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STORY OP The Springhill Difa^ter: COMPRISINO A FULL AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT COAL MINING EXPLOSION AT SPRINGHILL MINES, NOU/I SCOTIR, FEBRUARY 2l8t, 1891, INCLUDIMO A HISTOEY OF SPRINGHILL AND ITS COLLIERIES; AMO. col tT^^'''^ ^" ^^«^= Explanau^ Of Coal Mlnlngr Terms; Lessons from the Great Calamity, Etc. By ^- -A.. H. ZMTOiejao-W- :ptjlly illxjsti2.^ted. ST. JOHN, N. B. R. A. H. MORROW, 59 Garden Street w r 5 ■ M Entered accordinR to Act of Parliament of Canada in the year 1891, By Robert A. H. Morrow, In the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa. To THE Surviving Sufferers OF THE Dreadful Explosion at Springhill Mines, and all who have been Brought to Mourn by that Terrible Calamity THIS Work, which Relate, the Thrilling Story of the Whoie Scene, is Dedicated by The Author. ^^ (^ b'^3UYX ': I EKRATA. Cn page 107, 7th line from top, ought to be 1880-87, instead of " 1885-o7." Page 239, 10th line from bottom, ought to read " 1833," instead of 1883. Page 244, on 12th line from bottom, instead of " that year," it ought to be the year 852. PREFACE. No event in the history of Canada has .startled the nation an.l touehe,! the hearts of all classes more than the terrible calamity at Springhill Collieries. By this dreadful catastrophe one hundred and twenty-five brave niinen. l.st their live^, leaving destitute two hundred and thirty-f!,ur orphans, v.^iows and widowed n.othere to mourn their bereavement. The mighty de aictive forces of nature having been permitted by the Almighty to rush forih ouc of their chamlicrs, causing this calamity, for some -.i.e purpose we cannot now understand, it is fitfng that some landmark should be fixed to note the momentous event. The narra- tive of this disaster, in all its bearings, is recorded in the following pages. The writer, having had facilities for obtaining authentic information, and having explored the mines previous to the explosion, and visited the place afterwards, has undertaken to issue the work, assured that its mission will accomplish some good. It will be seen by the narrative that the great moral lessons which should oe learned by this calamity have not been overlooked. Coal-mining l)eing one of the greatest industries of the ade to the other great coal field, of Nova Scotia, which are so closely allied to that in which the sad event occur- red. The disastrous explosions at the "Ford Pit" and " Brummond Colliery " are also alluded to. " Safeguards against accidents in mines," it is hoped, will be of some value to mming operators. The Glossary is designed to explain terms used in connection with eoal-mining, few being familiar with these terms. To all who have assisted in any way furnishing material for this volume, the writer would acknowledge his deep sense of indebtedness, and would gladly give due credit to each source from which he has obtained information. i^ut, as this could not be done without detracting the interest of the work to the reader, it is hoped that this general acknowledgment will suffice for all. The writer's desire in some measure will be attained if the reader of this volume, after perusing its pages, can sincerely say — "Blest the day that's past without a sigh ; Blest the day with a sigh if we can only dry The tears of tliose who have more cause to mourn " iSt John, N. B. K. A. H. M. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Plan of Mine where Explosion Occurred FroiMispIece Chart of Springhill Coal Measures 23 Scene of Explosion OQ Sad Scene Around the Pit 35 Rescuing Party in the Mine 47 Engine Houses, No. 1 Slope ] Carpenters' Shop, used as a Morgue J ^^ Interior of Carpenters' Shop, used as a Morgue 67 The Hero Boy j^„ A Cemetery Scene -^jo Late Underground Manager Swift i23 Present Mayor of Springhill I9I First Mayor of Springhill " 199 Publisher Springhill News 207 Fossils Found in Springhill Collieries 265 Main Slope and Dump of a Coal Mine 277 Bottom Gangway, Balance and Bords of the Mine.. 281 ■i;^ f^'- ^n, CONTENT.S. Preface ^'*'** List of Illustrations ...1........ i? CHAPTER I. The Startling News The Awful Cry-IndicatVons of Destruclion. ^^ CHAPTER II. Scene of the Disaster Springhill Soenery-Wi;;';7*Coinerie;-The"Ex- plosion - Terrible Sweep. -^ ne Jtx- CHAPTER III. The AVave of Sorrow Foreboding Apprehension-Te^rin^Explosion-Cohort CHAPTER IV. Searching for the Deud and Injured... ' 07 Rescuer's First Descent - First Dead Body" Found- oered— Unparalleled Sights. CHAPTER V. Ca e of the V/ounded ... Dispatch for Medical Aid - Ex;^; «; i;;;u;i;ssu;ta:in;d: CHAPTER VI. Scenes at the Morgup Sad Sights- A Touc. ■iglnddent'. ^^ v*-/ 14 r^ Contents. CHAPTER VII. The Gloom Deepens ^^'^^ A Sad Sight - Mysterious Case of Trial - ^Vh " "a"^\ ^^ ExDeripnfv>« t? /«« "i i naJ — had and Solemn i^xperiences-R^y of Light in the Dark Cloud. CHAPTER VIII. Personal Incidents A Very Sad ^^-^ri^^l^^ ^^^i;--^-- '« CHAPTER IX. Experience of Survivors CHAPTER X. List of the Victims CHAPTER XI. Coroner's Inquest and Verdict , CHAPTER XII. isurial of the Dead Funeral Arrangements^rhe'strar'^eV'rGravr" k""':' ^^^ rending Scenp»_PQw: i , i; -"** ^'^^^e — heart- ug ocenes, — J:'articular]y Painful R.ir.M at ager Swift's Funeral. '^'d^ui liurial — Man- CHAPTER XIII. Sympatliy with the Bereaved Contents. 1 - 10 CHAPTER XIV. Help for the Destitute ^^"^ List of Contributions from all Parts. "^^^ CHAPTER XV. Lessons from the Great Calamity ^.- CHAPTER XVI. ^'ten'^rt' ^'''' ^^^^ ^^^^-^ I>i««^«ter. 149 Felling Colhery- Newport -Hartley Pit-Oaks Coi" hery- Avondale-Monis Mines-Ebbw Vaie-Ejl" M.n.-Seaha.-Pi«.,„rg-Bru.^^^^^^ CHAPTER XVII. Dangers of Coal Mining CHAPTER XVIII. Safeguards against Accidents in Mines i^n Ventilation -Drainage — Safety Lan,n« "n'-V'T tion of Mines-ElectWeity ' ^^^'^^~^^^h Inspec- CHAPTER XIX. History of .SpringhUI and its Collieries 170 til T' ^^'^'^^'^^--g inSpringhin-'Eari;^;;: ;ro. St. John to Halifa.. -^. Ca'r^a oftS^n" to the Junction -Organization of the "Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Companv "- Grand Jubf lee at the Mines in 1873-Manager h;!!, Arr .al tt Paoe ■'M: 1^ " 0:iitn,ts. Albion Mines— Dr. Cove's Removal from River Philip — thirst Shipment of Coal by Rail to Tarrsboro — First Church at Springhill — Transfer of the Mines and Rail- road to the "Cumberland Railway and Coal Company" — Rapid Growth and Incorporation of the Town — First and Second Mayors and Council Boards — Springhill Coal Measures — Educational Matters — Churches and other Associations — Present Prospect. CHAPTER XX. Extent of Neighboring Coal Measures 201> Estimate of the Coal Fields of the Maritime Provinces — Review of the Cumberland County Coal Measures. CHAPTER XXI. Coal and its History 231 What is Coal? — Theories about its Formation — Peat- Bogs and Coal Mines Compared — First Discovery of Coal — First Mining in Scotland — First Coal Discovery in America — First Coal Mining in Cape Breton — Dis- covery of Coal in Pictou County. CHAPTER XXn. Mysteries of the Mine 254 Sensations of Going Down the Entrance — Solemnity of the Situation — Intensity of the Darkness — Strange Sights and Sounds — Remains of By -gone Ages Visible — Profound Stillness of a Deserted Mine. CHAPTER XXni. Mechanical Operations of the Pit 269 Prospecting — Various Methods of Raising Coal Explain- ed --How the Mine is Worked — Machinery Used — Surface Requisites. Glossary of T.rms Used by Miners .303 ^a^^- THE •ppingiiill eolliepy Digagfe, CHAPTf:R I. UK StarTMXc; Xk M: () U M Sjitiirday, Fohruary 21st, IHiH, tJ as startled In tlie tidings that a sa 'Ope, however, was soon dispelled I f lite cipated. ><':'^i<'>M.ftlu.thctthatatcrriti<-expl l'''"'*' '" flH' deep and darks liundivd and t\v 'V a reali- x'jWosion had tak "me pit, hy whicl <'nty-one of tlic 1 en 1 one '>Gcn instantly killed, and •I'ave miners had of tl i^m fatallv — 1 seventeen injured .- hundred and sixtv- eavm-i- tifty-eio-],t wid OM- wid owed mothers to nine orphan child onu' one mourn their loss I'Gii, and eight (17) 18 SpiiiKihill (oH'm-,! Di^asld- TIr' (.ILsastcr was n-iKkTrd still more lieart-rond- in.ir when it canu" to lu' known that many of the hodifs of those who had lost tlu'ir liws in the fatal pit were scorelied, maiiirk'd, and huried amoii-r the ruins, thus rendering; this disaster one of the most terrible calamities known in the history of eoal- minino- operations. As the a[.i)allin<,- magnitude, dreadfid suddenness, and heart-rending scenes of this terrible accident became known, the Christian world felt the tliroes, and messages of sympathy and aid came pouring in from every (quarter, among whic-h were telegrams from Lord Stanley, (iovernor (leneral of Canada, and our gracious (^kkn, whose widowed heart felt the piuigs of her sorrowing sub- jects, although in the hum])le sphere of a miner's home. On hearina* The AwFiL Cry, " Explosion at tb.- mine I "" the inhabitants of the sorrow-stricken town rushed to the mouth of the it, if happily they ndght be able to render assistance. Ft was needless to attemi)t consoling the vast assem- blage. The instinct of every one composing that sorrowing crowd seemed to tell them that some friend was among the lost. Although many had escaped to the surface without injury, yet it was Spnnf/hi// Coll;,,-;/ Dimster, 19 «o<.n know,, tliat nearly on. lunulr.d and Hftj of tliosc who IukI I H-rn to work in the depths hoi were nnssinu-. a„d tiiat ainon- those wore hnsl o\v oft! iose wives and fhe fathers of those 1 and the hrothers of' those older ehild aiuonir the ahsent were the tender aged parents whose hoarv liead.- with sorrow to the "-r nshands )onni(' hairns ren. Kven, too. ■ions of those nil 1st soon descend too that 1 hleed Altl grave, and the orphan hoy of r and lonely widow, whose 1 in solitude leart must now how ti ">Mgh no one present could tell the story of none could douht all who liad been K- accident occurred, vet Its reality or ^"ail to believe that V vicinity of the fatal occurrence had a inonieRt's warni working in tl: been ruthlessly killed without All that could be gathered from those working- on the surfiu-e of the pit at the time of the explosion was that a tremor of the ground was felt by them whdst those who were engaged in other portions of the mme, and had escaped, testified that a dull report coming from a distance reached their ears followed by rXDICATIONS OF DfJSTRUCTIO.X, when they suddenly dropped their implements and made a rush for life. .*^. ■:-?^v^ n t>(» Spniiijliill Colli try JDlMiMtf. All fact's i^^atlicTcd pak'iu-sw an tlu- rivsciit'd told tlieir tal'.'S ot'wcu', tor it was now too evident that a dreadtnj explosion jiad not only taken place in the mine, but that the poisonous after-daiup had done it« work ot death in the j.it which had lon^r l^.^.n considered one of the most secure coal mines in the world. Before proceeding with details, a glance at the location of Springhill and its (V)]lieries will "nahle tjie reader to uiukrstand where the accident occurred. CHAPTER II. SCEXK OF THE DiSaSTER. TIm. fov, m of Si)rin.ir),ill, u-lio.v t\w direful (KM'urrcd, is iK-autifulh- situated in tli ereut of CunilKTland Countv, five mil i' <'entral part traek of the lutercoloiiial Rail es u't'st of the mai n ■rn side of the Spriiii^l \vay, and on the east- It is one hundred and twent from Halifax; twenty-two from Andi "11 and I'arrshoro Railway. y-six miles disra..' hv rail 'Tst; twenty-one «even from Parrs])o ro. nd from Oxford; twenty- thirty-i irin.i.hill and Tarrsboro Rail- way from its junetion with the Intercolonial, the town l»nrsts upon the view, presenting a plea sin i^ appear- H'H'^'. Its dweiiin-s cover an extensive territory on the south-western side of a gentle elevation, said to »>o 1,01)4 feet ahove the level of the sea, and six feet lower than the highest j.eak of the Cobe(inid >roun- tam range. T)ie elevation being gradual for some t \v;iviii^ on till' more adjiirciit liill sides, with scattered vilhis at their hase, \vh(>s<' ciirliiiir smoke ascend th*- skies, }tre:^eiits a picture sel(h»iii seen on (»iic hiiidscape. Tiir ('<»M,IKKFKS, wliich liave hceii opened to (hite at S|»rini;hill, are five in niiinher. Thev are distiiiirnished as tlie East, West and North Shipes, the Ahenh-eii Pit, and the Svndicate Slope. The Kast Sloj.e is also known as No. 1 ; West, Xo. •>, and North, No. 8. The Ahcrdeeii Pit and Syndicati' Slope have not been much worked as vet; the othei-s are in full operation. These Collieries ar' located on tlie westorn side of the town, and their entrances are at a resjteetful distance from tlie business jiortion. Tin- entrances of the Kast and West Slopes are each iibout half a mile!' ■ ;'i Post OiHce. The former i^ also :},0(;0 feet ' a nor lerlv direction from tlie latter. 15y lookinsr at the Plan of these— Nos. 1 and 2 Mines — ii will be seen that eacii o\' their 1,800 foot Lext'ls are connected by a tui!' .'1 viinnin tlirougli a dividing strata of ei■ w^l "ipriiHihlll Collier ;i DmisUi 25 and that eacli has it? Tl separate eiitranee or slo us tunnel is tor haulage and ventil; pe. ition, the coal mined on the upper level of No. 1 [»it heing take:i throucrh this tunnel into the hottom level of Xo. 2 Pit, and thenee up the slope to the surface. Althouijh apparently otherwise on the plan, the Kast Scam overtops the West. The North Seam also overlies the Kast, and is sej.arated from it by 2:,0 iWt of strata. The North and East Scams hein^^ thus separated, the former does not sjpj.car on the plan. The true i)osition of each of these seams will he seen hy referrin,": to the diart on pairc 28. There hcinir „<) perpendicular shafts to these mines, they arc entered by slopes, which are fully described in chapter -Mechanical Operations of the Pit." From tuk Hottom of Kacii Slopk the mine is excavated in various directions, forming a labyrinth of streets, cross streets, alleyways, and courts, which are known by a variety" of "names, such as Levels, Palances, liords, Shutes, i>lanes,' Tunnels, Manways. (bingways, (Miambers, etc., all <»f which are fully explained in the (Jlossary Depart- ment. lU- looking at the plan ..f the mines, the reader will .-ee that the -Balances'" of Vo 1 si II 28 Sprint/hill (oUhr;/ Disasf,' , parallel with tlie main t'litraiicc iVoiii the foot Lwel up as far as the voal is mined in that dircH'tion, alan( e is reached. FolloAvinjr the traeino^s on the plan, bei^inniiHr at the foot (.f Xo. 1 7*>alanee, and proeeediui,'- aloiig the main level until Xo. 7 iJalanee is reached, and then countiiiiT the Bords upward to Xo. 8 Bord, the exact ppot where the explosion t.s su])i.osed to have taken place can easily be discovered. The Explosion 0('( i hrku in Xo. :} Bord of Xo. 7 Balance, wbicli is three- quarters of a mile vvest from the foot of the main entran<'e leadinij^ into Xo. 1 l»it. From the {.lac? of exploson the burning i^as must have rushed forth with terrible force, as it wais in this and adjoiiun.i,' vicinities that all the mutilated bodies were found, and every one was evidently burnt or torn to death. VAvvy man in X'os. (I and 7 Balances, and their <"unectin,o- I'.ords, and aloiiir the main levd as hir as No. :>, Balance, were no douht killed insrantlvbv the Sprlntit swc-pt with dreadful fury up into the 1,;^00 foot level of the same workings, and thr.>ugh the tunnel Hit.) the Westi-rn Pit, carrying immediate death to ^^ome who were in that direction, as will be seen by the numin-r of black dots on the plan, each of these . •lots representing rhe place where a dead b<.dy was • iiscovei'ed. CHAPTER III. Thk Wave of Sorrom, At seven o'clock on the morning of the day of the fatal explosion, tae miners engaged in the East and West Slopes descended to work as usual. The Aberdeen' V\t had been inactive for some time, and owing to lack of empty coal cars to receive the out- put, the Xorth Slope was also idle that da v. These three (iollieries give employment to about 1,350 men and boys. From sixty to seventy horses aie also to w-ork in the pits. The men and boys are distributed about as follows : Tn Xo. 1 Pit, 300 ; in Xo. 2, 300 ; in Xo. 3, 400; and on the surface, 3r)0. (\)nse- quently, 600 miners went to work that morning in the East and West Sloj.es with all the huoyancy of youth and manhood. Xo manifestations of nature ap])eared lo warn of 'dw sad event that was soon to transpire. It is true that in some liosoms there was a F()RKHol)IN(; Al'l'RKUKNSloX thi'.t some ('' -alamity should hap|»en in the mines at some distant dity. ■^•'KM-; ol' KXI'LosioN. li LI!' ! '']'■ n .11 >r/)ii//ti// (oflitri/ I)i.-<(i,stir r-'inaiiu'd at tlicir posts of duty. As the lamjts were (I'.iicklv t'Xtin_:^nislu'(l In the etteets of the tras, and the miners left in nttei' darkness, escape was almost impossihle. However, hy strennoiis etforts, many gaiiKMJ the snrfaee, ami thus their lives were save'e, ol" those alive, were dohn Mtdvinnon, George Davidson and John Lockhart. These were working in Xo. 2 Mine, and wore not injured in any way. 88 II the jtir Tliosc \vli(, \vm\ iiiadf thoir i'scajK' from riic pit <'()u](l ti-11 nothi.iir as to what tlir l,.ss (,f life was. Many tcstitifd that as thoy ran towards tlic ..iitraiuv of thf pit tlinv kiu'w some of thoir coini.anic.iis t^, fdl over fr(».n the cttocts of poisonous -asi's, statin- that in i-vcrv caso where it was possihh' to do so tlu'v lent those wlu. had been overcome the assist- Jince they recpiired to reacli the surfac". As nearly every one of tho.-e known to liave l)een in the m.nes had reh.tives or dear friends amon- those who had assembled at tlie montli of tlie pit where the exi)losion occurred, Tni; KXCITK.MKNT WAS IXDKSCRIBA BLE. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives and chihiren nin about in wild confusio.i, implorin- all whom they met to institute a search for their friends. Xo one could remain unmoved as they saw frail mothers, half elothed, clasping tender little ones to their Imsonis. beseeching men who were near at liand to iiiid out as soon as possible if their husbands, the fathers of their dear bai)ie., were among the dead. Despite the cold rain storm tlujt prevailed, the wo- men .;nd cliihlren remained around the pit until they weiv assure.l of the fate of th r friends. It was 34 ypruii/li'ff Co/Ill I >/ /)'>'/,s7r/'. Onk ok tiik Sai»i>i:st Scknks vW'V witiu's.u'd in ('aiuidii. Stern iin'ti \v»'j)t lik(! «liil(liH'ii as tlu'V hclu'ld tlu' wailiiii^s of tliosc who rotiised to Ik' (•((iiifortcd tor the loss of dear oner* Wiioiii thev believed weri' laid \uw in the ('(iLi) Kmhuack of J)i;ath. AUhough every eftbrt was made to ascertain tlie iiumher of those reniaininii; in the [.it, it was impos- sible to do so for some time, as a larjj^e munber oi men and i)oys had run to their homes, a,^ soon sis possible after reaehinii; the siirfaee. However, it was believed that the numbes would reach one hun- dred and Hftv at least. Lar j-e bands of men stood ready to descend the Eastern Slope as soon as i+ was deemed safe to do so. As many of those who had come to the surface liad made their exit from Xo. 2 Slope, it was soon discovered that that i)it had also been affected by the explosion. In a short time a crowd assembled around its surface and the work of rescue com- menced without delav. T" S — m CHAPTER IV, HKARcnrxo FOR the Dkad and Isj URED. Ahouf fiftoon minuter after the explosion, Win. Roese, Overman of Xo. 1 Slope, and Ralph Tnrner rushed ,lown into Xo. 2 Slope to ascertain what the renult was. After diacoverin^fir one or two of the n.j'Mvd, wJM.ni they took to the surfaee with all liHste, they returnee immediately, accompanied hy Malcolm .NfcMillan, Alex, (niisholm, Moses Jones ThoM.as Whittle, John Matheson. jr., and some others, who organized themselves n.to a volunteer ^•*'1h'^" party. h, an incredihly short rime these .irontk-nu-n h.,d brought to the surfac-e sixteen in- .lured, in<-lndino. (Vru. Munroe, of I'ort Elgin, who was found unconscious lying a short distance 'from His .lead hutty, James Morrison, hut under careful treatment soon recovered. Afr. Reese carried Mv ^Innro. on his hack from where he was discovered to the hotton. of the slope. The place where Mr Munroe was found will he seen hy referring to the plan of the mine. From the bottom .>f the slope : ;i8 t^/ii'iitt/li//J Colin rif Jjisasfir. tlu' (ii'iul And iiijuiH ' wore conveyed in l>oxes to th le surface ujt the main entrance bv tl le niudiin 'I'v for lioistin*; coal. On arri\;d at tlu' surface tlk injured were taken to tlieir lionies without del; IV, »c Anioiiii' those who went into the West Slo| Saturdav afternoon in search of the (h-ad, besides those already mentioned, were dohn dolmston, John Leudheater, Charles Rennie, dohn Motfatt, K. W. McDonald, desse Arnushaw, Daniel Murray, and A. A, M(dvinnon. The lattt-r went down to look for NTcdvinnon' ■other, whom thev found amontr the dead. Jesse Armishaw's mission was also a sad I ne, as the bodies of his sons Jesse and Herbert, and that of a vounir man nnmed Ernest l>ainbrid^'' ng who lived in his familv, were all discovered Ivi dead. The rescuing party worked heroically at the peril of tliiMr lives, some of them carrvin<^ dead bodies on their backs, and ascending and descend- ing ijito the pit many times during the afternoon. DuRiN(i THE First Descent of Messrs. Reese and Turner they attempted to go into Xo. 1 Slope, where the explosion occurred, but tliey found the smoke and after-damp too great to riiH/hi// Colin i-ii Disdst cr 30 vi'iitiirc. Iliilf ail hour at'tenvards, yiowcvtT, \fr, lifcst- aiid parfy sticcet'dt'd in <'-etti iii!^ into tl iiiacc, w hicl 1 an t'W-witiU'; Inscribes tlins Falls if >t()iu- and coal, cars all blown to piece? rai k ve ry l)ent like hoops, and o;eneral destrnction smoky, and dead men and boys lyini:; in all direc- tions." At this time the smok e was cominu' from Xo. 1 Slope, through the ui)per ends of Xos. ♦; and 7 lialanccs. so thick that some of tl le men were a fraid that there was tire existi ni>: somewhere in the vici n- ity, and that there miijht h .tl Of this Mr. 1 >e another exjdosion ^'eese was fully convinced, hut wa? I. anxious to u'ct out the hodic \\ hid I W( re 1 und vinii- iroiUKl m all dn-ections, that he did not make his •onvictioiL' known to the others at the ti nie, some e was no fire ir ow \h']u<>: of the ()i»ini()ii that ther 'vcr, James Simpson, Tuderground Manager of Xo. ■'> Pit, who had witnessed the smoke, aweed with Mr. Reese that tire existed, and that it was l»'<'"'iniig dangerous and so the party agreed to unve uj. the search for two hours in order to ascer- tain the result of the tire, 1 •lo,.k tl caving the pit at six le evening, hy which tinu' fortv-four UeaH til, IIO( lies and sixteen injured had hcen tak en to ■urfa ee o f Xo. 2 SI Opi' 'f1 m 40 SpriiHj/ii/J Colli* rij Dis;ist(V. Thk First Dkad Body Foixi* was that of William II. Turner. XotwithstaiKling- tliis aii:iv('iiR'iit to leave the ])it for two hours, when one hour liad passed, William Lorimer called on Mr. Reese at his house, where he was resting, and informed him that there wa . a hov missing that possihlv might he living and grct}>ing around in the dark. They descended at once in search of this ho\-, hut did not find him, as lie had gone from whti'e he was working in Xo. 2 Slope to Xo. 1, a short time before the exjdosion, and got killed. If is name was (Jeorge Bond. AVheu the two hours had expired the searching jtarties returned into Xo. 2 Mine and worked aT niglst. At four o'clock Sabbath morniuir. Manager Reese, in com])any witli Josejili Robertson and Allen C. McKinnon, went down the P]ast Slope in search of fire, wliich they expected to find. After being satisfied that fire existed they returned to the surface to get 1>uckcts and more help. At six o'clock Mr. Reese, with John DunUar, Manager of the ''Tom IMt," IMctou, Thonuis Scott, ai\d about twenty others, went down into the }>it again, and extinguislied the fire with water. This tire was in Xo. -1 l)ord (^f Xo. (I IJalance, where a lar!J:e Spn'iif/h/// Co/h'rr// D'.'<(isfrr. 41 quantity of t'unhvr was scattered about, and Imd it not iK'on promptly put out the result mijjlit liave been ii 42 SpriiH/Iu'// OiHicni DIsii.sfn-, could not l.c i.ersiiiukMl l>v licr riitrcutifs, Imt de- scciidod :md hroiiirht Ixniics tVoni Ih'voihI ovrr tails which few otluTs, it is said, could clind). Some who descended into No. 1 I Mt first after the explosion were home l)ack to the surfi ce suffocated and unconscious. Josejih Hohertson, one of the first men who went to the rescue at Xo. 1 Slope, \\as so overcome h\ tlie after-damp that he was comi.elled to crawl on his hands and knees for (piite a distance. After gaining the surface, and getting properly sur- vived and adjusted, he returned to the pit and worked heroically day and night for three days. IK- and Malcolm Blue were among the greatest workers, and discovered a large luimher of fhe dea<]. The heroic courage and endurance of Overman Reese, in leading men to the rescue of the wounded and recovery of the dead, was admired hv all, and one of the rescued parties has since acknowled<'-ed his iiidehtedness to him l»y a tangihie recognition. Amoxu the First Volinteers to enter tlie Kast Sloj.e after the explosion were .Joseph Robertson, Malcolm Blue, William Kay, J. Madden, James Harvey, ]f. Bunt, John I). Beaton, AVilliiim Murray, James Miller, (ieorG:e Morrison, George Oulton, (Miarles H. Weller, James und ManaiTers Conway, Simi)son and Ilargreaves, Assist- ant ^fanager Mclnnis, Deputy Inspector Madden, and some other colliery officials were coming to the mines, with all haste, by si)ecial train from the Si)ringliill .; unction, having left Hpringhill Station by the noon train to attend a meetinir of Minimr 44 iS/)riiii/hi(f Collltr;/ Disaster. Officials (if (luiiibcrliuul C'omity, to be liold that day at ^[acc'aii, for tlio jmrposo of forniiiicr •, Society for tlie l*rotectioii of Mining Officials. After arriving at the Junction, these gentlemen had been called back bv telegram, announcing that an explosion had tiiken ])lace at tlie mines. On Arrival at the Mines, I'nderground Manager (\)n\vay procured a lamp, <'alled for vxdunteers, and at once descended Xo. 1 Slope, accompanied by Assistant Manager McTnniB, Messrs. James Ferguson, Peter Shannahan, A. I). Ferguson, Malcobn Blue, James Miller, Joseph Robertson, anc' some others. These gentlemen pushed into the mine as far as they were able to go with safety, and in a sliort time some irood work was accomi.lished. Ventilation being the first essential required to prevent further death from the effi'ct of [»(»isonous gases in the mine, men were set to work constructing partitions of canvas, in order to replace the brattices that liad been destroyerer of the Company, d. ]i. Cowans, also went down to see for himself the state of affairs in tlK- mine. Many dead hodies were seen among the ruins. i)ut owing to the dan ^^B .-Ji . » ^1 .• * ! ^H 'iJ ^^^^bE i :flH "y.iA ^^H -.' 1 'H r fl i ^H ' ; ^^^1 : ^ ' ■ ,^^^^^^1 ^^H ^i i Sj,r',,„j},;il CJIi,,-,/ J);.s,,.'n- to leave, and in the eonrse of four or five hours the after- damp would all he driven out. We I."ft the ndne at six o'clock. The so ue alonjj: the level wa.s pitiful. The expl..sion had rushed towar.l the botton, of tlu- u.ine. Not nuich da.nag,. wa. done, only the j)rop.s knocked out. winch cau.-t of th<. slope, where they were hoisted to the surtace. I>.irin.i, the ni.irht .^rn-at progress was made two tho„sa,.d i'.A of the level havin.j; heen cleared, ...d the worst .