine. New riding rakes for lowering and hoisting 
 the men are in operation. New air chamber has 
 been put on the West Slope pump. A new air- 
 
Springhill (Mliery Disaster. 
 
 203 
 
 mometer has been supplied to each slope, and in the 
 fan houses have been placed thermometers, water- 
 gauges and barometers. Eight locomotives are in 
 operation, and everything in and about the mines 
 seems to indicate that an increase of business at no 
 distant day is intended. 
 
 The Coal Measures of SpRrNOHiLL 
 
 are illustrated by chart in another part of this book. 
 By looking at this chart it will be seen that these 
 coal measures contain ten seams of coal of various 
 thicknesses underlying each other, and separated by 
 intervening strata averaging from thirty to three 
 hundred feet in thickness, and all dipping to the 
 north-west at an angle of thirty-five degrees. This 
 chart has been prepared with great care, and is as 
 accurate a representation of the coal seams in the 
 vicinity ot Springhill as can at present be produced. 
 By looking at the chart the relative positions of the 
 East and West Slopes show how they are connected 
 by tunnel, and the place in the East Slope where the 
 explosion occurred. 
 
 In Educational Matters 
 
 Springhill is api>arently unequalled by any other 
 coal mining district of its size. About one dozen 
 
 n 
 
 mW\ 
 
 II 
 
204 
 
 Sprwf/hill Colliny Disastei', 
 
 well trained teachers are in the place, and during 
 the past three years $17,000 have been expended for 
 school houses. The last school building erected 
 cost $5,000, and was occupied for the first time on 
 Monday, May 4th, 1891. During the past winter 
 three night schools were largely attended by work- 
 ingmen. The Local Government has provided for 
 special courses of instruction to be imparted in 
 mining subjects to all who desire to qualify them- 
 selves for colliery officials. These instructions and 
 the night schools are free to all, as the government 
 remunerates the teachers. 
 
 An industrial school is about being established 
 in connection with the Church of England. An 
 American lady has donated $3,50(i to as.-ist in this 
 movement, and a suitable building will be erected 
 without delay. 
 
 In the town of Springhill there are five churches, 
 representing Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, 
 Catholics, and .^resbyterians. The Salvation Army 
 are at work constructing a large barrack in which 
 to hold their services. A Young Men's Christian 
 Association and a Women's Christian Temperance 
 Union are in active operation. Other societies of 
 all kinds are flourishing in the place. 
 
 The town has court house, jail, custom house, 
 
Sprmghill Colliery Dlsastei\ 
 
 205 
 
 hotels, and public halls with capacities for seating 
 large audiences. The jail is a luxury, howe/er, as 
 it is said one policeman on duty two hours a day is 
 able to keep the peace. 
 
 The Halifax Banking Company have a branch 
 in the town for the accommodation of traders. 
 The trades are all well represented in Springhill. 
 Mercantile establishments of all kinds are evidently 
 doing a fair business. 
 
 Among other establishments the town has news- 
 paper and job printing offices. The paper is called 
 The Springhill News. This paper has large adver- 
 tising patronage and good circulation, both of which 
 attest its popularity. It is issued Wednesdays and 
 Saturdays, and is evidently conducted with tact. 
 The editor is a popular young man of some ability 
 as a writer, but as his name does not appear in the 
 Neivs, it is adjudged better not to use it in this con- 
 nection. The portrait of the publisher will be seen 
 on the following page. 
 
 Among the attractions at Springhill is 
 
 A Handsome Park. 
 
 This park was donated by Managing Director R. G. 
 Leckie, previous to his leaving Springhill for Lon- 
 donderry, to the juveniles as a play ground. The 
 
 I 
 
 r 
 
 
 11 
 
 i& 
 
 >«iillf 
 
206 
 
 Spriughill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 i ! 
 
 field is on the dead level, and is fitted out with a 
 cinder track for racing, cricket crease, and plenty 
 of v^iher space for amusements. It is called the 
 " Amateur Athletic Association Grounds." 
 
 The water supply of Springhill is not what it 
 should be. The present water for family use is 
 obtained chiefly by rain-fall and boring. A good 
 supply of water, it is e-aid, could be brought from 
 adjacent lakes. The matter is being agitated, and 
 will no doubt soon result in something practical. 
 
 A new post ofiice of larger dimensions than the 
 present one is required to accommodate the increas- 
 ing mai. matter of the place. This will, doubtless, 
 be constructed in time by the government. 
 
 After carefiilly investigating the whole surround- 
 ings and connections of Springhill, the writer's opin- 
 ion is, that if the citizens are faithful to the trust the 
 Almighty has committed to their keeping, a bright 
 ftiture is in store for the place. 
 
 r 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 H. A. MCKNIGHT, 
 Publisher Springhill News. 
 
^'><■rl 
 
 i 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Extent of Nekjhborinu Coal Measires. 
 
 Tlio coal iicldB of Kovu Scotia, Prince Edward 
 Island and New Brunswick are estimated by the 
 best authorities as coverin<r an area of 18,000 square 
 miles, and formin^r one of the best bituminous coal 
 regions of earth. About one-half this territory is 
 given as including the Nova Scotiii coal measures 
 alone. The known profitable workings of these coal 
 measures was given by the Secretary of the Montreal 
 Board of Trade, in his report for the year 1872, aA 
 being about two thousand two hundred s(|uare miles, 
 the number of acres being one million four hundred 
 and eight thousand, and the contents of each acre 
 being estimated at thirty thousand tons, the total 
 available supply amounting to 42,240,000,000 tons. 
 Since that time prospecting has been going on, 
 and many new discoveries have been made, so that 
 it is not too much to say that the coal measures of 
 Nova Scotia are practically inexhaustible, and repre- 
 sent a heritage of mine wealth for coming pooterity 
 which, perhaps, no other portion of our globe, having 
 the same space of surface territory, can claim. A 
 ^ (209) 
 
 jSi 
 
210 
 
 Sprint I hill Collier II Disaster. 
 
 Is' ' 
 
 plumlity ot'liiri;o seuins uiKlerlyini^ ciuli other have 
 been tbiind of hito years in many i>hi('eH where it was 
 eonnidered twenty-tive years aifo small veins only 
 existed, siu-h as had been discovered at that time in 
 tlie Sprinijhill coal lueasnres. 
 
 The followin^^ extracts from reports of Wood- 
 house and Jetfcock, mining engineers of London and 
 Derby, England, in 1800, will supjiort this statement: 
 " The coal field which we have carefully exaniine<l, 
 and which is the subject of this report, is situated in 
 the County of Chnnberland, in the Province of Nova 
 Scotia. It is generally described as the " Springhill " 
 coal field, but in reality it is a part of the great 
 Cumberland coal field. The first, or upper, seam 
 we found to be a bed of remarkably good coal. * * 
 About 45 yf.rds below the main seam we proved 
 (by making a small shaft) another seam of about 
 three feet thick of good workable coal, having the 
 same dip and angle as the main seam. At a prol)- 
 able depth of 150 ^ . ^ ^lv?re appears to be a third 
 seam of good coal wbou'. vo feet .hick. This has 
 been partly worked, and proves to be very good." 
 
 Taking as a basis for the extent of other c kiI 
 fields in Xova Scotia, this report of two of the lead- 
 ing mining engineers of Great Britain, regarding 
 the extent of the "Springhill" coal measures, as 
 
 m 
 
Sprmf/hifl Collier)/ Disashr. 
 
 211 
 
 kiiowM to them twonty-tive years uifo, and comiiaring 
 it with the tacts which later investigation and 
 practical operationn h:ive revealed, it ".ill he seen 
 that the majority of accounts {>ni)lished in cyclo- 
 pedias and other standard pnhlications are anticpuited 
 and far from the truth. This is not to be wondered 
 at, as the coal regions in this province were not 
 developed a (piarter of a century ago as tliey now are. 
 Instead of three seams of coal at Sprikigliill, and on. 
 of them " three feet thick," and another ahcut " two 
 feet thick," there are actually taw seams now known 
 to exist, and the two and three foot seams are four 
 times the thickness stated in report. However tliese 
 old reports might have ser\ed the purposes for 
 which they were intended, it seems too ])ad that they 
 should be given to the world as a true estimate of 
 the extent of the great coal fields of the Maritime 
 Provinces of Canada. But what makes the matter 
 still worse is the fact tliat our children are taudit 
 to })elieve these reports as gospel truths. Were a 
 hoy attending any of our public schools in the 
 Dominion of Canada to-day, and asked tlie (juestion, 
 " How much coal is raised in Nova Scotia annually? " 
 if he answers according to the teachings of his 
 " ^^odern School Geography," he must say, " ^.bout 
 000,000 tons." This he is compelled to do, or lose 
 
 II 
 
 i 
 
 iili 
 
 ntiiiii 
 
 MUll 
 
212 
 
 SpriiKjhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 R 
 
 a mark for improperly answering the question of his 
 teacher. Again, studying the lesson on " Coal,'' 
 given in his " Koyal Reader Xo. 5," he is led to 
 believe that the lesson v. as written by a Birmingham 
 mechanic, who was not aware that coal had any 
 existence outside the British Isles. In face of these 
 notorious facts, it is high time that something should 
 be done in the wav of modernizing some of the 
 literature used in the education of our Canadian 
 juveniles at the present time. 
 
 The otHcial report of the actual 
 
 XovA Scotia Coal Sales in 1871 
 
 states that 596,419 tons were disposed of that year. 
 The total sales for 1881 are given al 1,085,014 tons, 
 and in 1890 the amount of coal raised was 1,984,001 
 tons, of which 1,780,111 tons were sol(l. It will be 
 seen bv these reiwrts that the tiijcures of Nova Scotia 
 coal productions given in the school geography are 
 based on the amount raised ta'enty years ago. It is 
 therefore not surprising that inany of our young 
 men have meagre ideas of the source of wer.itli 
 imbedded in the bowels of the earth at their own 
 doors, and leave for otiier climes to seek for fortunes 
 they might obtain at home, were they [)roperly 
 educated as to the real value of their native 
 heritaii:e. 
 
SpruufhiU Colli cry Disaster. 
 
 213 
 
 Coal lias evidently now become one of the 
 essential elements of modern civilization, and the 
 l.ro,£:res9 of the civilization of a country is at present 
 recorded by the amount of coal obtainable and 
 employed hy the iidiabitants in a given time. The 
 great coal tields of Xova Scotia and neighboring 
 provinces have, therefore, not only the element of 
 coal to insure the future greatness of this part of 
 the empire of which they form a part, but iron and 
 gold are in many places found in abundance, thus 
 combining three of the most essential elements ^o 
 tlie future greatness of any people. Add to this the 
 great Atlantic sea-l)oard, open at all seasons of the 
 year, and railway extension " from ocean to ocean," 
 for the transit of the products of the mines where 
 these elements . re discovered, and we have an assur- 
 ance that nothing but disloyalty to God, our Queen 
 and country, can hinder the future greatness of 
 these ^raritimc l^rovinces of Canada. Owing to the 
 sparse circulation of reliable literature l)earing on 
 t'ne coal measures of these provinces, few are aware 
 that (me of the largest bituminous coal seams in our 
 ^v<»rld is in Xova Scotia. The boasted '' mammoth 
 vrm " at Wilkesbarre, Pa., is given as measuring 
 ■^!a feet in thickness, but one of the "Albion Mines" 
 scaiiis at Stcilurion, Xova Scotia, is 37^ feet thick, 
 

 m 
 
 214 
 
 ^mnghill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 and the product of this seam is of excellent quality. 
 The writer had the honor of travelling many miles 
 throuo-h the underground workings of this colliery 
 o^■or twenty years ago, and the depth of the mine 
 excavation from roof to hottom was given at that 
 time as heing 39 feet. An idea of tlie enormous 
 quantity of coal inil)edded in such a mine as this 
 mav he formed hv the estimate that a thirty feet vein 
 vields twelve millions of tons to the scpiare mile. 
 Of course all the seams forming the coal lields of 
 Xova Scotia are not like the Alhion Mi-os seam, it 
 heing an exceptionally deep formation ; hut many of 
 them are from eight to twelve feet in thickness, and 
 a laro-e number of seams underlving each other in 
 some of the measures. 
 
 The Svdnev coal Held alone extends from Mire 
 Bav, on the east, to Cape Dauphin, on the west of 
 that portion of Cape Breton. This tract of country 
 covers an area of about 200 sc^uare miles. The 
 number of coal mines oi)ened in Cape Breton from 
 1858 to 1872 are given by good authority as Ijeiu;.'- 
 twenty-two. and their combined .'ontents were esti- 
 mated at about .SCO,000,000 of tons. 
 
 The Cumberland coal measures are also believed 
 to he verv extensive. Outside the Springhill section 
 the place has not thoroughly been expluretl. 
 
Sprin(jhUl Colliei-y Disaster. 
 The Joggins Coal Beds 
 
 215 
 
 
 are situated on tlie east side of the Chignecto Bay. 
 Th' in bed, called the Joggins seam, is about six 
 feet .„ thickness, dipping to the south at an angle of 
 eighteen degrees, and passing down into the beach, 
 and under the tide. IIow far the coal may extend 
 towards the shores of Xew Brunswick is a problem 
 yet to be solved, but the geological condition of the 
 strata along the shore indicate a continuance for 
 several miles at least. Some years ago a test hole, 
 with a diamond drill, was jtut doA.n about three- 
 fourths of a mile south of the outcrop})ing, which 
 penetrated the seam one thor.sand feet below the 
 surface. This seam has now 1,800 and 1,900 foot 
 levels. Extensive repairs are l)eing nuide tc enable 
 operations in the most scientitic manner, and a large 
 output is anticipated .t no distiiiit day. Several 
 other miiics have been opened in the same coal 
 Iteds, chietiy at Kiver llebert, under the names of the 
 ■•Victoria," "Lawrence," "Chignecto," '-Maccan," 
 " St. (leorge," "Xow York and Acadia," " Minudie," 
 " Styles," and some others. Much prospecting has 
 been done, and large (piantitit's of coals have been 
 mined with success, but tlie hoped for prosperity of 
 iiiaiiy jtroprietors of the Cumberland coal measures 
 lla^ lun as vet been fuHv realized. One disadvan- 
 
 P 
 
 f, i, 
 
 I 
 
216 
 
 SprmghiU Colliery Disaster, 
 
 !fl 
 
 ■"ige to a more successful operation of these mines 
 than has hitherto l)een reported as given by good 
 authority is, " The want of safe anchorage for ship- 
 ping, which can be protected only by expensive 
 piers and breakwaters." This shall, no doubt, be 
 accomplished in time. A railway is now in opera- 
 tion from the Intercolonial Junction to the Joggins, 
 and the present prospect is that at no distant day 
 coal measares in thi« ^egion will be fully developed, 
 and mining operations pushed forward with the best 
 results. ' 
 
 The mines in this district, being so closely con- 
 nected with the Springhill collieries, a historical 
 sketch of their discoveries and operations in con- 
 nection with the extent of each is given in the fol- 
 lowing part of this chapter. This historical material 
 has been collected with care, and the writer trusts 
 will be found authentic in every case. 
 
 The Joggins Mines. 
 
 I 
 
 About the year 1847, the General Mining Com- 
 pany of London, who at thr.t time monopolized 
 all the coal seams in Nova Scotia by right from the 
 Duke of York, who had obtained a grant of the 
 same from the Crown, was iptlled to work thi:^ 
 mine by reason of an agitation then in progress by 
 
Sprhif^hUl ColUer)/ Disaster. 
 
 217 
 
 a immber of gentlemen, George Young, brotner of 
 the lo+ Tiidge Young, of Halifax, being the leaaing 
 spirit "^he movement, to have their claims set 
 aside anJ the right of all minerals in the province 
 vested in the Government of Xova Scotia, which, 
 after a hard struggle, was accomplished. 
 
 At the time referred to, mining operations com- 
 menced under the management of Andrew Patrick, 
 one of the first miners who came out to the Albion 
 Mines from Scotland. A short time after tiie mines 
 had started, R. B. Boggs was engaged as store- 
 keeper and general superintendent, wharves were 
 built, log houses erected, some clearings in the 
 woods made, and, in a short time, the output of the 
 mine Avas from forty to sixty tons per day, the com- 
 pany's object being to satisfy the agitation, and at 
 the same time ship nothing that would affect the 
 sales from the Pictou and Sydney Mines, as from 
 these they were able to supply all demands, the work 
 was therefore not pushed forward with vigor. 
 
