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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rrata o }elure, 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 S 6 y. < §1 t5 Stozi^ of tfvc. %^w^4iee eo^e^i^ ^ootyt 0:M014^. *i mmmmmmmmm I i '< STOEY OF 'Phe Springhill l]i|a|teF: OOHPRISIMO A FULL AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT COAL MINING EXPLOSION AT SimUuHILL MINES ^ NOI/M SCOTIR, FEBRUARY SlBt, 1801, INCLUDIMO A HISTORY OP SPRINGHILL AND ITS COLLIERIES; ALSO, A Description of the Undergrround Workings, Mechanical Operations and Mysteries of \;he Mine; Reviews of other Great Coal Mining Disasters; Coal and its History; Dangrers of Mlnlngr Operations and Safeguards against Accidents in Mines; Explanation of Coal Mining Terms; Itossons ft>om the Great Calamity, Etc. BY la. -A., n- ikdioiaiao'w. FTJLTjY IXjIjTJSTI?.^TBID. ST. JOHN, N. B. R. A. H. MORROW, 59 Garden Street 4P mmmmmmi'mmm m ^ \ ' f M /•J f^ ■nBi l!i '} i Entered according to Act of Parliamert of Canada in the year 1891, By Robert A. H. Morrow, In the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa. i \ 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 Relates the Thrilling Story of the Whole Scene, is Dedicated by The AuTHORi 'Tiirw^m^T mmm It III: . in ERRATA. On page 197, 7th line from top, ought to be 1886-87, instead of " 1885-57." 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. ( I \ PEEFACE. II No event in the history of Canada has startled the nation and touched the hearts of all classes more than the terrible calamity at Springhill Collieries. By this dreadful catastrophe one hundred and twenty-five brave miners lost their lives, ieaving destitute two hundred and thirty-four orphans, widows and widowed mothers to mourn their bereavement. The mighty destructive forces of nature having been permitted by the Almighty to ru^h forth out of their chambers, causing this calamity, for some wise purpose we cannot now understand, it is fitting 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 be learned by this calamity have not been overlooked. Coal-mining being one of the greatest industries of the day, and the mode of formation and deposit 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 f 1 10 Preface. i M; !i Mil mine/' as they appeared to him during his visits to that gloomy region. The history of the mines where the explosion took place, and the town of Springhill that has arisen about them, being considered of special interest to the reader, is given a prominent place in the work. References are made to the other great coal fields 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 " Drummond Colliery " are also alluded to. " Safeguards against accidents in mines," it is hoped, will be of some value to mining operators. The Glossary is designed to explain terms used in connection with coal-raining, 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 duo credit to each source from which he has obtained information. But, 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 — "Bleat the day that's past without a sigh; Blest the day with a sigh if we can only dry The tears of those who have more cause to mourn." St. John, N. B. R. A. H. M. LIST OF ii.lustratio:ns. Paob Plan of Mine where Explosion Occurred Frontispiece Chart of Springhill Coal Measures 23 Scene of Explosion 29 Sad Scene Around the Pit ... 36 Rescuing Party in the Mine 47 Engine House., o. 1 Slope | __ Carpentf^'^' Shop, used as a Morgue] Interior of Carpentci^' Shop, used as a Morgue 67 The Hero Boy 87 A Cemetery Scene 113 Late Underground Manager Swift 123 Present Mayor of Springhill 191 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 :l I CONTENTS. Paok Preface 9 List o^ Illustrations 11 CHAPTER I. The Startling News IT The Awful Cry — Indications of Destruction. CHAPTER II. Scene of the Disaster 21 Springhill Scenery — Location of Collieries — The Ex- I plosion — Terrible Sweep. CHAPTER III. The Wave of Sorrow 2S Foreboding Apprehension — Terrific Explosion — Cohort of Flame — Deadly Choke-Damp — Indescribable Ex- citement — Cold Embrace of Death. CHAPTER IV. Searching for the Dead and Injured 37 Rescuer's First Descent — First Dead Body Foimd — Heroism of Volunteers — A Sabbath to be Remem- bered — Unparalleled Sights. CHAPTER V. Care of the Wounded 69 Dispatch for Medical Aid — Extent of Injuries Sustained. CHAPTER VI. Scenes at the Morgue 66 Sad Sights — A Touching Incident. (13) IP h 14 Contents. CHAPTER VII. Paok The Gloom Deepens 72 A Sad Sight — Mysterious Case of Trial — Sad and Solemn Experiences — Bay of Light in the Dark Cloud. CHAPTER VIII. Personal Incidents 76 A Very Sad Case — Providential Escapes from Death. CHAPTER IX. Experience of Survivors 80 A Bace for Life — Dreadful Situation of Three Boys — The Hero Boy. CHAPTER X, List of the Victims 89 Married Men with Families — Young Men Unmarried — Boys under Sixteen. CHAPTER XL Coroner's Inquest and Verdict 95 Names of Jurors — Important Testimony — Underground Manager's Explanation — The Verdict. CHAPTER XIL Burial of the Dead Ill Funeral Arrangements — The Stranger's Grave — Heart- rending Scenes — Particularly Painful, Burial — Man- ager Swift's Funeral. CHAPTER XIII. Sympathy with the Bereaved 125 Appeal for Aid — Queen Victoria's Cablegram — Lord Stanley's Telegram — Besponses from all Quarters — Press Beports of Public Aid Meetings, etc. I Contents, 15 CHAPTER XIV. Paob Help for the Destitute 140 List of Contributions from all Parts. CHAPTER XV. Lessons from the Great Calamity 145 Sacredness of Nature's Destructive Forces — A Call to Watchfulness. CHAPTER XVI. Review of other Great Coal Mining Disasters 149 Felling Colliery — Newport — Hartley Pit — Oaks Col- liery — Ayondale — Monis Mines — Ebbw Vale — Risca Mines — Seaham — Pittsburg — Drummond Colliery — Ford Pit. CHAPTER XVII. Dangers of Coal Mining 161 Fire-Damp — After-Damp — Black-Damp — White-Damp — Coal Dust. CHAPTER XVIII. Safeguards against Accidents in Mines 170 Ventilation — Drainage — Safety Lamps — Daily Inspec- tion of Mines — Electricity. CHAPTER XIX. History of Springhill and its Collieries 179 ^irst Record of Coal Mining in Springhill — Tarly Set- tlers — Formation of the "Springhill Mining Company" — A Boom under E. N. Sharp — First Railway Train from St. John to Halifax — First Carload of Coal Taken to the Junction — Organization of the " Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company" — Grand Jubi- lee at the Mines in 1873 — Manager Hall's Arrival from ■■iiN i* If ' (• .1 ! i'H !i! '■; I •. f ;! IH 16 ' Contents. Albion Mines — Dr. Clove's Removal from River Philip — First Shipment of Coal by Rail to Parrsboro — 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. Page Extent of Neighboring Coal Measures Estimate of the Coal Fields of the Maritime Provinces ■ Review of the Cumberland County Coal Measures. 209 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- cove»*y of Coal in Pictou County. CHAPTER XXII. 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 XXIII. 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 Terms Used by Miners 303 tHE 'prinjJiill 6ollierg Disagter. CHAPTER I. The Startling News. On Saturday, February 2l8t, 18i)l, the world was startled by the tidings that a sad disaster had occurred at one o'clock that e. rv TlIK COI.LIKHIKS, which have been oj>ened to date at Springhill, are five in nund)er. Thev are distinfi:uished as the East, West and North v31opes, the Aberdeen Pit, and the Syndicate Slo])e. The East Slo])e is also known as No. 1 ; West, No. 2, and North, No. 3. The Aberdeen l?it anc^ Syndicate Slope have not been much worked as vet : the others are in full operation. These Collieries are located on the western side of the town, and their entrances are at a respectful distance from the business portion. The entrances of the East and West Slopes are each about half a mile from the Post Oiiice. The former is also 3,000 feet in a northerlv direction from the latter. By looking at the l*lan of these — Nos. 1 and 2 Mines — it will be seen that each of their 1,300 foot Levels are connected by a tunnel running through a dividing strata of eighty feet in thickness, w rt g m i-i-id ^^ ' t' f^^ii '^fc'J u1 u -I., II, ■„ Iff^^-^^MWWIi i i^ii If'! • If 1 II Spn'nf/hlff Cnllin'fi DlsaaUr. 25 and that eacli has \\a 8e]»arate I'tjtratui' or slope. This tunnel is for hauhigf and ventilation, the eoal mined on the u[)per level of No. 1 I 'it hoinic taken through this tunnel into the hottorn level of No. 2 Pit, and thence up the slope to the surface. Although apparently otherwise on thi* plan, the East Seam overtops the VV^est. The North Seam also overlies the P^ast, and is separateter " Meelianical Operations of the Pit." F^'rom the Bottom of F^ach Slopk the mine is excavated in various directions, forming a labyrinth of streets, cross streets, alleyways, and courts, which are known b;y a variety (^f names, such as Levels, Balances, Bords, Shutes, Planes, Tunnels, Man ways, Gangways, C'hambers, etc., all of which are fully explained in the (ilossary Depart- ment. By looking at the plan of the mines, the reader will see that the "Balances" of No. 1 Slope run f r 1.8 I h i 1 i '■ i il , : i I i 26 Sprinffhill Collier;/ Disaster. parallel with the main entrance from the foot Level up a« far as the coal is mine,! in that direction, and are numbered accordiui' to their ilistances from the bottom of the main slr^i It will also be seen that the " Bords" running from these "Balances" are numbered from the bottom Level upwards, until the head of the Balance is reached. Following the tracings on the plan, beginning at the foot of ]^o. I Balance, and proceeding alorig the main level until No. 7 Balance is reached, and then counting the Bords iipw{»rd to No. 3 Bord, the exact spot where the explosion is supposed to have taken place can easily be discovered. The Explosion Occurred in Xo. 8 Bord of No. 7 Balance, which is three- quarters of a mile west from the foot of the main entrance leading into No. 1 Pit. From the place of exploson the burning gas must have rushed forth with terrible force, as it was in this and adjoining vicinities that all iha mutilated bodies were found, and every one was evidently burnt or torn to death. Every man in Nos. 6 and 7 Balances, and their connecting Bords, and along the main level as far as No. 8 Balance, were no doubt killed ins^^antlv by the hN ?: Sprinffhill Colliery Disaster. 27 force of the explosion. The number of dead bodies found in this region can easily be counted on the plan, which also shows the place where each dead body was found in all parts 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 and stoppings in this neighbor- hood were all torn away, allowing the fire-damp to escape to other apa/tments of the mine, it rushed along the i>aHsages With Tekrible Sweep, like "a rushing mighty wind," overwhelming every- thing at all movable in it*5 co\irse. This deadly gaseous element was immediately followed by a cohort of flame of awful fierceness. These fierce elements of destruction not only Hwept along the 1 ,900 foot level of the Eastern Slope, but swejjt with dreadful fury up into the 1,800 foot level of the same workings, and through the tunnel into the Western Pit, carrying immediate death to some who were in thut direction, as will be seen by the number of black dots on the plan, each of these dots representing the place where a dead body was discovered. 'It) ■m CHAPTER III. TiiK Wave of Sorrow, if'i ^i\ 1 II At si'veii o'clock on tlie morning of the dav of the fatal cx])losioii, the miners engaged in the East and West Slopes descended to work as usual. The Aberdeen Pit had been inactive for some time, and owing to lack of empty coal cars to receive the out- put, the North Slo})e was also idle that day. These three collieries give employment to about 1,850 men and boys. From sixty to seventy horses are alsi) to work in the })its. The men and boys Jire distrilnited about as follows: In Xo. 1 Pit, 300; in Xo. 2, 800; in No. 8, 400; and on the surface, 850. Conse- quently, 000 miners went to work that morning in the East and West Sloi)es with all the buovancv of youth and manhood. Xo manifestations of nature appeared to warn of the sad event that was soon to transpire, it is true that in some bosoms there was a FoRKHODiNo Apprehension that some dire calamity should happen in the mines at some distant dav. (28) V\ TjJff3Hju| .'