>l,structions reniove"il>elled to ^m home and remain under medical tre. Tiient for several days. Meantime, Thomas Heott acted in his place. Sabbath AfoRxixXo, on arrival of Mr. Conway at the surface, lar^^e crowds of volunteer relief parties went down, as the mine was tlien 'onsidered free from the dangerous ''='"»P by Inspector Gilpin and Deputy In'spector Mat sweep of the tire-damp. It could be seen, by the way some held their arms, and with their safety lamps in their hands, as they lay on the bottom of the pit on their faces, that they had 1)1 Kl) KIloM Si I'FOCATIOX. Many, when found, alttiou.u'h cold and still in death, looked as pi'aceful in the face as thouii'h they were merely sleeping. In a few cases the clinchcs showed that the p(»or men had died in convulsioiis. "^pn'iif/hi// CoUim/ Disa.^ter »3 I Tilt' u:enerul t'vidt'nce was ovcrwlielminii; that doatli was .uidclen in the inaioritv of cases. One raa»), wlien kilUd, had been in the act of smoking, and tlie stem of liis pipe, lield by the month, re- mained nntil taken .mu after recovery. Another liad a moutliful of bread, as if in the act of eating his dinner. A few of tlie dead were found standing in the most natural positions. One was leanin// CoVitni Disaster. vicinity of wlioro Swift s body was lyinir. Xairn^'s body was found on the morning of the 25th, and makes three of the Nairn family killed in the pit. ( )n the day previous to this date the bodies of William Ilvde, Donald McKav, Ilenrv Livinarties. NfcDonald was thrown u}* an incline seventy-five feet from where he had been working. Ifis l)ody was sliockiuirlv mutilated, and one arm was missinsr. Nodes" l»ody was also badly cut and torn. John (rillis" body was taken out of Xo. 2 Sloi)e on tlie afternoon of the 23r(l. It was thought that he had escaped injury, as his name did not appear on the list of the missing. He was a single man, and belonged to ('ai»e Hreton. .Vfter the dead miners had been recovered, the dead bodies of horses v^-ere collected, taken out of the pit, and cremated. The number of horses killed was seventeen. m ii 1' 1:1 CHAPTER V. Care of the Wounded. The first duty devolving upon those who had charge of tlie mines was to look after the injured, and this was promptly attended to. As soon as the state of affairs was learned, J. R. Cowans, General Manager, telegraphed at once to Amherst and Parrs- boro for all the Doctors that could be spared in these towns to come on with despatch. This request was promptly responded to by Drs. Black, Hewson, I Allen, McDougall, Bliss and Campbell, of Amherst; and Drs. Boggs, McKenzie, Babbitt, Atkinson and Rand, of Parrsboro. A\rhen word of the disaster had reached Oxford, Drs. Cook and Morrison, of that place, started immediately with their operating c;ises, expecting that there w^ould be a larger number of amputations and other surgical operations to perform. By the time these medical gentlemen had arrived ill the injured had been brought out of the mines, ^ind . arefully treated by Drs. Cove and Hayes, who •«dc in the place. Dr. Bayard, another physician >f Springhill, would also have been in attendance, y>nt owing to sickness was confined to his house. ■Bi'ic ]>iivsiciajis frnm Arnli£>».of r\^.e,.^.i „., J 0-. (59) (10 Spnnf/hlll rofliny DlmsfiT. boro, hov/cviT, did every thiiiir that they could to UHsist alU'viating the f»uftV'rini;s of the wounded. But, outside of tlie neveii who had been brought out burned, and several others partly suffocated l>y tlu- after-damj), no medical aid could avail anything. Explosion occurred seventeen minutes to one o'clock, and no livitig person was removed from tlu' mines after two o'clock. As members of the relief parties were being constantly returned to the surface. badly affcvtcd bv the after-damp, it was ly to he atlected hy the after-damp. He soon developed violent <'onvulsions, and (iied ahout 8 o'clock Satur- day evenini;, showinii; evidence oi* luivini; sustained a fracture at hase of the skull. He was twentv-one vcars of ai2:e, ai id u nmarried Xeil S. McNeil was severely hurnetl on liands, arms and face, and side of hody. He died one week after exi)losion from exhaustion, resulting from extent i>t' surface hunu'd. He was unnuirried, and twenty- tliree years of a*;e. Henry Xash, severely burned ahout body, Ir- nds, anus and face, died on fourth day from shock and <'.\lia!!stion. His age was twenty-four. His family ^••'iisisted of wife and one child. Dannie Robertson, the hero boy referred to on auote.'.'!' i!;-!""*' as. sjivinc AVilb*' T'^arris. she little 1 i^^il i \ 62 Sj)rittt/hill Cofficn/ Dis((s/«r. 4 trapiKT, wsiH Itjully Imnu'd about tlu' head, fact;, arms, and side of body, lie was in a critical condi- tion for some days, l»nt is now considered out of dani^cr, althoui^h suffcrini^ groat pain at time of writing (May 1st). J lis age is fourteen years. Willie Karris, a trajtper boy twelve years old, who was aved by Dannie Robertson, had the tips of his ears slightly blistered, and small blisters on his hands and side of his face. lie was terribly frightened and bewildered in the darkness of the pit, but wua all right again in a few days. Daniel Beaton, a lad of thirteen, who was rescued by an older brother, had his face, hands and head badly burned, and two severe wounds on head, one of which laid a portion of the skull bare. His recovery was rapid. Adolphus Landry was severely burned about the face, hands, arms and body. Catching a glimpse of the flame of lire as it came, he put his hands over his face, and dropped behind the horse he was driving. The horse w^as killed and partly falling on him, thus pinning him in and saving his life ; his sufferings w^ere so intense before he w'as rescued that lie was praying that death might come mW relieve him. He was fourteen years of age, and is recovering. Sprinf/hiff Chf fieri/ Disasftr ♦;:} .hmios Liddlo was working in No. 1 Slope, and jj^ot liurt < jinin*^ up in the hoxos, there l)eing such a crowd of men that he could not get low enoutjh, and got Jannned again.st the roof. The force of the concussion pnu' -cd injury to the spijie, sufficient to cause paralysirf of tlie lower parts of the hody. He was taken to the Halifax liospital, and is ini- j)n)ving slowly. The following letter, which he sent from Halifax to the writer, will he read with interest: Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, N. S., April 24th, 1891. Dear Sir: Your favor of 22nd U hand, and in reply would say : At the time of explosion I was at the bottom uf No. 1 Slope, and all at once my light went out, and then I smelt gas, and knowing something was wrong, I at once tried to make my escape, and almost got up to the •surface when I was struck on the back by a boom. When brought to the bank head I waa senseless. When I came to, my legs, from body downwards, were paralyzed. I was taken immediately to my boarding house, where I stayed until removed to the hospital, where I have been slowly improving. Hope to get around again in a few months. The tilings published about me are wrong. They have got my name "David" instead of James, and my age "22" instead of 16 years, which it ought to be. This is about all the information I can give you in regard to the Springhill explosion. Yours truly, James Liddle. id ■ 1 -■'? H' |.|1« •I i i!i!:ii ♦;4 Siniii'/liifl (offirri/ I)ististi\ .loliii (!(iii\v:iv, flu' tliii'tccii vtar old son of \V"i. CoiiWiiv, riKicricriMUHl .\lim;iir» r of >»». 1 Slope, was sliiilitlv itrirctcd l»v :itt('r-(laiii|i ; liis escaiK- tVoiii tiii'tlitT iiijiii-v was a iniraclf. Ills case is rctfrriMl to ill aiuttiiiT cliaptcr. .laiiKs |)ai:i«'l McI )(»nai(l was jxtiscu'd l»y after- (laiiiii; he liatl \ioU'iit convulsions tor tour or five liours. When In- i-('co\ cred iVoni the eftects '>♦" the dainji he had lost his reason, and at time of wi'itiny; it had not l)een nst(»red, hut his symptoms were favorahle. i Cvrus Munro«'. Kodi^^T i^tvvis, .lohn Dvkons, (ntnlon ('annichael, l)iivid Merritt and Jlyall Nodes, Were all atiected more or less severely by tlii' after-damp. I>ut soon recovered nncU'" medical treatment. Amoiiii' those who formed tlu' rescue parties tlie t'ollowinu- were sevi-rely attected hy the after-damp: Alex. Mclnnis, Assistant rnderi::round Manager: Win. Conway, rnderuround Manager, Xo. 1 Slope; Malcolm IJlue, Thomas Fletclu-r, (leorge Kitehell, .lesse Arnnshaw, Thomas Foster and Thos. Brown. As the condition of some of these are referred to in other departments, the extent of their injuries are omitted in this coimection. Of l)erson att'ected hy tlie after-damp among the rescuers, and those who had heen discovered in the S^niiKjIiill ( 'itUhrii I}i,' >ii('h. Jle wiiH reniovod to his home, and liad fully juroi»e, whicli was used us a Morgue, were heart-rending, and shall never be forgotten by the spectators. The remains of many who had perished in No. 1 ^r^ne were taken to this place after coming to the surface that they miglit be prepared for iden- tification by their friends and interme it. M times it seemed that none remained in the town wlio were i^ble to run to the Morgue. Benches wer j arrano-ed within the building, and the ,.'ori)ses, after being washed, were laid on them. Those in charge of the Mo.gue were AV^m. Henderson, Samuel Richmond, Samuel Russell, and John F. McDonald. Others tried it also for a time, bur could not endure the nerv(Mis strain. Although a large number of the dead were natural, yet others were burnt and mutilated beyond recognition, and the place liad the semblanee of a veritable slaughter-house for a ii kl ™ $- v::llH i ' ' ' i-r ,,i r. ' I \l ' 1 ii i ■J. * Sprlnghill Collier;/ Disaster. 69 time. Remains of some were brought in and laid on the table, over which the veil must be drawn, lest the deformity of death might distress the reader. However, the following case is too important to leave unnoticed. The body of Lemuel Morrison's 13 year old son, Thomas, was cut in two, and other- wise niiingled beyond recognition. The father had been through the morgue several times vainly look- ing for his son, and had passed and repassed this body, having satisiied himself that it was not the one he sought. Finally the mother came, and after looking over all the other bodies in the place, asked her husband where the bodv was he told her about, lie took her to the lifeless form, remarking, " It is not our boy." The mother proceeded to examine the clothing, as the mangled body could serve no purpose of identiiication, only the trunk being before her, the rest of the body some distance away. She turned up the shirt, and on looking over it found traces of her needle where she had l>een mending it the night before, and could only exclaim, " This is my poor boy ! This is my poor boy I " Although a few others hardly l)ore a trace of human semblance, yet they were " Those whom somel)ody loved," and though seen in their deformed state, and in that horrid place, were still dear to f.-^J^ilH; re 41' 70 Sprih()wer (•t)nld separate her from the loving form of lier tender boy or kind husband until the strength of her frail body succumbed to ^he superior force of her grief, and she Avas carried oft in the same direction as the remains of lier loved one. It was a sad sigiit at one time to see over twenty bodies stretched on the benches and several otliers in pieces, and around them frantic women and weeping friends in search of those they loved. Frail women wept without restraint ; strong men sobbed and broke down. Others, too frenzied to allow vent to nature, stood amazed and availed, and silent -and passive amid the scene. Some who had seldom grieved before, insj^ired a sigh and felt sensations as the mangled form of some pleasing associate was unveiled before their eyes. All felt that one of the saddest calamities ever realized by man on earth had fallen like a thunderbolt upon the peaceful inhabitants of Springhill, and in the dark but peace- ful i.icture, there was only one back ground of consolation — sKh))iisst'())i to the Divine iriU. Among those wlu^ mourned thus for their departed ones, many felt that God was near, and, S^prim/hill Collier n Disa.^fer. 71 In- faith, looking up throuiz:!! tho rift in the dark cloud, couhl (See the kitid liand of a lovhig Father, and feel assured that " Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiHng face." Aiiiiil such scenes and nnisincrs as these at the inorifue, the work of preparing tlie dead for removal ro their former homes or last restinij place went steadily on. Each hody was stripped and washed, and the tattered and hurnt clothinir was taken awav and destroyed, except in the case of hodies not known, when their clothinjr was carefully juvserved ;is I ifuide to their frien-' Dy which they mio^ht be able to identity them. Atb/r bodies had been arranged and identitied, they were taken away to their former homes or the ])lace of interment. Carbolic acid re<|uired to be used as disinfectant in some cases. When decomposition had freely set in, hodies were buried without delav. ji r.paAfl 1^ t * s 1 ■ ■ : :' i ■■' j i ■ \ I 1 1 ^ j . . V i ; ■■■• i 1 j tf 9 CHAPTER VII. The Gloom Deepens. After the first shock of the terrible calamity had passed over, and it was possible to get reliable information, the people began to realize the enor- mity of the disaster. As the death list from the pit swelled, and as one body after another was taken from the morgue to its former residence, or its last resting place, the gloom began to deepen. Two car-loads of coffins, manufactured by Christie Bros., of Amherst, having arrived on Monday evening, and distributevl throughout the town, besides those made by the undertakers of the place, it was A Sad Sight to see two or three of these coffins enter the doors of several dwellings within a short distance of each other. The houses where the dead were laid were brightly lighted up during the solemn hours of the night, and because man having gone to his long home " the mourners go about the streets," and from house to house during the night. In many case- moans, so1)S and bitter wailiiigs within those Spn'nf/hi/f CoWmf Dmtster. 78 be.X'uved homes told too plainly the sad story of desolation and death. One of the saddest cases of the accident was that of Fred Carniichaers family. Three brothers of this household were killed in the mine, and one was carried home unconscious, being injured by the after-damp. The affliction in this family is very great, and the sorrow is intensified bv the fact that another son in the same family was killed by lightning three years ago, and Mr. Car- michael got his left arm and collai--bone broken a short time before the explosion. In this case, although the experience of good old Jacob was realized, when he said: "Me have ye bereaved of my children : Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away : all these things are against me," or that of Job when he uttered his plaintive wail: "Oh that it were with me as in months past * * when the Almighty was with me, when my children were about me:" vet Mr Carmichael was amazingly resigned to the Divine will, and could say, "God lives, bless'd be my Rock." One who was endeavoring to comfort the bereaved in their affliction, records his experience of this trial thus: "When his three boys were brought home he showed more Christian fortitude than any other that I visited. The power to control iij 74 M Spn'ttf/hif/ Collu'iy Difiastrr. I llMt liirnHt'lf was amazing, and the perfoct repignation to the Divine will was a lesson I ean never tbri^et." A Mysterious Cask of Trial was also experienced hy Oliver Diipee. While this broken-hearted father was conveying home the body of his son Joseph from the morgue, another child, four years old, ran out to meet him. The hoy slil>I)e(l on the ice, falling on his head, and was instantly killed. Hour by hour, as time wore on, the seene of sorrow became more desolate. As l)odies were taken to i)e interred a mournful dirge was tolled. The body of Manager Swift remained in the pit, and his death was peculiarly sad. Manager Conway had become prostrate owing to over-exertion in the mine attemi)ting to free the imprisoned bodies. The lives of Mrs. Swift and a number of other broken hearted widows and bereaved mothers were heinir des})aired of. The mother of one large family of childr< ii left in destitute circumstances had become demented. Another widow with three children w\i8 entirely bereft of all her friends. James D. ^[cDonald, one of the injured, was suffering from a bad dose of after-damp and nervous shock. His mind had be- eoiue deranged and he could not he comforted. ! I % SpriiHjhill CoUknj Disaster. 75 Tlio houHcholds of J,.},n Xairn, Held Carter, Kichard DavvHon, Hugh Bunt, Neil Kos., Robert McVey, Jesne Annisliaw and several others, were shrouded in tlie deepest «:loon., two and three of each family liaving been killed. The Sad and Solkmx P:.\j'ekie.\( k of those two hun.lre.l and thirty-four orphans, widows and widowed mothers, during the few days' after the explosion, must long remain -upon the tablets of enduring memory." Oh, how the hearts went down into that lonely pit wlm-h was the seene of all their woe ! Those nights were full of tears; the agony of many hearts was only known to God! Those ministers of consolation who endeavored to symi.athipce and alleviate the trials of bereaved and stricken ones, taintly realized how deeply the arrow had pierced, and how the soul was riveil, but there were none who knew it all. To God\« a/e, a»d that nhu,', was the grief revealed, and in His bottle were the tears preserved. Amid the dark.iess of such a scene it was com- forti.ig to know that some of those stricken ones, in the sj.irit of resignation, could say, " Tlie Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the namJ of the Lord." Iff Pf! ikf. \mn t. < 1 ' lii CHAPTER Vlir. Personal iNciDENXf^. Many tiiid varied were tlie personal incidents in connection with the great diHant^r. These incidents, ii8 told ])y variouH persons who e8ca[>ed with their lives and a numher of the rescue parties, are given that the reader might have a record of important events not mentioned in other chapters. One man who escaped states that he saw two lads fall as they were running towards the entrance. He 8topi>ed to help them, but the damp came so nearly overcoming him that he was compelled to hurry on and leave them to their sad fate. The searching party that recovered the body of Manager Swift are confident he rose to his feet after the explosion and was knocked down by the falling stone beneath which he was covered. It is supposed that at the time of the disaster, the late manager, as he was wont to do, was leaning with his back against a box, conversing with the two miners at the tace of the level. When found his head was towards the bottom of the pit and about a foot of stone was under him, which is considered (76) S/n-iix/hi// Cof/ien/ JJisa.ifer. 77 proof that ho had r^pruiitr t(» his ivvt after the exploHion and was makin^r his way out. But he .V'ot only ti'n tbot from tlie faco, when knocked down either by after-damp or tilling rock. Hi. nose was sHghtly burned, l)ut the body was not disfigured in any other way. To „ne of the sliiftmen Mr. Hwift announced his intention of going to the ])ank at noon, but on reaching the pit bottom he found that timber was being hnvered, and started into tlie face of tlie level. He was a tiist walker, and, even allowing for this, he had barely time to reach the [)oint where liis body was found. It is singular, however, that the searching party that proved sue- eessful, after consultation among the men, decided to make the attemj.t, though many tried to dissuade the and were con\inced that Mr. Swift could not have got so far into the level ; but the little party could not be swerved, and their theory proved correct. A Very Sad Case was experienced by a young man whose brother was killed in the mine. He started to take the body to Cai-e Breton. Tlie poor fellow, when about half way on his journey, was so overcome by grief that he became demented, and another friend had to follow to Antigonish to take him home. i I 78 Sl)l'illi//iill ( 'n/li( n/ I)iSil.»' w ilicll »;illir tVotll soliic ot" till' liK'ii ;iir«Mtt(l l»v tin- ;irtt'l"-dillii|t, wlio iH'illi/A'l llint tln'V must lie dow ti mid die. ()m' nt' the sriifcliiiiir piiftv ill piissiiii; tliroiiifh stc|»|»rd on ;i iiiiin's hitck. It was tlic oiilv part visiltli', tlu' head and liiid.s hriiit; covered with stoui's and llilleii heaiiis, and it took eonsi(K'ral»le time to reii .' du'se. Mideidni iMiie, another of tlie rescuers, in one })laci', wliilst irawliiii^ . i his liands and knees near the face «»t' tiie K'vel, put his hand on the face of tlie dead hodv of W'illia.i llvde. h was unexpected, and he (hvw ' ack with a shiver. Anioiiij the victims was Joseph Tattersall, tlie well known cricketer who came out from England to coach the Wanderers' Cluh of Ihilifax. He came to the mines to work durini, !ie winter, A few weeks ago \w sent his wife home. A. J. McKay, one of the klim', had only heen working in the mines tlriH' days. Another of the unfortunates had nuule \\\. his mind to go out of the company's employ ami he would have left within a month. A number escaped bv not ixoiuij into the mines that fatal afternoon. Those who worked in their Sl>,>'iH//,i// Cnlliirii I);.'<,isf,i\ 79 I'ill-f of the |.if UC.V I,r,.M-l,t n,it workii,!,. in tl,(. ,Mi,M-sa.i l,„„r pivvieus f. fl,r «x|.I.>si,,n, iMit Mviv sent out for l.,a«lii,j.r ba<•»..»■ finic auM, and was ivscu.l l,y Ti/„(.th.v L,,,id!'. i -- < 82 SpruujhM Collienj Dif^dstcr. knew what it wa^^, and jumped to the low side of the place where he was working, and scpieezed in be- tween the timber projts. The blast came like a lightning flash, and, in passing, caught liis safety lani]), which projected outward from his hand, and carried it away as if in the bore of a miditv cannon. The instant it passed, young Blue, being unhurt, took from his pocket some cottou waste and dipped it in c;. -me water that was uiider his feet, and stuffed his inouth full. This he intended to act as a filter, as well as to prevent him from inhaling ^arge quan- tities of the i)oisonous gas. Beiug a robust young- man, who had grown \\\\ in the mine from childhood, he knew every inch of the way as well in the dark as with a light. He started to run with all his might, and never stopped until he reacbcd the sur- face. A large number of men were found dead along the whole course he had run. Patrick Ilennessy, Edward Chandler and Hanry Nash were all together at time of explosion. At first sound Chandler and Ilemiessy jumped to the low side of the shute in which they were Avorkii • drawing their coats over their heads and putting their arms over their faces. They both escaped, and Xash, who was only six feet from He, .^essy, being out in tlie chamber unprotected, was burned SpnyighiU ChUiery Disaster. 83 80 badly that he died on the fourth day, as recorded ill Chapter V. John Conway, who in a referred to in the same chapter, was sitting on the edge of the front box of a rake driving liis horse in the level 2,000 feet from the slope bottom at time of explosion. The horse was severely burned, and killed, falling on toi> of the boy in some way so as not to injure him, ^md at the same time save him from the flame.' This boy was found by some of the re .-ue panics after they thought the living had all been rescued. These parties were attracted by the cry of " Mother ' Mother ! ! Mother I ! ! " i„ a low, feeble tone coming from a distance along the level, and rushing to the place whence it came, listened and heard a feeble cry of "Mother'- coming from under a dead horse. On turning the horse over they found the boy only .^lightly affected by the at^er-damp. lie was taken to tlie surface and soon recovered, xhe experience and escape from death of three otlu> lads, John 1). licaton, Judson Farris and Dannie I' ,bertson, were also remarkable. Beaton's tifto. .ear old brother, who was working in another p.rt of th i mine, and ""injured on hearing the exu' ./.on, immediately 'an to the place where be knew his younger brother n-as working, and found hii'i burnt, wounded, and . 1 ti ir:j ijil i 84 Spi-ingMU Colliery Disaster his clothes on lire. After extinguisliing the fire he put him on his shoulder, and would not give up his charife to anv one who ottered assistance until he had taken him out of the mine and laid him on a lounge in his own home. Little Dannie Rohertson, who is justly called The Hero Boy of the disaster, was driving a rake of empty boxes into the level on the west side. He was sitting on front of the foremost box, when, in a moment, with- out any warning, he was struck by the terr-iic blast of fierce flame, and knocked backwards mto the box. His light was put out, and the horse "Jennie," which he drove, was killed instantly. After lying in the box for a few minutes in a state of bewilder- ment, he was brought to a true sense of his perilous situation by crashing of timbers and the roof-falls around him. On springing from the box he dis- covered that his clothes were on lire, his horse dead, and he alone in the awful darkness, and the roof of the mine falling around him. Under such circumstances, with heroic effort he threw oft' his burnii.g coat and vest, and, with hands and arms painfully burned, he started to find his w-ay out of the pit. But he had only gone a short SprliigJuJJ OjlUen/ Disaster. 85 distance wlien he heard the piteous cries of Httle Farris, the trapper, whose life was saved by dodging under his seat, coming from a distance, and rushing to the jtlace, and groping around in the dark, found the victim almost frightened to deatli. By this time Robertson's liands were so painful with the burns that lie was almost delirious, and could not take hold of the bovto assist him out; but with unfailinir courage he sat down, tclliuii: the lad to ":et on his back, which he did, and su]>porting him in position as best he could, ran with his precious burden until he gained the bottcan of the sloi)e, and leaving the lad at this place of safety, he in(iuirod after the safetv of his brother John, and was about to return into the level to search for him when some of the rescue parties caught him, placed him in a box with other wounded, and had bin taken to the pit head without delav, where his brother was awaiting him. On their way home, little Dannie requested the man who took him home on a sled that he be allowed to walk into the house alone, so that his mother might not be alarmed. He is a member of the " Boys' Bri- gade" in connection with the Presbvterian Church of Springhill, which is under the pastoral care of TIev. David Wright, whose name is mentioned in connection with the rescuing parties. As the hero- 1 MM P {:;. i t'lll 86 Spring hill Colliery Disaster. ism of this brave boy is, perhaps, unparalleled in history, an effort should be made at once to reward his bravery in some suitjible way. His portrait is give i on the following page. The boy Beaton, who saved the life of his younger brother, although not a member of the " Boys' Brigade," his bravery is also worthy of public recognition. Four mem- bers of the "Boys' Brigade" at Springhill were killed in the mines. Their mimes are Philip and Murdoch Ross and James and David McVev. DANNIE ROBERTSON. .!,? w M Ifl kumiada j' ft 9 CHAPTER X. List of the V ICTIMf As the names of our loved departed ones are still dear to us, and their memories freijrlited with undvinu' aft'ection, the writer ineludes this chapter as a ineniento to relative's of those who lost their lives l)v the sad disaster, and a sacred record for the intiM-est of the y'eiural jiuhlic, whose sympathies have so liherallv heen extended to th lose who Were so s uddenlv hi'reaved of father; «ons. husbands. i>rothers. and other dear friends. The followini,^ is a classitied list of all who were killed in the mines, inonidiniii; the four who died of their injuries up to date of writinii; (May 1st. 1S91), irivini; the numher of widows, or[»hans, and widowed mothers left destitute hy the calannty : Married Men wihi Families. NAMES. DEPENPHNTS. dohn Bentlitte, Donald Camphell, Reid (barter, John ^'armieliael, V.llliam ('arrii>-an. Wife and five children. AVife and seven children. Wife and three children. Wife and four children. Wife and tv\o children. (89) rii n 11 - ii ! i ! I: ^|i J, ! n 90 Spn'rigkUl Collhn/ Disaster. Markied Men with FAMrLif:8. — Continued. NAMES. Jiimes C^onway, John C'Onnerton, Muttliew Collins, Kichard Dawson, Hiram Fife, Daniel Findlavson, Thomas Fletcher, Peter (lallaghcr, Lazarus (iruthro, John Hunter, William Hyde, William Kent, Frank Letcher, Daniel Lockhart, James Miller, Sr., John Mitchell, Ernest Mott, James Morris, Jeremiah Murphy, Angus McKinnon, Allan McKiimon, John J. McDonald, Rorv "B. McDonald, DEPENDENTS. Wife and three children. Wife and one child. Wife and three children. Wife and six children. Wife and two children. Wife and three children. Wife and two children. Wife and three children. Wife and four children. Wife and four children. Wife and four children. Wife and six children. Wife and one child. Wife and two children. AVife and six children. Wife and four children. Wife and two children. Wife and six children. Wife and three children. Wife and eight children. Wife and two children. Wife and four children. Wife and four children. Springhill Colliery Disaster. 