 The mine was opened from the level of the 
 wharf, and driven under the bank, w^hich is some 
 sixtv feet hiij;h. The coals wc-e taken from the 
 mine bv cars on a level to the vessels in the harbor, 
 which were anchored a few rods from the entrance 
 of the mine. The mine was self-drainins'for a num- 
 
 
 I 
 
< 
 
 
 I 
 
 i -' 
 
 i,|;! 
 
 ■ -- -"^ 
 
 \ tfi" 
 
 1 .^. 
 
 ^ tJ 
 
 i. ■ 
 
 
 1 l| 
 
 218 
 
 Spring fi ill CoUicrtj Disaster. 
 
 ber of years. A shaft was sunk about 200 yards 
 froi 1 the shore, connecting with the level, and from 
 which, after a short time, all the coal was raised to 
 the bank by horse power, and shipped by running 
 down the side of the shore bank on a self-actin<r 
 incline plane in cars to the wharves. 
 
 At this time the only access to the mine was by 
 water, or l)y a i>ath leading through the woods from 
 Kiver Ilebert, or around the shore. Previous to 
 the opening of the Joggins Mine by the General 
 Mining Company, two English miners, with their 
 families, had been residing in <"he place for a number 
 of years, raising and shipping a few small schooner 
 loads of the coal yearly to St. John, ^. B. 
 
 The place had also evidently l)een used as a fort 
 by the French or other soldiers, as cannon balls and 
 other fragments of warfare ^vore found imbedded in 
 the earth n(Mir the edge of the bank above the mine, 
 and there still remained earthworks co'istructed to 
 the height of three or four feet. 
 
 After the death of G. Young, through the per- 
 sistency of the late Judge ^'oung, Mx. Archibald 
 and others, an amicable settlement was arrived at 
 about the year 1854, part of which was that the 
 Alining Company (piit claim and cede all their right 
 and title of all minornls to the Govern.ment. except 
 
SpruigJuU Colliery Disaster. 
 
 219 
 
 four square miles at the Joggina, four square miles 
 at Springhill, four square miles at Pictou, and four 
 square miles at Sydney, Cape Breton. These claims- 
 they reramed as part consideration of yielding their 
 rights of the Crown. 
 
 This ended a monopoly that had driven out the 
 hest class of coal miners in the country, many of 
 whom returned and commenced operations again 
 with success. Between 1870 and 1872 the General 
 Mining Company sold out the Joggins property to a 
 company of St. John merchants. The late Alex, 
 Barnhill, of St. John, who was manager of the 
 company, divided the property Into two equal parts 
 in geographical extent, and formed a company on 
 each properly. 
 
 One part is underlaid with the Old Joggins ^ am, 
 which is 4| feet thick. Tlie other is known as the 
 " Hard Scrabble '' seam, which is 3| feet thick. This 
 mine is situated about half a mile north of the main 
 seam, and geologically underly it. Both of these 
 l»roperties include a numl)er of the smaller seams. 
 
 The company who operated the Hard Scrabljle 
 Mine, after spending a large amount of capital in 
 bi'.ilding up the necessary improvements for a large 
 output, and working the mine with apparent success 
 
 ■ r^i 
 
 I 
 
 iUi" it lUW J curs J CJUOCVl UpcrativiiOj cinvt l 
 
 »»-\/l +llil vtlltK^ 
 
 l.l.\. Ill 1 S.l\ 
 
220 
 
 Spritnjhill Ofllieri/ DisnsUr. 
 
 ^1 
 
 now clo.sed. Mr. Baruhill was manasrer of this 
 mine, and liis son, B. Barnliill, managed the Old 
 Joggins Mine, wliieh continued operations under the 
 underground management of Robert Red^iath. 
 
 About half a mile from the shore a slope was 
 driven from the surface in the coal down to and 
 beyond the old level. This slojjc was worl.ed by 
 steam power, and the deptli was increased from 
 time to time until last tall, when it had reached 
 1,900 fee.. The workings in this mine have all 
 been done on the bord and pillar principle. 
 
 A new slope, about a mile from the shore, wnth 
 increased appliances, was also sunk from time to 
 time, until it is now the depth of 1,900 feet. The 
 capacity of this mine is about live hundred tons per 
 day. The most easterly extent of the underground 
 workings is about one mile and three-fourths from 
 the shore. During the past few years new com- 
 panies have been formed, and the mine is now being 
 operated on a new principle, called the long wall 
 and waugh princi})le. 
 
 A railway was built from the Intercolonial to 
 the Joggins a few years ago. It was opened for 
 traffic in 1887. 
 
 The Victoria Mine 
 
 
 Maccan, who had returned from Maryland, X. S., 
 
Sprim/hlll CoUieri/ Disaster. 
 
 221 
 
 where he had heen engaged as minf» "nperiiitendent 
 for some time previouH to hin (hite. Mr. I'atriek's 
 amhition was, if possihle, to discover a new mine, 
 secure the right of opcratii g it, and make for him- 
 self an independent business. After exploring a 
 few months, lie was sucr :ssfal in discovering a seum 
 at River Hebert, commenced o[)eration8 and shipped 
 the tirst cargo of coal raised from tiiis mine to St. 
 John in September of the same year. 
 
 The Victoria scams are a continuation of the 
 old Joggins Mine, but considerably changed, the 
 angle of dip ii' creased, and the seam divided into 
 three distinct seams. One of these seams is two 
 i'o.et nine inches, another one foot nine inches, a 
 third two feet six inches. In 1859, Mr. Patrick 
 sunk a slojte one hundred and sixty feet deep, built 
 a wharf, tramway, and made other improvements 
 considered necessary to raise and ship from thirty 
 to forty tons of coal per day. That year he shipped 
 3,000 tons, the profits on which paid all expendi- 
 tures, including the purchase of one hundred and 
 fifty acres of land. Encouraged by such success, 
 ^Ir. Patrick was tempted to form a company, in- 
 cluding himself, Harris & Allan, James I. Fellows, 
 and others. Mr. Fellows moved to the mine as 
 store and book-keeper. A new slope, two ' andred 
 
222 
 
 Springhill CoUurtj Disaster. 
 
 ij 
 
 "i 
 
 '^1 
 
 i'l 
 
 1. fi 
 
 and sixty feet, was opened, steam jiower and other 
 requisites essential to an increase of business were 
 introduced after formation of tlie company, and the 
 business continued to grow. Contiictions with some 
 of the stockholders, however, prompted Mr. ratilck 
 to sell out his interest, and retire from the company 
 which he had been induced to orijjanize. After the 
 retirement of Mr. Patrick from the company his 
 place of management was taken by a Mr. Simmons, 
 an English gentleman, who, it is said, induced the 
 company io abandon the slope and sink a i)eriten- 
 dicular shaft down through the rock to the level 
 of the slope bottom. After the shaft ba-i been 
 opened, the company opei-'ted the mine onl^' a few 
 years longer, and then closed operations, which, as 
 yet, have not been resumed. 
 
 The Lawrence Mine 
 
 Company's operations were commenced some years 
 after the Victoria. This mine is sHuate about halt 
 a mile east from Victoria Wharf. The seams are 
 the same. Their works were along near the out- 
 cropping. This mine was self-draining, and was 
 manipulated from the north side of the Victoria \n-i)- 
 perty. The company was formed of Boston men 
 throua-h the instrumentalit\ of the late George 
 
 rl 
 
Springh'dl Cotlltn/ Disa.'^tcr. 
 
 223 
 
 lIe])ort and otherH. They spent c-onsidorahle capital 
 in wliarf buildint?, tramway, niinern' houses, etc. 
 They ship.ped coal for a few years, when their under- 
 •^round work, about half a mile in extent, were inter- 
 rupted by a fault dislocatini; or cutting: ott' the coal 
 altogether. It is not yet known wht'tlier the Joggins 
 seam extends any further east. Much time and 
 money have been spent, especially in Maccan dis- 
 trict, to trace it, but without avail. This mine is 
 now K jnl. 
 
 The Maxan Mine 
 
 was discovered and opened in the spring of 1861 by 
 Wm. Patrick. It is situated about one mile west of 
 Maccan River. The most northerly or underlying 
 seam is a continuance of the Hard Scrabble seam. 
 The top seam crops 460 feet south of the otlur, and 
 is two feet thick, and of superior (quality for domestic 
 use. This seam was not supposed to exist. These 
 seams lip at an angle of 30 degrees. The iirst year 
 of operation Mr. Patrick raised some coal for local 
 trade, and shipped a few cargoss from the two foot 
 seams. The following yaw he sold the mine ^ 
 llow^e & White, of Boston, and in June, 1863, a 
 company was formed of Boston men, called the 
 Maccan Comi>any. 
 
 inMltf 
 
 
 11 
 
224 
 
 Sjnitii/hill. Collier;/ DlmMcr. 
 
 After (lisposiiii^ ot" this iiiino .\ir. I'utrick c(»iii- 
 meiiced a slope on the Hard ^"c•rahhle hi'uiii, iiiteiidin<r 
 to wink 2,000 feet for a conteiiiplated hirj^*; hurtinesH, 
 tlieii connect ihe two foot seam by tunnelini^ at tlie 
 bottom, so that botli scams could be operated v/ith 
 the same plant, etc. However, these connections 
 were never made. The Maccan Company impo^'ted 
 experts and geoloii'ists from Xew York, who con- 
 bidered that the Hard Scrabble seam was on the 
 property, jut yet to be found. Owiiig to this matter, 
 plans of operations were changed. A temporary 
 shaft was sunk and slope extended to the depth of 
 ore- hundred and fortv feet on the small vein 
 
 This company built wliarves, tramways, miners' 
 houses, etc., and engaged a large number of men 
 working the mine and exploring under the geolo- 
 gist's directions. A steam tug was purchased in 
 Nfc.v York at a cost of about **15,000 to tow the 
 vessels in the river. The coal raised and shipped 
 was from 60 to 70 tons per day. Horse power was 
 used for two years or more, when preparations were 
 made for stea*n power, but before the machinery 
 was started ll.o \vhole business had collapsed. The 
 company, it is said, spent some S70,000 in reckless 
 expenditure. Since stopping operations the mine 
 was idle until a few years ago, when it w^as pur- 
 
Sprlvfihill Collln-ij DimsUr. 
 
 225 
 
 cliariod by T. ll. Sinith, of Amhcrsi, who i- now 
 oi)erutin^ the two foot seam, and raisiiiir about 
 twenty tons of coal <hiily. 
 
 The CuKiNECTo and St. (Jeorok Mines 
 were discovered in the sinnnier of 18(33 by William 
 Patrick. These were found to l)e tiie most dithcult 
 and costly njines to discover that ha<l been under- 
 take.!, they being thrown by faulting about half a 
 mile out of their supposed position. The St. George 
 seam was tajiped tirst about four miles east from 
 Maccan, and afterwards the Chignecto, the same 
 seam on the bank of a brooK v, . ich empties into 
 Maccan River, affording excellent facilities for rail- 
 way tc the river and wharves, which were built for 
 sliip]^ing purposes afterwards, three and a quarter 
 miles from <^he mine. These seams are a continu- 
 ation of Hard Scrabble and .^ther small seams above 
 it on the shore. By coming together hero they 
 form a seam thirteen feet in thickness, and dip at 
 :ni angle of forty-five degrees. Mr. Patrick sold 
 this property to John Babson and others, of Boston, 
 Avho divided the i)roperty and formed two com- 
 panies. Tlie Chignecto they wished to be pressed 
 forward as rapidly as possible. Owing to the 
 American Rebellion, coal was then selling in the 
 Eastern Slates at thirteen and fourteen dollars, 
 
 

 u 
 
 m 
 
 22»; 
 
 SprhujhiJI ColUtr/j Disaster 
 
 I 1 
 
 AiiU'riciin eurroiu'v, iter ton. Tli i»hiiit and ini- 
 provt'incnts tor Chignoeto cost al)ont 84r),000. Tlie 
 lirst sliiimicMii of coal was made in the tall of iSiU, 
 and tlic result ^»as so encoii raging that the follow- 
 inf vear al)out tifteen thousand tons were shipped 
 at a heavy loss, as the rehellion was ended and coal 
 soon fell in }>rice to live and six dollars per ton, 
 Aniorican i)aper, which Avas only worth sixty cents 
 gold on the dollar, and a duty of SI. 50 gold on 
 the coal was imposed. 
 
 As all shipping could only he continued through 
 the summer at such low pri( 's, the coal had to 
 be stored for winter sales. When returns were 
 all in, the ompany found that, after paying 
 freight, commissions, storage, duly, discounts, etc., 
 they had only twelve cents per ton left for mining 
 and delivery of coal on hoard of vessels. The 
 actual loss was ahout SI. 25 per ton on all coal 
 shipped to the States. This same condition of 
 thinfT^s affected all the other Xova Scotia coal 
 <lealers fiien shipping to the States in a similar way. 
 The works on St. George in the meantime had 
 progressed to the extent of slope finished houses, 
 railwav connection with C'hignecto Koad Junction, 
 ahout one mile and a half below St. George, and 
 three-quarters of a mile below Chignecto. T rails 
 from 22 to 24 tbs. per yard, imported from Kng- 
 
 [;i 
 
 ,: i 
 
Sprim/hHI Cofflcn/ Bisasftr. 
 
 227 
 
 land, were used on both. Mine cms, etc,, were 
 }>roeured. ?]xpenditure, about rS_o,000. 
 
 Tliere was l)ut a beuiiniin^ made t( ship from 
 at. George when frost closed navigation, and 
 mining operations closed at botli mines. How- 
 ever, the properties were cared for, and some 
 time aft r the two companiei^ amalgamated and 
 <'alled themselves the " Cumberland Coal Mininir 
 Company, ■■ but did nothing more, and sold out to 
 the Acadia Iron Comi)anj in 1881 for ^45,000. By 
 this time, the Intercolonial being in operation — 
 they never used the old tramway — took ui) the liirht 
 rails, laid heavy rails and gauge corresponding to 
 the Intercolonial from Chignecto Junction to Maccan 
 Station. They also secured a small locomotive, and 
 erected oiie of the most elaborate bank and hoistimr 
 ai»[)aratus in the Province, m connection with other 
 improvements, the whole costing, it is said, about 
 $75,000. A tire in the mine last year compelled the 
 owners to let it till with water. The official report 
 in reference to this Chignecto Mine for 1890 states : 
 
 "■ This mine worked on in the usual way until 
 July, when most of the men were dismissed. Some 
 nineteen or twenty were, however, retained prospect- 
 ing until late in the fall, when Mr. Frank Burrows, 
 Underground Manager, took these men and ])egan 
 taking out coal along the crop-out on the eastern 
 
228 
 
 Sprmcjhil.l Colliery Disaster. 
 
 tf 
 
 side of these works, and, as it can l)e got water-dry, 
 
 tlie idea is to keep these men employed for the 
 
 winter- months in readiness for prospecting in the 
 
 spring." 
 
 The Minudie Mine 
 
 was opened about the year 1866. John Anderson 
 and S. Smith opened this mine on lliver Hebert, 
 about one-tliird of a mile north of Victoria Mine. 
 After working the mine for some time they sold it 
 to the late George TTcbert and others, who formed 
 the Minudie Coal Company. They equipped the 
 mine for raising and shipping at considerable out- 
 lay. They shipped coal by water for a luimber of 
 years, but finally suspended operations, except what 
 they raised above water level for local consumption. 
 The seam of coal is about three feet nine inches in 
 thickness, of su[)erior quality, with about eighteen 
 inches to two feet of lire clay in the middle. Its 
 identity seems, with mauy, to be doubtful, but it is 
 supposed to be the Bale seam on ^be shore eidarged 
 here. The seam is opened on the west side of the 
 river opposite, but reduced somewhat in thickness, 
 and is owned by William Milner, of Sackville. It 
 is not being worked. There has been some coal 
 taken from it, hat never been fitted up to do any- 
 thing of importance. About twelve men were 
 
Sprinfjh'dl Otll'icrj Disaster. 229 
 
 employed operating it last fall, according to official 
 The Styles Mine 
 
 report. 
 
 is situate abont four miles east from Chignecto, and 
 is the most easterly development on this side of the 
 Basin. It is a continuance of Chignecto seam some- 
 what changed, hut not for the better— angle of dip in- 
 creased to forty-tive and tifty degrees. It was opened 
 in 1865 by John Robinson, of Tictou. It is owned 
 by James Hickman and others, of Amherst. There 
 has been consideral)le spent in test slopes, etc., but 
 no substantial operation^ were ever entered into. 
 Between St. George and the Styles n. nes, the heirs 
 of the late Sir Albert Smith, of Dorchester, and 
 Blyght, of IIillsl)oro, N. B., own a property, on 
 which is opened the same seam, but on which 
 • nothing more than a test slope, opened a few years 
 ago, has been attempted. 
 