> 1^ £s,.!2 ''% ' %1M m 1 '"^m 1 SCKNK OF EXIM.OSION. If" f v. A it;'' ■ 1 9 ■ ?■ M.N i. i k j. -i ill! • 3 1 \ T" 1' i ^ 11^ ; llil f > iiii....)niimuiMMmiiJHBm»iwwwrgiiwww«w SpringhiU CoUien/ Disaster. 31 Thii* fear was engendered by a current report that an old woman named " Mrs. Coo " had suggested to some one that something would liappen about the mines during the coming month of May. As a con- sequence of this report, a committee was appointed to examine the mine, which they did, and found no visible cause for alarm, as will be seen by a portion of the evidence adduced at the inquest. Notwith- 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 " wa*-- ^"nerally known to tell the truth, and hence their apprehensive mus- in2>«. That dav the work went on in the mines aa usual, without mishap or interruption until noon, when a stoppage of half an hour was allowed for dinner. After partaking of the noon-day meal the machinery was again put in motion and operations proceeded until seventeen minutes to one o'clock, when A Terrific Explosion took place, the report of which was heard like sullen thunder, resounding through many portions of the mine. 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 must have overtaken them had they ill M ' ' I i 32 Sprlnf/liill Collier jf Disasfer. remained at their posts of duty. As tlie lamfw were quickly extinguiflhed by the effects of the gas, and the miners left in utter darkness, escape was almost impossible. However, by strenuous efforts, maiiy gained the surfju^e, and thus their lives were saved. Tfiose who were in tlie vicinitv of wliere the explosion occurred, were doubtless killed instantly, as lias ah'eady been stated. Those further off, and not killed by the exi)losion, evidently fell victims immediatelv bv iidialiuff the first breath of I J i ' I iM \ ih, The Deadly Choke- Dam p. A number of miners, including Charles Burrows, heard the rejjort some i^00 feet from where the explo- sion took i)lace and at once felt the o])pression of the damp, and instantly threw themselves flat on their faces. Xo matter in what direction tliey attem|)ted to go they encountered gas, through which they could hardly force their way. After running a great distance in this manner they got to pure atmos|)here and finally reached the top of the mine. Tlie last to reach the surface, of those alive, r^-: ■•• ^i.lai McKinnon, George Davidson and John ■ :^iw'v. ' These were working in No. 2 Mine, and Y 'I r ijured in any way. hi \- i Sprhufhill C(>U)mi Disaster. 33 Those who had made their escape from the pit could tell nothing an to what the loss of life wan. Many testified that as they ran towards the entrance of the pit they knew some of their companions to fall over from the eftects of poisonous gases, statir.g that in every case where it was possible to do so they lent those who had been overcome the assist- ance they required to reach the surface. As nearly every one of those known to have been in the mines had relatives or dear friends among those who had assembled at the mouth of the pit where the explosion occurred, f;| i 1} rv The Excitement was Indescribable. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives and children ran about in wild confusion, imploring all whom « thev met to institute a search for their friends. No one could remain unmoved as they saw frail mothers, half clothed, clasping tender little ones to their bosoms, beseeching men who were near at hand to find out as soon as i)088ible if their husbands, the fathers of their dear babies, were among the '/}f/hiU CofUm/ Disasicr. One of the Saddest Scenes jver \vitneH8elosion. Of this Mr. Reese was fullv convinced, hut was so anxious to «^et out the hodies, which were lyin*:^ around in all directions, that he did not make his convictions known to the others at the time, some hein. i . i H f J- ■• ' !• ': ■■ 4 k 1 •i S .■-' I 40 Sprhu/hill (hllien/ D'lffaster. The First Dead Body Found was tli}«t of William H. Turner. Notwithstanding this agreement to leave the pit for two hours, when one hour had passed, William Lorimer called on Mr. Reese at his house, where he was resting, and informed him that there was a boy missing that possibly might be living and groping around in the dark. Tliev descended at once in search of this boy, but did not iind him, as he had gone from where he was working in No. 2 Slope to No. 1, a short time before the explosion, and got killed. His name was George Bond. When the two hours had expired the searching parties veturned into No. 2 Mine and worked all nigbt. At four o'clock Sabbath morning, Manager Reese, in com[)any with Josej)li Robertson and Allen C. McKinnon, went down the East Slope in search of lire, which tiiey expected to find. After l)eing satisfied that fire existll.. 42 1 ' ' ■■ ! I ^ ■ ' I I ■■' I i m- i I ! [til Hi Spriiif/hiU Odliin/ Dis'ister. could not be persuaded by her entreaties, but de- Heended and brought bodies from beyc^nd over falls which few others, it is said, <'Ould climb. Some who descended into Xo. 1 l*it first after the explosion were borne back to the surface suffocated and unconscious. Joseph Robertson, one of tlie first men who went to the rescue at Xo. 1 Slope, was so overcome by the after-damp that he was compelled to crawl on his hands and knees for (piite a distance. After gaining the surface, and getting properly sur- vived aiui adjusted, he returned to tlie pit and worked heroically day and night for three days. He and Malcolm \^\\y^ were among the greatest workers, and discovered a large number of the dead. The heroic courage and endurance of Overman lleese, in leadinjj; men to the rescue of the wounded and recovery of the dead, was admired by all, and one of the rescued i)arties has since acknowledged his indebtedness to him by a tangible recognition. AmoxN(J the First Voli nteers to enter the Kast Slope after the explosion were Joseph Robertson, Malcolm Blue, A¥illiam Hay, J. Madden, flames Harvey, H. Bunt, .lohn 1). Beaton, William Murray, James Miller, (leorge Morrison, George Oulton, Charles H. Weller, James 'll:# <4 ; 31 Sprmf/hill Oiliery DLsaMtr. 4a Lamhert, Daniel O'Brien, and William MeGilvray. A numV)er of these parties did not reach the surface^ but returned ininiediatelv trom the bottom of the slope to look for their companions, while the atmos- phere was alarmingly impure with coal dust and heated smoke. These first searching parties j)roceeded along^ tlie level as far as thev were able to venture, and in a short time had rescued all the living. Among the injured were five boys, named AVillard Carter, John Conway, Dannie Robertson, Adolphus Landry, and Daniel Beaton, all of whom have survived but AVillard Carter, who died at ten o'clock that night. At Xo. 3 Shute a fire, consisting of some wood and clothing, was discovered. This fire was put out by James Lambert. Had it been allowed to remain a short time longer the consequences would, no decial train from the Springhill Junction, having left S[)ringhill Station by the noon train to attend a meeting of Mining ( <; rr^- iHlffPiPlililIPP ■WMUMiim 44 Sprhif/hill Collien/ Dhaster. OfficialH of Cumberland County, to be held that day at Maccan, for the purpose of forming a Society for the Protection of Mining Officials. After arriving at the Junction, these gentlemen had been called back by telegram, announcing that an explosion had taken place at the mines. On Arrival at the Mines, M' !|i I li it ',t) ill. : '1^ l! i';. {■ I' ■■ '\ s J^ ! Underground Manager Conway procured a lamp, called for volunteers, and at once descended No* 1 Slope, accompanied by Assistant Manager Mclnnis, Messrs. James Ferguson, Peter Shannahan, A. D. Ferguson, Malcolm Blue, James Miller, Joseph Robertson, and some others. These gentlemen pushed into the mine as far as they were able to go with safety, and in a short time some good work was accomplished. Ventilation being the first essential required to prevent further death from the effect of poisonous gases in the mine, men were set to work constructing partitious of canvas, in order to replace the brattices that had been destroyed. The use of this brattice work is given in the Glos- sary at the end of the book. After Mr. Conway and party had descended many others went down to endeavor to find fathers, sons, brothers, and other Sprmyh'dl Collkry Disaster. 45 relatives, who had perislied in the mine. Alexander Melnnis, Assistant Manager, lee in safety. General Man- ager of the Company, J. R. Cowans, also went down to see for himself the state of affairs in the mine. Many dead bodies were seen among the ruins, but owing to the dangers attending the work of rescue at this time, little progress could be made. Owing to the depth of debris in many places, rescuers were compelled to crawl and clind), carrying a dead body on their back or arms, and their lamp in their mouth. Still the work of rescue went on till six o'clock, when Underground Manager Conway, in consultation with other offi- cials, advised that as all the living had evidently heen taken from the pit, all hands should leave the mine for some time, in order that a free cur- rent of the air, forced into the pit by the powerful fan on the surface, might drive out the noxious damp. According to this announcement of Mr. Conway, fiirther searching was discontinued in No. 1 Slope for five hours. i ''^^ 46 HpriKijhill OAlkrij Dlsaskr, OnK of TIIK ITl^lROKS ii in I ' I f'l I who went down into Xo. 1 Slope on SatnrclRy to assist in the work of rescue and with refresliments to the men wlio were at work, was Hev. David ^vVright, of Sprinijjhill. As llev. Mr. Wriglit's experience that after!ioon will give the reader a hetter idea of the state of tlie mine than anvthinic the writer could say, we give the nsimitive in his own words : "I was on my v . \- iliver John, and had got to Springhill Junction. A special was sent down, and with some others I rcturLe»\. ""'ane • all went down into the mine. I entered with some reiVosliinents. 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 proc^ied further, as he would come out by the Mine Bord. We got anxious about him and his volunteers. So one of the men and 1 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 a.sleep. When we reached the main level we were joined by the others. Mr. Conway said there was !t !'« \ if 1 - . I if; RESCUING PARTY IN THE MINE. in tr n m JSK;! h\ t ;:i m I: t \ 1 ' J, • 'J i: . 11 : ! 1 ^ ^ f ■ ii |: li y 1 i'*'^'- 1 ..ii'iii . i .iT' Sjiri)H//iill (h/ficn/ D'lsaylcr. 4J» nothing living in the mine, and gave orders that all were to leave, and in the course of four or five hours the atler- damp would all be driven out. We left the mine at six o'clock. The scene along the level was pitiful. The explosion had rushed toward the bottom of the mine. Not much damage was done, only the props knocked out, which caused the sides and roof partially to fall in. The first thing we saw on our way in, after leaving the bottom of the slope, was a couple 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 flesh. It was killed. Then right in from these the debris blocked the way. Now and again a large fall, under which was a horse, 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, and then went home. Went down East Slope at twelve o'clock, Sabbath, in company with James Harvey, Hugh Marling, Alexander Lorimer, G. Anderson, James McSavaney, and two others, whose names I cannot remember. We went along the level. Four went up No. 6 Balance. Lorimer, Anderson, McSavaney, and myself, went along and up No. 7 Balance. We brought down The Body of Thomas Wii^son, the shot firer. We came out, Lorimer carrying the body on his back, Anderson steadying behind, I in front with the lamp, and McSavaney behind with another lamp. We '3: ; I ',-"1 I fli ail • fi! V M ' \ ! »'■ 'A J' ; ■h r lit 50 Sprinf/hifl Cofficn/ Disa.stcr. walked in this manner a long way till v/e got a" stretcher, on which we put the body. Those out of No. 6 Balance joine■#• ' III '11 ' f f ! : ! 1' 1 if t s ill i . .1 ' 1 f^^ ! 