91 Married Men with Families. — Continued. NAMES. DEPENDENTS. William XfoGilvery, Donald Mc'Kav, John F. MoXoil, Rorj MoLood, Norman McLeod, Charles Xash, liod^fer Noilos, Malcolm Nicholson, Hugh Robertson, Stephen Rushton, Archibald Shipley, James Sharpies, Robert A. Sherlock, Ilenrj Swift, Joseph Tatterstal, William H. Turner, Alexander Vance, Edgar Wry, Philip B. White, George Wood, Thomas Wilson, John Williams, *Henrv Nash, ♦One of the 'njured who died. Wife and one child. Wife and two children. Wife and two children. Wife and two children. Wife and one chihl. Wife and one child. Wife and two children. Wife and one child. Wife and four children. Wife and four children. Wife and six children. Wife and three childi n. Wife and one child. Wife and five children. Wife and five ch'ldren. Wife and five children. Wife and four children. Wife and two children. Wife and four children. Wife and one child. Wife and one child. Wife and six children. ' Wife and one child. ' ^ 1^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) S?- // / / :A ,/lie)'i/ Disaster Inspector (Tilpin'.s investigation, ]\v wan submitted to an examination of several liours. Ii' this exami- nation lie explained the system of .entilation and the speed at which the fan was run before and after the explosion ; also, in reference ro the condition of the workings of the mine. He stated that when he was in charge of No. 1 Slope a few years ago, bodies of gas were sometimes met with. The air was testea daily by Conway, and a water gauge was kept, In the fan house and regularly examined by the night iire- man. lie knew of no lying gas in the mine. On being examined more particularly respecting indica- tions of gas within the past year, he believed the men under Conway did their work faithfully. Se^ - eral years ago, when the w^ater w^as heavy in the mine, two large bodies of gas v/ere met with. This was in the second balance from the bottom. They stopped using powder in the levels about two months ago when he was in Xo. 1 Slope. No men were burned in the vicinity of this district of the explo- sion. There was not a flaming shot since he had been assistant manager. There was a feeder of gas in the level ignited by an open light, but no powder was used. Since the feeder was discovered in driv- ing the bords in No. 7 Balance, a little gas was met occasionally, but never in large quantities. Mr. Spri»(//ull Cotlleru Disaste 99 Mclni.is' teHtimoiiy ooncerning tJie turning of the fan WU8 c-orroljoratod l.y the fun man, Angus Munro. (Charles Mitchell also supported part of M. funis' evidence. A[r. Mitchell was examined at great length. Jle was night fireman in No. 1 Slope, and made the last examination of tlie fatal district of thi, place before the explosion Saturday morning. H?s report was to the effect that the pit was clear of gas. He again entered the mine after the explosion, and tlie atmosphere was thick with damp. Shot I-'irer Wilson, he said, had ^old him a few days before the explosion that no holes were loaded and not fired, lie did not think the holes were bored too near to the rib. He had never known of a sudden outburst of gas in the mine. He did not ref\i8e that day to fire a shot. No powder was used in No. 7 Balance pn the level. He had never seen any accumulation of gas of any importance in the mine. If there had been a hole in No. 3 he would have noticed it. He had fired a shot in No. 3 Bord in :N"o. 6 Balance when relieving Wilson two days pre- vious to the explosion. Assistant Manager Mclnnis gave detailed instructions to the shot firer, then the miners take their instructions from the shot firer. He had been nearly two years employed as fireman. There w^as not much dust in the bords. He thought Hill 100 Springkill Colliery Disaster. twice a woek Hiilliciejit to lire the bords, and that was the practice. GaH wan found in nniall quantities in BordH Nos. 2, 5 and 7 of No. 7 Balance. The morning before tlie accident there was a small quan- tity in Bord No. 2. On one occasion he had gone in ahead of the ten o'clock shift and brushed tlie gas out. He was always as much afraid of the dust as of the gas in tliat part of the mine. The dust was very wet that Saturday morning, and could not have dried sufficiently that day to have caused the explo- sion, lie always watered a dry place before firing a shot. It looks as if something from No. 3 Bord connected with something outside. The shot tirer, Thomas Wilson, being found in No. 3 is the only reason to suppose the explosion occurred there. He did not think a blown out shot would send flame into the balance 150 feet away. .The latter state- ment was made on examination by Mr. Drummond, and is considered important by mining men. Dr. Hayes testified as to the cause of death in the case of John Connerton. Showed that it was attri- buted to after-damp. Patrick Hennesey, who has worked as a miner in Springhill for fourteen years, testified that there was a terrible gust of wind and coal flying up the shute in which he was working when the explosion Spn'm/hif/ Collhri/ Disastt\ 101 occurred. Tn order to avoid it he threw himself down and placed his head against the rih. He saw the tire. It was hurninu^ around him. The fire passed rapidly ; the noise was very loud. Henry Nash was seriously burne "* fivo feet from him. It passed back over them again. He stayed in the corner close to it all the time with his hands over his face. He was 250 feet up the shute. Atlter the iire passed the air was suffocatingly hot. When he saw the blast was gone he called to the others to put their clothes over tlieir mouths and tret out. There was no gas lying at the top of No, 3 Shute. The air was good. There was a good many particles of gas i'.i the blast. He never saw dust ignite from a shot. They always sent for the shot firer before firing a shot. He had only worked in No. 6 Balance a few shifts about thrc.^ months ago. At that time there was not much dust there. Messrs. C. Hargreaves, William Conway, William McGillvray, James Ferguson, William Murray, and others, who hold various official positions under- ground, were all questioned relative to the system of working, and instructions given by them to sub- ordinates, their testimony on the whole going to show that everji;hing was in good working order. Mr. Conway, Underground Manager in No, 1 Slope, gave it as his opinion that the explosion took 102 Sprin(//iil/ OtlUirj Di'^iiifihr. *. - ... -,: ,. '.im^, I place ill Xo. Ji Bonl, Xo. 7 Balaiicc, mul tlmt it was caiiHod l»y <'oal duHt ignited by tlic shot fired by Wilnoi), wbieli lie thought iniiHt have had too much powder. Ife believed tliat eoal dust would explode unreHHed fears of an accident on account of gas. Before the Workmen's (Mniinittee examined the mine, Swift had told him that "Mother CV)o" had predicted there was to be an explosion in May, and he (Swift) had comjuded they had better have an examination. He had talked over the question of dust several limes. Swift would not admit that the dust was dangerous to a tlame, but considered that the dust should be kept down for the health of the men and for safety. Regarding the examination referred to above, and its results, as well as the state of the mine, the following extract from a letter written by Mr. Conway to a friend in Ontario a few days after the explosion, and published in the SprmyhiU Neirs, gives full particulars : " On Thursday morning, shortly after six o'clock, I met a committee of practical mining experts, each SpriiKihill Collln'if Di\ytt'»,M of tlu- sloju-, 1,;M)0 feet liclow tin- siirfact'. Tlicso men were ai»jM):nto(l by iIm- MiniTs' Tnioji to «;«) (l();vn my nlopc, cxaniini' it thoroiiirlily, and make a report on the eomlition of tiie mine i'l every resjK'ct \ asketi these men what tluy desired — if they wished to t^o throu;:,;! rhu mine by themselves or would [ send a /,'ood shift man with them for comi)any. They said no, tl)ey would rather T would ijo with them, that tlity felt sure I would inH)rm them about anythim,^ t! y could not understand, and would make matters plain to them. We started throuij:h the mine at)out seven in the mornin Maccan next day (Saturday) to meet the mining otHcials of Cumberland (Vmnty, the object l)eing TO form a society that in the near future mi«»-ht have its intiuence felt in government circles, in legis- lation for protection of mine officials. We have none now. Mr. Swift was to take my place in the spring fit'// CoWrr/ Disaster. 105 mitie. I went down at six a. m. Saturday, measured the air, and found 73,000 cubic feet per minute, bar- ometer 30° V 10"; thermometer 54°. I went to all air courses and saw everything regarding ventilation throughout the mitie in splendid condition. I then visited No. (> Balance, where T got a report ii assed through this No. G Balance and gave sev- eral trifling orders. I then left the nunc at 10.30 a. 111. in charge of my deputies, nine in number, and with them Mr. Swift, and went home, got ready, and left Spriiigiiill Station at noon. 1 was at Springhill Juiictiou oidy about five mimitvs when I was called })ack and told that TiiK Mine had Kxi>l(»i)p:i), and men and bovs were all in. A si)ecial euirine rail me up to the mines. I got a lani}) and called tor volunteers. I got plenty to follow uk, but I only took six men, and explored as far as I could. I was satisfied that all inside were dead. * * * The cause of the explosion was dust in the air from the men working, the draitiage gas off the coal, and 106 i'. ^ SpriiKjldll Collhrii Disaster. too much powdiT ijj a l)la8t, whi( h niade a concus- sion that put t}ie air in a cDnditioi. tliat the dust and gas isrnited from tlio Hamc and smoke of the pow- der. The force of tlie flame raised tlie dust as it went alon,£r, and the liead of the flame dried what was wet, carried it aloui^, and converted it into flame as it travelled. We kept Xos. M and 7 Balances damp with water from these waterworks, which is a measure ahove what is re(iuired hy law to do for safety i:. a mine, hut, with all our care and caution, we had niorc» to contenuties and men under me did their duty fully. I never would allow any gas in the mine while men were working in it. If any gathered through the night I was always down the mine an hour, with a gang of men called sulphur men, hefore the miners and boys came down, and had the gas all blown out and the })laces ventilated before they went to work. This was Never Xeglected. Neither was any other measare of safety at any time throughout the day or night while men were work- Springhill CollUry Dimster. 107 in^ in the mine. From six a. m. until two p. m. every day I was in tlie mine with nine deputies and a time-keeper to look after the mine during that tiine. T was relieved at two p. m. by a certificated man and four deputies, and five of my dej)utie& st()i)ped in the mine until all the men and boys were out. At ten p. m. this certificated man and four deputies were relieved ])y \iiree night watchmen, ivho were experts in gas, and travelled all the mine iiiid examined every place, and had to leave their mark in chalk to show what time th<'y had been there, and T am hapj)y to say they never neglected their duty. Tt was the first thing the men looked for — this mark of the night A/atchman. From my- self downwards, through all the deputies, we had to write reports of our doings through our several shifts, which were sent to the general office for in- siK'ction and comment. I myself had also to write a report similar to the one in the general office^ which went to the head office in Montreal daily. So you can judge from this what care must l)e taken of the works all through its management. Presum- ably there will be such terrible disasters as this as long as there is mining, as there are drownings while men gt to sea in ships, but we must liave coal and we must have fish." ^Ifl \l 1 108 Sproh/hill Colliery Disaster. At the inquest Inspector Gilpin was examined at length. He believed there were occasional cases where coal duat alone has been known to explode, but not in this country. He would prefer to say that under ordinary circumstances there must be more or less gas present to cause dust to explode. If there is an inflammable dust the heat M^ovdd drive oflTthe gas from the dust. He also pointed out that this explosion was most singular. It occurred about midday, which is something unusual in the history of colliery explosions, as they often occur early in the morning when work begins or when a shift is beincr- relieved. In this ease it happened immediately after the dinner hour. He also expressed an opinion that it might have been caused by an accumulation or outburst of gas tliPt may have taken place during the time the men were eating their dinner. The evidence having been all submitted, the jury retired at Ave oVlock ■\Vednesday evening, I Itli March, and remained out al)out three hours. After the evideni-e had been read over and considered, the foreman, William Hall, road the followino- Verdict : " The jury do say, upon their oath, that the late John Connerton and others came to their death by Spirighill Colliery Disaster. 109 an explosion which originated in No. 3 Bord of No. 7 Balance, in the west side of the East Slope, on the 21st February, 1891; they further believe said ex- j»losion was caused by the Hame from a shot fired in said bord igniting the coal dust and a certain por- tion of the gas which might have been present at the time ; they also believe that there was an unusual riame from said shot, owing to a slip in the stone ; they believe the explosion was accidental, that no blame is attached to the management, and that they have taken every precaution for the safety of their workmen. "The jurors make the follov.'ng recommenda- tions : First, that in future, where safety lamps are used, and in very dusty places, powder should not be allowed ; second, they recommend that in gaseous portions of the mine, before the men resume work after dinner, the places should be examined by com- petent officials ; third, they recommend the procure- ment, for the use of the Deputy Inspector of Mines, of a Shaw machine for testing gas." Among the workmen this verdict was favorably commented on, and confidence in the management of the mines restored. The state of the mino after the ruins were all cleared out was also the subject of many remarks. ' ^ ■■-.'u 110 Springhill ColUertf Disaster. Mr. Ford, Manager of the Drummond Colliery, who was at Springhill for csome days, remarked that he never saw an explosion attended with so great loss of life and so little damage to the works. A few days after the dead hodies had been all recovered the men went to work as usual. All open lights were superseded by safety lamps of the '' Marsaret " and " Clanny " style, with a few " Davy " lamps for gas testing purposes. The "Marsaret" lamp is known by miners as the " boiler lamp," and is extinguishpd in the presence of gus in sufficient quantities to be dangerous. The dark cloud which hung like a pall over Springhill for a time, it is hoped will soon vanish, and palmy days return again to the place. It is encouraging to know that the Company paid all expenses connected w^th the burial of the dead, which amounted to nearly $2,000, and also paid for all labor in connection with their recoverv. CHAPTER XII. Burial of the Victims. The closing scenes of this sj.d disaster were too impressive ever to be forgotten by th se who wit- nessed them. However dear the dead !)ody of our loved one may be to us, the time comes when it must be laid away in the silent tomb to sleep in kindred dust until the resurrection morn, when God shall collect the elements and fashion it for the immortal life. Public arrangements having been made for burial of the dead, in order that stricken families might in some measure be relieved from care, the funerals commenced on Monday afternoon at two o'clock, and continued daily until Friday afternoon, when the body of Manager Swift was interied. All flags throughout the town were at half-mast, and in many cases large processions accompanied the remains of the dead to their last x-esting place. When the hour had arrived for a certain number of fimerals to take place, the corpses were taken to the churches, according to pre-arrangement, and after brief services had been held, they were con- veyed to the various places of burial and interred. (Ill) ^f1 'Hi ' . I -L-»-J-X£I- -i - f f i ;: 112 Si>riiHihH1 Co/lf'cn/ Disaster. The nai>tist, Mi-thodist and rn'shyti'riaii Minis- ters agrt'od to work togctlu'r, and the bodien l)elong- ing to tliese denominations were taken to the Metliodint ChiLvli, as it was oasy of aeeess, being Htnated oti the main street. Tlie F.pisfojtalians were taken to the Oiurch of Englaiid House of Worship, and tlie Catholies to the Roman Catholic Chapel; and funeral services eondueted in each plaee by the respective Clergy of each denomination in harmony with their modes of burial. A number of funerals were also conducted by the different societies to which some of the dead formerly belonged. Committees and sub-committees \\ere appointed to look at^er grave digging and the funerals. In the cemetery large crowds of volunteers were employed some days digging the graves. Owing to the frosty hardness of the ground, and the extreme cold that prevailed, grave digging was a difficult m .tter. A large fire was kindled in the vicinity, and refresh- ments and liot coffee were liberally provided to refresh and warm the workers. When two or three of one family were to be buried in the same lot, a large grave was d ig and the bodies laid side by side. One extra large grave was dug in which the dead, V: 1 A CEMETERY SCENE. H i Iff Spring hill Oil Her If DinnMer, 115 who liad no rolativen to look atU-r them, were hnricd. This ifruve is called "The Strangers' Grave." The lot was provided hy Manager Cowans. It in j/i a choice portion of the cemetery, and was one of the most impressive sights the writer saw in the hnrying ground. In this sepulchre in the strangers' jsoil a numher of bodies, some of whicli were gar- nered in tlie harvest of flame, were laid away to rest by the hands of strangers, after the wnn^in^ sheet of snow had been drawn aside and the grave dug for them. Although other sepulchres in the beautiful mound are calculated to impress the visitor, yet, standing at this grave the Christian is reminded that our Redeemer was laid in a borrowed tomb. He can also by faith look forward to the resurrection morn aud " See Truth, Love and Mercy in triumph descending, And nature all glowing in Eden's first bloom,— On the cold cheek of death smiles and roses are blending, And beauty immortal awakes from the tomb." Besides the strangers who are buried in ^his large plot, tw^enty-one others, who had no relatives in Spriiighill, were claimed by friends and taken by rail to other })laces for burial. II \ * Wt !i1 ipr no SprhiyhUl CuUicry JDisasfir. I When i^nivi's tor a certain iiuinlK-r were ivady. a coiniiiittoc in (•liar<(t' at tlu- cciiU'tory, who wiTc I»rovi(lodies were sent down at the same time, and two or three cofHns on one sled, sorrowin<,^ friends follcwin*'- in procession to see the remains of tlu-i; dear ones laid away in thi' siU-nt toinh. The cemet,ery is situated on tlie Salt Spring Road, at the ])ase of the liill, eastern side of tiie town. It is one mile from the Meiliodist riiureh, and is known as Hillside Cemetery. J)urin^^ the days in which the funerals continued business places were closed, suid the \n hole jdace was shrouded in the deepest sor»'ow. A number of outside ministers assisted the resident clenry in conducting the funeral services, and ministering consolation to the bereaved. Revs. "»^p+b.-r Ega I, of til e (Vitholic Church, was assisted i,y bathers Cummane, of Truro, and AValsh, of Lon- donderry. The Episcopal Rector, W. C. Wilson, was aided by Rural Dean J. Ko\ Campbell, of Dor- chester, and lievs. C. E. McKeii/.ie, Rector of Shediac, J. L. Downing, Rector of River John, and Simon O-ll-il^z-v.^.. l^/^,.*^. •Jlij:. .i- I), ii*"*, iV^'CtV^i Wi J UiTi-SUOi'O. Spn'/tff/i)// Co//ien/ Disaster 117 On luariiig ot the exploHioii, Rector (iibhonrt hurried to the parish and worked five duyn, assisting in ministering eonitort to the living, atid in burying the dead. Dean ('ani|l)eirs rii»e sympathy eontri- l.nted much ('(jinfort to tlu distressed. Rector Mackenzie was a former Rector of the Parish, and came to perform the last solemn rites over many ot his forme, parishioners Rector Downing came to look after some of liis cuu ^.rtgation who were killed in the disaster. At thv Melhouist Cliurch, Kevs. D. Wright, D. AV. Johnson, and II. B. Smith attended. Rev. J. V. Robinson, of Moncton, and Revs. John Craig, of Southampton, and Thomas Evans, of Oxford, visited the afflicted households, and also assisted at some ot the funerals. The arrangement was tliat one of tlie elerjry should always be at the church, one at the cemetery, and another accompanying tiie funerals to the grave, each taking his turn alternatelv. It was at these funtral services in the Methodist Church that the most IIeart-Rendino Scenes were witnessed. The greater number of the dead were taken from this place for interment. Here Weeping friends assembled to mingle in the services, ihe long rows of coffins visible \\ere too much for viW- h j.' h i. ■ I i 118 S])ri?ighill Colliery Disaster. frail nature to bear. At times it apiteared as if there were no oasis in the dark wilderness. Many of the bereaved here "mouuied with a srroat and very sore lamentation." Ministers tried to read portions of seripture, offer prayer, and speak words of eomfort to the distressed, but were often over- (H)me l)y their feelings, so that they could only mingle their tears with the congregation. One who took an active i»art in these services, in a communi- cation to tlie writer, states : " The words seemed to come back ui)on myself Words were whollv inade- quate to express either what ministei or people felt. The feeling was what ran we say, or what shall we say that will be most ap})ropriate. It was a time when the heart felt, but found no channel throu^rh ^ , & wnich it might or could express itself To look on was worse than taking a part. To look was to shiver and feel siek ; to turn and help was the only way to escape a sickening feeling creep over vou." At the Episcopal Church some of the scenes were also very sad. Of the twenty-nine who belonged to this denomination two were taken away by train, two were buried at Windham Hill, and the twenty- five buried in the Springhill Cemetery were all taken to the church, with the exception of one lad, who was buried as a stranger, his own father not beinif Springhill Colliery Disaster. 119 able at the time to recognize what remained of a dear son. The remains of this boy were exhumed ■ifterwards, and placed in the family lot with full funeral obsequies and service. At one time seven caskets were in this church, and in three sad instances these funerals took place from each of the three households. In addition to the burial services held in this church, a memorial service was held on the second Sabbath after the oxj)losion, and the offer- tory, which was a liberal ono, is to be devoted to the erection of a brass Memorial Tablet in the proposed now Cliurch of England, which is soon to be erected. This tablet will contain the names of the church members who were killed. It is expected tliat the new church will in many respects be a "memorial" church, as several i)arts of the structure and of the furniture will l)e given as memorials. Special con- tributions from church people in all directions have l»een asked for this olyect. Some of the funerals were of a public nature, tlie }»roeessions accompanied by bands of music and other demonstrations of honor for the dead, and ireneral symi>athy for the friends bereaved. OnK TaRTK ILARLY PaINFI L FuNERAL took place. Tbe remains of John Hunter were re- co\cre(l lure in the evening, and it was absolutely I! ' ■ M .- ■ ' ;i i ■ %•'■ i 1 ^ \ \ 1 ' 1 M V 120 SprwcfhiU ColUen/ Dismtei: i ', if necesHary to inter the body at once. Kev. Dean Canipb^'ll read a brief service at the chnrcli, and Rector Wilson met the body at the ceniet' Th(> eenuisons and buried with the rites of the Masonic Order. Besides members of the Order in Springhill i.iany were present from otlier places. The proces- sion was headed by the band of the 93rd Battalion, accon.panied by the Cumberland Cornet Band. Tlic procession was fully three-quarters of a mile long, and the route Avas liiu-d by ,'rowd, in April, 1890. Mr. Swift was an active member of the Presbyterian Cliureh. lie was also a member of the Masonic Order, a Justiee of the Peace, Vice-I^-osident of the Xova Scotia Tnstit::te of Mining Officials, and President of the Relief Fund for the beneiit of sick and injured miners. He was a hard worker, close student; a nian of broad sympathies, a warm-hearted friend, a kind /lusband, tender father ; and in nis death his fam are not only left to mourn, but the com- nmnity has sustained ah irreparable loss. lii HENRY SWIFT, Late Underground Manager Springhill Collieries. wa ^■1 :■ ^^^^U' i 1 4 :, 1 ■j %'■■ \ 'k % 1 • ■ Pi; ■ ■ i ■ 4 ■ _j; r 1 il ' CHAPTER Xlir. Sympathy with the Dereaved. The followinu; day at'ter the eyplosion a meet- ing of the leading citizens, representative miners, town council and clergy of Springliill was lield to consider what should he done under the circum- stances. At this meeting it was decided that an a}»]>eal for aid to assist the suli'erers should he wired at once to the leading cities in various parts of the land. The appeal was transmitted free of charge hy the telegraph companies to the principal cities in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. The following is a coj)y of the urgent appeal made to the puhlic : "Springhill, N. S., Feb. 22nd, 1891. " A mining disaster attended with fatal results, un- paralleled in the history of Canadian miners, has fallen u|)on the town and the people of Springhill. The loss of life is probably as great as the combined appalling loss at the Drummond and Ford pit explosion. "About 117 lives are known to be lost. Fifty -one widows have been left behind, and 157 children made fatherless. The widows and fatherless will require abun- dant assistance, and that promptly, from a public shocked and horrified by this horrible calamity. (.25) mi i 126 Spriiuihiil Collieiy Disn.