 The Amherst Coal Mining Company's Mine 
 
 is situated about two miles east from River Ilebert, 
 and two miles w-^st from Maccan. This projierty 
 had ])een held, by right from the Government, by 
 Jiimes Hickman and others for many years; but 
 wluii their right expired Mr. Patrick secured a 
 lease, and with moderate expense developed three 
 seams. After sinking test slopes and pits he sold 
 
ii30 
 
 Sprbujhdl Collier (J Disaskr. 
 
 one-half interest in Halifax, and in time bought back 
 a quarter, thus holding three-fourths interest in the 
 T)roperty, and by the time the Joggins Railway was 
 open he had secured a market at remunerative 
 prices on board of cars at the mine for all the coal 
 he could raise. The mine plant, which cost $12,000, 
 was all complete, and operations were pushed for- 
 ward until November, 1887, when, during the night, 
 the whole place was destroyed by tire, and, having 
 no insurjMice on the property, Mr. Patrick was 
 unable to make the necessary repairs in order to 
 continue operations at this mine. 
 
 From this historical outline of the hitherto 
 career of coal n^ining in CuMiberland County, the 
 reader will be able to see that the experiences of 
 many who have engaged in developing the mines 
 in this section of Xova Scotia have been check- 
 ered, and some of them even romantic. 
 
 Notwithstanding so many failures to secure 
 colossal fortunes antici]nited by some coal mining 
 speculators in Cumberland, future explorations may 
 reveal something surpa >ing anything that has yet 
 been discovered. Geologists say an abundance of 
 coal is here iml>edded, and indications correspond, 
 but it will, no doubt, require time and capital to 
 
 .""CClllV 11. 
 

 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Coal and its History. 
 
 No more profitable or interesting^ study could be 
 engaged in than that of coal and its history. In 
 looking at so common an object as coal many might 
 think it impertinent to make any inquiry after it 
 further than where it might l)e purchased at the 
 lowest rates. But when we investigate its real pro- 
 perties and value, and candidly consider what our 
 world wcadd ]:>e to-day witnout its use, it becomes 
 at once i'.n object of our o-reatest admiration and 
 regard. 
 
 " Who can sum up the benefits we derive from 
 coal ? " savs a distincruished writer. " It warms and 
 lights our dwellings, cooks our food, illuminates our 
 streets ; coal develops and sustains the force which 
 propels the locomotive along the railway, and the 
 ship across the sea .; vrorks the printing press, wields 
 the hammer, lifts the weight, draws the load, moves 
 the machinery, grinds the corn, spins the cotton, 
 weaves the cloth, pum])s the mine, deepens the 
 river, covers the land with a network of railways, 
 forffes the electric wire. and. su-bniercfinor the ocean 
 
 ^ (231) 
 
 
 ^1 
 
 51 
 
282 
 
 Spvuir/hill Coflnri/ Di'^nster. 
 
 teloi!:nii)h, ' Will put a ijcirdle round ii])Oiit the earth 
 in forty niinnte?*.' Who shall set hounds to the 
 power of coal, iron, and steam? " 
 
 What is Coal? 
 
 AVas it made as it now is, or transformed from 
 anotlitr suhstance? If cluuiij^ed from what it was 
 to what it is, how has the change been effected; 
 and how came it into the places where we now tind 
 it ? are honest questions which every thinking mind 
 has a right to ask and use all lawful endeavors to 
 solve. Manv theories regardiuii; the mode of the 
 origin of coal have been set forth since its discovery 
 until the present time, })ut these theories have all 
 been, more or less, fraught with difficulties. The 
 great barrier in the way of universal acceptance of 
 any theory is, doubtless, owing to the fact that the 
 early history of our globe still remains one of the 
 great unsettled problems of geology. Although 
 Geikie and other renowned geological proiessors 
 come forward in their science i)riniers telling us 
 how the whole arrangement was executed, as if 
 they were eye-witnesses, yet many are slow to 
 believe what they cannot easily comprehend, and 
 the matter must necessarily remain in mystery to 
 some. 
 
 I I 
 
SprwfjhW CoUj'ct'i/ Disasftr. 
 
 233 
 
 All Irishman, oriving liis opinion of a coal seam, 
 would naturally s-ifjirest that a peat-bog had run 
 away and got into a worm-liole of the earth. 
 Among all the ideas advanced on the siihjeet, the 
 following is, perhaps. 
 
 The Most Generally Accepted Theory 
 
 set forth as to the mode of the origin and deposit 
 of coal : That the rank and luxurious vegetation 
 which is supposed to have prevailed during what 
 geologists call the carl)Oinferous age, grew and de- 
 cayed upon land but slightly raised above the sea ; 
 that by slow subsidence this thick layer of vegetable 
 matter sunk below the water, and became gradually 
 covered with sand, mud, and other mineral sedi- 
 ment, that then, l)y some slight upheaval of the sea 
 bottom, or other process, a land surtiice was once 
 more formed, and covered with a dense mass of 
 plants, which, in course of time, decayed, sank, and 
 became overlaid with silt and sand as before, thus 
 forming a second, third, fciirth or fifth strata, as the 
 case might ,/e, which, in due time, as a matter of 
 course, all became deposited in the earth. At length 
 these thick masses of stratified matter, when accu- 
 mulated, would produce great pressure, and this, 
 actmo" nloii.o' with chPTnicn! (^'br!i'i'^''p"^ would freatly 
 mineralize the vegetable lavers into coal. 
 
 i 
 
 f; 
 
 
 HI 
 
•2U 
 
 Spriinjh'dl OiUkrij D'.^x.ster. 
 
 Tliis tlioory seems plausible, and harmonizes with 
 the "(li[»" of a plurality of seams, sueh as is found at 
 Sr>rin<rhill ; but still there is a mv terv about it that 
 is hard to solve. So far as the product of the mine 
 is concerned, the evidence is overwhelming that 
 
 Coal is of Ve(;etaule Orkjin, 
 
 ap})arently once in a li(|uid state, and has connected 
 with it a history of intense interest, which is worthy 
 of occupying our sincere thoughts ; but through 
 what process of operation it has }>assed in forma- 
 tion, and how it ii:ot into some of the itlaces where 
 we now tind it, are apparently mysteries that may 
 never be solved. Scientitic research has undoubtedly 
 unfolded a world of mystery in connection with tiio 
 mine; l»ut greater developments shall, no doubt, yet 
 be nuule throuij:li i»ainstaking investigation. 
 
 In the study of geological science many years 
 ago, the question relating to the history of coal be- 
 came a prominent one. It was supposed at first that 
 coal was a mere mineral produ.'t, such a;- iron, gold, 
 silver, etc. But in due time the idea that it might 
 have had a vegetable origin dawned upon the minds 
 of some thoughtful men, and by thorough investiga- 
 tion the doctrine of the vcijetable origin of eoul was 
 established, and is now' sfenerallv accented bv the 
 
Sprirjhill CoUkr>/ DisasU 
 
 235 
 
 scientilic public. Eeorariling the process of forma- 
 tion and mode of deposit tliere must necessarily 
 remain some conjecture until convincing proof i* 
 brought to bear upon the subject, such as that fur- 
 nished in the case of the vegeta^'le origin theory. 
 
 In justification of the idea that coal was of mine- 
 ral product, one miglit say that at tirst sight it is 
 hard to believe that the hard, stony substance coal 
 should have anythii'g in common with wood, except 
 that they l)oth burn easily. It is only when suV)jected 
 to chemical examination, by means of a retort, that 
 they are found to yield similar products, and differ 
 chietlv in the amouiit of oxvgeu which Ccoli contain^ 
 and ia the aaller bulk into which, coal has been 
 compressed. 
 
 The Great Value of Coal over Wood 
 
 arises from its power of producing a great amount 
 of heat from a small bulk in a short space of time. 
 It is wonderful the amount of heat that a small por- 
 tion of coal, set in a good draught, will produce, and 
 it can be measured by the warmth it ^^ill ip.-part to 
 a kettle of cold water placed over it. 
 
 It is found that this heat is produced l>y the 
 burninof of the gases of the coal in the air of the 
 atmosphere, aujl l)v the capacity for retaining heat 
 
 
 11 
 
236 
 
 inipr'myh'dl Colliery DisasLr. 
 
 II fi 
 
 which the solid part of tlie cojil possesses. The 
 great heat (U'rived from coal (<ver wood is owing to 
 the extra amount of carhon contained in the coal. 
 
 According to l*rof. Ruscoe's MmiiKil mt C/>i'tiiistr>/^ 
 Vs'ood fibre contains a fraction over aj per cent, of 
 carbon and anthracite, or hard coal !)4 ]ter cent., and 
 soft or bituminous coal HH per ctut. The following 
 table by Ruscoe gives the chemical composition of 
 the several objects named in it, exclusive of the ash 
 left by combustion : 
 
 Wood Fibre, 
 Irish Turf, 
 Cologne Lignite, ... 
 Wigan Caunel, 
 Newcastle Hartley, 
 Welsh Anthracite, 
 
 It is also discovered that if a piece of coal were 
 placed in the bowl of a pipe covered with clay, and 
 placed in a tire with the stem of the pipe exposed, 
 some steam will come otf, and afterwards strong 
 smelling gas, which can be collected by allowing it 
 to bubble up through water into a vial full of water 
 turned upside down. After all the gas has escaped 
 from the coal, by examining the liowl of the pipe, 
 
 rti^h-n iiiofon/l nf flio nnnl will l^o •Fnniid t]in>j nrr^vincr 
 
 Hydrogen. 
 
 Carbon. 
 
 OxvRe. and 
 Nltrog'n. 
 
 5.25 
 
 52.65 
 
 42.10 
 
 5.88 
 
 60.02 
 
 34.10 
 
 5.25 
 
 66.96 
 
 27.76 
 
 5.85 
 
 85.81 
 
 8.34 
 
 5.61 
 
 88.42 
 
 5.97 
 
 3.88 
 
 "4.05 
 
 2.57 
 
JSpruh'/hill Collier y Disastrr. 
 
 237 
 
 that coiil eonsist.s ohietly of gas and coke, which, by 
 investigation, will he found of vegetable pro<luction. 
 
 TnL Whole Fami:.y of Coal 
 
 aiv. divided into two primary divisions; namely, 
 Anthracite and Bituminous. The former is known 
 as the hard coal and the latter is termed soft. There 
 are various degrees of quality of these coals, accord- 
 ing to their location and <leposit. The anthracite 
 coal is found in regions where the strata liave been 
 disturbed by *-olcanic eruptions, or subjected to heat 
 by local causes, and hence the great abundance of 
 carbon, and lack of the two gases, oxygen and 
 nitrogen, which form our atmosphere, these having 
 escaped by interruption. The lack of hydrogen, 
 which fornis the blazing property of the pit or bitu- 
 minous coal, which is dug from the mine far beneath 
 the surface, is owing to its being securely incased 
 in the rock strata, thus preserving its original gase& 
 to a ijieater degree. 
 
 "Whatever coal now ^s, it appears to the writer 
 that it once might have been of similar raaterial to 
 that comprising 
 
 The Peat-Bogs of Ireland. 
 In fact, there is such a similarity between peat and 
 
 11 
 
 111 
 
 II 
 
 •1 
 
 %ii 
 
 1 1 «!il 
 
 N«1 4-V.«^ + 
 
 k /.\ -t-O irfc-i 
 
 ll-iriY. ^TT-i4-T-» \\/ ^\\ lo Tr\ 
 
 A + 
 
 rwrtCkfi T/-» tTtno 
 
 \^■\i^l 
 
238 
 
 <pr'nuih>U Oilliii'i/ iJisosfrr. 
 
 m 
 
 that a ]K'i't-l)()<x i'^ a <'<»al iniiK' in t'liild'yo. On tlii< 
 point tlu' writer can sju-ak ironi i'Xpcrii-iico, lia\i'ii:- 
 
 Hpent a ^ lort tmu' m a coal ninu', and many y.-ars 
 in a peat-lioij. 
 
 Many may \'vv\ inrlined \o lau_i;li at tlii; i(k'a,l»m 
 those i^rand old ho<:;s of Erin aif as wonderful in 
 tlieir forfnation and variety of material as the most 
 renowned coal mines of earth. I'eat may he found 
 bearini; as mucli resemblance to coal as an Afri( :in 
 does to a ne<rro. ]*eat can also he found in the same 
 bog presenting the hue of an Indian, and in close 
 proximity another jtortion as [>ale faced and useless 
 as a modern novel reader of fashion- 
 Now, how ean we account for this? My obser- 
 vation is tl 't peat found at tlie bottom of the l»ed, 
 where it has long been subjected to heat and pres- 
 eure, is the peat resembling coal, and has a greater 
 or less likeness, according to the amount of heat and 
 pressure that has been brought to l)ear upon it ; 
 whilst that at the surface, ex}tosed to cold, a id hav- 
 ing had no pressure, is the light colored, and of little 
 value, portion. 
 
 Although this peat-bog theory may be r>couted 
 by many is a fancy of the l)rain, yet it bears the 
 etamp of reason, and is worthy of the deepest con- 
 sideration. Those who know anytliing a1)0ut what 
 
t>/riiii//iill Ciilli(r>/ Z)isti.>ifn'. 
 
 239 
 
 n pejit-1 )()_<; really is, in its vwAv state, are awure that 
 it is as natural tor its tloatiii<; j)()rti(>ii to deseeiul into 
 the interior of the earth, were an oi>eni:ig formed for 
 its csoa;>e, as a (lu( k to take to water. 
 
 The writer ean hear testiiiH.ny to a }»()rtion of 
 one of these old hoijs, which i^ot aHoat and eoidd not 
 find an underi^round channel, take its departure with 
 veloci} ede force across ■ country, overwhelming 
 everything: in its vourse, until it found a lodgment 
 in the River Main. Thi< wonderful hog was formerly 
 called " Slogon Moss," hut is now known a-; 
 
 " The Moving Buo." 
 
 The situation of this hog is in the County Antrim, 
 Ireland, a few n.'les north ot Lough Xeagh. The 
 rash movement v/f this hog took place in the fall 
 about the year 1883, and was considered by some as 
 one of " the seven wonders of the world," and 
 thousands noi only flocked from all parts of the 
 Pritish Isles to see its manoeuvres, but dates were 
 then lixed for future reference, and it was quite 
 common for a mother to tell the age of her son by 
 stating that he was born one, two, or three years 
 befc re or after '' the moving bog," as the case might 
 be. Did space permit, much might be stated a^ ut 
 this mysterious bog, a sample of which may now '-e 
 
Sprimjhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 forming into coal in some of the deep crevices of 
 the earth, into which it entered at the time of its 
 departure from its former site ; but enough has been 
 stated to show that the "peat-bog theory" is worthy 
 of more consideration than has yet been given to it 
 by geologists, many of whom have had no practical 
 knowledge of what a genuine peat-bog really is. 
 
 The American Cyclopedia, edited by Ripley and 
 Dana, referring to the "peat-bog theory," says: 
 The formation of peat is generally little known or 
 understood. Few works have been published on 
 the subject^ and as bogs are generally of difficult 
 and evei dangerous accesr>, they are rarely exam- 
 ined carelully enough to obtain full evidencje as to 
 the details of their formation. And furthermore, 
 this study demands a knowledge of botany and 
 chemistry rarely attainable by the student before 
 the years of his strength for field explorations are 
 passed." The same authority states : " Xot a single 
 case has been recorded in regard to the formation 
 of coal which cannot find its counterpart and its 
 explanation in some of the phenomena attending 
 the present forma+ion of peat." 
 