1 ' i. 1 ' 52 SprbnjJiill Colliery Diausln: crew from the JoggiiiB also rendered valuable anHist- ance, and by nix o'clock on Sabbatb evening over one bundred dead bodies bad been recovered. Tbat day was one to be remembered. It did not seem like Sabbjitb. Few realized it was a boly day. The sweeping grief was so great tbat the Sabbath sacredness was overwhelmed, and the sanctuary of God invaded thereby. Some of the bodies found were horribly mutilated, and a few could not be recognized only by their clothing. Others were ((uitc natural. The jjosition of over titity of the dead recovered showed that they had not been killed by the force of the explosion, but were overcome by the after-damj) while trying to escape. It was evident *^'uit none had escaped v'ho encountered the full blast of the iirst sweep of the tire-damp. It could be seen, by the wt,y 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 Died from Suffocation. Many, when found, although cold and still in death, looked as peaceful in the face as though they w^ere merely sleeping. In a few cases the clinched hands and twisted limbs 8h<;)v\ed that the poor men had died in convulsions. Sprinffhill ColUcni DisasUr. 58 The geiionil ov'i(U*iU'o was ovorwlu'lrnini^ that death waH HiKhlon in tho majority of caHos. One man, when killed, had been in the act of smoking, 1 the Htem of hin pipe, lu'ld by the month, re- mained nntil taken out at>er recovery. Another had a mouthful of bread, an if in th»' wt of eating his dinner. A few of the dead were found ntanding in the mont natural positions. One was leaning against a post. The bodies of Daniel T^oekhart and Peter Gallagher, when recovered, showed that Gallagher had a firm hold of Lockhart, as if assisting him to nb over a fall leading from the bord where they e killed. Two men had clasped hands, and evidently ran until the damp overtook tlu'm, when thev fell on their faces and died with their hands united. The body of one man had his dinner-can strapped on his back. Two brothers, named David and James McVey, were locked so tightly in each other's arms that they were taken out and conveyed to their home in their embrace of death. The res- cuing parties met with many other Unparalleled Stohts \'i)i in their search for the dead. They also found much difficulty in some places proceeding with the work, ^! . 1*'': 1 ( i 1 ssassBOSsfsmmum vmm ■Mi ■ * ft;', i( 1 ^ '■ f ^ ' 5 ^ ^i 4- •r . f' 1 : r • ' • ' 1 1: i i i] I i ^, |!l^ 54 Sj)rmg}i'dl GoUitri/ Disaster. owing to the falls of timber and other debris block- ing np the way, and concealing dead bodies. In the vicinity ot 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 No. 7 Balance. Iron rails were torn from their fastenings and twist- ed into many forms. The writer saw one of these rails, which was bent like a barrel hooj). His attention was also directed to a shovel found at the place where Manager Swift's body was discov- ered, the iron })ortion 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 hr.vocs was in a bord where the bodies of Ilichard Dawson and his son Samuel were found by Joseph Robertson. These bodies were in a stiinding position close to each other, and covered to the neck by the ruins. They were dragged out wnth the great<.'st of ditHculty, owing to the small space through which the searching party had to crawl. X number of the rescuers in one place had a narrow escape from a break-down. An avalanche of rocks showered down from the roof whilst they Avere carrying the dead body of Springhill OMiery 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 days after- wards hy Overman Reese and James Ferguson. Notwithstanding the enormity of the lal)or in- volved, the volunteer parties contiiuied their search night and tlay, for five days, until Thursday, 26th,^ at four o'clock, when the last bodv had been recovered — that of Henry Swift, Underuround Manager of the mines, which made the number taken out dead one hundred and twentv-one, besides four of the injured, who have since died, making the whole iHimber killed one Imndred and twenty-five. The searching party who discovered Manager Swift's bodv consisted of Malcolm Blue, A. D. Ferguson, \V. 1). Matheson, Xeil .McDonald, John (\)l\vcll, and Luke Harrison. The bodv was found under about three feet of rock. The face was down- wards, and not disfigured. The place where the l>ody was lying was on the maiti level, about 500 feet from where the explosion occurred. The last two bodies found previous to that of Manager Swift were those of Archibald Shipley and James Nairn. These bodies were discovered in the iiSf !■ n'tfH^ rr I ' :|| '■ >! !.^ ii '; ! (■ ; !' i ^ I f ■ 'I , II. 66 Sprini/hiU OtUicrij Disaster. vicinity of vvliei'o Swift's body was lying. Nairn's body was found on tlic morning of the 2oth, and inakos three of the Xairn faniil}' killed in the pit. ( )n the day previous to this date the bodies of William Hyde, Donald McKay, Henry Livingstone, Richard Murphy, ffohn Francis, Andrew Bunt and Neil McLeod were all discovered under heavv falls ■ of stone and coal, which had to be removed before getting at the bodies. On the 24th, the bodies of .lolni Hunter, Roger Noiles and John J. Mc- Donald were found by the searching ])arties. McDonald was thrown up an inclini' seventy-five feet from where he had been working. His body was shockingly mutilated, and one arm was missing. Noiles' bodv was also liadly cut and torn. John (jillis' body was taken out of Xo. 2 Slope on the afternoon of the 28rd. It was thought that he h^d esca])c(l injury, as his name did not appear on the list of the missing. He was a single man, and belonged to Cape Breton. After the dead miners had l>een recovered, the dead bodies of horses were c«)llected, taken out of the pit, and cremated. The number of horses killed was seventeen. I I 91 It/* ? Hi iUHl 'I If l.f K m f 'h - } »ni ni f. .» H \ T] and \ Htate ( Mana^ boro f( towns )troni]> Allen, and Bi Rand, I had roa [>la('c, s exjK'ctii an'imta Byt all the i and ear reside ii of Sprii: hut owi The j»h> ., CHAPTER V. Care of the Wounded. The first duty devolving uj^on those who had charge of the 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 tx)wns to come on wdth despatch. This request was jtroniptly responded to by Drs. Hlack, Hewson, Allen, McDougall, Bliss and Campbell, of Amherst; and Drs. Boggs, McKenzie, Babbitt, Atkinson and Rand, of Parrsboro. When word of the disaster had reached Oxford, I)rs. Cook anecting that there would be a larger number of an>j»utations and other surgijcal operations to }>erform. Bvthe time these medical ffentlomen had arrived all the injured had been brought out of the mines, and carefully treated by Drs. Cove and Hayes, who reside in the place. Dr. Bayard, another physician of Sprirghill, would also have been in attendance, but owing to sickness was confined to his house. The jkhysicians from Amherst, Oxford and Parrs- (69) ■ 1 ;| Bft^raH [■' i li h 1' V I. ; I •iiii^ 1 1 \ I ! If 11 Mul:.L it , I. hi i , I Im i " : in!' i i V 1 ; 1 ' i 1 r « ;i li m : •■ > 60 Springhill Colliery Disaster. boro, however, did everything that they could to assist alleviating the sufferings of the wounded. But, outside of the seven who had been brought out burned, and several others partly suffocated by the after-damp, no medical aid could avail anything. Explosion occurred seventeen minutes to one o'clock, and no living person was removed from the mines after two o'clock. As members of the relief parties were being constantly returned to the surface, badly affected by the after-damp, it was deemed best to station medical men at the pit heads for the pur- pose of attending to such cases without delay. Dr. McDougall, of Amherst, and Dr. Atkinson, of Parrs- boro, were stationed at the West Slope, and at the East Slope Drs. Boggs and Babbitt, of Parrsboro, and Drs. Cove and Hayes, of Springhill. All 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 Sab- bath morning, when it was considered there was no more danger, thorough ventilation having been restored to the mines. The following is a Kkcori) of Injuries Sustained by Each individual and the result in each case : Willard Carter had a severe gash on face juat below left eye, extending about one and a half inches ! I .i,s . , .. Sprivghill Collierf/ Disaster. 61 down side of face, and obliquely inward and upward, go tlial it could be probed to a depth of live inches. Besides this, he was seriously burned about the hands and face. He remained in a profound stupor until 10 o'clock that night, when he died. He was thirteen years old, son of Reid Carter, who was killed with his eldest son in the mine, and not recovered until the following morning. Joshua McNeil was taken to his boarding house in a state of stupor, and was thought simply to be affected by the after-damp. He soon developed violent convulsions, and died about 8 o'clock Satur- day evening, showing evidence of having sustained a fracture at base of the skull. He was twenty-one years of age, and unmarried. NqW S. McNeil was severely burned on hands, arms and face, and side of body. He died one week after explosion from exhaustion, resulting from extent of surface burned. He was unmarried, and twenty- tliree years of age. Henry Nash, severely burned about body, hands, arms and face, died on fourth day from shock and exhaustion. His age was twenty-four. His family consisted of wife and one child. Dannie Robertson, the hero boy referred to on another page as saving Willie Farris, the little ilM I 1 1 1 . 1 • i * ;j i; : ( I i; n M'F; i I t f N L; 62 Spn\(/hill Collknj Dimi^ftr. trapper, was badly burned about the head, face, arms, and side of body. lie was in a eritieal condi- tion for some davs, ])ut is now considered out ul' danger, although suffering great pain at time of writing (May 1st). His age is fourteen years. Willie Farris, a trapper boy twelve years old, who was saveital, and is im- proving slowly. The following letter, which he sent from Halifax to the writer, will be read with interest: Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, N. S., April 24th, 1891. Dear Sir : Your favor of 22nd to hand, and in reply would say : At the time of explosion I was at the bottom of No. 1 Slope, and all at once my light went out, and then I smelt gas, and knowing something was wrong, 1 at once tried to make my escape, and almost got up to the surface when I was struck oh the back by a boom. When brought to the bank head I was senseless. When I came to, ray legs, from body downwards, were paralyzed. I was taken immediately to my boarding house, where I stayed until removed to the hospital, where I have been slowly improving. Hope to get around again in a few months. The things published about me are wrong. They have got my name " David " instead of James, and my age " 22 " instead of 16 years, which it ought to be. This is about all the information I can give you in regard to the Springhill explosion. Yours truly, James Liddle. q f hf -If ir r it m fe.: ^1 -KasfTTSafii^ssei-^^'.-^ 64 t^pr'nKjhUl Collien/ Disaster. 