^ter. "Seventy thousand dollars will be required to meet the demands and to alleviate the sufferings of the bereaved and distressed during the most pressing period of their direful misfortunes. "The residents of Springhill, in meeting assembled, have appointed a committee, consisting of the Mayor, Town Council, and all the resident clergy, to solicit and acknowledge subscriptions to the Springhill Relief Fund, and they confidently and ea-nestly ask for an immediate response of all denominations, societies, guilds and nation- alities. ' " Wm. Hall, Mayor. " A. McLeod, Secretary:' This appoal wus sent Itroiulcast in the evening, and responseis by telegraph expressive of sympnthj, and guarantee of immediate aid ivere many ai.d prompt. On hearing the sad news, Qnoen Victoria cabled at once, through Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada, to Mavor Hall the follovvino-: " Her Majesty commands to inform you that Her Maj- esty has heard with much regret of the Springhill colliery disaster, and desires me to convey an expression of her sympathy with the injured, and with the relatives of those who have lost their In as. Be good enough to send details for the Queen's information." ill Sprim/hiV Co/llrn/ Dimster. 127 f:. vuiiiiuvtic:! with this cahlogrum, the mayor rlso received the tbllrwiiior telegram from the Gov- ernor General : •* Ottawa, 23rd February. " To Mayor Hall : I ara deeply grieved to L*am how Bcrious the accident at Springhill has proved. Pray ex- press, if possible, my sincere sympathy with the relatives of those who have been lost. I shall be glad to hear how the injured are progiessing. "(Signed). Stanley of Preston." The following is a copy of Mayor Ilall'M telegram in reply : " Springhill Mines, N. S., February 23. " Lord Stanley of Preston, Ottawa : "Her Majesty's devoted subjects are deeply grateful for her gracious expression of sympathy iu their sore afflic- tion. Please transmit to the Queen our warmest thanks. "Henry Nash, one of the wounded, died last night. The recovery of others is doubtful. Most of those brought out of the pits, unconscious from the effcc a of atler-damp, have rallied. The number of wounded now living is about ten. The deaths caused by the explosion numbei one hun- dred and twenty -two. "Accept our grateful thanks for your own remem- brances. "William Hall, Mayor." W i 128 Sj>ii/u//,iff Collan/ D(.^a.urpose of forming a relief fund in aid of the sufierors by the Springhill mine disaster. The president of the Board of Trade i)resid ul^and earnestly invited the citizens to respond liberally to the appeal for funds. lion. George Drummond and others spoke. A committee eonsistinff of the wealthiest citi .ens of Montreal was appointed to wait upon the finance committee of the city council and at?k tliem to liead the list. Several lar^e sums Sjiritit//ii// ( o/fiiri/ Ui.sii^frr 129 liavf ahva'ii pioiniscd, and Moiitical inav In* rxpcch'd to Mibscriltc lilK-rally to aid its siilicriii^ l-ri'tliivii in a sistf- proviiic-. Sul>.scri|»tioii lists are io lu' ojK'iu'd throiiirh tin- city and an apiK-a) iiiadf to tlu' rlmrclu's of all di'iiomiiiations." ''MuNCToN, Feb. 22. — TIk' disaster at Si.iiiiirliill <'X(itt's uiiiviTsal sympathv Irtu. Mr. Wiiitney, imcliaiiical siipi'riutci.dont of the railway, has tele- -rraplKMl titty dollars. Mayor SiMmicr has also telc- irraplu'd sympathy, and a [ndtlic nu'i'tiuir will be lit'ld to considor the matter of tinaiu-ial assistance. Kefcrence was made to the disaster in all chnrehes to-day. "The (jovernor (iejieral has already sent a con- tribution, throuii-h the hank of British North ' Amen a, for five hundred dollars, the t(.wn of Moncton telei^raphs one thousand dollars, and .Jolin MHl(i\ii Disost, 1 1 . 131 'MJi-iitid Ma.M.r li,,l„.rts(Mi, on hclinlf of f|,c Mas.u.ic (irai.d L.Mlir,. ,,f ("anada, l.as forwanM )?:2.')() to the fniid for the vv\\v\' of tl U' Ufft'tTI'S l>V flic (lisastiT." •' nKL.,K\ M.I.i:, Ont., R.h. -J?.— Tl.r <-ify co.incil, fills aftcniooii, vof, •(1^200 to the fund for flu- relief of snfferers l>v tlie Sprinu-liill disaster." "()TTA\v.\, Kci.. i.'7._Sid»scrij.tions are heini^ taken n|. here f.r the relief of the Springhill sufii iers." "Si.RiN(iiiiLL, Feh. L>4.— Rev. Mr. .Johnson re- ceiveu <)-(hiy, from an anonymous eontrihutor, a letter w.thont a date inelosinir Pi:^^ and referrin-r linn to St. Matthew's » held at CS*^- H-li ,•-... 4^^,..!.,.. :„ III #'■ I I fl1 1 132 ilte Spurr, Sir Leonard Tilley, U. H. Kmerson, i\ A. Everett, Simeon dones and K. 1*. Starr. " In calling the meeting to order. Mayor Lockhart referred in fe* ling terms to the disaster at Springhill, which had brought so'-'-^u to so many homes, and left so many widows and orithans to be [ii'ovide(l for at the hands of a charitable people. " Sir Leonard Tilley, R. P. Starr, W. E. Vroon^ and R. C. Skimier spoke of the necessity for aid, and some of tliem wi-re of the opinion that the Common Council should make an immediate grant of $2, 500. '' Sir Leonard Tilley advocated that tlu- money to he sent forward shotdd be raised by voluntarx sub- scri}»tion. Sir Leonard said the ofhceis of the Pro- testant Orphan Asyhu'i had ottered to provide foi a number of the chihlren, and this was a most generous and Christian-like act. ^'pringhill CoUien/ Disaster. 183 " ^' W. Weldon, Q. C, tlion,-stocke heartily airreed with the spirit of the resolution, and hoped the council would be aide to make the subscription a large one. The <'alamity was a dreadful on ', and the people of Springhill responded jiromptly when St. John was in need. The St. John tire was not to be compared with the mbiing disaster in point of the loss of life resulting. lie th(Might all the churches and societies an(' Christian organizations should lend a helping hand in this case and take uji subscri{>tions. "Mr, John ^[cNfillan rcmijidcd tlnirfp nroar^jj^ ■ *, ^ ill ■ 111. Ml; 184 SpriiKjJiHl ('oUkr>i Disastc, 1 I I Si- 1 tliat iifttT th:' great fire in St. Jolm tlie citizens of Springliill, tlieii nun)l)ering ])et\veen 1,500 and 2,000, forwarded 8218 ro St. .Jolm. I n view of this he felt er.re that every tax]»a\er in St. John would feel that he wouhl like to ii'ive soniething, even if it were but little, to relieve the w'dows and on*] r]»hans at >»j)nng- l!ill. He thought the relief fund should take tl form of a eivii- sjfitV. le Mr. \V. K. \ room stated that he had wired T? n. ('oo].er, the treasurer at Si>ringhill, and liad been informed that I.iavor Hall and the clerirv of Springhill, together with the committee of rhe Em- ployees' l^elief Fund Association, and ^Fr. AFcLeod of the company's office, had the matter of handling the funds in charge. The matter could not, lie felt, be in better hands. Thev thought .S70,000 would be recjuired to relieve the distr ess. l'rol)ably forty- five out of the fifty-four widows were in debt at the stores on account of the late strike. There were mo ■ than one hundred and sixty ori»hans, and all were dep dent ninnx the miners, who were now able to do little for them. All disposed to contribute could be certain that the very best jiossible disposition would be made of th funds. " Sir Leonai-d Tilley held that there could be no difference of opinion in remird to the wisdom witli "^j)!'! IK I hill Coll it I'll DiSdsit . u: wliirli the inoiu-y would l»e distributtMl. The iijeiie- n»sity and universality of the sul)scri})ticn to the Fred. Voung Menioriul had heen marked, and he felt that the citizens would sul»scril)e libei-ally in the present instance. The easiest way would he to have the council dispose of tiie matter, but he thouijht the etfect would be better if the money were raised by voluntary contributions from those whose hearts liad i>een toucheiL "Mr. Starr said that he was intimately ac(juainted ith the committee at Si>rinresem. "St. John, February 2(1. — At the weekly meet- ing of St. David's Church, last evening, the Kev. 'h'o. Bruce brought up the sid)ject of the Springhil) coUicrv disaster, and at the sui2:i::estion of Senator Hoyd (who referred to the noble action of the Pro- testant Orphan Asylum Board), seconded by Mr. ivobert Cruikshank. Presidcnit of the Joo-o-ins Conl ■hi \\' 1 ' ■ r . N Hi I3n SprimjhiU O^Ulcnj Disaster. w Mininir Asr^ociatioii, who gave a most interesting account from liis own experience of the danger of ooal mining, tlie vote was taken to wliich there was a unanimous response; and so St. David's collection at both services Sunchiy will be in aid of the fund. "At the morning ser\-ice in St. David's Church, Rev. (ieorge Bruce preached from John xvii. 21 : "That they all may be one." Xever did he speak with more fervor, and his description of the morning parting at his home with wife and children, as the miner went to his work, and the unknown death awaiting him there, was most powerful. His refer- ences to the humanizing iiiHuences of suftering, an-i the <-al)legram from our good Queen, whose widowed heart, yet bearing the great sorrow of her bereave- ment, was evidence of this. From every part of this great British empire the help notes wer- heard; from the humblest subject to the Governor General here, and from the (^leen to the ruled there, but one sentiment prevailed, which showed that we are all one. The collection will l)e over $200. Many have given in other ways," These extracts are given as a mere sample of how the hearts of all classes and communities were touched on hearing the news of the terrible calamity. In reference to the church responses, ministers of all denouMuations throughout the land brouo-ht the spring hi/f Colli en/ DlsasU'r. 187 matter before tlieir congre^ijatioris in a tbreibie and imjressive manner. The tbllowinii: outlin'e of sermon, preached on behalf of tlie Springhill sufferers by tlie Kev. A. J. >[eFarland, of St. John, X. B., March 8th, 1891, wliii'h the writer had tlie privileue of listening to, is given as a specimen of the discourses delivered in many i)laces on the occasion: Text: Luke X. 29-:i7. Theme: "Our Neighbors, tne Springhill Sufferers." From thi3 parable we may learn what was Christ's conception of iieighborhood. The lawyer having been convicted of great f-dlure in the light of his own law, hopes to find excuse and justification in the answer to his question, "And who is my neighbor." Jesus in this parable presents a case and submits it to the lawyer to decide who acted the neighborly part. As the case was presented there was only one answer ; of the three — the Priest, the Levite and the good Samaritan — the latter alone " shewed mercy " to the robbed wounded and half-dead man on the highway. Our Lord cuts short the interview with the cavilling lawyer, by saying, " Go, and do thou likevise." Compared with the conception of Christ as exhibited here, the prevailing opinion of the world is oflen narrow and selfish. Many would confine their love and benefac- tion to their kindred, their blood relations; some would extend them to the circle ol their acquaintance, their social 188 Spri)i(/}iiff Colliny DL^isfa-. set; some would be willing to embrace in their view those of their fellow-citizens with whom thoy desire an interchange of civilities, while others would extend the limit to those of their own religion or nation, but all these views fall far inside the limit set by our Lord. His con- ception would — 1. Break down the unreasonable and wicked barriers of race. Christian i)rinciple and Christian spirit are in accord with the fact announced by Paul on Mar's Hill, that God had " made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the facte of the earth." The enmity cherished by strong nations and races against those who were weak has been foolish and illogical. The .leep racial prejudice of our time is not natural. The Indian, the Chinaman and the Negro are in Christ's view on the same plane with the Caucasian. In Christ " there is neither Greek nor Jew, Barbarian nor Sythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all." 2. It includes the whole world. Wide spaces formerly served to limit the knowledge of one part of the world con- cerning other remote parts. As a natural conseijuence, cases of need excited less sympathy than they otherwise would. But science has in our day annihilated space so far as our knowledge of the world is concerned. We get the details of a disaster in the Antipodes as readily as we do when it occurs in an adjoining province. Those who lie wounded on life's highway in India or China I'sve a Spr'aujh'dl Colliery Disaster. 139 claim on our love and help, that they may be brought back to life and health and joy, as strong as those who live under the same flag with us. 3. It extends to eveiy kind of character; not alone to the worthy and the good and the lovable, who are unfor- tunate, but to the ungodly, the immoral, the erring, the fallen. Christ did not take the "other side" as he passed by the publicans and sinners of his day, but he exposed himself to reproach by his readiness to mingle with them with a view to help them up to a better and purer life. The practical conclusion, dear brethren, from this line of thought is, that this Christian conception of neighbor- hood clearly includes such sufferei"s as those who were so suddenly made widows and orphans by the terrible calamity at Springhill. Our generous sympathy and practical kind- ness should go out freely to tht 'jflfert'^ in our contribu- tions to-day. S'^ek for more of that love to God whereby we may be qualified for loving all whom He loves. On hearing that four iiienihers of the Boys* Brigade at Springhill had been killed, and another seriously wounded, tlie First 8t. John Company Boys' Brigade of Canada sent $50 for the benefit of the sufferers belonging to that cor])s as a fraternal gift to comrades. This being a private gift, the amount is not credited in the following chapter. w ^^^K^^Bi i ■H f ^^^^^^^^^K w ^^^^^^^^^Bt' W' ^^^m % ^^mm h m t :| CHAPTER XIV. Help for the Destitite. Tlie writer would «rladly give the name in this chapter of every person wlio conti-ibtitei; of their means to the Relief Fund in aid of the orphans, widows and widowed mothers left destitute bv the A' great calamity at Spriiiirhill, hut as several volumes the size of this hook would not contain a complete list of these names, were it ]>ossil)le to secure them all, a summary of the wiiolc in many cases is con- sidered most practicable. As the several anv-'nts contributed have been duly credited in the pubHc press, and will no doubt be published again in the Treasurer's re[»ort, it is not essential that every separate item slK^Ud appear in this volume. Besides, taking it for granted that many who contributed to the general fund gave in the spirit of the Master, wdio says : " When thou doest alms let not thy left hand knovv what thy right hatid doeth." In personal do- nations the amounts are credited to the places where the donors reside instead of to the persons who gave. The following is a carefully prepared list of con- tributions publicly acknowledged, as received by the (140) Spriiif/hiH Collier )/ DisoHir. 141 wliole netting $86,504.4'2. In tlu- arningcnient of this list tlio aggregate amounts ('(Mitributed by city corporations, citizen'', eomniittees, societies, churches and private individuals tbrniing one connnunity, are all iticluded in the amount credited to each place so tar as the writer has been able to collect them to- i^ether : Montreal, Q $22,435 5.") St. John, N.B 7,639 22 London, Eng 3,336 91 Moncton, N. B 2,512 81 Truro, N.S 2,056 70 Lethbridge, N.W.T. 1,627 30 Windsor, N.S 1,431 48 Fredericton, N. B 1,109 00 Amherst, N.S 2,011 41 Yarmouth, N.S 1,100 00 Londonderry, N.S... 1,000 00 Pari«boro, N. S 1,07140 Dartmouth, N. S 975 82 Xanaimo, B.C 1,147 30 Pictou. N.S 900 00 803 00 Lunenburg, N. S Gowrie Mines, C. B.. 769 75 Cliatham, N. B 730 50 Wellington, B.C .. 750 00 Caledonia Mines, C.B 645 00 Glace Bay Mining Co. and Employes 551 00 ^Halifax, N. S 3,928 30 Sydmy, C. B $606 75 Sherbrooke, Que 532 15 Victoria, B. C 500 00 Vancouver, B.C 522 00 North Sydney, C. B.. 500 00 New Glasgow, N. S... 500 00 Sydney Mines, C. B.. 487 53 Toronto, One 1,73161 Reserve Mines, C. B. 450 00 Hantsport, N. S 450 00 Stellarton, N. S 7)0 65 Newcastle, N. B 410 50 Marysville, N. B 359 60 Antigonish, N. S 377 57 V ictoria Mines, C. B. 344 00 Charlottetown,P.E.L 1,114 05 Quebec 710 00 Brantford, Ont 235 00 Dorchester, N. B 207 00 Wolfville, N. S 207 00 Kenlvilb, N. S 209 80 Capelton, Que 201 25 New Westm'ter, B.C. 200 00 *In addition to the above amount, Halifax has donated about »12,()U0, which will, no doubt, be publicly acknowledged by the Treasurer when received. 142 Sprinr/Zu// (] JIaniilton, Out $ 27(i 00 Belleville, Out 20r) 00 Brorton, Ma-.s. ( from Provincialists) 200 00 Petersboroiigh.Ont... i;,7 00 Bridgeport, C. B 175 00 Lennox ville, Que ir,(; 00 Sussey, \. B mo 05 Canso, X.S l,'-,;^ yo Annapolis, N.S 40 50 Winnipeg, Man 162 00 Petiteodiae, N. B 138 50 Digby, X.S : i.,f5 00 Great Village, N. S... 127 00 Camphellton, N. B.... 115 15 Windsor, Ont 330 75 St. Hvacinthe, Que... 214 00 Pt. Hawkesbury,N.S 125 25 Canning and Kings- port, N. S 114 20 St. Stephen, X. B 187 47 Coaticooke, (^ue 105 00 Guelph, Out 125 00 Brandon, Man 171 1,5 Chatham, Ont lOO 00 Liverpool, .\. S HI 00 Niagaia Falls loO 00 Coburg, Ont 150 00 PortHood, N. S 30 00 * Lindsay, Ont 100 00 Goderich, Ont 100 00 iIIkI'I l)/s/lsfr)\ Wallace, .\. S $ ;{I8 50 St. Andrews, N B.... 84 00 Bridgetown, N. S HO .'{0 Shediue, N. R 192 OO Port Mii:^",ive, X. .S. 77 55 Br; , .water, X. S.... 142 70 Lower Jlorton, X.S. (52 .50 Port .Med way, X. S... 61 50 Isaac Harbour, X. S.. 48 15 Woodstock, Ont ;)0 00 Port Hope, Ont 63 00 Stratford, Ont r,o QQ 1 Falmouth, X.S 49 50 Xelson, X. B 1455 Woodstock, N. B 294 38 Springhill Jet., X. S. 42 25 I'. Musquodobit.X.S. 40 40 Oshawi,, Ont 110 00 Canard Station, X. S. 27 00 Granville Ferry, N. S 45 00 Par. Blackville, X. B. 25 75 Port Williams, X'. S.. 15 00 Walkerville, Ont 200 00 Kingston, Ont 523 00 IngersoU, Ont 25 00 Hillsboro, X. B 25 75 Sackville, X. B 348 55 Westville, X. S 1,233 70 Oxford, X'. S 55 00 Joggins, X.S 490 00 Economy, X\ S 78 75 S/)riiii/Jii// (^(i/lit')'i/ Dist/sfrr. 148 li nirt'ctors and Kniployes Windsor iVc Annapolis Railway. St. Andrew's Cluirchof S<'otlund, Lancaster, Ont lencral Mining Association H )le Hill and IJrookside St. John Coiiffregatioti, Scotsburn Knox Chnrch, (ialt, Ontario Methodist Church, Pivcr Ilobert and Minudie I'res. C'hiircii, I'nion Centre, Ant .jonish Ashfield Pres. Church, Kentort, Ont Laurel Lett je, L <).(». T., Lpper Stewiacke, N. S Y. P. S. C. K. and other friends, Hopewell, N. iS Sons of Temperance, Little Glace Ray St. James Church, Herring Cove St. Bernard's Church, Weymouth, N. S Keewatin No. 1, L O. O. Foresters, Rat Portage Acadia Village School, Horton Landing St. John Presbyterian Church, Dalhousie, N. B Presbyterian Church, Sheet Harbor, N. S Methodist Church, Barrington, \. S Milville Sewing Society, Middle Stewiacke, Is. ^ Presbyterian Church, River Stewiacke, N. S St. Mary's Parish Church School Children's Fund, per Inspector Lay Springside Congregation, Upper Stewiacke, N. S Citiz'-ns Security Investment Co , Union Church, H jpewell, N. S Employes Albert Manufacturing Co., Hillsboro, N. B.... Salem Presbyterian Church, River John, N. S Y. P. S. C. E., Tatamagouche, N. S Presbyterian Church, Onslo"- N. S I. O. G. T., Bass River, N. & Willard D., S. of Temperance, North River, N. S Methodist Church, Bedeque, P. E. I e„i. f 571) 50 ;{7 (X) 243 33 58 5() 44 00 55 00 23 60 22 57 ' 50 00 30 00 H5 17 10 00 21 00 «2 00 25 00 15 00 60 00 20 00 23 00 13 00 15 00 26 36 66 60 32 65 50 00 10 00 182 00 37 00 27 95 34 30 30 00 18 00 65 00 Presbyterian Church, Alliston, Ont 20 00 nil m f : M-- Preshvloriaii Clnirch, Sjindford, Out | 2() 00 ^wuth Side Ladiw' Sm-iety, Middle Stewiacke, N. S 12 00 Miners and Mine LalK)rerH AMsociation 783 50 Trenton I)., S. of Temperance, N. S 30 C-) MetliodiHt Clmrcli, I'ort I'erry, Ont 16 JO Sorcom Lcxlge, No. 60, Whycoeomagh, C.h ,. 20 00 Entield DiviHion, Pictoii Co., N. S (} (K) St. Patrick's Society, Kiclunond, (^ue 53 75 Fioneer (; range, and (Jood Templars, Kings Co., N. S 51 2.3 Broadway United Presbyterian Cluircli, Broadway, R. 1... 1 II 00 Petite River, Lunenburg Co. N. S 18 12 Presbyte.'ian Church, Norwood, Ont 20 00 Vernon, B. C, per Rev. P. R Langille 33 00 Portapi(iue Congregation 50 00 Bank of Montreal, Picton, Ont 25 00 Start" Com. Cable Co., Hazel Hill, N. S 129 00 St. Croix tioap Company 2IO 00 West & ale Manufacturing Co., St. Catherines, Ont 50 00 Rexford Manufacturing Co., Bedford, Que 50 00 Virgin Lodge, No. 3, A. F. & A. M 50 00 Matthew, vi. 1 ;jO qq Grand L Jge of Canada 250 00 Canada Life Assurance Co loO 00 Ladies Riverside Social, Middle Stewiacke 15 00 Teachers and Students .icadia College l^.S 00 Vesper D., S. of Temperance, Hants Co 5 00 Seaside Division and Youths Reform Lodge, various col- lections in Pictou Co 65 00 (iolden Dawn Divi-ion, Musijuodobit 10 00 Friends at Leailville, Col 76 50 Friends in New York 571 40 Friends in Lynn. Mass 43 OO Contr'butionf. from various places in (Janada and United States 2.308 38 ClIAl'TKR \V. liKSSuNS KKn.M Tin.; ( j n km' ('.\I,\MITV, ('oniplctiiiu- tlic lijiiTiitivi' of tii; siid
  • :ist -peaking' <>i those vvIk* lu'i-islicd in the iniiir silver liiuiiir to the dark- cloud, or l)aekground of consolation t(t the sad |iie- tiire, yet there is a ray (»f hope that, in that solemn hour in the dark rece sses of I lie 1)1 t, altl louirli 'No earthly friend was there to wipe Death's cold sweat from the brow, Or loving hand to close those eyes, Which sleej) in darkness now," ly cases, ahove the awful crash of tlie explo- ni niai sion, the voice of I)i ine Love was h ard to say Leave thy fatherle^^^ liildren, 1 will preserve the 111 iilive, and let thv veidows trust i n ine. (145) ^li : ( i 146 Spriiif/Jfii/ OiJIicrj Disaster ( )iio inip(jrtant lesson to hv loariiod froni this disaster is, that the (Jrhat Forcks of Xat[re, which are uiuU'r the ahsohite eoiitrol of the Ahnigbty, • have a [lower and sacredness al»oiit them wliicli punv man can onlv realize wlien bronoasted kuowlediji^e, and efforts ro handle the lightnini,^s, control the storms, and make other powerful elements of nature bow to his will, he requires such terrirtle experience as that taught by this calamity to enforce upon his mind the fact that, with all his increase of knowledge and power to do exploits and })rotect himself, there is no safety any- where except in (iod It is well to studv laws relating; to health an(i preservation, employ skilU'd labor, guard against all recklessness and blunderings in dangerous occupa- tions, and to know that nature is uniform in all her operations, and that the laws which govern her m Sprit)(/hil! Coffic,-)/ Disdsfc, 147 foononiy are regular laws, which cannot be violated with iiiii.unity; but in all the advancement of art and attainment of knowledge, it iiH/.^t be admitted that there appears but little safety from sudden death or freedom from accidents. Being, therefore, only t( cord"" which binds our soul to its te may !)" snapi>ed asunder at any moment by accident or disease, ushering the spirit into the eternal world, why should the warning voice of this calamity not thunder in the ears of all who have heard thereof, •' Prepare to meet thy (Jod,"" " Be ve also readv : for )o evident that the ■•' silver nement of clay in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."" Surely, amid the troubled scenes of life, and the <-ertainty of death, there is implanted in the (liris- tian"s bosom an assaranrc of a higher life, which free from all destructive forces, an( t^hall be no more death, neitl neither shall there be anv 1 wl lere ler sorrow nor < the 13 re rying more pam. Aft er surveyini,^ the wisdom and irood ness of (Jod in our past experience, and His mercy in the deliverance from eternal death, wrought out for us by His Son, should we not endeavor to trust Ilim ful ly, and devote our lives to His service, havi ner our 1 "ns girt and our lamps burning, that when the «,-f; -"'■TV ci4<'a VRol ■._m^^ii^ i 148 SpViDflhill Citllnr;! Disdslfi' messenger of deatli comes we may bo procured to "enter in tlirouirli the <,^att's into the eity" where the redeemed of earth sliall endure no more j.ain or partintrfrom friends, and where ''the Lamh which is in the midst of tlie tlirone shall feed them, :tnd shall lead them nnto livini^; fountains of waters, and (rod shall wipe away all te;>rs from their eyes.'" CHAPTER XVI. Review of Other Great Coal AfrxixXii Disasters. A glance at a tow of the great eollierj disasters which liave taken jthice (hiring tlie past eighty vears will enat)le the reader to see that the Springhill calamity is among the greatest on record. On the l^-)th of May, 1812, an explosion of fire- dam}) occurred at Felling Colliery, near Newcastle, England, by which eighty-nine miners lost their lives. Previous to this time, in the history of mining, many lives had been lost in the mines of Europe. That coal mining was a dangerous occupation, owing to the presence of inilammable gases in the mine was generally acknowledged from a very early period, but as fuel must be had, man> hazarded their lives, believing that the danger was unavoid- able. Candles stuck into a ball of clay, fastened to the sides of the chamb(!rs near where the miner was working, were the chief lights once used, and owing to these open lights coming in contact with the gases cf the mine, accidents were almost of daily occur- rence. At the time of the great disaster alluded to the public consci.'iice wa>^, aroused, ajid special atten- tion wag dirpnto/1 f/» flw^ >^...f<^.... ^f ]„.,, • (149) i 150 SprinrfhiU ColJicr;! D'-'<(i'^ft\ protect niiiuTs in sf)mo way. Sir ITuiiii)hroy Davy was then a coiispicuous fie had his safety lamp completed. AVhen Sir Hun.phrey Davy had his lamj) perfected to a point of safety, he and Mr. Buddie, one of tlic chief colliery owners in Eui^datid at that time, went down to Newcastle and traversed a number of the most dan protect the miner, explosions and ignitions of fire-damj) in mines are yet danger- ously common. The history of coal mint' disasters in the past leaves no room to doul)t that the lessons of perfect obedience and watrhfulness are hard lessons to learn. It has often ajtpeared that in the face of all precautions and rules, to be observed by the miner, there is always some carelessness or blundering manifested by some one, and the error is learneJ too late to prevent the result. Spr'mrjMll Colliery Disaster. 151 The following disasters are among the most des- triK'tive coal minins: explosions recorded: At Newport, England, in 1860, one hundred and forty-five were killed. In 1862, at the Hartley Pit, on the Blvth and Tyne Railway, near Xewcastle, on the 16ch Janu- ary, a heart-rending disaster occurred, resulting in the death of two hundred and four miners. The pit was six hundred feet deep, worked hv a shaft. Kighr men were coming uj) in the cage, when the l)eam of the pumping-enginc hroke and the mass of twenty tons of iron drojtped down the shaft and lodged with the wreckage it caused before it reached the bottom, thus shutting ofi' the only egress to the [)it. To get down in time to save the living was impossible. AVhen the ruins had been removed a week after the accident, a rescuing party descended an- 'ound the dead all within the space of one liundred ar.d tifty feet from the bottom of the shaft — all had perished. One man was sitting as if rest- ing from his day's work. Behind liim, on the gal- lery, were the men and boys seated in three rows and all asleep in death, as if waiting for the rescue that was to come too late. Some boys sat with their arms on their fath-ir's shoulder, and brothers *!i 152 'lasj»e(l SpriiujhiU CoJller>i Disaster. t'Jlcli otl lor s arriiH. One mail was jnv.i.piiiii- ii|. a door hcyond tlic otluM- sleeperB, as if lie had rosistod the ])oison loiiifor'than the rest. At the feet of •-|if tire Spriiu/hill Collni')/ Disosfer. 