 Taking it for granted, therefore, that peat and 
 coal are of the same material, and that the former 
 requires only time and circumstances in order to 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 241 
 
 become coal such as we now find imbedded in the 
 mine, what a manifestation it gives us of the 
 wisdom, goodness, and foreknowledge of God, in 
 storing up this 
 
 Reserve of the Old Forest, 
 
 now to be dug up by man and used in his service as 
 fael, when the great forests, which have hitherto 
 been used for the same purpose, are rapidly disap- 
 pearing from the earth. 
 
 Although the secular scientist may not be able 
 to see anything farther than a development of 
 nature in this wonderful formation, the devout 
 Christian can trace the handiwork of the Almighty 
 therein, and feel assured that 
 
 " Deep in unfathomable mines 
 Of never failing skill, 
 He treasures up His bright designs, 
 And works His sovereign will." 
 
 It is man's duty and province to investigate, and 
 Chiistianity has nothing to fear from the most scru- 
 tinizing investigation of all God's works, but on the 
 contrary. " Seek and ye shall find, knock and it 
 shall be opened unto you," are the words of Jehovah, 
 and they apply, doubtless, as fully to the wonders 
 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 ^ i'S'l 
 
242 
 
 Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 of His material works as to the mysteries of His 
 revealed word. 
 
 Whether we are prepared to receive or reject the 
 vegetal )le theory set forth regarding the fcrmation 
 of coal, we cannot possibly deny that everything in 
 nature is subject to change. "VVe never see anything 
 that has always been exactly what it is when our 
 eyes rest upon it. It has, in every instance, once 
 been something from what it is now, and the attempt 
 to follow the changes it has undergone, and the 
 causes that produced those changes, could not fail to 
 produce a measure of interest in the mind of every 
 intelligent being. 
 
 If we accept it as a cardinal truth that man's body 
 was formed of earthly dust previous to its animation 
 by the breath of God, ^^'hy should we doubt that 
 coal was made by the same Almighty hand from 
 suitable material when we have the 
 
 Strongest Evidence Possible 
 
 that such is the case ? And although unable to 
 trace the diiferent stages through which coal as it is 
 now found must have passed, we should rest assured 
 that an all-wise ProN'idence, operating through natu- 
 ral causes, has produced this most wonderful sub- 
 stance of the mine. 
 
SpringhiU Collier)/ Disaster. 
 
 243 
 
 Our duty is, therefore, to receive this bountiful 
 gift of God with gratitude and reverence, and try to 
 realize its true value and beauty, however difficult it 
 may be to obtain, or however uncomely it maj 
 appear to be. And then, as we study the forces 
 which the Almighty has employed as His instru- 
 ments in developing this mysterious product of the 
 mine, our reverence will inevitably rise to Him who 
 is the source of all power, wisdom and goodness, and 
 who alone is able to control the most stubborn ele- 
 ments of nature, so that they might become subser- 
 vant to his infinite purpose and will. 
 
 The First Discovery of Coal 
 
 is not on record, nor is it known at what time it 
 began to be used as fuel. The word " coal " is often 
 mentioned in the Bible and other ancient books, but 
 Dr. Smith, in his Dictionary of the Bible, states that 
 the coal mentioned in the Scriptures represents no 
 less than five difterent Hebrew words, and that the 
 fire of coals referied to were " probable charcoal, 
 and not coal in our sense of the word." 
 
 However, some believe that the ancients had a 
 knowledge of its use, and to prove this idea a passage 
 from a treatise on stones by Theophrastus, a pupil 
 of Aristotle, and for many years the head of the 
 
 I 
 
 3' 
 
244 
 
 Spri7\ghm Collier}/ Disaster. 
 
 peripatetic school of philosophy, is quoted. This 
 record was dated about three hundred years before 
 the Christian Era, and states : 
 
 " Those substance that are called coals, and are 
 broken for use, are earthy, but they kindle and burn 
 like wooden coals. They are found in Liguria, 
 where there is amber, and in Elis, over the moun- 
 tains towards Glymphus. They are used by the 
 smiths." 
 
 Cinder heaps, found among ruins of the time of 
 the Roman supremacy in Britain, indicate that coal 
 had to some extent at least been used by the people 
 of that age, but history being silent on the subject, 
 we are left to conjecture. During the Anglo-Saxon 
 period, however, it is recorded that in that year 
 twelve cart-loads of "fossil coal," or "pit coal," 
 were received by the Abbey of Peterborough, in 
 England. 
 
 It is believed that England was the first Euro- 
 pean country in which coal was used to any extent, 
 and that coal began to be systematically mined in 
 Great Britain about 1180. In this year the Bishoj 
 of Durham granted several leases for mining " pit 
 coal." The coal of Belgium was also developed 
 about the same time, or during the twelfth century, 
 near Liege. 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 Coal was First Used in London, 
 
 245 
 
 it is believed, in 1240, but chiefly in the arts and 
 manufactures, and was soon considered an innova- 
 tion, injurious to health. In 1300 considerable 
 qua- <^'ties were made use of, and in 1316 the parlia- 
 ment petitioned the King, Edward II., to prohibit 
 its use in the City of London. In order to render 
 the prohibition efifectual, an act, it is said, was 
 passed "making it a capital ofl^ence to burn the 
 dreadful stuft'." 
 
 Notwithstanding this stern decree, the coal in- 
 dustry had commenced and was bound to flourish, 
 and, owing to the scarcity and high price of word, 
 the use of coal soon became general, and in due 
 time became one of the great sources of national 
 wealth. 
 
 Coal yas Mined in Scotland, 
 
 it is said, in the twelfth century and in Germany a 
 hundred years afterwards, au the Chinese are 
 believed to have been familiar with its use at that 
 time. 
 
 Owing to a similar prejudice against coal in 
 Paris to that in London, its use in that city as a 
 household fuel amounted to little until the middle 
 
 t iiil w 
 
 m 
 
 ^M 
 
 W 
 
 r^f +V,/ 
 
 ,4-V. 
 
 u T"!.: 
 
 
 lilt LU 
 
246 
 
 SprwghiU CoW'eri/ Disaster, 
 
 of its introduction into Wales, Belgium, and other 
 European countries." 
 
 The First Coal Discovery in America 
 
 was made in 1679 by a French explorer named 
 Father Ilennapin, near the present town of Ottawa, 
 Illinois. It is supposed that coal was discovered 
 and mined near Richmond, in the State of Virginia, 
 as early as 1750, " but by whom and under what 
 circumstances the discovery was made we have only 
 tradition to inform us." It is said that a small bo}', 
 searching for crowiish with which to bait his hook, 
 chanced to stumble upon the outcrop of a coal-bed 
 which crosses the James River about twelve miles 
 above Richmond. After this discovery was made 
 known, further examination disclosed a field of rich 
 bituminous coal, covering an area of about one 
 hundred and eighty square miles. Alining opera- 
 tions were immediately commenced, and by the 
 year 1775 the coul was in general use in the vicinity 
 for domestic and • iiithing purposes. It is asserted 
 that the cannon balls which were used to kill the 
 English, during the war for independence, were 
 manufactured by the use of this coal, and that, l»y 
 1789, it was l)eing shipped to Boston, New York, 
 
 iliiu iiiiicld^ipiiUl. 
 
SprinfjhiU CoUkry Disaster. 
 
 247 
 
 The systematical mining of coal, it is said, com- 
 menced in the regions of the Susquehanna River 
 and Pennsylvania about the year 1785. A lease, 
 yet in existence, dated April 11, 1767, making a 
 grant of land on "Coai Pit Creek" (now Pittsburg), 
 states that there vrere coal openings there at that 
 date. But the lirst coal sent from Pittsburg to an 
 eastern market was shipped to Philadeli)hia in 1803. 
 It was carried by a vessel of three hundred and 
 iifty tons burden, called the " Louisiana," and was 
 sold for thirty-seven and a half cents per bushel. 
 
 From this time the mining of bituminous coal 
 in various pjirts of the country was carried on with 
 vio;or and success. But what constitutes the 
 
 -l:| 
 
 Greatest Event in the History of Coal 
 
 was the discovery of the " Stone Coal," or Anthra- 
 cite, in the Valley of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, in the 
 year 1762. Tins valley was settled in that year by 
 enterprising Yankees from Connecticut, who made 
 the discovery immediately after reaching the valley. 
 But, alas I these never before defeated " Yankee 
 settlers" could not make their coal burn. They 
 tried it again and again, but repeated trials met with 
 repea+ed failures. A blacksmith, named Obadiah 
 vrore, was anioiig tnem, hou'ever, and his faith iu 
 
 :<ii|r: 
 
248 
 
 Spr'wghill CoUkru Disaster. 
 
 the iniiieral \\',\t>> iiiulying. After pondering over 
 the matter for seven years, in 17«)9 this blaeksmith 
 took a (juantity of tliese coals to his sliop, arranged 
 them in his forge, and persevered m trying to kindle 
 them, until fiiudly the black lumps yielded to his 
 persistency, and his efforts were rewarded by seeing 
 the blue flame dart forth and the red color creep 
 over them, and of feeling the intense heat sent out 
 of tlieir combustion by the strong air-current sent 
 through them by the bellows. 
 
 As this' Yankee blacksmith was the first white 
 man to practically demonstrate the value of hard 
 coal as a fuel, he was rewarded by an appointment 
 as one of the associate judges of the courts of 
 Luzerne County. 
 
 The FaxMe of the New Fuel 
 
 spread like wildfire, and in a short time every 
 smithy in the surrounding region were ablaze with 
 anthracite. Xotwithstanding all the " puffing " it got 
 in the neighborhood of its discovery, it was looked 
 upon by outsiders with suspicion as a " Yankee 
 humbug." 
 
 The same kind of fuel was soon afterwards dis- 
 covered in other parts of the state, chiefly by the 
 accident of some hunter cominar in contact with its 
 
Sprlvghlll ColUcru Disaster. 
 
 249 
 
 outcrop; but it was not until twenty-six years after 
 Obadiah Gore's experiments that it was burned to 
 any extent with success. All the Yankee schemes 
 that coulu l)e invented to make it burn i»^ grates 
 were tried to no ^ .pose. Among other inventions 
 " it was proposed to force air through a tube to the 
 under part of the grate by means of clock-work 
 operated by a weight or spring." But all efforts 
 made to burn the " stone coal " proved miserable 
 failures. As late as 1812 one named Colonel Shoe- 
 maker raised several wagon loads of coal in the 
 Schuvlkill roi-ion, which he took to I'hiladelphia, 
 and sounded its praises so highly that he disposed of 
 a few small riuantities for trial. The trial, as usual, 
 proved to be unsuccessful, and the peoytle who had 
 purchased the coals, believing they had been vic- 
 timized, denounced the colonel as a cheat and a 
 swindler, while one person, whose wrath rose to a 
 high pitch, procured a warrant for the colonel's 
 arrest on the charge that he was a " common im- 
 postor." The colonel, hearing of the grumbling 
 about his coal, left the city with all haste and drove, 
 it is said, thirty miles out of his way to escape the 
 terrors of the law. This was only one experience 
 among many of those who at first attempted to 
 introduce anthracite as a fuel. However, the diffi- 
 
 ,'m ■ 
 
 liil 
 
 t yi 
 
 ,ii 
 
 f ' i:ff: 
 
250 
 
 Spritxjhill ColUery DimsUr. 
 
 culty to make the " stone coal " burn was overcome 
 after a dreadful effort made in 1814 by tlie firm of 
 Wliite k Hazard, iron wire maftufaeturers, at Selniyl- 
 kill Falls. 
 
 Ilavino; decided to test the qualities of the anthra- 
 cite they bought a cart load of it, payinti; one dollar 
 a br-diel, and commenced ojierations to get a tire 
 started with it in their furnace. In time the entire 
 load was wasted, ])ut the tire did not burn. Another 
 load was i>rocured, and the whole crew determined 
 to spend tlie night, if noed be, in getting up a tire. 
 The night was spen.t in the attempt, but in vain. 
 They had punclKnl, and raked, and poked, and after 
 every possible attempt of manii>ulation had failed, 
 the men, being disgusted and discouraged, shammed 
 the furnace doors and left the mill in despair. About 
 an hour afterwards one of the men returned and 
 discovered that the furnace door was red-hot, and 
 in great surprise he Hung the door open and found 
 the interior glowing with intense heat. All hands 
 were soon to work, and it was soon evident tliat tlie 
 way to get a good tire from the " stone coal " was 
 merely to start it properly with wood and then let it 
 alone. This discovery was the great starthig point 
 to the general use of the celebrated anthracite coal 
 on this continent. 
 
' i] 
 
 Spritu/hill CoViery Disaster. 
 The First Coal Mixino in Canada, 
 
 251 
 
 so far as the writer has been able to ascortaiis was 
 made on tbe north side of Cow Bay, Cai»e Breton, 
 in 1720, and tlie eoals wer" used to supply the 
 workmen who were then Uiy.'ig the great fortress 
 of Louisburg, which the French erected on the 
 south-east shore of the ishir.d at a cost of 30,000,000 
 
 livres. 
 
 Three years after Enghind had tA-r^n possession 
 
 of the ishind, in 17t;«), Peter Bard, William Lloyd, 
 Benjamin Gerrish and James Armstrong, merchants 
 of Halifax, opened a mine at Sydney, paying four 
 hundred pounds sterling for the privilege of raising 
 three thousand chaldrons of coal, and were com- 
 pelled by their contract to send half the quantity 
 mined to Halifax, and dispose of it at twenty-six 
 shillings sterling per chaldron. 
 
 The next record of coal mining in Cape Breton 
 was in 1784, by Lieutenant-Col. Desbarres, who was 
 appointed Governor of the island that year. This 
 coal was disposed of at eleven shillings and sixpence 
 
 a ton. 
 
 In 1788, the Governor who succeeded Desbarres 
 recommended that the mines be leased to Thomas 
 Huxley. Huxley secured the lease, and the Gov- 
 ernor was paid three shiiliiigs and sixpence lor every 
 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 li: i:' I 
 
252 
 
 SpritujhiU Coflun/ Disaster. 
 
 ton of coal mined under tl' lease. Tlils royalty 
 was abolished in 1792 l>y the Seeretary ofState. 
 
 From this date mininu^ operations in Cape 
 Breton were contimu'd with inereasini,^ y<^'Ji"ly out- 
 put. The ({uantity raised from 1822 to lH2»j, 
 inelusive, was nearly 7,r)0() tons; and in 1872 it 
 had reaelied :388,843J tons, whieh were mined that 
 jear in the island. 
 
 First Coal Discovery ix Pictou County 
 
 Avas made by Rev. Dr. Me(Jre<ror, the p-ioneer 
 Presbyterian minister, who arrived at Halifax, from 
 Oreenoek, on the 11th July, 1780. Dr. MeGreijor 
 discovered the eoal on his own farm iu 1708, had a 
 fire of it burning to entertain iIr- candidates at the 
 election of 1799, and commenced mining operations 
 chiefly for his own use in 1801. 
 
 Other mines ii\ Pictou County were opened 
 during the next few years, and coal was raised iu 
 small (piantities until the year 1827, wlien an English 
 company, known as the 
 
 General Mining Association, 
 
 who had secured the right of working all mines iu 
 the province with the exception of a few old grants, 
 sent their agents, who arriv .i at l^ictou in June 
 
Spr'uujhill Collier)/ Disaskr. 
 
 255 
 
 of t.in*^ year, in a voh-^oI containing machinery, 
 milling implemcntri, collitTH, mechanics and engi- 
 neers. Tliis company commenced operations at the 
 E;i.-t River. Their first coal was raise-i on the 6th 
 September, and by tlie 7th December an engine of 
 twenty horse power was in full operation at what 
 was afterwards known as the "Albion Mines. 
 With this incident commenced coal mining opera- 
 tions in real earnest in various parts of Nova Scotia. 
 
 ( 
 
CH.NPTER XXII. 
 
 Mysteries of the Mine. 
 
 Those who have not been in a coal mine have 
 no idea of wliat mysterious sights are to be seen in 
 this gloomy ir"losure, notwithstanding tlie hazy 
 atmosphere and absence of daylight. The first tour 
 of anyone through a coal mine in active operation 
 cannot fail to be prolific of strange sightc and 
 sounds and of novel sensations, which shall not 
 soon b3 forgotten. To this the writer can testify, 
 having explored the r'^srions of the colli-'ries at 
 Springhlll and Stellarton, 
 
 Although the mysterious attractions of a coal- 
 pit a^o surpabsingly great, yet it is the last place 
 any one should think of visiting for the puioose of 
 
 " sight-seeing." 
 a coal mine, the 
 
 To those who have never been in 
 
 Sensations of Going Doavn the Entrv^c" 
 
 are vronderfully strange. After getting fairly started 
 on the downward grade, all fhe stories one has ever 
 heard abo'it the rope breaking; and other coal mine 
 disasters, seem to flash upon the mind, making the 
 (254) 
 
Springhill ColUcr>/ Disaster. 
 