1 j I: John (\)iiw}iy, the thirteen year old Hon of Wni. Conway, Underground Manager of No. 1 Slope, waH rtlightly affected by after-damp ; Iuh escape from further injury was a miracle. His cane is referred to in another (!hapter. dames Daniel McDonald was poisoned by after- damp; he had violent convulsions for four or five hours. When he recovered from thg effects of the damp he had lost his reason, and at time of writing it had not been restored, but his symptoms were favorable. (■yrus Munroe, Rodger Lewis, John Dykens, Gordon Carmichael, David Merritt and Hyall Noiles, were all affected more or less severely by the after-dam]), but soon recovered under medical treatment. Among those who formed the rescue parties the following were severely affected by the after-damp: Alex. McFnnis, Assistant ITnderground Manager; Wm. (\)nway, Underground Manager, No. 1 Slope; Malcolm Blue, Thomas Fletcher, George Kitchell, Jesse Armishaw, 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 connection. Of persons affected by the after-damp among tiie rescuers, and those who had been discovered in the Sprlnyftld Co/flcn/ l)l}«ift1tr. 66 mino, Tliomas Brown was the greatest sufferer, wlio recovered. After eoining out of tlie pit lie wan taken to the office of Br. Cove, and reinaineil for about eight hours in terrible convulsions. It took four or five men constiintlv to hold him on the couch. He was removed to his home, and had fully recovered in twenty-four hours after being injured. Many others were affected by the after-damp, but as they did not require medical treatment their names are not mentioned in this cliapter. m ^▼v^^^^^W^WHPiM^HBilP^* A i I . ■ I \ \ i i 1 V r h ill i r Hi ' M I 'c ■ • ( ) i » t 1 ^ f V A CHAPTKII VI. ScKNKS AT Till-; MoKdli:. *• Duriiiu' flic Hvc (liivs in wliicli \\\v (K'jkI Itodics were Itciiiii' liroiiu'ht ii|i out <»t' the pits, iiianv ot' tlic HcciiK's ;it tilt' Ciirin'iitci's" Sliop, at tlic inoutli of the Kust SlojK', wliicli was nst'd as a Moi'^iic, were lifart-i-i'iidini;, and sliall iirvcr \)v torii-ottcn bv tht* sjKH'tators, Tilt' I'cinains of iiiaiiN who had pcrishi'd ill No. 1 Mine were taken to tliis place after eoniiiiir to the surface tiiat tlii'V mi^'ht lie prepared for ideii- titicatioM hv their friends and interiiieiit. At tiiiies it seemed tliat none remained in tlie town who were able to run to the Morn'iie. Benches were arran«^ed within the huildinu', and the corpses, after heinu^ washed, were laid on them. Those in chari^e of the Morjiiie were Wm. Henderson, Samuel Richmond, Samuel Russell, and John F. McDonald. (Jthers tried it also lor a time, hut could not endure tlie nei'vous strain. Althouirh a larijce number of the dead \\vvv natural, yet others wore burnt and mutilatetl beyond recognition, and tlie place had the semblance of a veritable slaughter-house for u (.!ti) n ics he TO 111' \\i'(\ ^r nuir WU- IIU'S "IT*' r the lliers of h'.ul lor u 'W ;i w r-n i i ' I' pi M 1 f til on ]ci lea 13 wit bo( iny hoc one )0(»j her Ilf not the pur her, turn true tlie lUV hum soiu« Htate nl!; Springhill Colliery 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 mangled beyond recognition. The father had been tli rough 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 atler looking over all the other bodies in the place, asked her husband where the bodv was he told her about. Tie took her to the lifeless form, remarking, " It is not our boy." The mother proceeded to examine the clothing, as the mangled body couhl serve no purpose of identification, 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 been mending it the night before, and <*ould only exclaim, " This is niv poor boy I This is my j)oor boy I " Althougli a few others hardly bore a trace of liuman semblance, yet they were " Those whom somebody loved," and though seen in their detbrmed state, and in that horrid |>lace, were still dear to III ll ? ^ fl ^ ^ I i < ^ : i 6 . . ■ ^ 1; ! . ' ' i i' 1 M. ^ ( ■V r , 1 < : r 1 1 1 t :i ^^^ii 70 HprbujhUl CoUiery Disaster. their friendft, and thankfully received. The widowed wife and childless mother knew the remains of her offspring or hu8l)and, no matter how deformed, and no earthly power could separate her from the loving form of her tender boy or kind husband until the strength of her frail body succumbed to the su|>erior force of her grief, and she was carried oft in the same direction as the remains of her loved one. It was a sad sight at one time to see over twenty bodies stretched on the benches and several others in pieces, and around them frantic women and weeping ti'iends 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 apalled, and silent and passive amid the scene. Some who had seldom grieved before, ins[)ired a sigh and felt sensations as the mangled form of some ]>leasing associate was unveiled before their eyes. All felt that one of the saddest calamities ever realized by man on eai*tli had fallen like a thunderbolt u)»on the peaceful inhabitants of Springhill, and in the dark but peace- ftil picture, there was only one l)ack ground of consolation — suhniissyot to the Divine irill. Among those who mourned thus for their departed ones, many felt that God was near, and, H Spinfihill Collimj Disastei\ 71 hy faith, looking up through the rift in tlie dark clond, could flee the kind hand of a loving Father, 'Mn\ feel assured that " Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face." Amid Hueh scenes and musings as these at the morgue, the work of j)reparing the dead for removal to their former homes or last resting [>laee went steadily on. Each hody was stripped and washed, iuid the tattered and hurnt clothing was taken away and destroyed, except in the ease of bodies not known, when their clothing was carefully preserved iis a guide to their friends hy w^hich they might be aide to identity them. After bodies had been arranged and identified, they were taken away to their former homes or the place of interment. Carholic acid required to be used as disinfectant in some cases. When decomposition had ft'eely set in, l>()dies were burieerfect resignation to the Divine will was a lesson I can never forget." A Mysterious Case of Trial was also experienced hy Oliver T)upee. While this hroken-hearted father was conveying home the hody of his son Joseph from the morgue, another child, four years old, ran out to meet him. The boy slipped on the ice, falling on his head, and was instantly killed. Hour by hour, as time wore on. the scene of sorrow bi^came more desolate. As bodies were taken to be 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 j^rostrate owing to over-exertion in the mine attempting to free the imprisoned bodies. The lives of Mrs. Swift and a mimber of other broken hearted widows and bereaved mothers were being despaired of. The mother of one large family of children left in destitute circumstances had become demented. Another widow with three children was entirely bereft of all her fViends. James D. McDonald, one of the injured, was suffering from a bad dose of after-damp and nervous shock. His mind had be- come deranged and he could not l)e comforted. mi Spr-ivghill Colliery Discister. 75 The hoiiaeholds of John Nairn, Keid Carter, Kicliard DawHon, Ilngh Bunt, Xeil Ross, Robert Mc'Vey, Jesse ArniiHhaw and several others, were filirouded in tlie dee})e8t tjlooni, two and three of cat'li family ha\intr been killed. The Sad and Solemn Experience of those two hundred and thirtv-four orphans, widows and widowed mothers, during the few days jifter the explosion, must long remain " upon the tablets of enduring memory." Oh, how the hearts went down into that lonely pit whieh was the seene of all their woe I Those nights were full of tears; the agony of many hearts was only known to God ! Those ministers of consolation who endeavored to Hvnipathize and alleviate the trials of bereaved and stricken ones, faintly realized how deeply the arrow had pierced, and liow the soul was riven, but there were none who knew it all. To Go08ed that at the time of the disaster, the late manager, as he >vas wont to do, was leaning witli his back against a box, conversing with the two miners at the face 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) Sprimjhill Colliery Disaster. 77 prool' that he had sprung to his feet after the explowion and was making his way out. But he got only ten feet from the faee, when knocked down eitlier by atler-damj) or falling rock. His nose was slightly burned, but the body was not rrect. A Very Sad Case was cx|K»rienced by a young man whose brother was killed in the mine. He started to take the body to (iipe Breton. The 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. m \i 78 ■1 I i^ ' M U 'M Sprhif/hiff (}}fh'm/ Disaster. Several niiners wlio encaped suv tliat tliey never heard hucIi cries an those whicli caine from some ol" the men affected l)y the at'tei'-damp, wlio realized that thev must lie down ans heing eovereected, and he drew hack with a shiver. Among the victims was Joseph Tattersall, the well known cricketer who came out from England to coach the Wanderers' Cluh of TIalifax. He came to the mines to work during: the winter. A few weeks ago he sent liis wife home. A. J. McKav, one of the killed, had onlv heen workinu: hi the mines three davs. Another of the unfortunates had made up Ids mind to go out of the company's employ and he would luive left within a month. A numher escai>ed by not going into the mines that fatal afternoon. Those who worked in their ' >! Spr'nHfhill Otifxi'i/ Di''ruiiiniond cxijlosiou sonic time a^'o, and was rescued hy Timothy Lead- heater, tos^ether with a number of others. The absencg of Overman Tleose from Xo. 1 Slope at the time of explosion was evirovidential. J laving ])een appointed to assist in the mine for a short time that dav in the absence of some of those wlio had gone to Maecan, he was look:eicturo of the sad scene in its various features. One man, wlio fell as though dead on reaching the surface, states that he never experience*! any- thing like the feelitig he had when the after-damp began to overtake him. Despite all effort** to kee]> them open, his eyes closed, bis joints began to stiffen, and he felt as if he must go to sleep. Many others were similarly affected. Two miners, whose eyes were bloodshot, and faces bruised by their fall- ing on them, heard nothing, felt nothing, and said nothing until they were revived some time after being brought to the surface. Another, who was unconscious, states that he knew nothing that hap- pened 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 ear^ and down his throat, and almost suffocated him. Wliilst running for his life in the darkness of the mine, as every lamp had gone out, he heard men (80) Spnui/fiilf Col Vn I'll Disaster. 81 hljrieking and falliii*^ l)i']iin(l liiiii. Sonic wlio pauHi'd in tlicir flight to hclj* jiloiii^ a coniraili' fell uiiconsciouH as if in a swoon. Ono atrangc I'xperi- eiH't' wan thjit of Cyris MrxuoK. He and hiK butty, JamuB Morrison, and their loader, .1. I). McDonald, were working in a j»art of Xo. 2 SI()|K'. On hearing the report, the question arose as to what it was. Morrison said that it was either a fall or an explosion. All being deeply impressed that it was the latter, they caught up their dinner- cans and started to escape from the mine. When they got a short distance they were met by what seemed 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 lie remembered. Wlien he recovered consciousness, some hours after, he realized that lie was in a house near 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 remarkable. As soon as he heard the first sound he ^■'a. li {ItS^"^ HPI '(I i il II n III I ■■'. '3 ' 1 1 T ;, 1 > f 1 V ' F J ' ' ■5 ^ i ri 82 SjjrInf/htU CoUia'y Disaster. knew wliat it was, siiid jumped to the low side of the place where he was working, and Hcjueezed in be- tween the timber j»rop8. The blast came like a lightninijj flarth, and, in passing, caught his sateh lamp, which projected outward from bin hand, and carried it away an it' in tin* bore of a mighty cannon. The instant it panned, young Blue, being unhurt, took from his pocket some cotton waste and l;!ce of safety, he inquired after the safi'tv of his brother John, and was about to return into the level to search for him when some of the rescue parties caught him, phu'ed him in a box with otlier wounded, and had him taken to the pit head without delay, where his brother was awaiting him. (hi their way home, little Dannie requested the man who took him home on a sled that he l)e allowed to walk into the house alone, so tluit liis mother might n(»t be alarmed, ile is a member of the " Bovs' Bri- <.'ade" in coimectioii with the Presbyterian Churcdi of SpringhiU, which is under the pastoral care of Kcv. David Wright, whose name is mentioned in c(UM»eetion with the rescuing parties. As the hero- it'^i ' ', '»na] HviW ( ,),>] Hi Will la I'l ii wmmmm CHAPTER X. List of the Victims. As the nunies of our loved departed ones are still dear to us, and their memories freighted with nudyinu affection, the writer includes this chapter an a memento to relatives of those who lost their lives hv the sad disaster, and a sacred record for the interest of the ireneral public, whose sympathies have so ]ii)erallv been extended to those who were ft/ so suddenly Ijcreaved of fathers, sons, husbands, Itrothers, an<»nal/ Dimjifer. Married Men with Families. — Continued. g f NAMKS. E) ' ! Jamefl Conway, John C'OMiierton, Matthew Collins, Kichard Dawaon, Hiram Fife, Daniel FindlavKon, Thoman Fletcher, Peter (Jalla^her, Lazarus (Juthro, .lohn Hmiter, William Hyde, William Kent, F'rank Leteher, Daniel Loekhart, James Miller, Sr., John Mitchell, Ernest Mott, James Morris, Jeremiah Murphv, Angus MeKinnon, Allan MeKinnon, John J. McDonald, Rorv B. McDonald, DEPENDENTS. Wife and Wife ank's, Wife and three chihlren. Koltcrt A. Sherlock, Wife and one chihi. Henry Swift, Wife and five children. .loscph Tatterstal, Wife and five childri'ii. William 11. Turner, Wife and live fhildrcn. Alexander Vance, Wife and four tliildren. K ip.. C^.r i/l ^..