153 Till' eu(5^i'et'r saw the flames and lowered the car- riuire with uH haste. In a tew minutes the flames were leajting one hundred feet upwards from tlie toji of the shaft, and in a short time the surface lmildinit. A few hours after the tire (H'Mscd the debris was cleared away, and two men iianu'd Williams and Jones descended to search for the miners. These men had oidy proceeded a few feet from the bottom of the shaft when they fell (lead from the effects of white-damp. The fire occurred on Monday, and two days after, when a tlioi-ontrh ventilating current had been established, a rescuing j)arty descended, went up the plane some distance from the foot of the shaft, and found a mine car placed as a barrier across the gangway, and the space between it and the w^alls [tacked with clothing. On breaking this barrier no person was found behind it. A short time after another party was al»le to proceed a little farther, and discovered a similar barricade. Outside this barrier lay a dead liodv, and behind it lav one hundred and five other dead bodies, who had evidently all been suffocated hy the poisonous gases. The experience of these imprisoned men shall never be known, a> no one Ai-..^. \,A\ f/> «-->11 f].,. ^.f/wM- .^f Iw.w tlu>v 'li<'d •• IV- 1% 11 t^- iv:: Liiv -1- 1 J V ^ \- -IHI i . • i ■ -■- -A I 154 Spr>nf//ii/J CoUhni Dlsdsfer j HB ! MB MW' 'Jt' I^^B '^^HK' Ill till- Mollis Minus, Holi^niim. ii, 187"), tho killed numJHMvd on., hundred and ten. Two Inmdred lost their liv,.s at the llio-l, Blantvre CollieHes. near (ilaso-ow, Scotland, in the yea: 1S77. In 1H78, at the Ehhw Vale Collieries, situated in the nei^ivldiorhood of the Monmouth and Hri.knoek Iron Works, one hundred and seventy-eiirjit miles north-west of London, two hundred and sixty-ei^ht were killed. A short distanee from the same viHn- ity, in ISHO, at Kisea Mines, on the l{iver Khhw, . Momnouthshire, one hundred and twenty perished. A«rain, at Seahani disaster, Durham, in the same year, one hundred and forty miners were killed. This mine is situated down the Durham eoast in the thriviiiir seajmrt of Seahani. It is owned hy the Marquis of Londonderry. The explosion took place ahout two o'clock in the mornincr, and was so terrific that the whole neighborhood became aroused as if by an eartlKpiake. As a local flower sliow was to be held on a comiuir holiday, and one of the miners who had won the Queen's Prize of Slioeburyness was to be i>resented with it by the Afarchioness of Londonderry on that occasion, an extra nund)er of hands were in the mine. Nearly two hundred were at work at the time of the explosion, wliich occurred from an escape of gas shootincr out from the face of \m Spruu/hill Col lien/ Disaster. Ufy tlio workins^s. Tlio wrockau:*' was fearful. Tlie bratticiiiij:; was set on fire, and bosidcs tlio great luiniltor of mi* crs who lost their lives, two hundred and fifty Shetland ponies were killed. November 9, 18S8, a terrible explosion of coal dust occurred in a mine at I*ittsbur<;, Kansas, caus- ing tlu' death of over one h'undred nu-n. Biit the dreadful explosions at TmK DRr.M.MoNK CoLMKRV AM) VoKl) I'lT, in Pictou County, Xova Scotia, in the years 187'^ and 1880, although the loss of life was t)ot so great as in some of the other disasters referreii to, yet^ owing to the awful nature of the circumstances connected with each case, they are, perha})s, un- paralleled by any other. The writer has been able to glean the following record of these disasters from various authentic sources : The Drummond Colliery is situated at Westville, a thriving town of about four thousand iiduibitants. This colliery was first opened in the year 1865. At that time the entire surroundings were a dreary barren district. ]>artly <'overed with young- Juniper, poplar and birch, as the forest fires had destroyed the large p'-^es and hendoeks that had ll'„*l,ti l-TllV VI ill I h s li I'ii 166 Sprltu/hiff OJfurj/ Disasff, Tn tl lis vicinity there are n()\v three diffbreut mines in m-tive ()i)eniti()n, known as the '' Aeadia," " Drumn.ond"' and - FJhick Diamond" Pits. The Drunnnond ('oIli,.rv, altlioM.i,^li first to eoninienee o[)erations, had l»een shut dinvn for several years previous to its purehase hy the (\,al. Iron and Steel ^'ornpany some two years ay-o. This colliery comtneneed active work in the yejir 1SG8, and a railway extension of six miles to the .Michlle River was huilt for the purpose of sliippinir the coal. In tin- followinjr year this colliery, under the management of the late James Dumi, Esu., was fully e(,uipped for work, so that the output in 1872 amounted to 105,000 tons. The next year, when shipj.ino- had commen.-ed, and elaborate pre- parations had heen ma(U> for extending the output, a Htrike of the miners, who desired hi-her wages and certain privileges, closed the workings for one week. An agreement having been made with tlie men, work was resumed on the 13th of May, 187:}, and everything went on as formerly until half-past eleven o'clock, when a shot tired in one of the lower levels on the south side of the pit caused the coal to ignite. Every endeavor was made to check the fire, but it spread rapidly, and an order was criven. thnt m SjiriiK/fii// Chfhfri/ Disitstir la7 1 i ;iil liaiids ii(»t volmitccriiii; to assist ]iiittin'n/.t'ii wlio rciiiaiiii'd witli .Io>(|»li liichaidson, tlu' (■|i(lcrii-roim(l Maiiai::fr, to liattl.' with the tlami-s, all liaiids started to makt- tlicii- I'scaiic. A'liilst the iiicii wcff tii(U'a\oriim" to i:;ct out, a tt-ri-itic cxplo- >ioii tof»' .ihice, dealing death and destruction on all -iiles. So t:;reat was the torei- of the explosion that the wooden I'ope rollei's w t-re toi'n from the track and hurled out of tin- . lope as from tlu' mouth of a can- non, Timht'rs fourteen feet lont;; hy nine inches thick were thrown out with i^reat violence, an!) ■i^lit siiii^U" iiu'ii, and (Hu- Ixty, ii-aviiiji; twcntv-iiiiu' widows, t iiilifi orpliaii ( hildr en, l>i'si(|» parcntd (Ifju'mlcnt on the lost. Contributions h> tin amount (if about !!?"J-J,()()(> were mad*- in \arious parts of the hoTuinion and tlio Tnitcd .atrs for tlicir rcii'-f." The Ford Pit is --tuati'd at Stellart;*!., on the west sidi' ot' tin- Inirrcolonial Kailwav. it wuh ()|)t'ni'(l over twcpty yrars auo, and «'(jiii[»|(cd with tJR' ht'st machinery availahh' at tl ^inic for a large output of coal, aiul c\cry possihle arrunix m the m(jrmng, an exi>loHiori •curred on the soutli side of the pi All the miners were at work iji the ditterent bords. The exido.-sion was so terrible tiuit it swept ucrosi-' to the north side of the pit. The pit had north arid south entrances. Owiiuz; to this all the hut. am; oovs on the north side were safely got to the surface, with the exce}>tion of a few who were badly aflected by the deadly after-damp. There were over tiftv miners o" the south side i H * I m) SinuKjIull OiUiini Diynsfi, when t]u' explosion took |.la(c, and ot thesi- o,,l\ two moil and four l»ovs wcvv v t'sciu'd aliv As the pit took- tirr after the explosion, and burned with awful violence, n,.ne (.f tlie dead l)odies could l)e rt'eo\ered. [n ord er to save the iuii!(> fr on I utter (h-struetion, the waters of the Kast \{ let into it. It tool iiver ".vere v seven years to puni|> ti> water out of the pit. This was aeeoinj>lished ovi veai aijo, and the Ford Pit uow in sueeessful operatitxi I pi 1 • m 1^' i| hi CIIAPTKR XVll. l)A.N(iH]S ()'• CoAl, MiMNo ( )|M;HATI(tN,<. Coal iiiiniiiii' lias loiio^ \)vvu coiisicK'rt'd o\w ot'tlic most (langei-oiis occupaii >iis of man. Oiu' of tlic cliicf dangers to which the luiiu'i- is suhjccted arises troll *^he cscajtc of (h'striictivo i^ast's from the coal. This nhhles of which rise to the surface on stirrinir the waters of a stai:;naut pool. This er cent, of nitroiren, and about one per cent, of carbonic acid. Its pre- sence being jiiddcn in a cavity of the coal, the miners' drill mav free it at anv moment, or it may burst by its own ])ov»'ei- through the facing, caus- ing immediate destruction to those workin*'- in the vicinity. One thoroughlv aciniainted with minin'' operations (k'scribes it thns : "When the naked Mght of the miner comes into contact with any considerable (quantity of fire-damp in an explosive state, the shock that follows is terrific. Men and horses, cars and coals, are hurled together to destruction. AVahs are swe})t out, iron rails ar.; bent (h)uble, doors are torn from tlieir fasteniuirs, the mine is laid waste.'' It is well known tnat the dannige resulting from exi)losion of gas is greater than that due to mere ignition, and burning without the explosive force. SprinfiluU Collier >/ Diist (lanircrous aceuniiilafioiis of tire-damp. Iiowcver, arc ii(»t found in workino; cliarnlKTs, hiit in portions of tlic mint' worked ont and al>andoned. ('()lleeteer gani^wav. !n a worked ont section of the mine above him a large body of tire-damp had l)een allowed to collect, and as tlie boy passed a sudden fall of roof in the aban- doned works drove our the inflammable o-as, which, on touching his lighted lamp, exjjloded with terrific force. Tlie exjdosion was so great that peo])le heard it a mile away, and hastened to the scene of (lesolation. The dead bodies of seventeen niners. who were working in the vicinity of the exj.losioii, were discovered the following day, all of wliom had been kilk ' by the after-damp. One of the cliief dangers to the miner from the burning of fire-damp is in the j.roduct of its com- bustion, known as Sprim/hill Collie)^)/ Disaster. After-Damp. 165 This gaseous substance consists chiefly of carbonic uci()tt(m) of the mine immediately on its formation from the burnintr of the liirht carburetted hvdroiren. Being intensely poisonous iu its nature, and irrespir- able, immediate insensibility and death is the result of the first inhalation of it in its j)ure state. So quickly (l< this gas form, and so deadly is it in its effect, t1 , r there is no escape for the miner, who has fallen on his face to save himself from the fierce flame of the burning fire-damp, but in inmiediate flight as soon as the fire has f)assed along. Another destructive gas with which the miner has to contend is the presence of Black-Damp. This damp is carbonic; acid gas, and is given as containing two parts of oxygen to one of carbon. It is the chief constituent of after-damp, and is often called "choke-damp," as they are both composed of the same elements and i)roduce the f f If inn' if , ill ^ (k- ■^"ili 166 li It '. ! m Spi'WfjhiU Collkrn Disaster. Black-dump is said to escape from the coal the fiamc as firc-damj). It is also ijivcii by ii^ood authority as one of the products of burning coal, of burning oil, and of the nspiration of man and beast. It i(t one and a half times as heavy as air, and is therefore always found next to the floor of the mine. An expert says of it : " Its presence may be detected by the conduct of the flame of the iani]). In an atmosphere containing but a small percentage of it the lamp light will grow dim, and. as the pro- portion of gas increases, nill become more and more feeble until it is Anally extinguished. An atmosphere containing from eio:ht to ten i)er eent. of this mis may be breathed without immediate (Uinger: it will simply occasion dullness of intellect and numbness of body. This condition changes into one of insen- sibility as the iidialation continues, or as the percentage of gas is increased, and to enter an undilut-d body of it means sudden death." Of all the gases in the mine, however. White-Damp is the most to be dreaded. A practical miner of experience says of this gas: " It is possible the miner may conceal himself from the surging flame of the ■fir<»_<1;inin •inrl Vi Sprl)iro(luces no effect upon the tlame of a lamp. If present in a state of purity it hums with a hlue Hame." One mining engineer of repute says of this des- tructive element : " AVhen a fire started hy a stream of gas coming from ;; crevice which has hurnt Ions: enough to cause great heat, carhonic oxide gas is generated. When this gas is present, a lire burning at the crevice may have been dashed out completely ; •.:ut it a certain amount of hoat is spread about tiie Mi 7t '■hi I : ' i«;8 SpriiH/h>7/ Co//it',y Di.?" Coal Drsr in the mine is another danirerons element, and has hitherto failed to receive the attention it should. Whatever oi)inions may l)e held as to the harmless nature of coal dust as an exj)losive agency, it has lately i)een authenticated hy irood authority tliat under certain conditions it may hecome violently explosive. One practical authority states : " When It is mixed with air, with or without the presence of tire-damp, and is set into sudden and intense vihra- tion hy a heavy powder l.last, a fall of roof, or other means, it may explode with greater destructive force than even tire-damj) is capahle of" Another un- •iouhted authority says: "In coal mines coal dust and coal gas form tlie active combustibles. Coal dust so finely jiulverized disseminated through the air as to be almost imperceptible, forms a dangerous Si)i'iii(jliill Colli I It/ Disiisfjr 169 ( () iistituciit, and one which v artiiit-ial or natural means, ii;athers u|» tiie dust on its route and lu-ars it througii the workinij; places. * * * The stronii' men who work a few years in such si IOW( rs of dust hi'come weak, and their faces hlaneli from the <'ontinuous ahsorption of the coal dust into tl U'lr SVsti'lUr Th le intlammahlc nature of div coal dust <*aii easily he ascertained hy throwiny; a i)ortion of it into a hriii:ht fire. If the circumstanees are favorable it will iijnite almost as (luickly as -h the atmospheric air will tind its way into the mine throuirh the surfaee openiui^s, yet, if not replaced by fresh air in a short time, it becomes dead and unfit to breathe. Tf, while lyiTiir in this dead state, it takes \^^ the poisonous gases wliich are sure to escape iWrni all coal measures, it soon becomes fatal to human life, and an explosion may tiike place at any moment, llenee tbe necessity of a living continuous current (170) Sprinf/hilf CoUiiri/ Disaskr. 171 of pure atmosplicric air, cirotilated in ahiindiuuH' to carry oft' tlu'st* foul pisos and ^ivo life and vii^or to the ontiro workini^s. IJut as the air curri'nt ijoes nowhere \)\ chance, the uir channels slionhl he so arranged that no portion ot'thi' mine he left withont itfl direct air current. On this TnouoriiM Systkm ok Vkntilation depends the lives and health ot' the workmen and the successful operation of the mine. If tlu- venti- latinir system he imi»i'rfect, no security of lite or property can he expi'cted. One who is tiimiliar with the whole system of yentilation says: "A failure of the air current for I'ven an hour might in some mines result in tlu' death of all those who chanced to he inside, for this current not only PU}>plies air for hreathing i)urpOHes, hut it takes up the smoke, the dust, the dangerous and the poisonous gases, and carries them to tlie surface" through the u^'cast air shaft,. Proper Drainace of the mine is another important matter that caimot he disregarded with im})unity. If an oyeriiow of water is allowed to colle(!t and remain for a certain 11 ; ' V i o > 172 SpriiKihill (^)llicni J)isiist,t' ii '•• pro^'iii'tc.l witli the ^rcrnis of discr e an . (kuth, and the iTii.s l.ul»l)lcs thrown oft' m.iy .. i loadin.r to ucttial accidi'iits w itli fatal results. The followin.ir rules, _i;ivon l.v ;* • ical niininir t'n.4,nnc('r of hitrl, standincr, will ho foiual sovort-igu safoijuards ai^^jinst accidents in tnini-s : Keep in advance all di-ad work, and ulnre .ra.. is verv ai)undant, and the slips and .-revices fre- <|uent, Lore ahead holes not less ijian four inches in diameter and twelve feet in leiiirth. Ihthe examin- ation ..f tlu'si> hore-holes daily, an idea of tho quantity of ^'as contained in the coal may he formed, and s.n'den outhursts, to a certain extent, uvoidud. The pis will drain off throuirh such i)ore- holes very ra[)i(r ,-, j)ut with much «rreater re«^ularity tlian if such bodies of i^as were let out hy the sudden »vmovid of lari,^' i Distisfd-. 178 Mi- n this run or Itn-ast in siitHcii-iit (Hiiiiitity t<» dilute tlic iTiis i^ivcii oft" hv ilic ininiiiir inid l»r»:ikiiiir ii|> ot' those hiiiuh'efl t(»iis of coiil. Let tin- air passiiii^ t'rojii sr,ch part (tf a mine i^et into a return air course in the most dii'eet manner po^slhle, l»y i»ass- inu have Sl'VCKUS .\ IK WAYS, and tliese vou nnist liavi' in order to ohta'ii 4.00(1 and sntHeient vi'iitilation, ust' rei^uhitini,^ doorn to ijovern the " splits," and lo«'k them seeurely at each setting. Place roii:iilati i»i lir\/\r%c; /»t» i-nl^niT^ fir ark / ■■.' r- •:■ ■■ -j^ T ^ I. '• 174 SprhifjhiH Collier u Disaster. l! i Hi I \i ! It I i that thoy iiuiy he ahlo to stand the tbrcv of -ion actiii'^ undir tlie arcliwuv. ail cxplo- Mak e air courses as straiijht, direct and ean: ipaoious as possihh'. Duplicates ot'al] iriechanical a})p]iance8 required in the ventilatill^■ force shouhl l»e lield HI readiiit iscover tl le ess to (|uicki_v rejjhice ttiose m use if destroyed hy accidt'iit. All mine otHcers should he ahle to d presence of i^as in the air, and to judi^e of its q tity hy the manner in which it hums over the fl; of a caudle. Two per cent, of carhuretted hydrogei in the air can easily h'.' detected hv the tlanie of; uan- imo elosel V snu tfed candlt', or hv ihc tlame of an oil him}) heing reduce is not an ahsolute protec- tion against daiii^er from explosive and inflammahle ers()n who is at all accpiainted with them; hut the nature of tiie air in the mine, which is often laden With the elements of death, may at any moment seal \\w doom of the unsuspecting miner, who is not aware of the presence of his enemy until it is too late. The followin«i:: advice, hy a practical eni^nneer, if adopted generally, woidd, no douht, }>revent many ering with a lamp is an offence punishable by dismissal SpnmjhiU OAllirij Dlsaskr. 177 and fine in court. Xo inatc-hes are allowed in .j^mseons par^ ■ of the mine, and the pockets of the workmen are frequently searched. " The day is cominir, no doubt, when the accidents in coal mines from exjilosions will be reduced t^a nunimum l)y the use of Electricity ix the Mine instead of oil. This mode of li.rhti,.,ir the streets and stores of our to,\ns aim cities is now beinu; adopted gvuerally with -reat satistaction, and, according to the writer's opinion, there is no Just reason that can be given why he, whose lot it is to work in the subterraneous caverns of th^ earth, should l)e compelled to labor in semi-darkness, were there no other conMeration, when science has ijrought to his aid a ray of li^rht that will illuminate liis path and cheer up his gloomy chamber with the l)righfness of the noon(hiy sun. By the use of diis light in the mine the miner's •langer from expL dons would no )idy be reduced, I'tit his aj.p .v.ice, as he passes from the mine to bis homo, u ould be improved. As it now is, coming np out of t^'c mine with his face, hands and nav- iiKii s Mack with coal dust, powder, smoke, and •siturattd with oil from the little tin lamp which is 178 Sj>viii(jJiiJl QiUki'ij Di^aiitcr. liookrd to tlu' tVoiit of liis cap, liis t'eatmx's are often liard to rec()u:nize. Althouirli tlu' dust would settle on his person as tornierly, yet the absence of oil would enable him to I'eniove it nioi'e easily, and his Avliole lile, and that of his family, would be cheered bv this new ra\' ot" liu'ht bcaminir in his workinn" apartment. Minim;' operatives, as a u'eneral rule, ai'e as intelliii'ent, law-abidinu", peaceful, sober and industrious citizens as artisans and others who work in the outside world, and have a claim to share in all niodi'rn iniproveinci:;.< an.d convenieut'es that scii'iice and art can dc\ isc. Where the miner <;ets a chance, his possibilities of ad\ Micement are per- liaps ii-reater than any other class of workers. Mine superintendents, insjieetors, manaii:ers and other minim;: otHcials are always wanted, and younji: men of character, judirment and skill are i:;enerally promoted from the ranks to till the higher posi- tions. It is also well known that in many coal regions lawyc' >, preachers, bankers, merchants, clerks, ; (Hi-ineers, contractors, and others have stepjted into those higlier jiositions from the cham- bers of the mine. As it was in the past so it i> to-dav — "there is room at the top" for faithl'iil Workers of skill and entor})rise. n CHAPTER .ax. History uk Si-rix.jhill and its Cullieuies. An historical skctdi of the minos whero the irreat disaster occurred, and cf the town that lias risen ahoutthem, heing considered )t' special interest to the general rearinu:hill, and, in interview with the writer, states that an exploring crew were then to work at the place. Mr. Lockhart was seventy-three years old on the 14th of February last. He is hale and strong, and has tnll remembrance of his hjng trip through the woods after the coal wlien a boy of onlv sixteen. An im-ident connected witli his second visit to the place settled the (bite also vividly in his min(b This statement of Mr. Loekhart is supported by another undoubted authority stating that, about the year 1840, Thomas Bell and William Patrick were employed, under the direction of Joseph Smith, the Albion ^fining C'ompany's Engineer, to ex}»lore at Springhill chietiy with the design of locating the four square miles contemplated in the area. It is recorded by one of the exploring parties, that previous to their work, one of the large seams which is now m ojteration had been opened ill the bank of a l)rook and from which coal was then being mined for smithing purposes, etc. It is also given upon good authority that in 1863, William ]*atrick, one of the exploring parties refer- red to, induced two American gentlemen, named Howe and White, to visit Springhill in company Sprlinjjilll Col Vert/ Disa-^Ur. LSI with liim for the purpose of l,)cutin.ir u niinin- area and workiii- it. ]^ut after retiecting on tlle^rreat expense neeessary to reacli a shipping place, as tliere was no prospect of a railway ever corning that way, together with the fact that a clause in the mining law hound the parties or conipa.iy leasing mining property to oj.en and w..rk the mine efHciently within two years, or the lease would then l)ecome void, and the property and what improvements might he made upon it should go to the (Govern- ment, flicy ahandoned the enteri)rise. At this time anoth r vein, hesides that which had heen opened hy Hunter, was heing operated in a small way by William Simpson, who is credited as securiuir Ti[E First (iriAXT of Land in Sprin(;iiill. About the same time Xathau Parks, who then lived at Springhill, but now resides iu Lewiston, .^[aine, commenced operating another portion, under the' privilege of Mr. Georg- Ilibbard, of River iribl)ard, who owned the property, Mrs. l>arks having made' the discovery of the ■ -,al outcrop during a stroll one afternoon through the woods. A short time afterwards Messrs. James Hickman, Charles J. Stewart, C. Milner, J. II. Harding and some others secured the right to search over the iWft H ii 182 Sprhit/lu'll, Colder 1/ Di'^astrr. S}triiii;hill coal areas, and after scleetiiii; a tew hundred acres, the right to hegin oi»eratious was secureih After sanqtk's of coal had been taken out of several ]>laces and submitted to due inspi'ction, the }«ros[>ects were so good that Messrs, Charles IT. M. Hlack, Alexander Macfarlane and ('has. J. Stewart Itecanu' (t'cpl;- interested in the cntcrjirise, and, in 1, secured an Act of Incoiporation to estahlish a ooi ijiany ft-r the purpose of opei.iting ilie mines. 1'his c(Un})any was t(» he i-alled "The Si'kin(! 1Ii!>i> Minino Company," aiul *:h act to incorporate it was j.assed hy the Gov- ernor-in-Coiincil and Assend)ly of Xova Scotia on the LSth day of April, 1870. The Act of Incorpora- tion states that "the cajntal stock of the company shall he four hundred thousand dollars, in shares of not less than fifty tork slial] be actually paid iij., Tlie company may uc ■*t()('k 111 i»aymeiit of lands, mines, mil iinir lie (IccnuM leases, or ri>rlits or other {.roperty on such terms as the directors may deem hcst, and such stock sliall 1 lull paid up stock as it' paid in money, 'i'he company may also issue honds, hearinu- interest payal.le within Canada or Knu'land, or the Tnited States of Ami'rica, and if dci'iued expedient secure the same hy luorfo-airc of tlu' property or franchises «'f the comi.any, and dispose of the same in such manner and at such [iricc as the dir^'ctors ma\Mlcem hcst."" The 10th section of this Act states that it '•shall cease and determine if etiicient work shall t he constructed and contimied under it within years from the date of its i)assin( >: done bv John Anderson and several other interested parties in the i ^H^'^ ^^^ffi ^^U ■ ^ H , ; ■i ^m , ' 1 i 1 if 184 Sl>l''lii//"lf Cnlltcfil I)iS(lst( r. coal ai'i'iis ot' Siiriiiirliill. Saiiiplcs ot" tlir coaU were sfiit to various places, tested, aiul proiiomiced " tirst- class "' Ity all w lio had used tliein. Sjiriiiirliill soon lu'caiiic a Jitiiiscliold woi'd. ('a|iitalists j^rasjied the idea that there initrht hi' soiuetliiiiL; in it worth look- iiii:; after. Works ln-arinij; ()i\ tlu' great coal tields of Nova Scotia were scanned as never hefore, and A " I)0()M " WAS Co.MMKNCEI) un(h'r the leadership of E. X. Sharp, a stock hroker of St. dohn, that soon resulteluces he visited. Armed with his coal sam})les, snhscription list and prospectus sheet, he was, it is said, a far more im- posing |)ersonage than (Tcorge Washington, when canvassing as a hook agt'ut for " IFow the American Savage mav he Tamed hv the Wea])ons of Civiliza- tion."" The following is an extract from Mr. Sharp's l)rospectus : " In this coal tield have heen discovered several seams of coal of excellent (juality ; among which are a thirteen feet six inch seam, an eleven feet three inch seam, and a six feet seam, and others "I Sprimjh'dl Colin vj Di'^dsUr. 18-' tVom four foot to four aud a half foot each in tliick- itcroitH of soino of thoso soaius have MOSS. ^r no on alroady heon tracod for :i!«out ono inih' into the company's aroa, and proliahly oxtond at loast an- othor mih'. In an adjoiniiii; aroa aro the collieries which have lately hcon opened on the eleven feet throe inch soani, testing; this seam of the _<,m)up to a doi>th of tivo hundred foot. The Sprin.iiiiill coal Held is situated near the centre ot the triauijular C\)unty of Cumherland, ahout tuenty-seven miles from the Harliorof Parrshoro, on the Hay of Fundy, to which it is proposedto construct a railway." Duriiiiz: the time that Mr. ^liarp was talking up the enterprise in St. John the " "uissing link '' of the Intercolonial Kailw;>y hotwoen .Vndierst and Truro was Itoing completed. A connectitig line from the mines to the Intercolonial Junction was also under consideration. This line \ as built hy the Springhill Mining Company immediately afterwards. The lirst passenger train from St. John to Hali- fax was run on the 17th X()veml)er, 1872, and the first car load of coal that left Springhill mines by rail was taken to the Junction in the fall of 1873 by Mr. lluirh Tait, eni2:ino driver on the Intercolonial. Ownng to the exertions of Mr. Sharp and others many of the shares of the Springhill Mining Com- » \ ^*iM", W: ^^J^ w ^^^ ^ '^'\^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // :/- ^ V ^^^ ^>^^. f/^ f/- 1.0 1.25 !