 255 
 
 impression that you are probably going down to 
 stay. If you enter the jnir.e by a shafit, as the 
 writer did at Stellarton, the first momentous experi- 
 ence will be the descent on the cao;e. At this stasre 
 of the journey, although under the proteciing care 
 of a trusty guide, without whose presence you 
 would not be allowed to descend, your nervous sys- 
 tem fails t> rve the purpose f jr which it was made. 
 Having inquired the depth of the pit, as you set 
 your foot o:i the sr.it,' cy carriage a. the head of the 
 shaft, it swings slightl}', but enough io make you 
 realize that you stand on critical ground, there 
 being nothing but a few inches ">f board, suspended 
 by a rope, between you and the bottom of the mine, 
 which is fully one thousand feet in the distance 
 bek'W. Equipped with Sir Humphrey Davies' 
 safety lamp, when all is ready 3'our guide cries : 
 " Slack off! ^' The engineer, having ' jard the 
 signal, sets his machine in motion. The cage is 
 slightly raised, and then begins to descend at a 
 rapid rate. Your first sciisation is that of "^ailing. 
 It seems as if that on which you were stanciing has 
 gone from boieath yoir- feet, and you attempt to 
 grasp foi something above your head. Ac you are 
 endeavoring to do this, it seems as though the 
 motion of the cage had reversed, and you were 
 
 
 p 
 
 
256 
 
 Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 moving rapidly on the up grade. During the short 
 time occupied "n the descent, your sensations are 
 varied, until you feel the motion become slower 
 and your platform gently strike against the bottom 
 of the shaft, where you step oif the " stage of 
 lijrht"' into a world of darkness, and stand con- 
 founded, awaiting coming events. On 
 
 Entering the Mine by a Slope, 
 
 as the writer did at Springhill, your experience will 
 be diftererit, however, although no less novel. Here 
 you go by rail, and will find yourself, with one or 
 two companions, seated in a rude carriage, operated 
 by machinery, descending a grade like the Falls of 
 Niagara at the rate of sixty miles an hour, into a 
 hole In the earth two thousand feet deep, and at the 
 bottom walking out into a gloomy cave, 
 
 " Without a gleam from raoou or star 
 To tell the wanderers where they are." 
 
 Your situation on reaching the mine by shaft or 
 slope will be the same in either case. Yon "«^'ill find 
 youi3elf in a new world from that you left a few 
 minutes before, and surrounded with ol>jects vou 
 never dreamt of coming in contact with. The Lumi- 
 nary you hold in your hand, although unable to 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 257 
 
 pi 
 
 enlighten your understanding, is quite sufficient to 
 make the surrounding darkness visible, and forcing 
 the expression, " How great is that darkness ! " The 
 tirst impression made upon the mind, as the eye 
 tries to penetrate the dismal vista, is that no other 
 darkness could for a moment compare with that 
 which you now behold. You realize that it is not 
 only darkness, but blackness and darkness combined. 
 That the ninth plague of Egypt was " darkness that 
 may be felt," you remember, is on Sacred record, 
 buL here you are able to believe is darkness that no 
 one could help but feel. 
 
 As your eyes become accustomed to the situation, 
 by the aid of your lamp, you discern the rough 
 walls of solid coal near where you stand, the moist, 
 flat, black roof overhead, and the mine car rail-tracks 
 at your feet. All around you is confusion in this 
 section of the pit. Cars loaded and empty are here 
 passing and repassing in quick succession, and your 
 guide has all he can do to keep you from being run 
 over. 
 
 You start on a tour of inspection, and the first 
 object you will probably meet is a man whose lamp 
 has gone out, forcibly illustrating the situation of 
 the foolish virgins referred to in the parable, and 
 warning you to beware of having your lamp extin- 
 & 
 
 m :ll 
 
 \ 
 
258 
 
 Springhill Collier tj Disaster. 
 
 guislied. As you go forward the whole siirrounditiors 
 are calculated to inspire a deep sense of 
 
 Awe and Solemnity. 
 
 Y')u fancy a drop of water falling from the roof 
 melancholy in its tone. Distant rumblings, sepul- 
 chral voices, human beings with flaming foreheads 
 and spectre-like visage, clattering hoofs, and other 
 unique surroundings, are more than convincing that 
 if this place is not the abode of " the angels which 
 kept not fheir iirst estate," it certainly is not the 
 paradise of the righteous, or land of Beulah, where 
 Bunyan's pilgrims longed to dwell. In such soli- 
 tude you find it hard to restrain the conviction that 
 Heman must have penned the 88th Psalm in a 
 coal-pit. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this, an<l the essential dark- 
 ness that prevails, there is a ray of hope to cheer the 
 heart and encourage exploration in the assurance 
 that the footprints of the Almighty is here, and that 
 you are now enabled to see, although dimly, with 
 your eyes what you had only read in story — " The 
 Wonders of the Mine " — and feel assured that one- 
 half had not been told. 
 
 As you proceed, the body of a uorse looms up 
 ahead of vou. and a swarthv face, made visible l>y 
 
Spr'mghill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 259 
 
 the flame of a lamp placed on the brow, gleams out 
 of the darkness, but no body is visible, being in deep 
 shadow. Brawny, bare arms become visible, but 
 immediately disappear in the darkness. You hear 
 the strange sounds of men's voices, and fancy a 
 waterfall is somewhere in the neighborhood of 
 where you are. In passing along 
 
 Through the Dark Corridors 
 
 you experience a sense of confinement, and must 
 often crowd against the r'b in order to allow a trip 
 of mine cars, drawn by a horse, in cha*- e of a boy, 
 with dim clothes and soiled face, to r \'e past. 
 
 When walking up an incline plane, or through 
 a connecting tunnel, you are sometimes compelled to 
 stoop, that your head might be saved from coming 
 in contact with the "ceiling." All the men you 
 meet have little lamps in their caps, smoking and 
 flaring in the strong air current. The soiled faces 
 of thase persons are about all of them that you can 
 distinguish. You occasion ally come to a door, and 
 the little "trapper" boy, who stands ready, pulls it 
 open for you and your guide to pass through. A 
 strong current of air nearly extinguishes your lamp 
 
 flu flio An^ny l-ioViitirl i»/^n /"<lr>aaa " A^r>n •umll.- n1/->»-,n» 
 
260 
 
 Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 the airway for a little distance, and then you come 
 to the foot of a chamber. Up somewhere in the 
 darkness, apparently far away, you see lights twink- 
 ling — four of them. They appear and disappear; 
 they bob up and down ; they waver from side to 
 side, till you wonder what strange contortions the 
 people who carry them must be going through to 
 give them such erratic movements. By-and-bye 
 there is a cry of ' Fire ! ' The cry is repeated several 
 times ; three lights move down the chamber toward 
 you and suddenly disappear; then the fourth one 
 approaches, apparently wi^h more action, and dis- 
 appears also. The men who carry them have hidden 
 behind pillars. You wait, one, two, three minutes, 
 looking into darkness. Then there is a sudden, 
 wave-like movement in the air; it strikes your face; 
 you feel it in your ears ; the flame of your lamp is 
 blown aside. Immediately there is 
 
 The Sound of an Explosion 
 
 and the crash of falling blocks of coal. The waves 
 of disturbed air still touch your face gently. Soon 
 the lights reappear, all four of them, and advance 
 towards the face. In a minute they are swallowed 
 up in the powder si'ioke that has rolled out from the 
 
 I 
 
Spr'uHjhW. Colliery Disaster. 
 
 261 
 
 ■Jill 
 
 blast; you see ouiy a faint blur, and their move- 
 ments are indistinct. But when the smoke has 
 reached and passed you, the air is clearer again, and 
 the lights twinkle and dance as merrily as they did 
 before the blast was tired. Xow you go up the 
 chamber, taking care not to stumble over the high 
 caps, into the notches of which the rails of the 
 car track are laid. On one side of you is a wall, 
 built up with pieces of slate and bony coal and the 
 refuse of the mine ; on the other you can reach out 
 your hand and touch the heavy wooden props that 
 support the roof, and beyond the props there is 
 darkness, or if the rib of coal is visible it is barely 
 distinct. Up at the face there is a scene of great 
 activity. Bare-armed men, without coat or vest, are 
 working with bar, and pick, and shovel, moving the 
 fallen coal from the face, breaking it, loading it into 
 the mine car which stands near bv. The miners are 
 at the face prying down loose pieces of coal. One 
 takes his lamp in his hand and flashes its light along 
 the black, broken, shining surtace, deciding upon 
 the best point to begin the next drill hole, discussing 
 the matter with his companions, giving quick orders 
 to the laborers, acting with energy and a will. He 
 takes up his drill, runs his Angers across the edge 
 vji it pioieHoioiiaiiy, uaianv;e» ii in iii^t iiaucis, unci 
 
 
262 
 
 SprmghUl Collier)/ Disaster. 
 
 Htrikes a certain point on the face with it, turning it 
 Blightlj at each stroke. He has taken his position, 
 lying on his side perliajjs, and then begins the 
 regular tap, tap of the drill into the coal. The 
 laborers have loaded the mine car, removed the 
 block from the wheel, and now hold back on it as 
 it moves by gravity down the chamber to the gang- 
 way. You may follow it out, watch the driver boy 
 as he attaches it to his trip, and go with him to the 
 foot of the shaft" or slope if desired. But if you 
 wish to explore still further, you can examine the 
 mechanical o^jerations of the mine ; or, if more 
 desirable, you can look into the mysteries of coal 
 formation and deposit, which you may be able to 
 trace out in some measure by the aid of your lamp. 
 At all events, if you cannot understand the deep 
 mysteries of these things. 
 
 You may plod along as best you can, 
 
 The -^ als with your " black thorn " turning — 
 
 By the dusky miner's misty light, 
 
 Aud your lamp that is dimly burning. 
 
 You can see the remains of by-gone days 
 
 Enshrouded in mysteries shrine, 
 
 And return to earth with grateful heart 
 
 And your fossils most sublime. 
 
 I 
 
Sprwf/kUl Colliery Disaster. 
 
 263 
 
 During this tour of exploration for the wonder- 
 ful, you can find the petrified remains of trees, ferns, 
 and various plants, oft^'u in profusion, embedded in 
 shale, forming the immediate covering of the coal 
 that has been removed from the mine. This dis- 
 covery will lead you to believe that a forest might 
 have existed in the neighborhood at some period. 
 By examining these fossils you will find that the 
 
 Remains of Trees 
 
 thus found assume various forms, some standing 
 upright as if they grew where they now are, others 
 leaning in posture, while a few are lying on their 
 side. By looking closely into these specimens you 
 will see that those tree remains which stand upright 
 are apparently perfect in original form ; those which 
 incline are moulded to the same position ; and those 
 fallen have evidently been crushed by some powerful 
 pressure beyond recognition as trees, were it not for 
 the fact that the rapid yearly growth of the tree is 
 conspicuously visible. By comparison you will find 
 that one of these pressed tree fossils looks exactly 
 like a pane of slate color, heavy ribbed glass. 
 
 A few of these fossils are illustrated on the 
 following page. The writer selected them from 
 
 t( 
 
 
 y-\T-»/^*l 
 
 ,wi ;v. 
 
 V i Wl 12.1 
 
 fi!i-»».i»-i /T Villi ATi»-ir>t! anrl 
 
 iJL J 
 
204 
 
 Spr/'ttt/hill 0,11;, r>i Dt'sastti'. 
 
 J^ 
 
 l<n»i tlii'iu illustrated tor the hciu'tit of tlie roadcr. 
 '•'■;♦ i.iarke<l — 
 
 No. 1 is a jjortion of the stem, with branches of the plant, 
 called " Alethopteris I^onchitica." 
 
 No. 2 j)aft ov" TiK' same plant (No. 1), showing closer 
 
 arrangement of the leaves. 
 No. 3 is a Sigillaria — stem deprived of the bark. 
 No. 4 is known as " Lepidodeiidron" — stem of the plf nt 
 
 having some of the bark on it. 
 
 No. 5 is a group of Calcite Crystals, of the variety called 
 "Nail-head Spar." 
 
 Maiiv other curiosities may be found in the pit, 
 hut you have probably seen enouii:h to satisty the 
 mind that tlie mine is a wonderful place, and that 
 coal must have connected with it a mystery which 
 has never yet been revealed. 
 
 But after all, you have had only one experience 
 of a coal mine. You have seen something of the 
 operation of takinn; out coal, -omething of the cease- 
 less activity wliich i>ervades the working portions of 
 the mine. But your visit to the mine has been at a 
 time when hundreds of men are busy around you, 
 when the rumble, the click, the tap, the noise of 
 blasting, the sound of human voices are incessant. 
 If you were there alone, the only living being in the 
 
FOSSILS FOUND IX SPRINGHILL COLLIERIES. 
 
■^v^ 
 
 
I 
 
 Spr'myhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 267 
 
 ni''^ J, 3 01; would oxperiencc different t^eiisatioiiH. If 
 yo ' i od or sat inotionleo.s you would find the 
 fiiei n.»l»resHive. One who has not liad this 
 c cpe'" -Mce can have no adequate conception of the 
 
 Profound Si.llness of a Deserted Mine. 
 
 On tlie surface of the earth one cannot find a time 
 nor a phice in wliich the eai- is rot assaih'd by noises; 
 the stirring of the grasseH in the iiehl at midnight 
 sends sound-waves travelHng through si-ace. 
 
 Wliere there is lift; there is motion, and where 
 there is motion there is sound. But down here 
 there is no life, no motion, no sound. The silence 
 is not only oppressive, it is painful; it becomes 
 unbearable. No person could be long subjected to 
 it and retain his reason ; it would be like trying to 
 live in an element to which the human body is not 
 adapted. Suppose you are not only in silence, but 
 in darkness. As you are aware " there is no dark- 
 ness on the surface of the earth thai is at all com- 
 parable with the darkness of the mine. On the 
 surface the eyes can grow accustomed to the deepest 
 gloom of night. Clouds cannot shut out every ray 
 of light from hidden moon or stars. But down in 
 the mine, whether in night-time or day-time, .nere 
 
 IS no possible liffhtinp- nn of ^"^IP trlnnm \w no^^nm . 
 
 i _ __ ^ ^ . ... ........ t ._ 
 
 
 ' 1 
 
 1 
 
 K 
 
 Mi 
 
 •If 
 
 
268 
 
 Springhill ColUerj Disaster. 
 
 she cannot > .nd lior brisrHtcst sunbeam throiio-li 
 hundreds of feet of solid rc.';k. If one is in the 
 mines without a light, he has before him, behind 
 him, everywhere, utter blackness. To l)e lost in 
 this way, a mile from any opening to chiy, in the 
 midst of a confusion of galleries, in an abandoned 
 mine, and to be compelled to feel one's way to safety, 
 is a painful experience," wliich none would wish to 
 repeat. Such experience was doubtless more than 
 realized by some of those in the mine at Springhill 
 after the explosion when the lamps had gone out. 
 
 Before departing from this scene, a glance at the 
 ■workings of the mine will not be uninteresting. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Mechanical Operations of the Pit. 
 
 Having surveyed the mysteries of the mine, the 
 natural desire is to know how it is operated. Coal 
 mining seems to he an art with which there is much 
 obscurity connected, and a real knowledge of the 
 mechanical operations of the mine can only be 
 acquired by practical observation. Previous to all 
 mining operations a knowledge of the existence of 
 the coal stratum must be acquired by the operator. 
 A wise man will never open a shaft down to a coal 
 mine until assured that the coal bed exists in the 
 underground vicinity. This assurance can only be 
 giiincd by close investigation. Where coal is im- 
 bedded in the earth, the surface generally indicates 
 its presence by the peculiarity of the earth or rock 
 strata, and geological study reveals this peculiarity. 
 