% ^ t, i 94 Sjpringhill (hlliery Disaster. r i;;ii| \ I By enumerating the former list the number of orphans, widows, and widowed mothers, left desti- tute by the disaster, as well as the exact number of the killed, can easily be ascertained. The number of the different religious denomina- tions of the dead are as follows : Presbyterians, 40 ; Methodists, 23 ; Roman Catholics, 24 ; Baptists, 6 ; Episcopalians, 29; not known, 3 — netting in all one hundred and twenty -five. t'l; CHAPTER XI. Coroner's Inquest and Verdict. ill Monday evening after the explosion, the inquest commenced in Fraser's Hall before Coroner Dr. C. A. Black, of Arnherst, 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 vievidng the remains of John Connerton, one of the victims, descended into No. 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 was made till the 10th of March, in order to give time to (95) 'mil ^ n m 96 Sprittfjhill Colliery Disaster. ^ ii' IllliliJ i , • '/I ■ «• i ! I ^ & I* : ^1 I i,M ,i ^1:; : 1 I ;;| 1 1 t 1 1 i , 1 ! 1 11 ! ) r 1 i i 1 _- collect all the facts possible in connection with the case. After the inquest had been adjourned by the Coroner, Inspector 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 thorough ever made at any inquest, and all connected with the case felt that everything that could be done was done to throw light on the real cause of the explosion. « At the inquest, Robert Drummond, of Pictou, Secretary of the Miners' Union, and editor of the Trades^ Journal^ ably represented the miners, and examined witnesses on their behalf, with a view of obtaining the ftiUest information possible, not only for the benefit of the men, but for the satisfaction of all parties interested. Hector Mclnnis, 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 prove interest- ing to the reader, and would, of themselves, form a large volume, only a summary of those portions Sprlnyhill Colliay Dimster. 97 bearing most directly on the subjeet are given in tlie following part of this ehapter. Malcolm Blue was The First Witness Examined. He was satisfied that the explosion had taken place in Xo. 7 Balance, and probably in Xo. 3 Bord, but did not think there was sufficient powder in the mine to cause it. Alex. Mclnnis, Assistant Manager, gave his tcsti- moiiv before 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 shot 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- municated with the balance to have caused it. I never saw an explosion of dust. T am satisfied there was no gas in the level below. Shortly after the bord started we began to use water." Again, at I'll >a ww'i m h'V m iX^\ 98 SprliujhUl Chiller y Disaster. ii1i :|. •i' Inspc'ctor (iilpin's investigation, ho was submitted to an examination of several liours. In this exami- nation he explained the system of ventilation and the speed at which the fan was run before and after the explosion ; also, in reference to the condition of the workings of the mine. He stated that wlien he was in charge of No. 1 Slope a few years ago, bodies of gas were sometimes met with. The air was tested daily by Conway, and a water gauge was kept in the fan house and regularly examined by the night tire- man. He 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. Sev- eral years ago, when the water was heavy in the mine, two large bodies of gas were 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 No. 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. '^WT' Sprinf/hill CoUien/ Vhastrr. 99 Mflnnis' testimony concerning the turning of the lim was corrohorated hy the tan man, Angus Munro. Charles Mitcliell also supported part of Mclnnis' I'videuce. Mr. Mitchell was examined at great length. He was nig' it tireman in No. 1 Slope, and made the last exanination of the fatal district of the place he ore the explosion Saturday morning. His report was to the etfect that the pit was clear of gas. He again entered the mine after the explosion, and the atmosphere was thick with damp. Shot Firer Wilson, he said, had told him a few days before the explosion that no holes were loaded and not fired. He did not think the holes were bored too near to the rib. He had Tiever known of a sudden outburst of gas in the ndne. He did not refuse that day to fire a shot. No powder was used in No. 7 Balance on 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 No. 6 Balance when relieving Wilson two days pre- vious to the explosion. Assistant Manager Mclnnis i>ave 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 was not much dust in the bords. He thought uv m M 100 Springhill Colliery Disasia\ ■A\ [' i t, I 'I fc Mi : iii i'X twice a week sufficient to fire the bords, and that was the practice. Gas was found in small quantities in Bords Nos. 2, 5 and 7 of No. 7 Balance. The morning before the 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 the gas out. He was always as much afraid of the dust as of the gas in that 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. He always watered a dry place before firing a shot. It looks as if something from No. 3 Bord connected with something outside. The shot firer, 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 Henneeey, 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 Sprwffhill Collier*/ Disaster. 101 occurred. In order to avoid it he threw himself down and placed his head against the rih. He saw the fire. It was burning around him. The fire passed rapidly; the noise was very loud. Henry Nash was seriously burned five 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 fiice. He was 250 feet up the shute. After the fire passed the air was suflfocatingly hot. When he saw the blast was gone he called to the others to put their clothes over their mouths and get 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 in 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 three months ago. At that time there was not much dust there. Messrs. C. Ilargreaves, William Conway, William McGillvray, James Ferguson, William Murray, and others, who hold various oflficial 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 everything was in good working order. Mr. Conway, Underground Manager in No. 1 Slope, gave it as his opinion that the explosion took 1 t 1 1 'f m 1 r iijiii w m 1 II Jl 1 IM 1 i ■ ( 102 Springhill Ojlllmj Disastei'. place in No. 3 Bord, No. 7 Balance, and that it was caused by coal dust ignited by the shot fired by Wilson, which he thought must have had too much powder. He believed that coal dust would explode under certain conditions when no gas could 1)8 de- tected, i!i Hujtport of the theory that the shot in No. 3 Bord caused the explosion. He said he con- sulted with Manager Swift every night regarding the East Slope. Mr. Swift had never expressed fears of an accident on account of gas. Before the Workmen's Committee examined the mine. Swift had told Viim that " Mother Coo " had predicted there was to be an explosion in May, and he (Swift) had con(;luded they had better have an examination. He had talked over the question of dust several times. Swift would not admit that the dust was dangerous to a flame, but considered that the dust should be kept down for the health of the men and for safetv. 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 Springhill News, gives full particulars : " On Thursday morning, shortly after six o'clock, I met a committee of practical mining experts, each Springhill Colliery Dlsasttr. laa hole about one p. m., where I received congratula- tions from these men on the ;i^ m Splendid Condition of my Mine aiul the thorough ventilation of the mine in general, old workings as well as new. They also admired my system of waterworks through Nos. 7 and 6 Balances, comprising a section of the mine about 1,000x600 ■flSH" 104 Sfprinf/hiff O ill n't')/ DisoMer. w ■« i ! i *. feet, in wlucli were many tunnelrt or bonis, twenty- three in till. In Home only two men were working and in some three men. All these men were killed, and the boys and the horses that took away their loose coal. I had waterworks through these two balances, and every working place had a one inch tap for it* own use. The men reported these facts to the Miners' Union, and left a copy of their report in the company's office for the management. On Friday (next day), Deputy Inspector Madden was down my mine on his monthly inspection for the Government, and had his gas indicator with him. He tested my mine all through, and only in one place found one per cent, of gas in the air, in a sec- tion of the mine where we used only safety lampt^ and excluded all blasting, loosening the coal with mall, wedge and pick. Mr. Madden pronounced my mine the best conducted and one of the safest in the province. He left the mine at noon. On Friday evening I was a[>pointed by Manager Swift to go to Maccan next day (Saturday) to meet the mining officials of Cumberland County, the object being to form a society that in the near future might have its influence felt in government circles, in legiJ*- la'tion for protection of mine officials. We have none now. Mr. Swift was to take my place in tlie Sprinf/hlll OfWrn/ Disdstter. 105 initic. I went down at six a. m. Saturday, meaKured tlie air, and found 73,000 (uihic feet per minute, bar- onioter 30° V 10"; tliermometer 54°. I went to f»U air courHCH and saw everything regarding ventilation throughout the mine in splendid condition. I then visited No. 6 Balance, where I got a report from my deputy, Thomas Wilson, a sterling Scotchman, that everything in his part of the mine was in good con- dition and entirely free from gas. Nos. 6 and 7 Balances were in his section, and he was througu them, and all of his .h,.. ion, when I got his report. I }tassed throu^K this No. 6 Balance and gave sev- eral trifling orders. I then left the mine at 10.30 a. m. in charge of my deputies, nine in number, and with them Mr. Swift, and went home, got ready, and left Springhill Station at noon. I was at Springhill Junction only about iive minutes when T was called back and told that The Mine had Exploded, and men and boys were all in. A special engine nin me up to the mines. I got a lamp and called for volunteers. I got plenty to follow me, but I only took six men, and explored as far as I co\dd. I was satisfied that all inside were dead. * * * The cause of the explosion was dust in the air from the men working, the drainage gas off the coal, and i (I m 'til"' ^■' f iiiii ill :«:"'; r!?n >i- ■* 4 'il ' .f 1 ■ i ii' ' i if: ■■ ■ 1 i 1 \ 1 ; V I i i 1 i i " 106 Sprm/hill ^hllieri/ DisaMer. too much powder in a blast, which iiuule a concus- sion that put tlie air in a condition that the dunt and gas ignited from the flame and smoke of the pow- der. The force of the flame raised the dust as it went along, and the head of the flame dried what was wet, carried it along, and converted it into flame as it travelled. We kept Xos. 6 and 7 Balances damp with water from these waterworks, wdiich is a measure above what is re(|uired ])y law to do for safety in a mine, but, with all our care and caution, we had more to contend with than is aienerallv known in the science of mining. " I feel very much out of shape myself, although I feel that mv conscience is clear from anv neijlect of duty. I did all that man and exi^erience could do to have my mine in safe condition, and saw that my deputies and men under me did their duty fully. I never would allow anv ffas 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, before the miners and boys came down, and had the gas all blown out and the places ventilated before they went to work. This was Never Neglected. Neither was any other measure of safety at any time throughout the day or night while men were work- Sprmghill CbUiery Disaster. lor ing in the mine. From six a. m. until two p. m. every clay I was in the mine with nine deputies and a time-keeper to look after the mine during that time. I w^art relieved at two p. m. by a certificated man and four dej)uties, and five of my deputies stoi)ped in the mine until all the men and boys were out. At ten p. m. this certificated man and four (le}tuties were relieved by three night watchmen, who were experts in gas, and travelled all the mine and examined every place, and had to leave their mark in chalk to show what time thev had been there, and I am ha]>py to say they never neglected tlieir duty. It was the first thing the men looked for — this mark of the night watchman. From my- self downwards, through all the deputies, we had to write reports of our doings through our several sliifts, which were sent to the general office for in- siKction and comment. I mvself had also to write i ft/ a report similar to the one in the general office, uhich went to the head office in Montrcfd daily. So you can judge from this what care niust be taken of the works all through its maimgement. Presum- ably there will be such terrible disasters as this as long as there is mining, as there are drownings while men go to sea in ships, but we must have coal and we must have fish." ■ m (I»7m'» ?