^ "^ IIIIIM ^ "^ IIIIIM 1.4 1.6 ^^^ .%. ^ v^ %• >/ ^ PhotogTdphic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. I45B0 (7K' ) 872-4503 iV iV Ln7 \ \ % V ^ ^ ^ \ s^ '%'''\. V^'' ll 186 SprwfihiU Collie, -ij Disaster. pany were purchased by a large uunil^er of capi- talista, chiefly composed of St. John merchants. Some amendments to the Act of Incorporation were passed the 7th of May, 1874. The by-Laws of this company record tliat the officers of tho company shall be live directors, of whom one shall be presid.Mit, a treasurer, and a secretary. The treasurer shall ^^ive bonds and other securiiies satisfactory to the directors, for a sum not less than ten thousand dollars. He " shall have the custody of M valuable j.apers and documents of the company, 8u])ject at all times to the inspection and control of the directors, and shall make his cash deposits in the Bank of Xew Brunswick, or such other bank as tlie directors may appoint, as'the money is received, ajid his book account shall be kept in the name of the company, and all cheques to draw the same shall be signed by the president or two directors, and countersigned by the treasurer." The by-laws also state " The corporate seal of the company shall be a circle l)earing the name of the company and the year 1872, of which seal the treasurer shall have the custody." It is also recorded in these by-laws that "The office for conducting the general affiurs of the company shall be located in St. John, X. B., or such other place as Spriughill CoUimj Disaster. 187 tlie directors may hereafter appoint, with the consent of two-thirds of the stockholders represented at a (special meeting called for the purpose." Alex. Macfarlane, of Wallace, N. S., was president, and William E. Vroom, of St. John, treasurer. Among the largest stockholders in this company were Alex. Macfarlane, Magee Bros., James L. Dunn, Sanford Fleming, EdM'in Frost, R. B. Dickey, Hall & Fair- weather, J. & W. F. Harrison, George McLeod, John W. Xicholson, W . J. Ritchie, Robert Reed, Charles J. Stewart, George F. Smith, R. P. & W. F. Starr, AV. W. Turnhull, John F. Taylor, William L. Black, J. r. G. Burpee and Charles Merritt. These trentlemen owned from one hundred to nearly one thousand shares each. An Act of Incorporation was secured in 1872 by Messrs. John Taylor, John D. Thompson, George Ilibbard and John T. Wilde to form the other com- pany Mr. Sharp had worked up, knowTi as the " Springhill and Pakrsboro Coal and Railway Company, Limited," with a capital of $1,000,000, with power to increase to $5,000,000, in shares of $100 each. This company was organized in 1873, with the following Directors: Robert Reed, John Taylor, 188 II li ?■«'• I SprimjfdU OdUery Disaster. George Hilibard, William Magee, George F. Smith, Edwin X. Sharp, and Edwin Fisher. * Mr. Reed was appointed President, Mr. Sharp, Secretary, nnd Mr. Magee, Treasurer. James J. Kaye, Q. C, was also appointed Solicitor. Subsequently, Mr. Reed having sold his stock, Mr. Edwin Fisher was appointed Tresident. The first meeting of the company was held in the Board of Trade Rooms, St. John, on the 16th October, 1873, when a code of by-laws similiar to that of the Sprmghill Mining Company was adopted. The prospectus of this company states that it "was incorporated for the purpose of building a rail- way from the coal fields of Springhill to Parrsboro, and for the i>urpose of developing certain coal pro^ perties within and contiguous to the Springhill district." According to this prospectus the net profit the first year was to be $9,000, and the second year, 137,000, "assuming that the coal supply be ready on' the completion of the railway." The road was to be a narrow-gauge line of two feet nine inches, of easy construction, with a down grade nearlv the whole length from the mines at Springhill,^ five Hundred feet above the sea level, to the port of Parrsboro. Tlie estimated cost of tlu road was ^280,000, with an extra $120,000 to construct a Sprmgh'dl Colliery Disaster. 189 -wet dock," which was considered indispensable tor a large traffic. It is also recorded in this document that " The company have acquired by purchase, and now hold, under lease from the Government of j^ova Scotia, three square miles of the richest coal deposits in the Springhill coal district, Cumberland County, i^ova Scotia, and four hundred and thirty acres of land, in fee simple, situate most advantageous for pur- poses of opening and working collieries on the company's mir ' ■ g area, and capable of supplying the timber required for the mine." It moreover states that this company, by Act of the Legislature of Nova Scotia, had been granted a subsidy towards the construction of the railway, amountinf^ to five thousand dollars a mile, and also ten thousand acres of timber lands. Such in'lucements to speculators being irresist- il)le, many arranged for shares in both companies. Preparations were made to work the collieries on a large scale, and the mines, to be operated by exten- sive machinery at Springhill, were formally opened with a grand jubilee held in the vicinity, June, 1873. Many excursionists from St. John and other places met at the mines to ^^elebrate the great event, which introduced a new state of aftairs at the mines. . > i' II r: It 100 Si>rh}fiMU (hWcrii Disaster. The Essential IIistoby of Sprinoiiill justly commenced at this date. A few days pre- vious to the Jubilee, Mr. Hall, who was to mana"-e the collieries for the " Springhill Mining Company," had arrived at the mines, and was looked upon as one who would soon infu^^e new life into the work- ings. Mr. Hall is a native of Durham, England He started in life as a trapper in an English colliery. When a young man he came to America, thirty- eight years ago, and worked his way without friends or influence. He came to Springhill from the Albion Mines, Pictou County, on the 20th May, 1873, to act as manager of the Springhill Collieries. Previous to this date, Mr. Hall was underground manager of the Albion Mines. As a colliery man- ager Mr. Hall was most successful. He resigned the position which he had held for nearly seventeen years on the first of A^ril, 1890. He is now Mayor of Springhill, is largely interested in real estate of the place, and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the town. At the time Mr. Hall came to Springhill the place was a dense forest, with the exception of a few- small clearings in the neighborhood, which had been made by some settlers who had come to the vicinity some thirty years before. These settlers WILLIAM HALL, Mayor of Springhill at time of Colliery Dinaster, and for seventeen years Manager of the Springhill Collieries. \ li U 1 SpringhUl Colliery Disaskr. 193 included Nathan Gilroy, Barney (^ilroy, Tliomas L^dsworth, Lodewick Hunter, and Wm. Simpson. A good authority assures the writer that in 1871 there wen on.'y ^ivo Pinall houses and twenty inhabi- tants in the whole region, and that Dr. Cove, who then resided at River Philip, was the physician to these pe0| le. Immediately after operations commenced undsr the maiiagement of Mr. Hall, two rows of double tenement houses were built for the use of the men operating the minc!^. The following year another block was built, making iu all accommodation for forty families. An oflice for the use of the cashier, Mr. John Cooper, was also erected in 1873. The following year the place coi'ained five stores, one church, one hotel, seven sav^ mills, and had a population of two hundred. In 1873 the West Slope was sunk to a depth of 400 feet. The East Slope was also sunk in the same year, and the following to a depth of 800 feet, which formed the first lift of this mine. Work at the mines was pushed forward ^\'ith vigor. The Springhill Mining Company operated the mines, and the Spring- hill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company built the railroad, and had it so far constructed that the N m \\\ m PI 194 Sjn-myhtll Collier >/ Disaster. First Shipment of Coal by Rail to Parrsboro from tlie minert was nuide on the 15111 Miirch, 1877. At tliat time, tho Intercolonial Railway being in operation between St. John and Halifax, and a con- necting line running past the mines to Parrsboro, a bright future for Springhill was anticipated by many. Some fancied they saw a city of Corinthian archi- tecture rise on the summit of " an isthmnn washed by two seas." On op6nmg the railway to Parrsboro an exodus to the mines from various parts of Nova Scotia com- menced without delay. The forest rapidly disap- peared, dwellings, churches, hotels, school houses and public halls were constructed, and in a few years Springhill appeared as a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. The First Church at Springhill was built by the Methodists at what is known as " Miller's Corner," on the Athol Road, and in the same vicinity James Miller opened the first hotel in the place. The site of the present town is about one mile east of where the hotel w^as constructed. The first mining operations were conducted at Miller's Corner, SprhHjhiU Collier u Dtsastn: 195 ■H I whicli (loiibtless accounts for the ercttion of build- iii.LTs ill that tliHtrict. Tlie first drui,' ntore in the town was opened by Dr. Cove, who was induced to remove from River I'hilip in 1873. Dr. (^ovc was the only medica. Tnan in the phice for ten years, until Dr. Byers came. He and Dr. liycrs subse(piently anuilgamated as the colliery doctors, and have ofJiciated toi,a>ther as such up to the present time. The first store at Springhill was kept by James Hickman, in a neat frame buil(liiise of prospecting. Tliis- pit was ahan- doned in 1888. owing to a tire which liad broken out, although successfully extinguished. Tlie same year that this pit was abandoned another slope, known as the Aberdeen or No. 4 Slope, was sunk on ilie West Slope seam to a depth of 1,200 feet. The entrance to tliis mine is about three-quarters of a mile to the east of the East Slope. In 1887 the output of coal at the mines netted 489,252 toiis, and during the same year nearly 200 new buildiDgs were erected in the town. The num- i)er of hands employed in 1887 at the collieries was 1,400, and the average monthly wages paid to the men was $51,000. The enormous quantity of 2,400 boxes of coal, averaging three-quarters of a ton each, was raised from the 1,300 foot levels of two of the pits In one day during that year. Owing to the progressive nature of affairs at this I n 5 ■! I i I 198 Sprmr/hill CoUkrij Disaster. time it was considered that the town should be in- corporated. The matter was agitated, and an elec- tion of the citizens to decide was held on the 31st December, 1888. The majority in favor of incorpor- ation was lifteen. The election for mayor and town councillors was held May 2nd, 1889, and A. E. Fraser was elected The First Mayor of Springhill by acclamation. The councillors were R. II. Cooper, A. D. Ferguson, E. B. Paul, Charles Simpson, Solomon Keiver, and Fred. F. Xoiles. Mr. Fraser being the first chief magistrate of Springhill, the writer has secured his portrait, and collected a few ])iographical items to embody in this conu'^ction. Mr. Fraser was born in Pictou County over tifty years ago. He came to Springhill when the mines were first opened, and ever since has taken a dee}) interest in the progress of the town. He is of Scottish ancestry, and Presbyterian faith. His business career has been most successful. ^Ir. Fraser was not only elected bv acclamation as tirst mayor of Spririghill, but he was returned the second year without opposition. Previous to incorporation of the town, Mr. Fraser represented the district of Springhill in the County Council. In 1885, he was ALEXANDER E. ERASER, First Mayor of Springhill. SprmgldU Colliery Disaster. 201 appointed a Justice of the Peace. lie is an active worker in all kinds of church work. Mr. Hall, second Mayor of Springhill, was elected February 23rd, 1891. His council is composed of E. A. Porter, A. B. Ferguson, Simon Fraser, Charles Simpson, E. B. Paul and Solomon Keiver. The present inhabitants of Springhill number about 6,000. ^Notwithstanding the late disaster tho prospects of the place are hopeful and inspiring. Although many who worked in the mines left after the explosion, yet others have arrived to take their places, and it is evident that the town must continue to increase for many years to come. The '3oal fields in the vicinity being computed at 56,000,000 tons, and the place being centrally located between Minas Basin and !N^ortliumberland Strait, with railway extension to each port, and a large surrounding country adapted for farming purposes, it has an advantage over many other flourishing inland towns. The SpRiNGriLL Mines were never in so good condition for large output of coal than now. New engine houses for hoist- ing engines have lately been built at East and West Slopes. Two new dams, ipable of hold- ing 2,893,000 gallons of water, have been con- 'P'iliil :^liiiiifi iti' 1 202 SprinfjhUl Colliery Disaster. • \ structed, increasing the reservoir accommodation of the collieries to a capacity of 4,289,500 gallons. The travelling slope of the West Mine has been tim- bered from the surface to the 800 foot level, and the main and pump slopes of the same mine have been re-timbered to the bottom level. The East Slope has been re-timbered from surface to the 1,900 foot level, ana another lift has been sunk from this level 600 feet, making the depth of East Slope 2,500 feet. At the East, "West and North Slopes the capacity of the airways have been increased to double their former areas. A new fire-proof fan house has been built at the N'orth Slope, and engine connected direct with the fan. The bankheads have all been newly stepped ai.d repaired for convenience of the men getting on and oif riding rakes. A new foundation h£.s been placed under the fan at the East Slope, and the West Slope engine has been connected with fan. The number of steam boilers operating the collieries are now twenty-eight. Iron booms have been intro- duced into airways and pipe heads. Two new cupolas have been built. A number of mules in connectiou-with the horses are now to work in the mine. New riding rakes for lowering and hoisting the men are in operation. New air chamber has been put on the West Slope pump. A new air- Springhill (Mliery Disaster. 203 mometer has been supplied to each slope, and in the fan houses have been placed thermometers, water- gauges and barometers. Eight locomotives are in operation, and everything in and about the mines seems to indicate that an increase of business at no distant day is intended. The Coal Measures of SpRrNOHiLL are illustrated by chart in another part of this book. By looking at this chart it will be seen that these coal measures contain ten seams of coal of various thicknesses underlying each other, and separated by intervening strata averaging from thirty to three hundred feet in thickness, and all dipping to the north-west at an angle of thirty-five degrees. This chart has been prepared with great care, and is as accurate a representation of the coal seams in the vicinity ot Springhill as can at present be produced. By looking at the chart the relative positions of the East and West Slopes show how they are connected by tunnel, and the place in the East Slope where the explosion occurred. In Educational Matters Springhill is api>arently unequalled by any other coal mining district of its size. About one dozen n mW\ II 204 Sprwf/hill Colliny Disastei', well trained teachers are in the place, and during the past three years $17,000 have been expended for school houses. The last school building erected cost $5,000, and was occupied for the first time on Monday, May 4th, 1891. During the past winter three night schools were largely attended by work- ingmen. The Local Government has provided for special courses of instruction to be imparted in mining subjects to all who desire to qualify them- selves for colliery officials. These instructions and the night schools are free to all, as the government remunerates the teachers. An industrial school is about being established in connection with the Church of England. An American lady has donated $3,50(i to as.-ist in this movement, and a suitable building will be erected without delay. In the town of Springhill there are five churches, representing Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholics, and .^resbyterians. The Salvation Army are at work constructing a large barrack in which to hold their services. A Young Men's Christian Association and a Women's Christian Temperance Union are in active operation. Other societies of all kinds are flourishing in the place. The town has court house, jail, custom house, Sprmghill Colliery Dlsastei\ 205 hotels, and public halls with capacities for seating large audiences. The jail is a luxury, howe/er, as it is said one policeman on duty two hours a day is able to keep the peace. The Halifax Banking Company have a branch in the town for the accommodation of traders. The trades are all well represented in Springhill. Mercantile establishments of all kinds are evidently doing a fair business. Among other establishments the town has news- paper and job printing offices. The paper is called The Springhill News. This paper has large adver- tising patronage and good circulation, both of which attest its popularity. It is issued Wednesdays and Saturdays, and is evidently conducted with tact. The editor is a popular young man of some ability as a writer, but as his name does not appear in the Neivs, it is adjudged better not to use it in this con- nection. The portrait of the publisher will be seen on the following page. Among the attractions at Springhill is A Handsome Park. This park was donated by Managing Director R. G. Leckie, previous to his leaving Springhill for Lon- donderry, to the juveniles as a play ground. The I r 11 i& >«iillf 206 Spriughill Colliery Disaster. i ! field is on the dead level, and is fitted out with a cinder track for racing, cricket crease, and plenty of v^iher space for amusements. It is called the " Amateur Athletic Association Grounds." The water supply of Springhill is not what it should be. The present water for family use is obtained chiefly by rain-fall and boring. A good supply of water, it is e-aid, could be brought from adjacent lakes. The matter is being agitated, and will no doubt soon result in something practical. A new post ofiice of larger dimensions than the present one is required to accommodate the increas- ing mai. matter of the place. This will, doubtless, be constructed in time by the government. After carefiilly investigating the whole surround- ings and connections of Springhill, the writer's opin- ion is, that if the citizens are faithful to the trust the Almighty has committed to their keeping, a bright ftiture is in store for the place. r I I H. A. MCKNIGHT, Publisher Springhill News. ^'><■rl i CHAPTER XX. Extent of Nekjhborinu Coal Measires. Tlio coal iicldB of Kovu Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are estimated by the best authorities as coverinhi('eH where it was eonnidered twenty-tive years aifo small veins only existed, siu-h as had been discovered at that time in tlie Sprinijhill coal lueasnres. The followin^^ extracts from reports of Wood- house and Jetfcock, mining engineers of London and Derby, England, in 1800, will supjiort this statement: " The coal field which we have carefully exaniineni)lished in cyclo- pedias and other standard pnhlications are anticpuited and far from the truth. This is not to be wondered at, as the coal regions in this province were not developed a (piarter of a century ago as tliey now are. Instead of three seams of coal at Sprikigliill, and on. of them " three feet thick," and another ahcut " two feet thick," there are actually taw seams now known to exist, and the two and three foot seams are four times the thickness stated in report. However tliese old reports might have ser\ed the purposes for which they were intended, it seems too ])ad that they should be given to the world as a true estimate of the extent of the great coal fields of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. But what makes the matter still worse is the fact tliat our children are taudit to })elieve these reports as gospel truths. Were a hoy attending any of our public schools in the Dominion of Canada to-day, and asked tlie (juestion, " How much coal is raised in Nova Scotia annually? " if he answers according to the teachings of his " ^^odern School Geography," he must say, " ^.bout 000,000 tons." This he is compelled to do, or lose II i iili ntiiiii MUll 212 SpriiKjhill Colliery Disaster. R a mark for improperly answering the question of his teacher. Again, studying the lesson on " Coal,'' given in his " Koyal Reader Xo. 5," he is led to believe that the lesson v. as written by a Birmingham mechanic, who was not aware that coal had any existence outside the British Isles. In face of these notorious facts, it is high time that something should be done in the wav of modernizing some of the literature used in the education of our Canadian juveniles at the present time. The otHcial report of the actual XovA Scotia Coal Sales in 1871 states that 596,419 tons were disposed of that year. The total sales for 1881 are given al 1,085,014 tons, and in 1890 the amount of coal raised was 1,984,001 tons, of which 1,780,111 tons were sol(l. It will be seen bv these reiwrts that the tiijcures of Nova Scotia coal productions given in the school geography are based on the amount raised ta'enty years ago. It is therefore not surprising that inany of our young men have meagre ideas of the source of wer.itli imbedded in the bowels of the earth at their own doors, and leave for otiier climes to seek for fortunes they might obtain at home, were they [)roperly educated as to the real value of their native heritaii:e. SpruufhiU Colli cry Disaster. 213 Coal lias evidently now become one of the essential elements of modern civilization, and the l.ro,£:res9 of the civilization of a country is at present recorded by the amount of coal obtainable and employed hy the iidiabitants in a given time. The great coal tields of Xova Scotia and neighboring provinces have, therefore, not only the element of coal to insure the future greatness of this part of the empire of which they form a part, but iron and gold are in many places found in abundance, thus combining three of the most essential elements ^o tlie future greatness of any people. Add to this the great Atlantic sea-l)oard, open at all seasons of the year, and railway extension " from ocean to ocean," for the transit of the products of the mines where these elements . re discovered, and we have an assur- ance that nothing but disloyalty to God, our Queen and country, can hinder the future greatness of these ^raritimc l^rovinces of Canada. Owing to the sparse circulation of reliable literature l)earing on t'ne coal measures of these provinces, few are aware that (me of the largest bituminous coal seams in our ^v<»rld is in Xova Scotia. The boasted '' mammoth vrm " at Wilkesbarre, Pa., is given as measuring ■^!a feet in thickness, but one of the "Albion Mines" scaiiis at Stcilurion, Xova Scotia, is 37^ feet thick, m 214 ^mnghill Colliery Disaster. and the product of this seam is of excellent quality. The writer had the honor of travelling many miles throuo-h the underground workings of this colliery o^■or twenty years ago, and the depth of the mine excavation from roof to hottom was given at that time as heing 39 feet. An idea of tlie enormous quantity of coal inil)edded in such a mine as this mav he formed hv the estimate that a thirty feet vein vields twelve millions of tons to the scpiare mile. Of course all the seams forming the coal lields of Xova Scotia are not like the Alhion Mi-os seam, it heing an exceptionally deep formation ; hut many of them are from eight to twelve feet in thickness, and a laro-e number of seams underlving each other in some of the measures. The Svdnev coal Held alone extends from Mire Bav, on the east, to Cape Dauphin, on the west of that portion of Cape Breton. This tract of country covers an area of about 200 sc^uare miles. The number of coal mines oi)ened in Cape Breton from 1858 to 1872 are given by good authority as Ijeiu;.'- twenty-two. and their combined .'ontents were esti- mated at about .SCO,000,000 of tons. The Cumberland coal measures are also believed to he verv extensive. Outside the Springhill section the place has not thoroughly been expluretl. Sprin(jhUl Colliei-y Disaster. The Joggins Coal Beds 215 are situated on tlie east side of the Chignecto Bay. Th' in bed, called the Joggins seam, is about six feet .„ thickness, dipping to the south at an angle of eighteen degrees, and passing down into the beach, and under the tide. IIow far the coal may extend towards the shores of Xew Brunswick is a problem yet to be solved, but the geological condition of the strata along the shore indicate a continuance for several miles at least. Some years ago a test hole, with a diamond drill, was jtut doA.n about three- fourths of a mile south of the outcrop})ing, which penetrated the seam one thor.sand feet below the surface. This seam has now 1,800 and 1,900 foot levels. Extensive repairs are l)eing nuide tc enable operations in the most scientitic manner, and a large output is anticipated .t no distiiiit day. Several other miiics have been opened in the same coal Iteds, chietiy at Kiver llebert, under the names of the ■•Victoria," "Lawrence," "Chignecto," '-Maccan," " St. (leorge," "Xow York and Acadia," " Minudie," " Styles," and some others. Much prospecting has been done, and large (piantitit's of coals have been mined with success, but tlie hoped for prosperity of iiiaiiy jtroprietors of the Cumberland coal measures lla^ lun as vet been fuHv realized. One disadvan- P f, i, I 216 SprmghiU Colliery Disaster, !fl ■"ige to a more successful operation of these mines than has hitherto l)een reported as given by good authority is, " The want of safe anchorage for ship- ping, which can be protected only by expensive piers and breakwaters." This shall, no doubt, be accomplished in time. A railway is now in opera- tion from the Intercolonial Junction to the Joggins, and the present prospect is that at no distant day coal measares in thi« ^egion will be fully developed, and mining operations pushed forward with the best results. ' The mines in this district, being so closely con- nected with the Springhill collieries, a historical sketch of their discoveries and operations in con- nection with the extent of each is given in the fol- lowing part of this chapter. This historical material has been collected with care, and the writer trusts will be found authentic in every case. The Joggins Mines. I About the year 1847, the General Mining Com- pany of London, who at thr.t time monopolized all the coal seams in Nova Scotia by right from the Duke of York, who had obtained a grant of the same from the Crown, was iptlled to work thi:^ mine by reason of an agitation then in progress by Sprhif^hUl ColUer)/ Disaster. 