 Satisfied, by surface indication^, that coal exists 
 in the neighborhood, a rigid search is commenced 
 in order, if possible, to find the "• outcrop." Every 
 valley, crevice, stream, bank, ledge and knoll in the 
 vicinity is carefully examined, and if no exposure 
 of coal seams can be found, the boring process is 
 
 (269) 
 
270 
 
 Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 resorted to. This process is accomplished by boriiio; 
 holes down through the rock strata until the coal is 
 reached. This operation is called 
 
 " Prospecting." 
 
 In the early days of prospecting, hand drills were 
 generally used for this purpose, a sand pump draw- 
 ing out the l)orings to be examined. The next 
 method was that of the spring-pole, and afterwards 
 came that of the rope method. All of these methods 
 have ])een superseded by the diamond rotary cuttmg 
 drill. This instrument cuts in the form of a circle, 
 and makes an annular groove in the rock, forming 
 a core. This core is brought up with the drill, and 
 can be examined in vertical section. By boring 
 down to and through the coal seam in various places 
 its thickness and dip can both be ascertained, thus 
 enabling the operator to form an estimate aj to the 
 value of the property and expense involved in deve- 
 loping the mine. 
 
 After finding the coal seam, the next important 
 inquiry is how to reach it. This in(pnry is much 
 easier answered to-day than it was in the days of 
 primitive coal mining, when a large hole like a 
 farmer's well Avas cut down in the rock until the 
 coal bed was reached, when the coal was dug and 
 
SpringJiill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 271 
 
 hoisted to the surface in a bucket, or other stout 
 vessel, by means of a common windlass, and work 
 continued until the water collected too de^ for com- 
 fort, when the pit was abandoned and a new pit dug 
 for continuing operations. The opening was then, 
 as now, called a " shaft." 
 
 During those early days of coal mining another 
 mode of removing coal from its bed was by means 
 of what was called 
 
 The "Drift." 
 
 This was the most favorite mode, and h still con- 
 tinued in some sections under a modernized form. 
 This mode is given by one who was familiar wdth 
 the operations, thus : 
 
 " Finding an exposed seam of coal in the face of a 
 ledge or cliff, they would dip in on it and bring the 
 coal out from the opening in wheelbarrows. A 
 place was selected, if possible, where a creek or r* 7er 
 ran at the base of the ledge, and the coal was 
 dump 3d from the wheelbarrow direct'iy into the 
 b '*■ In default of a water-way, a wagon 1 was 
 bn.ilt at the foot of the hill or cli^, a piatform e.'- 
 tending out over it, and the coal was thus loaded 
 from the wheelbarrow into the wagoii." 
 
 This drift method was e\ idcutly a simple way of 
 
272 
 
 SpringhiU Colliery Disaster. 
 
 inining coal, and saved all expense of sinking shafts, 
 constructing hoisting machinery, and even saved the 
 cost of pumping gear, as the mine must have been 
 self-draining, being on the elevated bank of a brook. 
 However, as coal is now seldom found in such a 
 place, this drift method is not much practiced, and 
 would be impracticable in reaching a coal seam one 
 thousand feet below the surface. 
 
 The miner, having discovered his coal seam, com- 
 mences to open 
 
 A Shaft 
 
 in order to reach it. If the mine is deep and the 
 rock hard, the operation may cost him $50,000. 
 The iirst thing to be done in commencing to open a 
 shaft, if the rock is not on the surface, is to dig out 
 a rectangular space in the ground until the solid 
 rock is reached. This space is dug about six feet 
 wider and longer than the space intended for the 
 shaft. When the rock is reached a foundation is 
 gained, and on this foundation a cribbing of timber 
 or solid masonry is built on all sides of tlxe opening 
 up to the surface to protect the earth from falling 
 into the shaft when opened, Afte constructing the 
 cribbing the rock is then cut in a downward course 
 until the coal i-: reached. 
 
Sprimjhill CoUhrj Disaster. 
 
 273 
 
 Having reached the bottom of the coul seam, the 
 operator then cuts from each side of the shaft, and 
 at right angles to it, a passage through the coal 
 about twelve feet ^'•ide to form the beginning of pas- 
 sages known as "gangways." Another passage is 
 next cut from each end of the rectangular foot of the 
 shaft, about half the width of the others, in order to 
 form the commencement of what is called the first 
 " cross-heading." After these excavations have been 
 made, passages at the extremities of the cross-head- 
 ings are driven parallel to the gangways for the for- 
 mation of airways. After the shaft has been sunk, 
 and these chambers formed, the operator must be 
 governed by ci eumstances Ik.w his mine is to be 
 operated. There are several systems of laying out a 
 mine for actual workings, but the general principle 
 of operating all bituminous mines is said to be about 
 the same. As a rule, the coal seam must be fol- 
 lowed, no matter where it leads. As the mining 
 engineer cannot go over the ground and form a line 
 such as the civil engineer does for a surface road, he 
 must advance the best he can, constructing as he 
 progresses. 
 
 AVhen a shaft has been sunk to the depth desired, 
 the openings for the basin, which is to receive the 
 mine water, must be made below the level of the 
 
 ilii:^ ni 
 
 ll^ 
 
274 
 
 Spru}f)h(U Collknj Disaster. 
 
 foot iTiiiurwav, so that all the water of the mine may 
 run into it. A pump must also he erected through 
 the shaft to force this water to the surface. The 
 airway is another essential that must he constructed 
 in connection with the shaft. The indispensahle 
 sections of the shaft leading down into the mine are 
 the carriage-way, the air-way, and the pump-way. 
 The entire horizontal space of opening for a modern 
 shaft leading to a coal mine is thirty feet long hy 
 twelve feet wide. In this space four compartments 
 are made hy constructing wooden partitions cross- 
 ways hetween each couipartment. These partitions 
 are formed with stout timhers called " huntons." The 
 ends of the huiitoiis are let into the rock on each 
 side of the shaft, running across the twelve foot 
 space. They are placed at distances of four feet 
 from each other, and against these huntons closely 
 fitted boards are nailed down the whole depth of the 
 shaft. A space of six feet at the one end is allowed 
 for the pumping gear, and a ten foot space is par- 
 titioned oif at the other end for the air-course, the 
 two seven feet centre spaces being arranged for 
 the cage platforms ascending and descending into 
 and out of the mine. 
 
 Immediately over the top of this shaft proper 
 machinery is erected for hoisting the coal. Steam- 
 
Springhill Collier y Disaster, 
 
 275 
 
 power 18 also put into operation to work the ma- 
 chinery, and the coal is carried up this shaft in small 
 wagons, which are placed on the cage platform at 
 the bottom, and, on reaching the top, are removed 
 to the "banking out" ground, dumped, and returned 
 to the pit for refilling. While one cage, with loaded 
 wagon, is ascending one side of the shaft, the un- 
 loaded one is descending. Where mining is done 
 by shaft there is seldom any other way provided for 
 the men to go into and out of the pit than by the 
 shaft entrance. 
 
 If the outcrop of the coal has been discovered, 
 and the dip over twenty degrees, m entrance to the 
 mine is eftected by means of a 
 
 Slope, 
 
 such as those of the Springhill mines. The slope is 
 a passage into the coal seam similar to that of the 
 drift, with the distinction that the drift is opened 
 from the surface on the strike of the seam, while the 
 slope is driven on its dip. In opening the slope the 
 operator commences at the surface cutting a chamber 
 in the coal to the width of about twelve feet, and the 
 full depth of the seam, following the natural dip as 
 far as he desires to go for extension to either side in 
 order to operate the mine. As the opening of the 
 
 1^ i! 
 
 ; V 
 
276 
 
 t<prin(jlull Colliery Disaster. 
 
 passage proceeds, the sides and roof are supported 
 by a row of round timber posts at each side, and 
 rafters across (hu lop. Tlicse posts and rafters are 
 called " booms " and " props." In opening the 
 leading passages throughout the mine the same kind 
 of timbering is generally used. 
 
 Adjoining this main slope three smaller passages 
 are also cut down into the mine, forming downcast 
 air-way, })um})-wiiy, aiul man-way. By looking at 
 the plan of Xo. 1 Mire, Springhill, in the former pnrt 
 of this book, the a/rangement of these i^lopes will be 
 seen. It will also ])e seen l)y illustration on the fol- 
 lowing page that the main slope leading to the mine 
 is laid with double line rail track for the purpose of 
 hoisting the coal to the surface. The arrangement 
 of this mode of raising coal will be referred to in 
 a mother paragrajth. 
 
 The Uxdergkound Workings 
 
 of the mine, although apparently complicated to one 
 who is not aic^uainted with the arrangement, are all 
 designed to work hannc niously into each other's 
 service. 
 
 In this chapter the writer nould gladly give a 
 detailed description of the couiplete mechanical oper- 
 ations of the Sprngliill collieries : but as this could 
 

 o 
 > 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 > 
 
 
Springldll Colliery Dliostcr. 
 
 279 
 
 not be (lone in a liiuited space, and might prove 
 unintLTostiiiij: to the majority of readers, a phun 
 outline of the general system of coal mining, it is 
 believed, will be more interesting to all. 
 
 The design of the writer is to lay before the 
 reader the practical operations of a coal mine in 
 such a way that it might be understood by those 
 wlio are not familiar vith the arrangement of the 
 
 mine. 
 
 In order to understand the underground work- 
 ings, the reader must bear in mind that the cool 
 seam, in wb.icli the slopes referred to have been 
 opened, dips into the earth from the surface at an 
 angle of thirty-tive degrees. In cutting the slope 
 down this incline, the operator stops at a point 
 where he wislies to make his 
 
 First Lift. 
 
 From tliis point, which is called the "bottom of the 
 slope," a gangway ^s opened to the right or left, or 
 both, as the case may be, and extending as far into 
 the coal as desired, This gangway is called the 
 "bottom level" of the lirst lift, and is driven across 
 the coal seam on the level, or at least the under 
 side of it is level. If the passage is opened twelve 
 feet wide and the angle of the seam's dip be thirty- 
 

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 Piiotograpliic 
 
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 33 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. KS80 
 
 (716) 873-4503 
 
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 SimtHjlull OAlkr\j Disaster. 
 
 five (le<rrees, the upper side will be fully four feet 
 higher than the lower side, if the coal is all removed 
 from the underlying strata. However, it is called a 
 " level " by the miner, and we must accept it as 
 such. 
 
 After this level has been opened as far as desired 
 across the coal seam, a similar passage is driven up 
 from it into the coal towards the outcrop. This 
 passage runs parallel with the main slope, and a 
 good thick rib of coal is left standing between it 
 and the slope for protection to each. This passage 
 is called a " balance," from the fact that a balanc^e- 
 wheel or drum is constructed at the head for the 
 purpose of conveying the coal down its grade to the 
 bottom level. From the floor of this balance, side 
 chambers are driven into the coal. These chambers 
 run parallel with the main level, and are called 
 ^'bords." When the coal is dug in these bords it 
 is loaded in small cars or wagons, taken to the 
 balance, and sent down to the main level. From 
 these bords small shutes are sometimes opened, 
 running up in a parallel direction with the balance. 
 Illustration on the following page will give the 
 reader an idea of the arrangement of these bords 
 and balances, and their connection with the Ijottom 
 level. 
 
feli 
 
 Pi mil 
 
 i I'fl 
 
 
 ^1' 'I 
 
m. 
 
SpringhiU Colliery Disasici 
 
 283 
 
 ^: ff 
 
 After the first balance has been opened to a 
 certain extent, another, at a farther distance along 
 the level from the bottom of the slope, is formed in 
 the same way, and beyond this others have their 
 formation. These balances all run upwards from 
 the main level at distances of about three hundred 
 feet, and each balance has its connecting bords, 
 shutes, or other chambers. The balances are all 
 numbeied from the bottom of the slope inward on 
 the level, number one being the nearest to it. The 
 bords are also numbered from the bottom upward. 
 Farther reference to this matter will be seen on 
 page 26. 
 
 Besides these balances, bords, shutes and main 
 level, there is a water level below the main level for 
 drainage purposes. An upper level or gangway 
 is also sometimes formed, running along the head 
 of the balances, and, in connection with all these,, 
 other excavations are made in various places through- 
 out the workings. These passages are known as 
 manways, gangways, counter-gangways, headings, 
 cross-headings, break-throughs, inside slopes, etc, 
 the whole forming an underground city, with its 
 lanes, streets and other avenue o, situated on the 
 declivity of a steep hill-side, whose grade is about 
 that of an ordinary slate or shingle roof of a house. 
 
 m \\\ 
 W 
 
 I ill 
 
 \' liiii 
 
 
 m 
 
284 
 
 Spri/njhM Odlten/ Disaster. 
 
 By considering this matter the reader will l>e uhk- in 
 some measure to form an idea of the difficultv of 
 working in such a place. The method of workiuir 
 such a steep-pitching seam must be from the ])ottoni 
 of where the level is formed upwards. If the bot- 
 tom level of the first lift is opened six hundred feel 
 from the top of the slope, aixl the workings extend 
 upwards five hundred feet, the coal will be mined 
 to within one hundred feet of its outcrop. When 
 the bottom level of the first lift has been extended 
 as far as desired on each side of the slope, and the 
 coal all taken out on the upper siide as far as desired 
 to go, with the exception of the portions left standing 
 to prevent the roof from falling in, the slope is 
 opened a few hundred feet farther down and a 
 
 Second Lift 
 
 formed, and operations of the first lift repeated. 
 The portions of coal left standing between the bal- 
 ances, bords and other chambers of the mine, are 
 generally four feet in thickness. On working this 
 second lift, the chambers running up from the bot- 
 tom level are not extended so far as to break 
 through into the excavations of t'le first lift. 
 Between the two lifts a thick rib of coal is left un- 
 touched, known as ihe " chain pillar." This chain 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 285 
 
 1-illar of tiolid coal protects the upper level of the 
 lift from falls and crushes, and also prevents the 
 water which accumulates in worked out portions ci 
 the mine above from getting down into the lift below. 
 
 After the second lift has been operated in the 
 r^ame way a3 the first, the slope is extended down- 
 ward another tive or six hundred feet, and the level 
 of a third lift formed. When this third lift has been 
 operated the slope is opened downwardc farther and 
 successive lifts are formed in the same way, until the 
 cynical valley of coal stratum is reached, or, until 
 the interior of the earth gets too hot for the miner 
 to work with comfort. The temperature increases, 
 it is said, one degree for every sixty feet of perpen- 
 dicular descent into the interior of the earth. 
 
 If the mine is entered by shaft instead of slope, a 
 shaft is sunk fi-om the surface to the bottom of each 
 lift, and operations conducted on the same principle 
 as that of the slope. 
 
 Before leaving the mine, all the coal that can be 
 raised has been taken out and the place is abandoned 
 for ever and becomes a region of darkness and 
 silence. The last operations of the miner before 
 departure consists in breaking as much as possible 
 from the ribs, pillars, and other )rtions of coal left 
 standing during the time the active mining opera- 
 
 1 % 
 
 ll'i 
 
 J I 
 
. '■'5*a»'i"M". '. 
 
 286 
 
 Spruifjh'dl Colin )y Dim.^kr. 
 
 'k 
 
 fir . ..?fcj:- 
 
 tions were going on. Tliis work is coniraonood at 
 the faces of the cliambers, at the greatest distance 
 from the main entrance to the mine, and i)rogri'ssfs 
 from that point until the wliole workings huve heen 
 completed. 
 
 This work is called " robbing pillars," and is one 
 of the most dangerous acts of coal mining. It re- 
 quires careful watching, as the rock O'erheadwill 
 crash into the chamber if the (.'olumM is nude too 
 weak to support the roof. Witliout this work, how- 
 ever, a large amount of coal would be lost. It i:4 
 estimated that about one-half the portions of coal 
 left standing can be taken out by this robbing pillar 
 system before the mine is totally deserted. 
 
 After all the coal that can be collected has been 
 taken out of the mine, the tools and appliances are 
 removed and the [dace is deserted. One wh< has 
 had experience of this last mining operation says : 
 " It is a waste of crushed pillars, fallen rock, and 
 blocked passages. Indeed, it is difficult to conceive 
 of anything more weird and desolate than an aban- 
 doned mine. To walk, or climb, or creep through 
 one is like walking with Dante through the regions 
 of the lost. There are masses of rock piled up in 
 great confusion to the jagged roof, dull surfaces of 
 coal and slate, rotting timbers patched here and 
 
SpringhiU CoWmj Disaster. 
 