^ »' L^ 110 Sprmyhill CoUienj Disaster. J 'A I' ) Mr. Ford, Manager of the Drummond Colliery, who was at Springhill for some 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 bodies 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 extinguished in the presence of gas in sufficient quantities to be dangerous. The dark cloud which hung like a pall over Springhill for a t'me, 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 with the burial of the dead, which amounted to nearly $2,000, and also paid for all labor in connection with their recovery. CHAPTER XII. Burial of the Victims. The closinjy scenes of this sad disaster were too impressive ever to he* forgotten hy those who wit- nessed them. However deur the dead hody 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 hody of Manager Swift was interred. All flags throughout the town were at half-mast, and in many cases large processions accompanied the remains of the dead to their last resting place. When the hour had arrived for a certain number of funerals to take place, the corpses w^ere 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) "3 ■ ■C t*i" ,i I' ■ I i! If i.f - if ' i ( Jm 1' I : I i.H i I UN U:\l Ii' 112 Sjn'hifjhill Colliery Disaster. Tlie I}{i{)tist, Mt*tl)0(li>: 'ui • j*>l t l^■.■r Ik'A i ^i !'■ • 1' m 'i i lit Miii bii IH 11 oft bur « soil nerc b V t] snov then mou] sfamr our ; caij { morn "See' And Ont And Be plot, Spring to oth( Springhill OolUerij Disaster. 115 "vvho had no relatives to look after them, were buried. This grave is called "The Strangers' Grave." The lot was pro\aded by Manager Cowans. It in in a choice portion of the cemetery, and was one of the most impressive sights the writer saw in the burying ground. In this sepulchre in the strangers' soil a number of bodies, some of which were gar- nered in the harvest of flame, were laid away to rest by the hands of strangers, after the winding sheet of snow had been drawn aside and the grave dug for them. Although other sepulchres in the beautifiil 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 and " 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 this large plot, twenty-one others, who had no relatives in Springhill, were claimed by friends and taken by rail to other places for burial. 116 SpringhUl Colliery Disaster. II :; When gravoH for a certain nnmber were ready, a committee in charge at the cemetery, who were provided with HstH of the dead, sent word to the other committee with headquarters at the Methodist Church, and the bodies were at once sent down on sleds and interred. In some cases a dozen or more bodies were sent down at the same time, and two or three cotfins on one sled, sorrowing friends following in procession to see the remains of their dear ones laid away in the silent tomb. The cemetery is situated on the Salt Springs Road, at the base of the hill, eastern side of the town. It is one mile from the Methodist Church, and is known as Hillside Cemetery. During the days in which the funerals continued business places were closed, and the whole place was shrouded in the deepest sorrow. A number of outside ministers assisted the resident clergy in conducting the funeral services, and ministering consolation to the bereaved. Revs. Father Egan, of the Catholic Church, was assisted by L'^athers Cummane, of Truro, and Walsh, of Lon- donderry. The Episcopal Rector, W. C. Wilson, was aided by Rural Dean J. Roy Campbell, of Dor- chester, and Revs. C. E. McKenzie, Rector of Shediac, J. L. Downing, Rector of River John, and Simon Gibbons, Rector of Parrsboro. >. i Springhill Colliery Disaster. 117 On hearing ot the explosion, Rector Gibhone hurried to the parish and worked five days, assisting in ministering comfort to the living, and in burying the dead. Dean Campbell's ripe sympathy contri- buted much comfort to the distressed. Rector Mackenzie was a former Rector of the Parish, and came to perform the last solemn rites over many ot his former parishioners. Rector Downing came to look after some of his congregation who were killed in the disaster. At the Methodist Church, Revs. D. Wright, D. W. Johnson, and H. B. Smith attended. Rev. J. M. 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 that one of the clergy should always be at the church, one at the cemetery, and another accompanying the funerals to the grave, each taking his turn alternately. It was at these funeral services in the Methodist Church that the most Heart-Rending Scenes wore witnessed. The greater number of the dead were taken from this place for interment. Here weeping friends assembled to mingle in the services. The long rows of coffins visible were too much for I 'ifi ■r9 1^^. •'m :.m i u Ifl«l It 118 Springhill Colliery Disaster. fill !^ I ii v ^ : ■ 'I ! frail nature to bear. At times it appeared as if there were no oasis in the dark wilderness. Many of the bereaved here " mourned with a great and very sore lamentation." Ministers tried to read portions of seripture, offer prayer, and speak words of comfort to the distressed, but were otten over- come by their feelings, so that they could only mingle their tears with the congregation. One who took an active part in these services, in a communi- cation to the writer, states : " The words seemed to come back upon myself. Words were wholly iiuidc- quate to express cither what minister or people felt. The feeling was what ran we say, or what shall we say that will be m(>st appropriate. It was a tinu' when the heart felt, but found no channel through which it might or could express itself. To look on was worse than taking a part. To look was to shiver and feel sick ; to turn and helj) was the only way to escape a sickening feeling creep over you." 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 being Spri)u/hill OMiery Disiister. 119 able at the time to recognize what remained of a rioar Bon. The remains of this hoy were cxhnmcd afterwards, and phiced in the family lot with full funeral ohseqnies 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 ill this church, a memorial service was held on the second Sabbath after the ex[)lo8ion, and the offer- tory, which was a liberal one, is to be devoted to the erection of a brass Memorial Tablet in the proposed new Church of England, which is soon to be erected. This tablet will contain the names of the church nicnibcrs who were killed. It is expected that tlie new church will in many respects be a "memorial" clnirch, as several parts of the structure and of the furniture will be given as memorials. Special con- tributions from church people in all directions have been asked for this object. Sonic of the funerals were of a public nature, the })rocessions accompanied by bands of nmsic and other demonstrations of honor for the dead, and ijcneral sympathy for the friends bereaved. One Particularly Painful Funeral took place. The remains of John Hunter were re- covered late in the evening, and it was absolutely W- fm \\ > ^'i ', . .; . !» , s ■ ,( 1 -H'i • ' < mmm K tf|!l# i ( i' I! 1: li ]«(*■ fjji I ■ i I i 1 i:i: 120 Springhill Colliery Disaster. necessary to inter the body at once. Rev. Dean Campbell read a ^ r' f service at the church, and Rector Wilson met the body at the cemetery. The darkness had set in, the diggers had left for the night, and it took some time to get the grave ready. Two faithful persons stood by the casket, and by the glimmering 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 F jneral of Manager Swift y^as the last funeral 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 Freemasons and buried with the rites of the Masonic Order. Besides members of the Order in Springhill many were present from other places. The proces- sion was headed by the band of the 93rd Battalion, accompanied by the Cumberland Cornet Band. Tlie procession was fully three-quart'^rs of a mile long, and the route was lined by crowds who silently we{>t as the cortege passed, and many of whom followed Springhill Colliery Disaster. 121 the remains to the cemetery. Tlie 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 lasting impression. The shroud of snow now stained by the new made graves, the wind moan- ing through the leafless branches of surrounding tree« the sad strains of the fiineral dirge, sobbing of bereaved spectators, and the solemn hush felt by all in the presence of death, formed the last sad scene of tbo great calamity which had filled the town with the deepest gloom for a whole week. In (connection with this last funeral it may be stated that The Late Henry Swift, Underground Manager 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. He was an Englishman by birth, born at Beckerstaff, Lan- cashire, in 1850. When twelve years of age he went to work in one of the mines of the Ramford Coal Company, who operated several collieries in Lanca- ■■i\ 122 Springhill Chlliei^y Disaster. shire, which were lield underlease from Lord Derby, father of Lord Stanley, Governor-General of Canada. Mr. Swift worked at coal mining in England with much success, until nineteen years of age, when he emigrated to the United States. After spending a short time in some of the Anthracite Mines of Pennsylvania, he removed to Maryland and thence to N^ova Scotia, working in the Albion Mines until 1874, when he came to Springhill and persevered in his regular calling until the terrible disaster, when he lost his life in the faithful discharge of his duties. At the Albion Mines Mr. Swift was married, in 1871, to Miss McLeod, who, with five children, sur- vives him. He was appointed Underground Man- ager of the Springhill Collieries, under Mr. Hall, whom he succeeded, in April, 1890. Mr. Swift was an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the Masonic Order, a Justice of the Peace, Vice-President of the Nova Scotia Institute of Mining Officials, and President of the Relief Fund for the benefit of sick and injured miners. He was a hard worker, close student; a man of broad sympathies, a warm-hearted friend, a kind husband, tender father ; and in his death his family are not only left to mourn, but the com- munity has sustained an irreparable loss. f Tvir i , ' ^U|! ' •'.'• ''•Ill ' ■Vlii Hall, 1 m 't was 1 % He 1 1 UStU'C 1 Scotia 1 :)f the 1 ijured 1 iiit; a I jnd, a I th his I com- I HENRY SWIFT, Late Underground Manager Springhill Collieries, m \f r f5= SM ll I'.l CHAPTER XIII. Sympathy with the Bereaved. The following day after the explosion a meet- ing of the leading citizens, representative miners, town council and clergy of Springhill was held to consider what should be done under the circum- stances. At this meeting it was decided that an appeal for aid to assist the sufferers csnould be wired at once to the leading cities in various parts of the land. The appeal was transmitted free of charge by the telegraph companies to the principal cities in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. The following is a copy of the urgent appeal made to the public : "Springhill, N. S., Feb. 22nd, 1891. "A mining disaster attended with fatal results, un- paralleled in the history of Canadian miners, has fallen upon the town and the people of Springhill. The loss of lite i3 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. (125) h >l ■ HU4eal wiit* sent broadcast in the evening, and responses by telegraph expressive of sympathy, and guarantee of immediate aid were many and prompt. On hearing the sad news, Queen Victoria cabled at once, through Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada, to Mayor Hall the following : " 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 .V riliy with the injured, and with the relatives of those '?? • -ia 76 lost their lives. Be good enough to send details iC' ic^ueen's information." Sirrivghill Colliery Disaster. 