217 a immber of gentlemen, George Young, brotner of the lo+ Tiidge Young, of Halifax, being the leaaing spirit "^he movement, to have their claims set aside anJ the right of all minerals in the province vested in the Government of Xova Scotia, which, after a hard struggle, was accomplished. At the time referred to, mining operations com- menced under the management of Andrew Patrick, one of the first miners who came out to the Albion Mines from Scotland. A short time after tiie mines had started, R. B. Boggs was engaged as store- keeper and general superintendent, wharves were built, log houses erected, some clearings in the woods made, and, in a short time, the output of the mine Avas from forty to sixty tons per day, the com- pany's object being to satisfy the agitation, and at the same time ship nothing that would affect the sales from the Pictou and Sydney Mines, as from these they were able to supply all demands, the work was therefore not pushed forward with vigor. The mine was opened from the level of the wharf, and driven under the bank, w^hich is some sixtv feet hiij;h. The coals wc-e taken from the mine bv cars on a level to the vessels in the harbor, which were anchored a few rods from the entrance of the mine. The mine was self-drainins'for a num- I < I i -' i,|;! ■ -- -"^ \ tfi" 1 .^. ^ tJ i. ■ 1 l| 218 Spring fi ill CoUicrtj Disaster. ber of years. A shaft was sunk about 200 yards froi 1 the shore, connecting with the level, and from which, after a short time, all the coal was raised to the bank by horse power, and shipped by running down the side of the shore bank on a self-actinath leading through the woods from Kiver Ilebert, or around the shore. Previous to the opening of the Joggins Mine by the General Mining Company, two English miners, with their families, had been residing in <"he place for a number of years, raising and shipping a few small schooner loads of the coal yearly to St. John, ^. B. The place had also evidently l)een used as a fort by the French or other soldiers, as cannon balls and other fragments of warfare ^vore found imbedded in the earth n(Mir the edge of the bank above the mine, and there still remained earthworks co'istructed to the height of three or four feet. After the death of G. Young, through the per- sistency of the late Judge ^'oung, Mx. Archibald and others, an amicable settlement was arrived at about the year 1854, part of which was that the Alining Company (piit claim and cede all their right and title of all minornls to the Govern.ment. except SpruigJuU Colliery Disaster. 219 four square miles at the Joggina, four square miles at Springhill, four square miles at Pictou, and four square miles at Sydney, Cape Breton. These claims- they reramed as part consideration of yielding their rights of the Crown. This ended a monopoly that had driven out the hest class of coal miners in the country, many of whom returned and commenced operations again with success. Between 1870 and 1872 the General Mining Company sold out the Joggins property to a company of St. John merchants. The late Alex, Barnhill, of St. John, who was manager of the company, divided the property Into two equal parts in geographical extent, and formed a company on each properly. One part is underlaid with the Old Joggins ^ am, which is 4| feet thick. Tlie other is known as the " Hard Scrabble '' seam, which is 3| feet thick. This mine is situated about half a mile north of the main seam, and geologically underly it. Both of these l»roperties include a numl)er of the smaller seams. The company who operated the Hard Scrabljle Mine, after spending a large amount of capital in bi'.ilding up the necessary improvements for a large output, and working the mine with apparent success ■ r^i I iUi" it lUW J curs J CJUOCVl UpcrativiiOj cinvt l »»-\/l +llil vtlltK^ l.l.\. Ill 1 S.l\ 220 Spritnjhill Ofllieri/ DisnsUr. ^1 now clo.sed. Mr. Baruhill was manasrer of this mine, and liis son, B. Barnliill, managed the Old Joggins Mine, wliieh continued operations under the underground management of Robert Red^iath. About half a mile from the shore a slope was driven from the surface in the coal down to and beyond the old level. This slojjc was worl.ed by steam power, and the deptli was increased from time to time until last tall, when it had reached 1,900 fee.. The workings in this mine have all been done on the bord and pillar principle. A new slope, about a mile from the shore, wnth increased appliances, was also sunk from time to time, until it is now the depth of 1,900 feet. The capacity of this mine is about live hundred tons per day. The most easterly extent of the underground workings is about one mile and three-fourths from the shore. During the past few years new com- panies have been formed, and the mine is now being operated on a new principle, called the long wall and waugh princi})le. A railway was built from the Intercolonial to the Joggins a few years ago. It was opened for traffic in 1887. The Victoria Mine Maccan, who had returned from Maryland, X. S., Sprim/hlll CoUieri/ Disaster. 221 where he had heen engaged as minf» "nperiiitendent for some time previouH to hin (hite. Mr. I'atriek's amhition was, if possihle, to discover a new mine, secure the right of opcratii g it, and make for him- self an independent business. After exploring a few months, lie was sucr :ssfal in discovering a seum at River Hebert, commenced o[)eration8 and shipped the tirst cargo of coal raised from tiiis mine to St. John in September of the same year. The Victoria scams are a continuation of the old Joggins Mine, but considerably changed, the angle of dip ii' creased, and the seam divided into three distinct seams. One of these seams is two i'o.et nine inches, another one foot nine inches, a third two feet six inches. In 1859, Mr. Patrick sunk a slojte one hundred and sixty feet deep, built a wharf, tramway, and made other improvements considered necessary to raise and ship from thirty to forty tons of coal per day. That year he shipped 3,000 tons, the profits on which paid all expendi- tures, including the purchase of one hundred and fifty acres of land. Encouraged by such success, ^Ir. Patrick was tempted to form a company, in- cluding himself, Harris & Allan, James I. Fellows, and others. Mr. Fellows moved to the mine as store and book-keeper. A new slope, two ' andred 222 Springhill CoUurtj Disaster. ij "i '^1 i'l 1. fi and sixty feet, was opened, steam jiower and other requisites essential to an increase of business were introduced after formation of tlie company, and the business continued to grow. Contiictions with some of the stockholders, however, prompted Mr. ratilck to sell out his interest, and retire from the company which he had been induced to orijjanize. After the retirement of Mr. Patrick from the company his place of management was taken by a Mr. Simmons, an English gentleman, who, it is said, induced the company io abandon the slope and sink a i)eriten- dicular shaft down through the rock to the level of the slope bottom. After the shaft ba-i been opened, the company opei-'ted the mine onl^' a few years longer, and then closed operations, which, as yet, have not been resumed. The Lawrence Mine Company's operations were commenced some years after the Victoria. This mine is sHuate about halt a mile east from Victoria Wharf. The seams are the same. Their works were along near the out- cropping. This mine was self-draining, and was manipulated from the north side of the Victoria \n-i)- perty. The company was formed of Boston men throua-h the instrumentalit\ of the late George rl Springh'dl Cotlltn/ Disa.'^tcr. 223 lIe])ort and otherH. They spent c-onsidorahle capital in wliarf buildint?, tramway, niinern' houses, etc. They ship.ped coal for a few years, when their under- •^round work, about half a mile in extent, were inter- rupted by a fault dislocatini; or cutting: ott' the coal altogether. It is not yet known wht'tlier the Joggins seam extends any further east. Much time and money have been spent, especially in Maccan dis- trict, to trace it, but without avail. This mine is now K jnl. The Maxan Mine was discovered and opened in the spring of 1861 by Wm. Patrick. It is situated about one mile west of Maccan River. The most northerly or underlying seam is a continuance of the Hard Scrabble seam. The top seam crops 460 feet south of the otlur, and is two feet thick, and of superior (quality for domestic use. This seam was not supposed to exist. These seams lip at an angle of 30 degrees. The iirst year of operation Mr. Patrick raised some coal for local trade, and shipped a few cargoss from the two foot seams. The following yaw he sold the mine ^ llow^e & White, of Boston, and in June, 1863, a company was formed of Boston men, called the Maccan Comi>any. inMltf 11 224 Sjnitii/hill. Collier;/ DlmMcr. After (lisposiiii^ ot" this iiiino .\ir. I'utrick c(»iii- meiiced a slope on the Hard ^"c•rahhle hi'uiii, iiiteiidinrice to live and six dollars per ton, Aniorican i)aper, which Avas only worth sixty cents gold on the dollar, and a duty of SI. 50 gold on the coal was imposed. As all shipping could only he continued through the summer at such low pri( 's, the coal had to be stored for winter sales. When returns were all in, the ompany found that, after paying freight, commissions, storage, duly, discounts, etc., they had only twelve cents per ton left for mining and delivery of coal on hoard of vessels. The actual loss was ahout SI. 25 per ton on all coal shipped to the States. This same condition of thinfT^s affected all the other Xova Scotia coal roeured. ?]xpenditure, about rS_o,000. Tliere was l)ut a beuiiniin^ made t( ship from at. George when frost closed navigation, and mining operations closed at botli mines. How- ever, the properties were cared for, and some time aft r the two companiei^ amalgamated and <'alled themselves the " Cumberland Coal Mininir Company, ■■ but did nothing more, and sold out to the Acadia Iron Comi)anj in 1881 for ^45,000. By this time, the Intercolonial being in operation — they never used the old tramway — took ui) the liirht rails, laid heavy rails and gauge corresponding to the Intercolonial from Chignecto Junction to Maccan Station. They also secured a small locomotive, and erected oiie of the most elaborate bank and hoistimr ai»[)aratus in the Province, m connection with other improvements, the whole costing, it is said, about $75,000. A tire in the mine last year compelled the owners to let it till with water. The official report in reference to this Chignecto Mine for 1890 states : "■ This mine worked on in the usual way until July, when most of the men were dismissed. Some nineteen or twenty were, however, retained prospect- ing until late in the fall, when Mr. Frank Burrows, Underground Manager, took these men and ])egan taking out coal along the crop-out on the eastern 228 Sprmcjhil.l Colliery Disaster. tf side of these works, and, as it can l)e got water-dry, tlie idea is to keep these men employed for the winter- months in readiness for prospecting in the spring." The Minudie Mine was opened about the year 1866. John Anderson and S. Smith opened this mine on lliver Hebert, about one-tliird of a mile north of Victoria Mine. After working the mine for some time they sold it to the late George TTcbert and others, who formed the Minudie Coal Company. They equipped the mine for raising and shipping at considerable out- lay. They shipped coal by water for a luimber of years, but finally suspended operations, except what they raised above water level for local consumption. The seam of coal is about three feet nine inches in thickness, of su[)erior quality, with about eighteen inches to two feet of lire clay in the middle. Its identity seems, with mauy, to be doubtful, but it is supposed to be the Bale seam on ^be shore eidarged here. The seam is opened on the west side of the river opposite, but reduced somewhat in thickness, and is owned by William Milner, of Sackville. It is not being worked. There has been some coal taken from it, hat never been fitted up to do any- thing of importance. About twelve men were Sprinfjh'dl Otll'icrj Disaster. 229 employed operating it last fall, according to official The Styles Mine report. is situate abont four miles east from Chignecto, and is the most easterly development on this side of the Basin. It is a continuance of Chignecto seam some- what changed, hut not for the better— angle of dip in- creased to forty-tive and tifty degrees. It was opened in 1865 by John Robinson, of Tictou. It is owned by James Hickman and others, of Amherst. There has been consideral)le spent in test slopes, etc., but no substantial operation^ were ever entered into. Between St. George and the Styles n. nes, the heirs of the late Sir Albert Smith, of Dorchester, and Blyght, of IIillsl)oro, N. B., own a property, on which is opened the same seam, but on which • nothing more than a test slope, opened a few years ago, has been attempted. The Amherst Coal Mining Company's Mine is situated about two miles east from River Ilebert, and two miles w-^st from Maccan. This projierty had ])een held, by right from the Government, by Jiimes Hickman and others for many years; but wluii their right expired Mr. Patrick secured a lease, and with moderate expense developed three seams. After sinking test slopes and pits he sold ii30 Sprbujhdl Collier (J Disaskr. one-half interest in Halifax, and in time bought back a quarter, thus holding three-fourths interest in the T)roperty, and by the time the Joggins Railway was open he had secured a market at remunerative prices on board of cars at the mine for all the coal he could raise. The mine plant, which cost $12,000, was all complete, and operations were pushed for- ward until November, 1887, when, during the night, the whole place was destroyed by tire, and, having no insurjMice on the property, Mr. Patrick was unable to make the necessary repairs in order to continue operations at this mine. From this historical outline of the hitherto career of coal n^ining in CuMiberland County, the reader will be able to see that the experiences of many who have engaged in developing the mines in this section of Xova Scotia have been check- ered, and some of them even romantic. Notwithstanding so many failures to secure colossal fortunes antici]nited by some coal mining speculators in Cumberland, future explorations may reveal something surpa >ing anything that has yet been discovered. Geologists say an abundance of coal is here iml>edded, and indications correspond, but it will, no doubt, require time and capital to .""CClllV 11. CHAPTER XXI. Coal and its History. No more profitable or interesting^ study could be engaged in than that of coal and its history. In looking at so common an object as coal many might think it impertinent to make any inquiry after it further than where it might l)e purchased at the lowest rates. But when we investigate its real pro- perties and value, and candidly consider what our world wcadd ]:>e to-day witnout its use, it becomes at once i'.n object of our o-reatest admiration and regard. " Who can sum up the benefits we derive from coal ? " savs a distincruished writer. " It warms and lights our dwellings, cooks our food, illuminates our streets ; coal develops and sustains the force which propels the locomotive along the railway, and the ship across the sea .; vrorks the printing press, wields the hammer, lifts the weight, draws the load, moves the machinery, grinds the corn, spins the cotton, weaves the cloth, pum])s the mine, deepens the river, covers the land with a network of railways, forffes the electric wire. and. su-bniercfinor the ocean ^ (231) ^1 51 282 Spvuir/hill Coflnri/ Di'^nster. teloi!:nii)h, ' Will put a ijcirdle round ii])Oiit the earth in forty niinnte?*.' Who shall set hounds to the power of coal, iron, and steam? " What is Coal? AVas it made as it now is, or transformed from anotlitr suhstance? If cluuiij^ed from what it was to what it is, how has the change been effected; and how came it into the places where we now tind it ? are honest questions which every thinking mind has a right to ask and use all lawful endeavors to solve. Manv theories regardiuii; the mode of the origin of coal have been set forth since its discovery until the present time, })ut these theories have all been, more or less, fraught with difficulties. The great barrier in the way of universal acceptance of any theory is, doubtless, owing to the fact that the early history of our globe still remains one of the great unsettled problems of geology. Although Geikie and other renowned geological proiessors come forward in their science i)riniers telling us how the whole arrangement was executed, as if they were eye-witnesses, yet many are slow to believe what they cannot easily comprehend, and the matter must necessarily remain in mystery to some. I I SprwfjhW CoUj'ct'i/ Disasftr. 233 All Irishman, oriving liis opinion of a coal seam, would naturally s-ifjirest that a peat-bog had run away and got into a worm-liole of the earth. Among all the ideas advanced on the siihjeet, the following is, perhaps. The Most Generally Accepted Theory set forth as to the mode of the origin and deposit of coal : That the rank and luxurious vegetation which is supposed to have prevailed during what geologists call the carl)Oinferous age, grew and de- cayed upon land but slightly raised above the sea ; that by slow subsidence this thick layer of vegetable matter sunk below the water, and became gradually covered with sand, mud, and other mineral sedi- ment, that then, l)y some slight upheaval of the sea bottom, or other process, a land surtiice was once more formed, and covered with a dense mass of plants, which, in course of time, decayed, sank, and became overlaid with silt and sand as before, thus forming a second, third, fciirth or fifth strata, as the case might ,/e, which, in due time, as a matter of course, all became deposited in the earth. At length these thick masses of stratified matter, when accu- mulated, would produce great pressure, and this, actmo" nloii.o' with chPTnicn! (^'br!i'i'^''p"^ would freatly mineralize the vegetable lavers into coal. i f; HI •2U Spriinjh'dl OiUkrij D'.^x.ster. Tliis tlioory seems plausible, and harmonizes with the "(li[»" of a plurality of seams, sueh as is found at Sr>rinassed in forma- tion, and how it ii:ot into some of the itlaces where we now tind it, are apparently mysteries that may never be solved. Scientitic research has undoubtedly unfolded a world of mystery in connection with tiio mine; l»ut greater developments shall, no doubt, yet be nuule throuij:li i»ainstaking investigation. In the study of geological science many years ago, the question relating to the history of coal be- came a prominent one. It was supposed at first that coal was a mere mineral produ.'t, such a;- iron, gold, silver, etc. But in due time the idea that it might have had a vegetable origin dawned upon the minds of some thoughtful men, and by thorough investiga- tion the doctrine of the vcijetable origin of eoul was established, and is now' sfenerallv accented bv the Sprirjhill CoUkr>/ DisasU 235 scientilic public. Eeorariling the process of forma- tion and mode of deposit tliere must necessarily remain some conjecture until convincing proof i* brought to bear upon the subject, such as that fur- nished in the case of the vegeta^'le origin theory. In justification of the idea that coal was of mine- ral product, one miglit say that at tirst sight it is hard to believe that the hard, stony substance coal should have anythii'g in common with wood, except that they l)oth burn easily. It is only when suV)jected to chemical examination, by means of a retort, that they are found to yield similar products, and differ chietlv in the amouiit of oxvgeu which Ccoli contain^ and ia the aaller bulk into which, coal has been compressed. The Great Value of Coal over Wood arises from its power of producing a great amount of heat from a small bulk in a short space of time. It is wonderful the amount of heat that a small por- tion of coal, set in a good draught, will produce, and it can be measured by the warmth it ^^ill ip.-part to a kettle of cold water placed over it. It is found that this heat is produced l>y the burninof of the gases of the coal in the air of the atmosphere, aujl l)v the capacity for retaining heat 11 236 inipr'myh'dl Colliery DisasLr. II fi which the solid part of tlie cojil possesses. The great heat (U'rived from coal (i'tiiistr>/^ Vs'ood fibre contains a fraction over aj per cent, of carbon and anthracite, or hard coal !)4 ]ter cent., and soft or bituminous coal HH per ctut. The following table by Ruscoe gives the chemical composition of the several objects named in it, exclusive of the ash left by combustion : Wood Fibre, Irish Turf, Cologne Lignite, ... Wigan Caunel, Newcastle Hartley, Welsh Anthracite, It is also discovered that if a piece of coal were placed in the bowl of a pipe covered with clay, and placed in a tire with the stem of the pipe exposed, some steam will come otf, and afterwards strong smelling gas, which can be collected by allowing it to bubble up through water into a vial full of water turned upside down. After all the gas has escaped from the coal, by examining the liowl of the pipe, rti^h-n iiiofon/l nf flio nnnl will l^o •Fnniid t]in>j nrr^vincr Hydrogen. Carbon. OxvRe. and Nltrog'n. 5.25 52.65 42.10 5.88 60.02 34.10 5.25 66.96 27.76 5.85 85.81 8.34 5.61 88.42 5.97 3.88 "4.05 2.57 JSpruh'/hill Collier y Disastrr. 237 that coiil eonsist.s ohietly of gas and coke, which, by investigation, will he found of vegetable proU Oilliii'i/ iJisosfrr. m that a ]K'i't-l)()ale faced and useless as a modern novel reader of fashion- Now, how ean we account for this? My obser- vation is tl 't peat found at tlie bottom of the l»ed, where it has long been subjected to heat and pres- eure, is the peat resembling coal, and has a greater or less likeness, according to the amount of heat and pressure that has been brought to l)ear upon it ; whilst that at the surface, ex}tosed to cold, a id hav- ing had no pressure, is the light colored, and of little value, portion. Although this peat-bog theory may be r>couted by many is a fancy of the l)rain, yet it bears the etamp of reason, and is worthy of the deepest con- sideration. Those who know anytliing a1)0ut what t>/riiii//iill Ciilli(r>/ Z)isti.>ifn'. 239 n pejit-1 )()_<; really is, in its vwAv state, are awure that it is as natural tor its tloatiii<; j)()rti(>ii to deseeiul into the interior of the earth, were an oi>eni:ig formed for its csoa;>e, as a (lu( k to take to water. The writer ean hear testiiiH.ny to a }»()rtion of one of these old hoijs, which i^ot aHoat and eoidd not find an underi^round channel, take its departure with veloci} ede force across ■ country, overwhelming everything: in its vourse, until it found a lodgment in the River Main. Thi< wonderful hog was formerly called " Slogon Moss," hut is now known a-; " The Moving Buo." The situation of this hog is in the County Antrim, Ireland, a few n.'les north ot Lough Xeagh. The rash movement v/f this hog took place in the fall about the year 1883, and was considered by some as one of " the seven wonders of the world," and thousands noi only flocked from all parts of the Pritish Isles to see its manoeuvres, but dates were then lixed for future reference, and it was quite common for a mother to tell the age of her son by stating that he was born one, two, or three years befc re or after '' the moving bog," as the case might be. Did space permit, much might be stated a^ ut this mysterious bog, a sample of which may now '-e Sprimjhill Colliery Disaster. forming into coal in some of the deep crevices of the earth, into which it entered at the time of its departure from its former site ; but enough has been stated to show that the "peat-bog theory" is worthy of more consideration than has yet been given to it by geologists, many of whom have had no practical knowledge of what a genuine peat-bog really is. The American Cyclopedia, edited by Ripley and Dana, referring to the "peat-bog theory," says: The formation of peat is generally little known or understood. Few works have been published on the subject^ and as bogs are generally of difficult and evei dangerous accesr>, they are rarely exam- ined carelully enough to obtain full evidencje as to the details of their formation. And furthermore, this study demands a knowledge of botany and chemistry rarely attainable by the student before the years of his strength for field explorations are passed." The same authority states : " Xot a single case has been recorded in regard to the formation of coal which cannot find its counterpart and its explanation in some of the phenomena attending the present forma+ion of peat." Taking it for granted, therefore, that peat and coal are of the same material, and that the former requires only time and circumstances in order to Springhill Colliery Disaster. 241 become coal such as we now find imbedded in the mine, what a manifestation it gives us of the wisdom, goodness, and foreknowledge of God, in storing up this Reserve of the Old Forest, now to be dug up by man and used in his service as fael, when the great forests, which have hitherto been used for the same purpose, are rapidly disap- pearing from the earth. Although the secular scientist may not be able to see anything farther than a development of nature in this wonderful formation, the devout Christian can trace the handiwork of the Almighty therein, and feel assured that " Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs, And works His sovereign will." It is man's duty and province to investigate, and Chiistianity has nothing to fear from the most scru- tinizing investigation of all God's works, but on the contrary. " Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you," are the words of Jehovah, and they apply, doubtless, as fully to the wonders 4 I ^ i'S'l 242 Springhill Colliery Disaster. of His material works as to the mysteries of His revealed word. Whether we are prepared to receive or reject the vegetal )le theory set forth regarding the fcrmation of coal, we cannot possibly deny that everything in nature is subject to change. "VVe never see anything that has always been exactly what it is when our eyes rest upon it. It has, in every instance, once been something from what it is now, and the attempt to follow the changes it has undergone, and the causes that produced those changes, could not fail to produce a measure of interest in the mind of every intelligent being. If we accept it as a cardinal truth that man's body was formed of earthly dust previous to its animation by the breath of God, ^^'hy should we doubt that coal was made by the same Almighty hand from suitable material when we have the Strongest Evidence Possible that such is the case ? And although unable to trace the diiferent stages through which coal as it is now found must have passed, we should rest assured that an all-wise ProN'idence, operating through natu- ral causes, has produced this most wonderful sub- stance of the mine. SpringhiU Collier)/ Disaster. 