 287 
 
 there, with spotH of siiow-wliite fungus; black 
 stretches of still water, into which a bit of falling 
 slate or coal will strike, and sen*] a thousand echoes 
 rattling through the ghostly chambers. Fu- a noise, 
 which on the surface of the earth will not break the 
 quiet of a summer night, down here will almost 
 make your heart stand still with fear, so startlino- is 
 it in distinctness." 
 
 By carefully considering the quantity of coals 
 that must be imbedded in a few square surface miles 
 of seam ten or twelve feet thick, when mined in the 
 way described, and considering that the Si)ringhill 
 coal field contains ten known seams lying under 
 each other, we will not be surprised that the entire 
 product of the field is estimated at fifty-six millions 
 of tons. It will be seen by looking at the chart 
 of these coal measures that three of the ten seams 
 are now being operated. These are known as the 
 "North Slope," the "East Slope," and the "West 
 Slope." 
 
 The most common way of extracting coal from 
 its bed is by means of picking, prying and blasting. 
 Two miners and two laborers generally work in one 
 chamber, and their outfit for operations chiefly con- 
 sists of lamps, picks, shovels, hammers, sledges, 
 crow^-bars, drills, and some blasting material. 
 
 ii 'i 
 
 '■ m'- 
 
 
 ,: ■,<-., 
 
288 
 
 SpriiKjItiU CoUkrij Dimskr. 
 
 When tlie coal is first moved at the face ot" th" 
 chaml)er it is in hiriije portions, and niust he hroken 
 into smaller pieces; liit this is not ditficnlt, as the 
 vertical jilanes of cleavat^e are at right angles to 
 each other, and the stratification almost liorizontal. 
 "When broken, the coal takes a cuhieal form, large 
 blocks being composed of smaller cubes, and these 
 of still smaller to the limit of the smallest i)article. 
 
 When the coal has been mined and broken .at the 
 
 Face of the Chambers, 
 
 and all slaty material separated from it, it is loaded 
 into mine cars called " boxes," and taken to the 
 main level, and thence to the bottom of the slope, 
 whence it is hoisted to the surface of the mine. 
 
 The slope being laid with double line of narrow 
 gauge railh, forming a tramway, and the principal 
 underground excavations of the pit being laid by 
 extension of the same line of rails, and all connected 
 at the different points of intersection, the labor ot 
 conveying tlie coal from the place of mining opera- 
 tions to the dumping ground on the surface, seems 
 on the whole to be simple and free from all compli- 
 cation. Apparently, the most difficult portion of 
 transportation is in getting the boxes down the 
 balance slopes to the level plane. This operation is 
 
SprimjhiU O'Uiny Bi.^oshr. 
 
 281) 
 
 performed by iiieaiiH of a drum, situated at the li. ad 
 of the i^rade, with hulance power. This [.owcr in mo 
 arranged that as the full box comes down the empty 
 one is going up to get loaded. An idea of how this 
 balance is operated, and its connections with side 
 chambers and main level, and how the coal is con- 
 conveyed by horse power to the foot of the slope, 
 may be had by referring to illustration on a former 
 page. On a subsequent page, illustration will also 
 give an idea of the mode of conveyance uj) the slope, 
 and arrangement of dumping ground. The reader, 
 in looking at this latter illustration, should remember 
 that the earth and timbers of the slope are removed 
 to show the interior, with empty cars going down 
 and loaded cars being drawn up by the hoisting 
 cable. It \vi]\ be seen that the surface buildings are 
 all cut away in order to show the track rising to the 
 height of txie dumping place, and the loaded cars 
 running out to the extreme end of the dump. The 
 staying supporting the dumping platform is also 
 made so that the railway cars on the siding under- 
 neath and the screens might appear. This illustra- 
 tion is made to represent the upper portion of a 
 slope similar to the 1,900 foot slope at Springhill, 
 with the surface buildings and earth covering re- 
 moved. The coal is drawn up this slope by steam 
 T 
 
 ' K ii 
 
 It 
 
 I 
 
290 
 
 SpruxjhiH OjIIu'I'i/ Di-Jisdr. 
 
 power, stjitioimry on the Hurfaco at tlie outcro}) in 
 boxc'H lillt'd !>} till' mintTfl at tlic Hcttion [)itw wiifre 
 it \f (lu^. Tliose boxes contain about 17 cwt. each, 
 ^nd are hauled by li(>rHe-jto\ver from the bottom ot 
 the nuiin iiicline sectionw of the pit to the foot of the 
 Hh)|ie, wlierc tlie nuichincry cable in attached, and 
 on their arrival at the bank head the cable in discon- 
 nected and ihey are conveyed out to a place called 
 
 "The Tipple." 
 
 As the oitening of the nlojte is on the same level, if 
 not a little higher than the floor of the tipple, a 
 small ettbrt i« needed to get the cars to the dumping 
 place after they arrive on the surface. The number 
 of cars forming one hoisting rake is generally seven ; 
 but powerful winding engiiies are being introduced 
 at some mines capable of hoisting from twelve to 
 fifteen boxes from a depth of five thousand feet. 
 At this place the coal is dumped down a grade, 
 running ever screens placed underneath, and tinallv 
 reach the diiFerent coal cars according to grade. 
 These cars are standing on a railway siding beneath 
 the screens, awaiting the reception of the coal, and 
 when they are filled they are removed and replaced 
 by others. The tipple is generally a large, rough 
 
Sp) /tiff hi// C«//lir>/ DisaMer. 
 
 201 
 
 frame Imild 
 
 HliT 
 
 ^', coiistnictod upon stout tirni 
 
 )or 
 
 JU 
 
 po8tH. Tho flo(»r is ul,<,ut thirty feet higher thsii, t!.. 
 railway track, wl.ich in conHtructod boneath the cuter 
 end of it. A plutform on the floor of trie tipple 
 buildin^ir is so adjuste.l l>y a sin^rle shaft, tliat uhen 
 a loa.Ied oar is pushed ou it, it tips forward to an 
 angle of about thirty do-reeM. The end gate of the car 
 18 op-nod, an.l when dumped the coal ruus out on to 
 the screens. Thone screens are made cl longitudinal 
 iro' bars, i.idined outwanlly, aid at distances apart 
 to allow the gra.le of coal desired to run through 
 them. The coarse coul, aft:, i;dssinir over the first 
 set of burs, runs directly into a ca. standing on 
 the track at the extreme end of the grade. The 
 coal which passes through the first set of bars falls 
 on to a second screen and passes along into a car 
 placed in position to receive it. As many screens as 
 desired are arranged in the same way, and at some 
 collieries the bars are being supersede 1 by revolving 
 screens, which are said to do the work much better! 
 In hauling the mine cars to the bottom of the 
 slope, the horses are driven by boys who usually 
 take in four empty cars and bring out the same 
 number of loaded ones. The horses arc kept in stalls 
 cut in the coal stratum near the foot of the slope. 
 When the boy gets his horse hitched to u trip of 
 
 fli 
 
 i -T 
 
292 
 
 SpringhiU Collier)/ Disaster. 
 
 cars he climbs into the forward car, with lamp 
 attached to the front of his cap, cneks his whip, 
 and proceeds along the level into the darkness, 
 shouting or whistling as he feels inclined, to keep 
 up his courage. If the grade of the mine is not 
 too steep when he reaches the foot of the first 
 chamber he is to supply, he unfastens the front 
 car from the others, drives the horse up the incline 
 with it, and leaves it near the face to get filled ; the 
 other empty cars are distributed in the same way. 
 On a siding of the level at the foot of the last 
 chamber visited he finds a loaded car, to which he 
 hitches his horse and starts on his return trip to 
 wLsre he started with his empty cars, picking up 
 other loaded cars on his way to make up hi^ com- 
 plete rake. If the grade of the mine is steep, the 
 empty cars are left at the foot of the ncline cham- 
 bers, and are taken up by balance power to the 
 w^orking chambers to be loaded, or filled, on the level 
 siding with coal which has been mined and run 
 down in shutes. At intervals along the main level 
 there are sidings for this purpose and where rakes 
 going in opposite directions may pass. 
 
 The position of driver boy in a coal mine is the 
 miner's first step of advancement. Having entered 
 the mine as a little 
 
!; 
 
 Springhill Colliery Disaster 
 
 293 
 
 :lii 
 
 " TRAPPijR," 
 
 he graduates to the advanced position of driver, and 
 afterwards to higher positions. The term trapper is 
 derived from trap-door, placed as an air door for the 
 purpr.so of controlling the ventilating current. At 
 this door the little trapper must stand . remain like 
 a sentinel from the time the first rake of cars passes 
 in in the morning until the last comes out at night. 
 His duty is tiresome and monotonous. He is alone 
 all day, save when other boys and men pass through 
 his door. His abode is a hole cut in the rib of the 
 passage, and, as his light is dim and often goes out, 
 he can do little to amuse himself but whistle. To' 
 save his oil, the little fellow often works in the dark. 
 When he hears the sound of a footstep or wagon 
 approaching his door his duty is to pull on a string, 
 one end of which is attached to the door and the' 
 other secured where he can grasp it in a moment, 
 when the door will open. After the passengeis or 
 cars have safely passed, by slacking the rope, the 
 door shuts of its own accord. The trapper boy is 
 generally contemplative and quiet. An observant 
 spectator says of the little trappers : " Sitting so long 
 alone in the darkness they become thoughtful, sobe^, 
 sometimes melancholy. They go silently to their 
 ^•--..it.-., rtii^n Liicy leave tiie iinue; they do not stop 
 
294 
 
 Spinghill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 to play tricks or joke with their fellows ; they do 
 not run, nor sing, nor whistle. Darkness and silence 
 are always depressing, and so much of it in these, 
 young lives cannot help but sadden without sweet- 
 ening them." 
 
 With a knowledge of such facts should every 
 Christian philanthropist not pray and labor for the 
 day to come when the blooming cheek of childhood 
 shall not be soiled, nor the happy smile suppressed 
 by the labor of the mine ? 
 
 Viewing this matter from the standpoint of the 
 advantages hitherto gained for the working classes 
 by the advance of Christian civilization, are we not 
 encouraged to hope that at no distant day the driver- 
 boy and his horse in the mine will be superseded by 
 the motive power cf electricity, and the trapper cap- 
 tive freed by some contrivance of genius operating 
 in his place ? A good authority, referring to this 
 latter idea, says : " By a skilful applicution of the 
 regulator and air-crossing, the use of air doors has 
 been abandoned in some ot the best ventilated coal 
 mines. Where there is an abundance of fresh air 
 carried forward there is no necessity for them. It is 
 only the mines inadequately supplied with air 
 through the insufficiency of airways that are termed 
 ' fiery.' Where there is not an abundance of air, 
 
Sprmfjhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 295 
 
 the lame method of using doors to force the little air 
 in circulation here and there and everywhere is 
 resorted to. Plenty of capacious passages will fur- 
 nish an amount of air in proportion to their capacity.'* 
 In order to circulate a live current of air in a 
 mine, various methods have hitherto been employed. 
 The earliest method of creating an artificial air cur- 
 rent, which should be constant, is that of the open 
 ftirnace. This farnuce resembles an ordinary old- 
 fashioned fire-place with stout grate bars. It is con- 
 structed near the foot of an opening into the mine, 
 and furnished with a smoke-flue built of brick. This 
 flue leads into the air passa.ge of the surface opening 
 at some distance above the floor of the mine. The 
 volume of heat from this furnace passing into the 
 airway creates and maintains a strong upward air 
 current. h\ some mines the furnace is built at the 
 foot of an air shaft a long distance from the main 
 opening, thus making it an upcast air shaft. By the 
 continued use of a huge fire in this furnace a power- 
 ful current of air may be put and continued in 
 motion, but it is found an expensive way of " raising 
 the wind," and the system is rapidly giving place to 
 another in the shape of the 
 
 Rotary Steak Fan. 
 
 ri H 
 
 II' . 
 
 lii: 
 
 
296 
 
 Sprwrjhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 of spokes, it lias blades like a windmill. It is placed 
 on the surface over the dov^'ncast airway of the shaft 
 or slope leading to the mine. It is operated by steam 
 power, and revolves with tremendous force. Its 
 average revolutions are given as being about forty 
 per minute, and, if the surroundings are favorable, 
 every revolution is said to send 5,000 cubic feet of 
 atmospheric air into the mine. 
 
 Of course, the quantity of air forced into the 
 mine by the operation of this wheel depends, to 
 a great extent, on the size of the fan, and the 
 space of the ingress air passage. Two hundred 
 cubic feet of air per minute to every man in the 
 mine is considered the amount necessary for perfect 
 respiration, and as this fan is capable of supplying 
 500,000 feet per minute, the quantity would be suf- 
 ficient for 2,500 miners. It is therefore obvious that 
 so long as this fan and the air passages are in good 
 working order, there need be no fear of lack of 
 proper ventilation in the mine. 
 
 The atmospheric air, after descending into the 
 mine, is distributed through all the working cham- 
 bers by means of airways, cross-headings, and other 
 passages, which are all arranged so as to insure its 
 general circulation. When desired to force a certain 
 quantity of air with rapidity to any particular 
 
Springhill Collier}/ Disast 
 
 'er. 
 
 297 
 
 portion of the mine, a " brattice," or board partition, 
 is constructed across the passage. A sheet of coarse 
 eanvas, called brattice cloth, is sometimes used for 
 this purpose, being lighter and more easily handled 
 than the boards. 
 
 Upcast Air Shafts, 
 
 are opened in various sections of the mine. Theee 
 shafts are formed like a large flue, with their open- 
 ings on the surface, and extending from the under- 
 ground workings, thus giving vent to the air current, 
 after it has circulated through the mine, to carry all 
 impurities which it has collected in its course out 
 with it into the open air. The surface construction 
 of this shaft is called a " cupola." 
 
 The next important matter to that of ventilation 
 in the mine is the 
 
 Matter of Drainage. 
 
 The accumulation of water in many mines sur- 
 pass in weight the tonnage of coal raised. In some 
 wet districts several tons of water is taken out to 
 every ton of coal hoisted. The reader will be able 
 to form some idea of the vast quantity of water that 
 must collect in some mines in wet regions by the 
 fact that the dam of the Springhill collieries has 
 
 > I 
 
 canacitv for n^nrlv fnnr 071/1 o Tioif »^^;ii;^^ ™„ 
 
 .11 
 
298 
 
 S'pringhUl Collim> Disaster. 
 
 In the system of drainage the dam, or what is 
 called the " Sump," is mavde by opening a drainage 
 level a short distance below the bottom level, or 
 gangway, with connecting reservoir channels. 
 
 As the workings of the mine are all above the bot- 
 tom level, and the water level below it, and the 
 floor of the mine throughout graded so that all the 
 water will gravitate to a certain point, the water 
 naturally collects in the lower ground where the 
 basin is made to receive it. From this cistern the 
 water is pumped up through the compartment of 
 the slope or shaft, known as the " pump-way," and 
 discharged on the surface. If the underground 
 workings discharge a free flow of water, it will re- 
 quire a powerful steam pumping engine located at 
 the surface to keep the bottoin level from being over- 
 flowed. The most powerful of these pumps, it is 
 estimated, will throw out a volume of 1,200 gallons 
 of water per minute. The copious flow of water 
 coming from a mine soon forms a brook, the waters 
 and banks of which present the appearances of a. 
 sulphureous spring. 
 
 In addition to the pumping and fan engines a 
 
 Hoisting Engine 
 
 is in operation in the immediate vicinity of the 
 
SpringUll Colliery Disaster. 
 
 299 
 
 mouth of the main slope, or shaft, leading to the 
 mine. Carpenter's shop, forge, furnace rooms and 
 other buildings, covering the whole surface plant of 
 the mine, are all constructed in the same neighbor- 
 hood, and give the place a lively appearance. An 
 idea of what these buildings really are may be 
 formed by looking at the illustr.^tion on a former 
 page, of Engine House and Carpenter's Shop at No. 
 1 Slope, Springhill. It will be seen that other build- 
 ings besides those shown in the illustration are 
 situated in the background, and must cover quite a 
 space of territory. Among these buildings is a large 
 one for the workmen, as a shelter from the storm. 
 One is a fire-engine house, where hose, buckets, and 
 other apparatus for extinguishing fire are stored. 
 A machine shop is also included, where drills, lathes, 
 planes, and other essential implements are kept 
 ready for use at any time. The drills and picks are 
 daily being sharpened at the forge, as without these 
 the miner could not operate to advantage. In 
 
 Hoisting Coal by Shaft, 
 
 hea\7 upright timbers, from thirty to fifty feet in 
 height, are set up, inclosing the opening. These 
 timbers are well braced and united by cross-beams. 
 This structure is called the " head-framp." and on 
 
800 
 
 Sprint/ hill Collier)/ Disaster. 
 
 its top are placed large upright wheels, known as 
 *' sheaves." The steel or iron wire hoisting cables, 
 which connect with the cages, run over these wheels, 
 and extend from them to the drum in the engine- 
 room, around which they are coiled in such a way 
 that as one is being wound up the other is being 
 unwound. Owing to this arrangement, as one cage 
 descends into the shaft the other ascends by virtue 
 of the same movement of the engine. 
 