127 In connection with this cablegram, the mayor also received the following telegram from the (4ov- ernor General : " Ottawa, 23rd February. " To Mayor Hall : I am deeply grieved to learn how eerious 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 progressing. "(Signed). Stanley of Preston." The following is a copy of Mayor Hall's 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 in 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 effects of after-damp, have rallied. The number of wounded now living is about ten. The deaths caused by the explosion number one hun- dred and twenty-two. "Accept our grateful thanks for your own remem- brances. "William Hall, Mayor." ii*f f;> il il n :0 I Si' 128 Sprwfjhill Collier ij Disaster. Urn The Queen donated a liandsonie cheque, and Lord Stanley advised a draft of liveliundred dollars. Other donations, averaging from rtfty to one thousand dollars each, were wired at onee from various sections. Public meetings were held im- mediately in many cities and towns of Canada ; sub- scription lists were opened ; city councils donated ; churches, societies and individuals contributed witli- out delay, and in two months after the disaster the contributions had netted nearly One Hundred Thousand Dollars. The following press extracts, which have conio under the writer's notice, will give some idea of the promptness of response to the call for aid : " Montreal, Feb. 24. — A meeting of influential citizens was held in the Board of Trade rooms to-day for the purpose of forming a relief fund in aid of the sufferers by the Springhill mine disaster. The president of the Board of Trade presided, and earnestly invited the citizens to respond liberally to the appeal for funds. Hon. George Drummond and others spoke. A committee consisting of the wealthiest citizens of Montreal was appointed to wait upon the finance committee of the city council and ask them to head the list. Several large sums til Sprinyhill ColUnij Dieal made to tlie ehnrcbes of all denominations." "MoNCTON, Feb. 22. — Tbe disaster at Springbill excites universal sympatby liere. Mr. Wbitney, nu'clianieal superintendent of the railway, has tele- i^nipbed tiftv dollars. Mavor Sumner has also tele- iirapbed sympatby, and a pul)li(* meeting -will be held to consider tlie matter of financial assistance. Keference was made to the disaster in all cburcbes to-dav. " Tbe Governor General lias alreadv sent a con- tribution, tbrougb tbe Hank of British Xortli America, for five hundred dollars, the town of Moncton telegraphs one thousand dollars, and .fohn McDougall k Son, of Montreal, have subscribed a thousand to-day." " Varmouth, N. S., Feb. 24. — At a very large and influential meeting of citizens in the court lioiisc tliis evening, the followiug resolutions were unanimously adopted : " That Mayor Leavitt be authorized to convey to the mayor jind citizens of Springhill an expression of the sincere regret of the people of Yarmouth on account of . .t -I h Si','; -*1 m:' ^fw 130 Spn'nf/hl/l Qflficn/ Di^-astcr. i ml m ; III f nil iiif i the awful calamity that has befallen that town, and that has deeply stirred our citizens of all classes and creed.s, and prompts this assurance of heartfelt sympathy with the sufferers in their distress and painful bereavement. " It was also resolved that, in the opinion of this meeting, the town council of Yarmouth be authorized iu pay to the Springhill relief fund the sum of $1,000, and to assess that sum ofi" the ratepayers of this town. "The money will be wired in the morning." " SpRiNnniLii, ViA). 24. — Tc'k'*^rams are ponrinji: in from all (piarters. Tbe relief fnnd now amonnts to $3,800. 8ympatbetie tele;iid through Murdoch's Nephews, of this city." "Toronto, Feb. 27. — The executive committee of the city council have decided to reconmiend a grant of $2,000 to aid in relieving sufferers by the Springhill horror. SprbufhiU 0>Ui('r;i Di-'«i-'ringhill sufferers." " Si>RiN(iMn.i., Fel). 24. — Rev. Mr. .lolinson re- ceived to-day, from an anonymous eontril)utor, a letter without a date inclosing $25, and referring him to St. Matthew's gospel, ehap. vi., verse 1, also expressing gratitude for past mercies bestowed upon the writer. Mayor flones, of Parrsl)oro, arrived here to-d;iy with $1,000, which, considering the size of the town, is a magnificent contribution, lie says this sum will be supplemented by another con- tribution. The response is prompt and hearty, but only those on the sjjot have the slightest conception of the great necessity. Cases of extreme destitution are everywhere apparent, and the ayipeal should have been for a larger sum." " St. John, N. B., February 26. — A public meet- ing of the citizens w^as held at City Hall yesterday in I- i «ti :| 51 :ym ? > 8 •»♦! T a ii ■■ Ifll'fiii l>. !■ I so numy homes, and left so many widows and orphans to be provided for at the liands of a charitable i)eo[)le. " Sir Leonard Tilley, R. P. Starr, W. E. Vroom and R. C. Skinner spoke of the necessity for aid, and some of them were of the opinion tliat the Common Council should make an immediate grant of $2,500. " Sir Ijconard Tilley advocated t'lat the money to be sent forward shonld be raised by vohintary sub- scription. Sir Leonard said the ofHcers of the Pro- testant Orphan Asylum had ottered to provide for a number of the children, and this was a most generous and Christian-like act. S/)rin(/lii// 0)}lkni Disaster. 188 " C. VV. VVeldon, Q. (\, thou^cht it would l)c well U) ri'(|iU'Ht tlic Common (^oimcil to make a liberal jH)i»r<)priatiou and also o|k'1i a v<)linitary Huhsfription. "Datiit'l Patton movt'd the following roHolution : " Whereas, The recent cahiniity in the Sprinjjjhill mines huH 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 with the bereaved and desire to aid tliose who are in want ; also " Resolved, That the Conmion Council be requested to make a liberal appropriation to the Mayor of Springhill and that a private subscription list be opened. " The resolutioti was seconded by John McMiUan. " Rev. Canon Brigstocke heartily agreed with the spirit of the resolution, and hoped the couneil would be able to make the subscription a large one. The calamity was a dreadful one, and the people of Springhill resi)onded promptly when St. John was in need. The St. John fire was not to be compared with the mining disaster in point of the loss of life resulting. He thought all the churches and societies and Christian organizations should lend a helping hand in this case and take up subscriptions. " Mr. John McMillan reminded those present M- ^■'m ■i \ 134 Springhill Colliay Disaster. I :4t.i ,, ■ ( M*^ f that after the great fire in St. John the citizens of Springhill, then numbering between 1,500 and 2,000, forwarded $218 to St. John. In view of this he felt sure that every taxpayer in St. John would feel Ihat he would like to give something, even if it were but little, to relieve the widows and orphans at Spring- hill. He thought the relief fund should take the form of a civic gift. " Mr. W. E. Vrooni stated that he had wired R. n. Cooper, the treasurer at S]>ringhill, and had been informed that Mayor Hall and the clergy of Springhill, togetlier with the 'onnnittee of the Em- ployees' Kelief Fund Association, and Mr. McLeod of the company's office, had the nuitter of handling the funds in charge. The matter could not, he felt, be in better hands. They thought $70,000 would be recpiired to relieve the distress. Probably forty- five out of the fifty-four widows were in debt at the stores on account of the late strike. There were more than one hundred and sixty orphans, and all were dependent upon the miners, who were novv able to do little for them. All disposed to contribute could be certain that the very best possible disposition would be made of the funds. " Sir Leonard Tilley hekl that there could be no difference of opinion in regard to the wisdom with Sprmgh'dl Colliery Disaster. 135 wliich the money would be distributed. The gene- rosity and universality of the subscription to the Fred. Young Memorial had been marked, and he felt that the citizens would subscribe liberally in the present instance. The easiest way would be to have the council dispose of the matter, but he thought the effect would be better if the monev were raised bv voluntarv contributions from those whose hearts liad been touched. "Mr. Starr said that he was intimately ac(piainted with the committee at Rpringhill, and assured the meeting that the matter could not be in better hands. "■ Ahlerman Ijcwis moved that a committee of five, of which the mayor shall be chairman, be ap- pointed, with power to add to their number, to take charge of subscriptions. C'arried. " On motion of John McMillan a subscription list was opened in the meeting, and nearly |1,000 were subscribed at once by those present. " St. John, February 26. — At the weekly meet- 'm% of St. David's Church, last evening, the Rev. all and 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 every 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 sufferere 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 these sufferers in our contribu- tions to-day. Seek for more of that love to God whereby we may be qualified for loving all whom He loves. On hearing that four members of the Boys' Brigade at Springhill had been killed, and another seriously wounded, the First St. John Com})any Boys' Brigade of Canada sent $50 for the benefit of the sufferers belonging to that corps as a fraternal gift to comrades. This being a private gift, the amount is not credited in the following chapter. tij- CHAPTER XIV. Help for the Destitute. If 1 - The writer would gladly give the name in this chapter of every person who contributed of their means to the Relief Fund in aid of the orphans, widows and widovvi^d mothers left destitute by the great ealaniity ii ; "^ghill, but as several volumes the size of this oook would not contain a complete list of these m^iue.^, n^en H possible to secure them all, a summary of the whole ;n many cases is con- sidered most practicable. As the several amounts contributed have been duly credited in the public press, and will no doubt be published again in tiu' Treasurer's report, it is not essential that every separate item should appear in this volume. Besides, takina: it for srranted that manv who contributed to the general fund gave in the spirit of the Master, who says : " When thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." In personal do- nations the amounts are credited to the places where the donors reside instead of to the persons w ho gave- The following is a carefully prepared list of con- tributions publicly acknowledged, as received by the Treasurer up to date of writing (May 29th), the (140) HI Sprivr/hill Colliery Disaster. 141 whole netting ^86,604.42. In the arrangement of tliiri liHt the aggregate amounts contributed by city corporations, citizens, committees, societies, churches and private individuals forming one community, are all included in the amount credited to each place so far as the writer has been able to collect them to- irether : Sydney, 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, Ont 1,731 61 Reserve Mines, C. B. 450 00 Hantsport, N. S 450 00 Stellarton, N. 8 710 65 Newcastle, N. B 410 50 Marysville, N. B 359 60 Antigonish, N.S 377 57 Victoria Mines, C. B. 344 00 Chariottetown, P.E.I. 1,114 05 Quebec 710 00 Brantford, Ont 235 00 Dorchester, N. B 207 00 Wolfville, N. S 207 00 Kentville, N. 8 209 80 Capelton, Que 201 25 NewWe8tm'ter,B,C. 200 00 * In addition to the above amount, Halifax has donated about 912,000, which will, no doubt, be publicly acknowledged by the Treasurer when reoeived. Montreal, Q $22,435 55 St. John,N.B 7,639 22 I^ndon, 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 Parrsboro, N. S 1,07140 Dartmouth, N. S 975 82 Niinaimo, B.C 1,147 30 Pkton, N.S 900 00 Lunenburg, N.S 803 00 tiowrie Mines, C. B.. 769 75 Chatham, 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. 8 3,928 30 i»n J ■ ii 142 S]mn(//ii(l. Colli ci'jl Disaster. Hamilton, Ont I 276 00 Belleville, Ont 205 00 Brocton, MasH. (from Provincial ists) 200 00 Petersborough, Ont... 187 00 Bridgeport, C. B 175 00 Lennox ville. Que 156 00 Sussex, N.B 160 25 Canso, N.S 153 90 Annapolis, N.S 42 50 Winnipeg, Man 162 00 Petitwdiac, N. B 138 50 Digby,N.S 136 00 Great Village, N. S... 127 00 Campbellton, N.B.... 115 15 Windsor, Ont 330 75 St. Hyacinthe, Qjie... 214 00 PtHawkesbury.N.S 125 25 Canning and Kings- port, N. S 114 20 St. Stephen, N. B 187 47 Coaticooke, Que 105 00 Guelph, Ont 125 00 Brandon, Man 171 15 Chatham, Ont 100 00 Liverpool, N.S 141 00 Niagara Falls 100 00 Coburg, Ont 160 00 Port Hood, N.S 30 00 Lindsay, Ont 100 00 Goderich, Ont 100 00 Wallace, N.S $ 318 50 St. Andrews, N.B... . 84 00 Bridgetown, N. S 89 30 Shedi.ic, N.B 102 00 Port Mulgrave, N. S. 77 55 Bridgewater, N. 8.... 142 70 Lower Horton, N. S. 62 50 Port Medway, N. S... 61 50 Isaac Harbour, N. S.. 48 15 Woodstock, Ont 50 00 Port Hope, Ont 63 00 Stratford, Ont 50 00 Falmouth, N.S 49 50 Nelson, N. B 44 55 Woodstock, N. B 294 38 Springhill Jet., N. 8. 42 25 U.Musquodobit.N.S. 40 40 Oshawa, Ont 110 00 Canard Station, N. S. 27 00 Granville Ferry, N. S 45 00 Par.Blackville,N.B. 25 75 Port Williams, N. S.. 15 00 Walkerville, Ont 200 00 Kingston, Ont 523 00 Ingersoll, Ont 25 00 Hillsboro, N. B 25 76 Sackville, N. B 348 55 Westville, N. S 1,233 70 Oxford, N.S 55 00 Joggins, N.S 490 00 Economy, N. S 78 75 li ji.'.j m\ ti"-!! SprinijhiU Colliery Disaster. 148 Directors find Employes Windsor A Annapolis Railway... $379 50 St. Andrew's Church of Scotland, Lancaster, Ont 37 00 General Mining Association 243 33 l?ible Hill and Brook&ide 58 50 St. John Congregation, Scotsburn 44 00 Knox ( hurch, Gait, Ontario 55 00 Methodist Church, River Hebert and Minudie 23 60 Pres. Chureh, Union (Centre, Antigonish 22 57 Anhlield Pres. Church, Kentort, Ont 50 00 Laurel Lodge, L O. G. T., Upper Stewiacke, N. S 30 00 Y. P. S. C. E. and other friends, Hopewell, N. S 66 17 Sons of Temperance, Little Glace Bay 10 00 St. James Church, Herring Cove 21 00 St. Bernard's Church, AVeymouth, N. S 62 00 Keewatin No. 1, I. O. O. Foresters, Rat Portage 25 00 Acadia Village School, Horlon Landing 15 00 St. John Presbyterian Church, Dalhousie, N. B 00 00 Presbyterian Church, Sheet Harbor, N. S 20 00 Methodist Church, Barrington, N. S 23 00 Milville Sewing Society, Middle Stewiacke, N. S 13 00 Presbyterian Church, River Stewiacke, N. S 15 00 St. Mary's Parish Church 26 36 School Children's Fund, per Inspector Lay 66 60 Springside Congregation, Upper Stewiacke, N. 8 32 65 Citizens Security Investment Co 50 00 Union Church, Hopewell, N. S 10 00 Employes Albert Manufacturing Co., Hillsboro, N. B 182 00 Salem Presbyterian Church, River John, N. S 37 00 Y. P. S.C. E., Tatamagouche, N. 8 27 95 Presbyterian Church, Onslow, N. 8 34 30 I. 0. G. T., Bass River, N. S 30 00 Willard D., S. of Temperance, North River, N. S 18 00 Methcxlist Church, Bedeque, P. E. 1 65 00 General Mine Co., Salmon River, N. S 60 76 Presbyterian Church, Alliston, Ont 20 00 i< J Mu nf '^ p. 144 >^i/rhi(jhUl Collier)/ Disaster. Presbyterian ('hurch, Sandford, Ont $ 26 00 South Side LadieH' Society, Middle Stewiacke, N. S 12 00 Miners and Mine Laborers Association 783 50 Trenton D., S. of Temperance, N.S 30 00 Methodist Church, Port Perry, Ont 16 00 Sorcom Lodge, No. 66, Whycocoraagh, C. B 20 00 Enrield Division, Pictou Co., N. 8 6 00 St. Patrielc's Society, Richmond, Que 63 75 Pioneer Grange, and Oood Templars, Kings Co., N. S 51 25 Broadway United Presbyterian Church, Broadway, R. L.. Ill 00 Petite River, Lunenburg Co., N. 8 18 12 Presbyterian Church, Norwood, Ont 20 00 Vernon, B. C, per Rev. P. F. Langille 33 00 Portapique Congregation 50 00 Bank of Montreal, Picton, Ont 25 OO Staff Com. Cable Co., Hazel Hill, N.S 120 00 St. Croix Soap Company 210 00 West & Vale 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 30 00 Grand Lodge of Canada 250 00 Canada Life Assurance Co 100 00 Ladies Riverside Social, Middle Stewiacke 15 00 Teachers and Students Acadia College 1 25 00 Vesper D., S. of Temperance, Hants Co 5 00 Seaside Division and Youths Reform Lodge, various col- lections in Pictou Co ; 66 00 Golden Dawn Division, Musquodobit 10 00 Friends at Leadville, Col 76 50 Friends in New York 571 40 Friends in Lynn, Mass 43 00 Contributions from various places in Canada and United States 2,308 38 26 00 12 00 ■83 m 30 00 16 00 20 00 6 00 63 75 51 25 111 00 18 12 20 00 33 00 50 00 25 00 120 00 210 00 50 00 50 00 50 00 30 00 250 00 100 00 15 00 125 00 500 65 00 10 00 76 50 57140 43 00 2,308 38 CHAPTER XV. TiKSSONS FROM TIIK (i KAT (^ALAMITY. Completing the narrative of this t^nd dinariter, in 8}»eaking of those wlio [jerinhe*! in the niinen, we are compelled to say tliat all the homes left vacant by this calamity will have a shadow on them many years to come. As there is no earthly compensa- tion which can meet the case, fathers, mothers, children, widows, and other friends of the departed, must weep, and the whole community feel saic- ture, yet tliere is a ray of hope that, in that solemn hour in the dark recesses of the pit, althougii " No earthly fnend was there to wipe Death's cold sweat from the brow, Or loving hand to close those eyes, AVhich sleep in darkness now," in many cases, above the avvtul crash of the explo- sion, the voice of Divine Love was heard to say: " Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me." m^[ such an hour as ye think not the Son of man leth." Surely, amid the trouhled scenes of life, and the certainty of death, thei'e is implanted in the Chris- tian's bosom an (hssurancc of a higher life, which is free from all destructive forces, and where " there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall tliere be any more pain." After surveying the wisdom and goodness of (iod in our past experience, and J lis mercy in the deliverance from eternal death, wrought out for us bv His Son, should we not endeavor to trust Him fully, and devote our lives to His service, having our loins girt and our lamps burning, that when the h W^ m^ HBIHB^ 148 Springhill Colliery Disaster. messenger of death comes we may be prepared to " enter in through the gates into the city" where the redeemed of earth i^haJl endure no more pain or parting from friends, arid where " the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." hia ■. I, CHAPTER XVI. Review of Other Great Coal Mining Disasters. A glance at a few of the great colliery disasters which have taken place during the past eighty years will enable the reader to see that the Springhill calamity in among the greatest on record. On the 'ioth of May, 1812, an explosion of fire- damp occurred at Felling Colliery, near Newcastle, England, hy which eighty-nine miners lost their lives. Previous to this time, in the history of mining, many livess had been lost in the mines of Europe. That coal mining was a dangerous occupation, owing to the presence of inflammable gases in the mine, was generally acknowledged from a very early period, but as fuel must be had, many hazarded their lives, believing that the danger was unavoid- able. Candles stuck into a ball of clav, fastened to the sides of the chambers near where the miner was working, were the chief lights once used, and owing to these open lights coming in contact with the gases of the mine, accidents were almost of daily occur- rence. At the time of the great disaster alluded to the public conscience was aroused, and special atten- tion was directed to the matter of endeavoring to (149) ,1 H u )l \m ifwm r/-j > %m f' 150 Springhill Colliery Disaster. protect miners in some way. Sir Humphrey Davy was then a conspicuous figure in coal mining dis- tricts. After a triumphal tour of brilliant experi- menting through France and Italy, he returned to London in April, 1815, and in a short time had his safety lamp completed. When Sir Humphrey Davy had his lamp perfected to a point of safety, he and Mr. Buddie, one of the chief colliery owners in England at that time, went down to Newcastle and traversed a number of the most dangerous mines of the Bentham seam with impunity. About the same time George Stephenson was inventing a similar lamp to that of Sir Humphrey's, and as others were also experimenting, it was con- sidered that coal mining disasters from explosions were then at an end. However, such was not the case. Notwithstanding all the safety lamps and other ap{>liances invented to protect the miner, explosions and ignitions of fire-damp in mines are yet danger- ously common. The history of coal mine disasters in the past leaves no room to doubt that the lessons of perfect obedience and watchfulness are hard lessons to learn. It has often appeared 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 learned too late to prevent the result. D-s Sprmghill Colliery jyisaster. 151 The following disasters are among the most des- triK'tive coal mining explosions recorded : At Newport, England, in 1860, one hundred and fortv-iive were killed. In 1862, at the Hartley Pit, on the Blyth and Tyne Railway, near Newcastle, on the 16th Jana- ury, a heart-rending disaster occurred, resulting in the death of two hundred and four miners. The pit was six hundred feet deep, worked hy a shaft. Fiight men were coming up in the cage, when the beam of the pumping-engine broke and the mass of twenty tons of iron dro}>{)ed down the shaft and lodged with the wreckage it caused before it reached the bottom, thus shutting ofl' the only egress to the pit. To get down in time to save the living was impossible. When the ruins had l)een removed a week after the accident, a rescuing party descended suid found the dead all within the space of one hundred and tifty feet from tlie bottom of the shaft — all had perished. One man was sitting as if rest- ing from his day's work. Behind him, 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 father's shoulder, and brothers !V f ^:? I! 152 Springhlll Colliery Disaster. %\. f\ ji. f.f 'i :< clasped in caeli other's arms. One man was propping: up a door beyond the other sleepers, as if ho liad resisted the poison longer than the rest. At the feet of some of the dead were found candle- boxes with such messages scratched on them as these : "' Mercy, () God." " My dear Sarah, I leave you." " If Johnny is alive, tell him to be a good bov to his God and his mother.'' When the funerals commenced it was found that every cottage in the jdace had its coilin, some had two, one had live, and another seven. In 1866, at Oaks Colliery, near Barnsley, three hundred and sixty lives were lost. Again, at the Swaithe Main explosion at Barnsley, on December 12th, 1875, one hundred and forty-three perished. These Barnsley mines are sitmited in West Riding of Yorkshire, one hundred and seventy-one miles from London. At Avondale, near Plymouth, in Lu/erne County, Pennsylvania, on the 6th September, 1869, one hun- dred and eight persons were killed. This was one of the most notable and peculiar coal mining disas- ters known. The calamity was caused by a young man named Palmer Steele going down the shaft with a load of hav for the horses in the mine. When descending the shaft the hav cauj^ht tire. SpringhiU CoUMr^j Disaster. 153 Tlio engineer saw the flames and lowered the car- riuiice with all haste. Tn a few minutes the flames were leaping one Imndred feet upwards from the top of the shaft, and in a short time the surface buildings were a mass of ruins, blocking up the only entrance to the pit. A few hours after the fire (oascMl the debris was cleared awav, and two men iiaiiUMl Williams and Jones descended to searcli for the miners. These men had only proceeded a few t'eet from the bottom of the shaft when thev fell (load froni the effects of white-damp. The fire occurred on Monday, and two davs after, when a thorough ventilating current had been established, a rescuing party descended, went up the plane some (lif»tauce from the foot of the shaft, and found a niiuc car ]>laced as a l)arrier across the gangway, and the space between it and the walls packed with clothing. Ou breaking this barrier no person was found behind it. A short time after another party was able to proceed a little farther, and discovered a similar barricade. Outside this barrier lav a dead body, and behind it lay one hundred and five other t away the exposed roof of the bank head. A second » xplosion took place two hours after the first, killing four men who were nobly endeavoring to rescue some men who were known to be alive at thel)ottom '>t the pumping pit. This second explosion completely destroyed the ventiUition, and as all hope of savdng life was taken away, attention was directej Di'lished over a yeiir ago, an