 The arrangement of the cage is similar to that of 
 a modern elevator. The ordinary cage consists of a 
 stoutly built wooden platform, with vertical posts at 
 the middle of the sides, united by a cross-beam at 
 the top. To the middle of this beam is fastened the 
 end of the wire cable, from which it is raised and 
 lowered. On the cage platform a rail-track is laid 
 corresponding with that at the bottom of the shaft. 
 When the cage descends the mine track is continu- 
 ous with that on the platform, and the loaded mine 
 car is pushed on to the platform and securely fast- 
 ened, when the up-raovement commences. On arri- 
 val at the mouth of the shaft, the car full of coal is 
 run by two headmen from the cage platform to the 
 tipple, the rails being laid to correspond the same as 
 those below. 
 
 Many other contrivances of the mechanical oper- 
 
Springhill Colliery Disaster. 
 
 301 
 
 ations of the mine might he referred to did space 
 permit, but enough has been stated to give the 
 reader an idea of the general workings of a colHery ; 
 and any reader of this book who has not been to a 
 coal mine, and should ever have an opportunity of 
 exploring that gloomy region and its surroundings, 
 will doubtless be able to express their experience in 
 the language of the Queen of Sheba when visiting 
 the court of Solomon : " Ilowbeit I believed not the 
 w^ords, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it : and 
 behold, the half was not told me.'' As scarcely any 
 two mines are worked exactly on the same principle, 
 it is impossible, in writing, to give more than a gen- 
 eral description of the mechanical operations of coal 
 mining. In reference to this matter, one of exten- 
 sive experience states : " There is scarcely a mine of 
 any importance in the entire coal region in which 
 one cannot find some new contrivance, some ingeni- 
 ous scheme, some masterpiece of invention devised 
 to meet some special emergency which may have 
 arisen for the first time in the history of mining." 
 In closing this chapter, the writer would say that 
 one-half of what an observant spectator may see in 
 and about an extensive coal mine cannot be com- 
 prehensibly recorded in any book. 
 
 f 
 
Gloflarij of ^eFm| U|ed by jainerf. 
 
 Afler«damp. The gases resulting from combustion of fire-damp. 
 
 Air Shait. A vertical opening into a mine for the passage of air. 
 
 Airway. Any passage in the mine along which an air current 
 passes ; but the term is commonly applied to that passage which 
 is driven, for ventilating purposes, parallel to and simultane- 
 ously with the gangway. 
 
 Anticlinal. A fold of strata in which the inclination of the sides 
 cf the fold is from the axis ao\, vard. 
 
 Bankhead. Surface of the mine. 
 
 Balance. An incline chamber running up from the main gang- 
 way with balance power at the head. 
 
 Barrier Pillars. Large pillars of coal left at a boundary line, or 
 on the outskirts of a squeeze. 
 
 Battery. In steep-pitching seams, a wooden structure built across 
 the shute to hold the mined coal back. 
 
 Bearing In. Cutting a horizontal groove at the bottom or side of 
 the face of a breast. 
 
 Bed, Any separate stratum of rock or coal. 
 Bench. A horizontal section of the coal seam, included between 
 partings of slate or shale. 
 
 Black Damp. Carbonic acid gas ; knoy ti also a^ choke-damp. 
 Blossom. Decomposed coal, indicating t.ie presence of an outcrop. 
 Blower. A forcible and copious discharge of gas from a cavity in 
 the coal seam. 
 
 (303) 
 
304 
 
 (th.sstny iif n I' Ills f'su/ hi) Mincrff. 
 
 Bord Room. A side chRml)er running from a balance incline. 
 Bony Coal. Coal containing in its composition slaty or argiila- 
 ceouH material. 
 
 Boom. A rafter used in supporting the roof of a mine chamber. 
 Bore*holP. A hole of small dianu-ter drilled or bored in the coal ; 
 Usually, a ho!e drilled for prospecting purposes. 
 
 Box. A mine jar or wagon in which coal is taken from the mine. 
 BrAttice* A partition made of boards or of brattice cloth, and put 
 up to force the air current to tht face of the workings. 
 
 Break -Through. A cross-heatHng or entrance, used in the mine. 
 Brea.st. The principal excavation in the miit' from which coal is 
 taken ; known also as chamber. 
 
 Broken Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 Buntons. The timbers placed crosswise of a shaft down its entire 
 depth, dividing it into vertical compartments. 
 
 Butt. The vertical planes of cleavage at right angles to the face 
 
 cleavage. 
 Bntty. A fellow-worker in the same chamber. 
 Cage. See Carriage. 
 
 Carriage. The apparatus on which coal is hoisted in a shafl. 
 Cartridge Pin. A round stick of wood on which the paper tube 
 
 for the cartridge is formed. 
 Cave-Hole. A depression at the surface, caused by a fall of roof 
 
 in the mine. 
 Chain i^'Iilars. Heavy pillars of coal, linir,; one or both sides of 
 
 the gangway, and left for the protection of that passage. 
 
 Chamber. See Breast. 
 
 Chestnnt Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 
 Choke-Damp. See After-Damp. 
 
 Cleavage. The property of splitting on a certain plan. 
 
Gfossar// of Tii'iiis fWt/ ht/ M, 
 
 mcr. 
 
 no; 
 
 Coill Field. Extent of coal UmIh in any l(><iility. 
 CoilI MpOMiireN. Synonymous witli coal fu-ld. 
 Collui*. The upper horizontal crosspit'ce unitin« the lo^s in the 
 timherinK of a drift, tunnol, wlopo, or ganj,'wav. 
 
 CoIIIory. All the working* "f one mine, l)oth nndergronml an<l at 
 the surface. 
 
 Conglomerate. The mck sn ta lying next . nieath the coal 
 measiireH. 
 
 CODnter-(Jan|irway. A K^i's'^iiy which {» t.-ihulnry to the main 
 gangway, and from s^ huh a new section of coal is worke<l. 
 
 Creep. A crush in \\ h • pillars are forced down into the 
 floor, or up into the root' of the ,ninc. 
 
 CrlbbJflgr. The timber lining of a shaft, extending usually from 
 t!ie surfrtce to bed-rock. 
 
 Crop-Fall. A caving in of the surface at the outcrop. 
 CroSM-Heading. A narrow opening for ventilation, driven through 
 a ,vali of coal separating two passjiges or breasts. 
 
 Crush. A settling downward of the strata overlying a portion of 
 an excavated co:>.l seam. 
 
 Calm. All coal refuse finer than buckwheat size. 
 
 Dip. The angle which any incline stratum makes with a horizontal 
 line. 
 
 Door-Boy. A boy who opens and siiuts the door placed across any 
 passageway in the mines to control the direction of the venti- 
 lating current. 
 
 Double Entry. One of the systems by which openings into the 
 bituminous coal mines are made. 
 
 Downcast. The passage or way through which air is drawn into a 
 mine. 
 
306 
 
 Glossary of Terms Used h>j Miners. 
 
 Drift. A water-level entrance to a mine, driven in from the sur- 
 face on the coal. 
 
 Drill. Any tool used for boring holes in the rock or coal. 
 Driving. Excavating any horizontal passage in or into the mines. 
 Drum. A revolving cylinder, at the head of any hoisting-way, on 
 which the winding rope is coiled. 
 
 Egrg Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 
 Entrance. See Cross-heading, 
 
 Entry. The main entrance and travelling road in bituminous 
 
 mines. 
 Face. The end wall at the inner or working extremity of any 
 
 excavation in or into the mine. 
 
 Fan. A machine used to force a ventilating current of air through 
 a mine. 
 
 Fault. A displacement of strata in which the measures on ono 
 side of a fissure are pushed up •'bove the corresponding mea- 
 sures on the other side. 
 
 Firc-Board. A blackboard, fixed near the main entrance of a 
 mine, on which the fire boss indicates each morning the ammmt 
 and location of dangerous gases. 
 
 FIro Boss. An official whose duty it is lo examine the workings 
 for accumulations of dangerous gases. 
 
 Fire Clay. The geological formation which is usually found im- 
 mediately underlying a coal bed. 
 
 Fire Damp. Light carbureted hydrogen. 
 Fissure. A separation of rock or coal across the measures. 
 Floor. The up])er surface of the stratum immediately inulerlying 
 a coal seam. 
 
Glossaru of Tenns Used hy Miners. 307 
 
 (<laii;?way. An excavation or passageway, driven in the coal, at a 
 slight grade, forming the base from which the other workings 
 of the mine are begun. 
 
 Gas. Fire-damp. 
 
 Goaf. The waste left in worked out portions of the mine. 
 
 Gob. The refuse separated from the coal and left in the mine. 
 
 Guides. Narrow vertical strips of timber at each side of the car- 
 riageway in shafts, to steady and guide the carriage in its 
 upward or downward movement. 
 
 Gunboat. A car used for hoistinp coal on steep slopes. 
 
 Head-Frame. The frame erected at the head of a shaft to sui)port 
 the sheaves and hold the carriage. 
 
 Heading:. Synonymous with gangway. Any separate continuous 
 passage used as a travelling way or as an airway. 
 
 Hopper. A feeding shute or pocket in a breaker. 
 Horseback. A small ridge in the roof or floor of a coal seam. 
 Inside Slope. An incline plane in a mine, on which coal is 
 hoisted from a lower to a higher level. 
 
 Jacket. One of the sections or frames of wire mesh of which a 
 revolving screen is made up. 
 
 Keeps. Projections of wood or iron on which the carriage rests 
 while it is in place at the head of the shaft. 
 
 La^gin^. Small timbers or planks driven in behind the legs and 
 over the collars to give additional support to the sides and roof 
 of the passage. 
 
 Legs. The inclined sticks on which the collar rests in gangway, 
 
 tunnel, drift, and slope timbering. 
 Level. See Gangway. 
 
308 
 
 Glossarj/ of Tirms Used bi/ Miners. 
 
 Lilt, All the workings dri'ren from one level in a steep-pitching 
 seam. 
 
 Loading Place. The lowest extremity of the breaker, where pre- 
 pared coal is loaded into '■ailway cars. 
 
 Lump Coal, ^he largest size of prepared anthrr. 
 
 Manway. A passageway in or into the mine, useu as a footway 
 for workmen. 
 
 Mouth. The opening, at the surface, of any way into the mine. 
 
 Needle. An instrument used in blasting coal, with which a channel 
 is formed through the tamping for the entrance of the squib, 
 
 Nut Coal. One of the regular sizes of bituminous coal. 
 
 Opening. Any excavation in or into a mine. 
 
 Operator. Th^ person, firm, or corporation working a colliery. 
 
 Outcrop, TliaL portion of any geological stratum which appears 
 at the surface. 
 
 Output. The amount of coal produced from a mine. 
 
 Parting. The layer of slato or bony coal which separates two 
 benches of a coal seam. 
 
 Pea Coa^ > One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 Picking Shnte. A shute in the breaker from which the pieces of 
 sk'te are picked out by a boy as they pass down with the coal. 
 
 Pillar. A column or body of coal left unmined to support the roof. 
 
 Pillar and Breast. The name of a common mining method. 
 Pinch. See Crusli. 
 Pitch. See Dip 
 
 Plane. Any incline on which a track is laid for the purpose of 
 lowering or hoisting coal. 
 
 Pockets. Receptacles at the lower ends of shutes, in breakers, from 
 which coal is loaded into railway cars. 
 
Glof-arn of Terms Used bif Miners. 
 
 309 
 
 Prop. A wooden post to support the roof of a mine. 
 
 Prospect 1 11?,'. f?e:ircliing for indications of coal on the surface, and 
 testing coal seams from the surface by boring. 
 
 Pump Way. That compartment of a shaft or slope down which 
 the pump rods and pipes are extended. 
 
 Rake. Number of cars constituting a trip, drawn at one time by 
 any motive power. 
 
 Bib. The side of an excavation as distil guished from the en«l or 
 face. 
 
 Rob. To mine coal from ^he pillars after the breasts are worked 
 out. 
 
 Rock Tunnel. ■ A tunnel driven through rock strata. 
 
 Rolls. In breakers, heavy iron or steel cylinders set with ♦eeth, 
 used for breaking coal. 
 
 Roof. The stratum immediately overlying a coal seam. The rock 
 
 or coal overhead in any excavation. 
 Room. Synonymous with breast or chamber 
 
 Safety Lamp. A lamp that can be carried into inflaminable gases 
 without igniting them. 
 
 Scraper. A tool used for cleaning out bore holes in blasting. 
 
 Screen. Any apparatus used for separating coal into dillerent sizes. 
 
 Seam. A stratum of coal. 
 
 Separator. A machine for picking slate. 
 
 Shaft. A vertical entrance into a mine. 
 
 Sheave. The wheel in the head-frame of a shaft that supports the 
 winding rope. 
 
 Shift. The time during which a miner or laborer works continu- 
 ously, alternating with some other similar period. 
 
810 
 
 Glossary of Terms Usal by Miners. 
 
 Sliute. A narrow passageway througli which coal descendH hy 
 gravity from tlie foot of the l)rea8t to the gangway; an inclint<l 
 trough, in a break».'r, down wliich coal slides by cavity. 
 
 Single Entry. One of the systems by which 1 
 are entered. 
 
 10US mines 
 
 Slack. The dirt from bituminoi.s coal. 
 
 Slate Picker. A boy who picks slate from coal. A machine used 
 for the same purpose. 
 
 Slope. An entrance to a mine driven down through an incline 
 coal seam. Inside slope: a passage in tlie mine driven down 
 through the seam, by which to bring coal up from a lower level. 
 
 Slo|>e Carriage* A platform on wheels on which cars are raised 
 and lowered in steep slopes. 
 
 Smut. 8ee Blossom. 
 
 Split. A branch of a ventilating air current. 
 
 Spread. The bottom width of a slope, drift, tunnel, or gangway 
 
 between tlie legs of the timbering. 
 Squeeze. See Ciush. 
 
 Squib, i^ powder cracker used for igniting the cartridge in 
 blasting. 
 
 Steamboat Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 
 Shopping'. A wall built acrogs any passage to control ihe venti- 
 lating current. 
 
 Stove Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. 
 
 Strike. The direction of a line drawn horizontally along any 
 stratum. 
 
 Stripping. Mining coal by first removing the surface down to the 
 coal bed ; open working. 
 
Glossmy of Terms Used by Miners, 311 
 
 Sump. A basin in mines entered by a slope or shaft, in which the 
 
 water of the mine is collected to be pumped out. 
 Swamp. A. depre"8ion in the seam. 
 
 Synclinal. A fold of strata in which the inclination of the sider is 
 from the axis upward. 
 
 Tipple. A building in which coal is dumped, screene<l, and loaded 
 i nto boats or cars. 
 
 Trapper. See Door Boy. 
 
 Travelling Way. A passageway for men and horses in or into the 
 mines. 
 
 Tunnel. An opening into a mine driven horizontally across the 
 measures. 
 
 Under-Clay. See Fire Clay. 
 
 Underhollng. See Bearing in. 
 
 Upcast. An opening from a mine through which air is taken out. 
 
 Vein. Used (improperly) synonymously with seam, bed, or stratum. 
 
 Wagon. A mine car. 
 
 Waste. Gob ; coal dirt. 
 
 Water Level. An entrance into or passage in a mine, driven with 
 
 just sufficient grade to carry off water. 
 White Damp. Carbonic oxide. 
 Wingrs. See Keeps. 
 
 Workii- • Face. A face at which mining is being done. 
 Workings. The excavations of a mine, taken as a whole; or, 
 
 more particularly, that portion of the mine in which mining 
 
 is being done. 
 
f 
 
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