243 Our duty is, therefore, to receive this bountiful gift of God with gratitude and reverence, and try to realize its true value and beauty, however difficult it may be to obtain, or however uncomely it maj appear to be. And then, as we study the forces which the Almighty has employed as His instru- ments in developing this mysterious product of the mine, our reverence will inevitably rise to Him who is the source of all power, wisdom and goodness, and who alone is able to control the most stubborn ele- ments of nature, so that they might become subser- vant to his infinite purpose and will. The First Discovery of Coal is not on record, nor is it known at what time it began to be used as fuel. The word " coal " is often mentioned in the Bible and other ancient books, but Dr. Smith, in his Dictionary of the Bible, states that the coal mentioned in the Scriptures represents no less than five difterent Hebrew words, and that the fire of coals referied to were " probable charcoal, and not coal in our sense of the word." However, some believe that the ancients had a knowledge of its use, and to prove this idea a passage from a treatise on stones by Theophrastus, a pupil of Aristotle, and for many years the head of the I 3' 244 Spri7\ghm Collier}/ Disaster. peripatetic school of philosophy, is quoted. This record was dated about three hundred years before the Christian Era, and states : " Those substance that are called coals, and are broken for use, are earthy, but they kindle and burn like wooden coals. They are found in Liguria, where there is amber, and in Elis, over the moun- tains towards Glymphus. They are used by the smiths." Cinder heaps, found among ruins of the time of the Roman supremacy in Britain, indicate that coal had to some extent at least been used by the people of that age, but history being silent on the subject, we are left to conjecture. During the Anglo-Saxon period, however, it is recorded that in that year twelve cart-loads of "fossil coal," or "pit coal," were received by the Abbey of Peterborough, in England. It is believed that England was the first Euro- pean country in which coal was used to any extent, and that coal began to be systematically mined in Great Britain about 1180. In this year the Bishoj of Durham granted several leases for mining " pit coal." The coal of Belgium was also developed about the same time, or during the twelfth century, near Liege. Springhill Colliery Disaster. Coal was First Used in London, 245 it is believed, in 1240, but chiefly in the arts and manufactures, and was soon considered an innova- tion, injurious to health. In 1300 considerable qua- <^'ties were made use of, and in 1316 the parlia- ment petitioned the King, Edward II., to prohibit its use in the City of London. In order to render the prohibition efifectual, an act, it is said, was passed "making it a capital ofl^ence to burn the dreadful stuft'." Notwithstanding this stern decree, the coal in- dustry had commenced and was bound to flourish, and, owing to the scarcity and high price of word, the use of coal soon became general, and in due time became one of the great sources of national wealth. Coal yas Mined in Scotland, it is said, in the twelfth century and in Germany a hundred years afterwards, au the Chinese are believed to have been familiar with its use at that time. Owing to a similar prejudice against coal in Paris to that in London, its use in that city as a household fuel amounted to little until the middle t iiil w m ^M W r^f +V,/ ,4-V. u T"!.: lilt LU 246 SprwghiU CoW'eri/ Disaster, of its introduction into Wales, Belgium, and other European countries." The First Coal Discovery in America was made in 1679 by a French explorer named Father Ilennapin, near the present town of Ottawa, Illinois. It is supposed that coal was discovered and mined near Richmond, in the State of Virginia, as early as 1750, " but by whom and under what circumstances the discovery was made we have only tradition to inform us." It is said that a small bo}', searching for crowiish with which to bait his hook, chanced to stumble upon the outcrop of a coal-bed which crosses the James River about twelve miles above Richmond. After this discovery was made known, further examination disclosed a field of rich bituminous coal, covering an area of about one hundred and eighty square miles. Alining opera- tions were immediately commenced, and by the year 1775 the coul was in general use in the vicinity for domestic and • iiithing purposes. It is asserted that the cannon balls which were used to kill the English, during the war for independence, were manufactured by the use of this coal, and that, l»y 1789, it was l)eing shipped to Boston, New York, iliiu iiiiicld^ipiiUl. SprinfjhiU CoUkry Disaster. 247 The systematical mining of coal, it is said, com- menced in the regions of the Susquehanna River and Pennsylvania about the year 1785. A lease, yet in existence, dated April 11, 1767, making a grant of land on "Coai Pit Creek" (now Pittsburg), states that there vrere coal openings there at that date. But the lirst coal sent from Pittsburg to an eastern market was shipped to Philadeli)hia in 1803. It was carried by a vessel of three hundred and iifty tons burden, called the " Louisiana," and was sold for thirty-seven and a half cents per bushel. From this time the mining of bituminous coal in various pjirts of the country was carried on with vio;or and success. But what constitutes the -l:| Greatest Event in the History of Coal was the discovery of the " Stone Coal," or Anthra- cite, in the Valley of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, in the year 1762. Tins valley was settled in that year by enterprising Yankees from Connecticut, who made the discovery immediately after reaching the valley. But, alas I these never before defeated " Yankee settlers" could not make their coal burn. They tried it again and again, but repeated trials met with repea+ed failures. A blacksmith, named Obadiah vrore, was anioiig tnem, hou'ever, and his faith iu :> iiiulying. After pondering over the matter for seven years, in 17«)9 this blaeksmith took a (juantity of tliese coals to his sliop, arranged them in his forge, and persevered m trying to kindle them, until fiiudly the black lumps yielded to his persistency, and his efforts were rewarded by seeing the blue flame dart forth and the red color creep over them, and of feeling the intense heat sent out of tlieir combustion by the strong air-current sent through them by the bellows. As this' Yankee blacksmith was the first white man to practically demonstrate the value of hard coal as a fuel, he was rewarded by an appointment as one of the associate judges of the courts of Luzerne County. The FaxMe of the New Fuel spread like wildfire, and in a short time every smithy in the surrounding region were ablaze with anthracite. Xotwithstanding all the " puffing " it got in the neighborhood of its discovery, it was looked upon by outsiders with suspicion as a " Yankee humbug." The same kind of fuel was soon afterwards dis- covered in other parts of the state, chiefly by the accident of some hunter cominar in contact with its Sprlvghlll ColUcru Disaster. 249 outcrop; but it was not until twenty-six years after Obadiah Gore's experiments that it was burned to any extent with success. All the Yankee schemes that coulu l)e invented to make it burn i»^ grates were tried to no ^ .pose. Among other inventions " it was proposed to force air through a tube to the under part of the grate by means of clock-work operated by a weight or spring." But all efforts made to burn the " stone coal " proved miserable failures. As late as 1812 one named Colonel Shoe- maker raised several wagon loads of coal in the Schuvlkill roi-ion, which he took to I'hiladelphia, and sounded its praises so highly that he disposed of a few small riuantities for trial. The trial, as usual, proved to be unsuccessful, and the peoytle who had purchased the coals, believing they had been vic- timized, denounced the colonel as a cheat and a swindler, while one person, whose wrath rose to a high pitch, procured a warrant for the colonel's arrest on the charge that he was a " common im- postor." The colonel, hearing of the grumbling about his coal, left the city with all haste and drove, it is said, thirty miles out of his way to escape the terrors of the law. This was only one experience among many of those who at first attempted to introduce anthracite as a fuel. However, the diffi- ,'m ■ liil t yi ,ii f ' i:ff: 250 Spritxjhill ColUery DimsUr. culty to make the " stone coal " burn was overcome after a dreadful effort made in 1814 by tlie firm of Wliite k Hazard, iron wire maftufaeturers, at Selniyl- kill Falls. Ilavino; decided to test the qualities of the anthra- cite they bought a cart load of it, payinti; one dollar a br-diel, and commenced ojierations to get a tire started with it in their furnace. In time the entire load was wasted, ])ut the tire did not burn. Another load was i>rocured, and the whole crew determined to spend tlie night, if noed be, in getting up a tire. The night was spen.t in the attempt, but in vain. They had punclKnl, and raked, and poked, and after every possible attempt of manii>ulation had failed, the men, being disgusted and discouraged, shammed the furnace doors and left the mill in despair. About an hour afterwards one of the men returned and discovered that the furnace door was red-hot, and in great surprise he Hung the door open and found the interior glowing with intense heat. All hands were soon to work, and it was soon evident tliat tlie way to get a good tire from the " stone coal " was merely to start it properly with wood and then let it alone. This discovery was the great starthig point to the general use of the celebrated anthracite coal on this continent. ' i] Spritu/hill CoViery Disaster. The First Coal Mixino in Canada, 251 so far as the writer has been able to ascortaiis was made on tbe north side of Cow Bay, Cai»e Breton, in 1720, and tlie eoals wer" used to supply the workmen who were then Uiy.'ig the great fortress of Louisburg, which the French erected on the south-east shore of the ishir.d at a cost of 30,000,000 livres. Three years after Enghind had tA-r^n possession of the ishind, in 17t;«), Peter Bard, William Lloyd, Benjamin Gerrish and James Armstrong, merchants of Halifax, opened a mine at Sydney, paying four hundred pounds sterling for the privilege of raising three thousand chaldrons of coal, and were com- pelled by their contract to send half the quantity mined to Halifax, and dispose of it at twenty-six shillings sterling per chaldron. The next record of coal mining in Cape Breton was in 1784, by Lieutenant-Col. Desbarres, who was appointed Governor of the island that year. This coal was disposed of at eleven shillings and sixpence a ton. In 1788, the Governor who succeeded Desbarres recommended that the mines be leased to Thomas Huxley. Huxley secured the lease, and the Gov- ernor was paid three shiiliiigs and sixpence lor every i I li: i:' I 252 SpritujhiU Coflun/ Disaster. ton of coal mined under tl' lease. Tlils royalty was abolished in 1792 l>y the Seeretary ofState. From this date mininu^ operations in Cape Breton were contimu'd with inereasini,^ y<^'Ji"ly out- put. The ({uantity raised from 1822 to lH2»j, inelusive, was nearly 7,r)0() tons; and in 1872 it had reaelied :388,843J tons, whieh were mined that jear in the island. First Coal Discovery ix Pictou County Avas made by Rev. Dr. Me(Jre/ Disaster. 255 impression that you are probably going down to stay. If you enter the jnir.e by a shafit, as the writer did at Stellarton, the first momentous experi- ence will be the descent on the cao;e. At this stasre of the journey, although under the proteciing care of a trusty guide, without whose presence you would not be allowed to descend, your nervous sys- tem fails t> rve the purpose f jr which it was made. Having inquired the depth of the pit, as you set your foot o:i the sr.it,' cy carriage a. the head of the shaft, it swings slightl}', but enough io make you realize that you stand on critical ground, there being nothing but a few inches ">f board, suspended by a rope, between you and the bottom of the mine, which is fully one thousand feet in the distance bek'W. Equipped with Sir Humphrey Davies' safety lamp, when all is ready 3'our guide cries : " Slack off! ^' The engineer, having ' jard the signal, sets his machine in motion. The cage is slightly raised, and then begins to descend at a rapid rate. Your first sciisation is that of "^ailing. It seems as if that on which you were stanciing has gone from boieath yoir- feet, and you attempt to grasp foi something above your head. Ac you are endeavoring to do this, it seems as though the motion of the cage had reversed, and you were p 256 Springhill Colliery Disaster. moving rapidly on the up grade. During the short time occupied "n the descent, your sensations are varied, until you feel the motion become slower and your platform gently strike against the bottom of the shaft, where you step oif the " stage of lijrht"' into a world of darkness, and stand con- founded, awaiting coming events. On Entering the Mine by a Slope, as the writer did at Springhill, your experience will be diftererit, however, although no less novel. Here you go by rail, and will find yourself, with one or two companions, seated in a rude carriage, operated by machinery, descending a grade like the Falls of Niagara at the rate of sixty miles an hour, into a hole In the earth two thousand feet deep, and at the bottom walking out into a gloomy cave, " Without a gleam from raoou or star To tell the wanderers where they are." Your situation on reaching the mine by shaft or slope will be the same in either case. Yon "«^'ill find youi3elf in a new world from that you left a few minutes before, and surrounded with ol>jects vou never dreamt of coming in contact with. The Lumi- nary you hold in your hand, although unable to Springhill Colliery Disaster. 257 pi enlighten your understanding, is quite sufficient to make the surrounding darkness visible, and forcing the expression, " How great is that darkness ! " The tirst impression made upon the mind, as the eye tries to penetrate the dismal vista, is that no other darkness could for a moment compare with that which you now behold. You realize that it is not only darkness, but blackness and darkness combined. That the ninth plague of Egypt was " darkness that may be felt," you remember, is on Sacred record, buL here you are able to believe is darkness that no one could help but feel. As your eyes become accustomed to the situation, by the aid of your lamp, you discern the rough walls of solid coal near where you stand, the moist, flat, black roof overhead, and the mine car rail-tracks at your feet. All around you is confusion in this section of the pit. Cars loaded and empty are here passing and repassing in quick succession, and your guide has all he can do to keep you from being run over. You start on a tour of inspection, and the first object you will probably meet is a man whose lamp has gone out, forcibly illustrating the situation of the foolish virgins referred to in the parable, and warning you to beware of having your lamp extin- & m :ll \ 258 Springhill Collier tj Disaster. guislied. As you go forward the whole siirrounditiors are calculated to inspire a deep sense of Awe and Solemnity. Y')u fancy a drop of water falling from the roof melancholy in its tone. Distant rumblings, sepul- chral voices, human beings with flaming foreheads and spectre-like visage, clattering hoofs, and other unique surroundings, are more than convincing that if this place is not the abode of " the angels which kept not fheir iirst estate," it certainly is not the paradise of the righteous, or land of Beulah, where Bunyan's pilgrims longed to dwell. In such soli- tude you find it hard to restrain the conviction that Heman must have penned the 88th Psalm in a coal-pit. Notwithstanding all this, any Spr'mghill Colliery Disaster. 259 the flame of a lamp placed on the brow, gleams out of the darkness, but no body is visible, being in deep shadow. Brawny, bare arms become visible, but immediately disappear in the darkness. You hear the strange sounds of men's voices, and fancy a waterfall is somewhere in the neighborhood of where you are. In passing along Through the Dark Corridors you experience a sense of confinement, and must often crowd against the r'b in order to allow a trip of mine cars, drawn by a horse, in cha*- e of a boy, with dim clothes and soiled face, to r \'e past. When walking up an incline plane, or through a connecting tunnel, you are sometimes compelled to stoop, that your head might be saved from coming in contact with the "ceiling." All the men you meet have little lamps in their caps, smoking and flaring in the strong air current. The soiled faces of thase persons are about all of them that you can distinguish. You occasion ally come to a door, and the little "trapper" boy, who stands ready, pulls it open for you and your guide to pass through. A strong current of air nearly extinguishes your lamp flu flio An^ny l-ioViitirl i»/^n /"aaa " A^r>n •umll.- n1/->»-,n» 260 Springhill Colliery Disaster. the airway for a little distance, and then you come to the foot of a chamber. Up somewhere in the darkness, apparently far away, you see lights twink- ling — four of them. They appear and disappear; they bob up and down ; they waver from side to side, till you wonder what strange contortions the people who carry them must be going through to give them such erratic movements. By-and-bye there is a cry of ' Fire ! ' The cry is repeated several times ; three lights move down the chamber toward you and suddenly disappear; then the fourth one approaches, apparently wi^h more action, and dis- appears also. The men who carry them have hidden behind pillars. You wait, one, two, three minutes, looking into darkness. Then there is a sudden, wave-like movement in the air; it strikes your face; you feel it in your ears ; the flame of your lamp is blown aside. Immediately there is The Sound of an Explosion and the crash of falling blocks of coal. The waves of disturbed air still touch your face gently. Soon the lights reappear, all four of them, and advance towards the face. In a minute they are swallowed up in the powder si'ioke that has rolled out from the I Spr'uHjhW. Colliery Disaster. 261 ■Jill blast; you see ouiy a faint blur, and their move- ments are indistinct. But when the smoke has reached and passed you, the air is clearer again, and the lights twinkle and dance as merrily as they did before the blast was tired. Xow you go up the chamber, taking care not to stumble over the high caps, into the notches of which the rails of the car track are laid. On one side of you is a wall, built up with pieces of slate and bony coal and the refuse of the mine ; on the other you can reach out your hand and touch the heavy wooden props that support the roof, and beyond the props there is darkness, or if the rib of coal is visible it is barely distinct. Up at the face there is a scene of great activity. Bare-armed men, without coat or vest, are working with bar, and pick, and shovel, moving the fallen coal from the face, breaking it, loading it into the mine car which stands near bv. The miners are at the face prying down loose pieces of coal. One takes his lamp in his hand and flashes its light along the black, broken, shining surtace, deciding upon the best point to begin the next drill hole, discussing the matter with his companions, giving quick orders to the laborers, acting with energy and a will. He takes up his drill, runs his Angers across the edge vji it pioieHoioiiaiiy, uaianv;e» ii in iii^t iiaucis, unci 262 SprmghUl Collier)/ Disaster. Htrikes a certain point on the face with it, turning it Blightlj at each stroke. He has taken his position, lying on his side perliajjs, and then begins the regular tap, tap of the drill into the coal. The laborers have loaded the mine car, removed the block from the wheel, and now hold back on it as it moves by gravity down the chamber to the gang- way. You may follow it out, watch the driver boy as he attaches it to his trip, and go with him to the foot of the shaft" or slope if desired. But if you wish to explore still further, you can examine the mechanical o^jerations of the mine ; or, if more desirable, you can look into the mysteries of coal formation and deposit, which you may be able to trace out in some measure by the aid of your lamp. At all events, if you cannot understand the deep mysteries of these things. You may plod along as best you can, The -^ als with your " black thorn " turning — By the dusky miner's misty light, Aud your lamp that is dimly burning. You can see the remains of by-gone days Enshrouded in mysteries shrine, And return to earth with grateful heart And your fossils most sublime. I Sprwf/kUl Colliery Disaster. 263 During this tour of exploration for the wonder- ful, you can find the petrified remains of trees, ferns, and various plants, oft^'u in profusion, embedded in shale, forming the immediate covering of the coal that has been removed from the mine. This dis- covery will lead you to believe that a forest might have existed in the neighborhood at some period. By examining these fossils you will find that the Remains of Trees thus found assume various forms, some standing upright as if they grew where they now are, others leaning in posture, while a few are lying on their side. By looking closely into these specimens you will see that those tree remains which stand upright are apparently perfect in original form ; those which incline are moulded to the same position ; and those fallen have evidently been crushed by some powerful pressure beyond recognition as trees, were it not for the fact that the rapid yearly growth of the tree is conspicuously visible. By comparison you will find that one of these pressed tree fossils looks exactly like a pane of slate color, heavy ribbed glass. A few of these fossils are illustrated on the following page. The writer selected them from t( y-\T-»/^*l ,wi ;v. V i Wl 12.1 fi!i-»».i»-i /T Villi ATi»-ir>t! anrl iJL J 204 Spr/'ttt/hill 0,11;, r>i Dt'sastti'. J^ lervades the working portions of the mine. But your visit to the mine has been at a time when hundreds of men are busy around you, when the rumble, the click, the tap, the noise of blasting, the sound of human voices are incessant. If you were there alone, the only living being in the FOSSILS FOUND IX SPRINGHILL COLLIERIES. ■^v^ I Spr'myhill Colliery Disaster. 267 ni''^ J, 3 01; would oxperiencc different t^eiisatioiiH. If yo ' i od or sat inotionleo.s you would find the fiiei n.»l»resHive. One who has not liad this c cpe'" -Mce can have no adequate conception of the Profound Si.llness of a Deserted Mine. On tlie surface of the earth one cannot find a time nor a phice in wliich the eai- is rot assaih'd by noises; the stirring of the grasseH in the iiehl at midnight sends sound-waves travelHng through si-ace. Wliere there is lift; there is motion, and where there is motion there is sound. But down here there is no life, no motion, no sound. The silence is not only oppressive, it is painful; it becomes unbearable. No person could be long subjected to it and retain his reason ; it would be like trying to live in an element to which the human body is not adapted. Suppose you are not only in silence, but in darkness. As you are aware " there is no dark- ness on the surface of the earth thai is at all com- parable with the darkness of the mine. On the surface the eyes can grow accustomed to the deepest gloom of night. Clouds cannot shut out every ray of light from hidden moon or stars. But down in the mine, whether in night-time or day-time, .nere IS no possible liffhtinp- nn of ^"^IP trlnnm \w no^^nm . i _ __ ^ ^ . ... ........ t ._ ' 1 1 K Mi •If 268 Springhill ColUerj Disaster. she cannot > .nd lior brisrHtcst sunbeam throiio-li hundreds of feet of solid rc.';k. If one is in the mines without a light, he has before him, behind him, everywhere, utter blackness. To l)e lost in this way, a mile from any opening to chiy, in the midst of a confusion of galleries, in an abandoned mine, and to be compelled to feel one's way to safety, is a painful experience," wliich none would wish to repeat. Such experience was doubtless more than realized by some of those in the mine at Springhill after the explosion when the lamps had gone out. Before departing from this scene, a glance at the ■workings of the mine will not be uninteresting. CHAPTER XXIII. Mechanical Operations of the Pit. Having surveyed the mysteries of the mine, the natural desire is to know how it is operated. Coal mining seems to he an art with which there is much obscurity connected, and a real knowledge of the mechanical operations of the mine can only be acquired by practical observation. Previous to all mining operations a knowledge of the existence of the coal stratum must be acquired by the operator. A wise man will never open a shaft down to a coal mine until assured that the coal bed exists in the underground vicinity. This assurance can only be giiincd by close investigation. Where coal is im- bedded in the earth, the surface generally indicates its presence by the peculiarity of the earth or rock strata, and geological study reveals this peculiarity. Satisfied, by surface indication^, that coal exists in the neighborhood, a rigid search is commenced in order, if possible, to find the "• outcrop." Every valley, crevice, stream, bank, ledge and knoll in the vicinity is carefully examined, and if no exposure of coal seams can be found, the boring process is (269) 270 Springhill Colliery Disaster. resorted to. This process is accomplished by boriiio; holes down through the rock strata until the coal is reached. This operation is called " Prospecting." In the early days of prospecting, hand drills were generally used for this purpose, a sand pump draw- ing out the l)orings to be examined. The next method was that of the spring-pole, and afterwards came that of the rope method. All of these methods have ])een superseded by the diamond rotary cuttmg drill. This instrument cuts in the form of a circle, and makes an annular groove in the rock, forming a core. This core is brought up with the drill, and can be examined in vertical section. By boring down to and through the coal seam in various places its thickness and dip can both be ascertained, thus enabling the operator to form an estimate aj to the value of the property and expense involved in deve- loping the mine. After finding the coal seam, the next important inquiry is how to reach it. This in(pnry is much easier answered to-day than it was in the days of primitive coal mining, when a large hole like a farmer's well Avas cut down in the rock until the coal bed was reached, when the coal was dug and SpringJiill Colliery Disaster. 271 hoisted to the surface in a bucket, or other stout vessel, by means of a common windlass, and work continued until the water collected too de^ for com- fort, when the pit was abandoned and a new pit dug for continuing operations. The opening was then, as now, called a " shaft." During those early days of coal mining another mode of removing coal from its bed was by means of what was called The "Drift." This was the most favorite mode, and h still con- tinued in some sections under a modernized form. This mode is given by one who was familiar wdth the operations, thus : " Finding an exposed seam of coal in the face of a ledge or cliff, they would dip in on it and bring the coal out from the opening in wheelbarrows. A place was selected, if possible, where a creek or r* 7er ran at the base of the ledge, and the coal was dump 3d from the wheelbarrow direct'iy into the b '*■ In default of a water-way, a wagon 1 was bn.ilt at the foot of the hill or cli^, a piatform e.'- tending out over it, and the coal was thus loaded from the wheelbarrow into the wagoii." This drift method was e\ idcutly a simple way of 272 SpringhiU Colliery Disaster. inining coal, and saved all expense of sinking shafts, constructing hoisting machinery, and even saved the cost of pumping gear, as the mine must have been self-draining, being on the elevated bank of a brook. However, as coal is now seldom found in such a place, this drift method is not much practiced, and would be impracticable in reaching a coal seam one thousand feet below the surface. The miner, having discovered his coal seam, com- mences to open A Shaft in order to reach it. If the mine is deep and the rock hard, the operation may cost him $50,000. The iirst thing to be done in commencing to open a shaft, if the rock is not on the surface, is to dig out a rectangular space in the ground until the solid rock is reached. This space is dug about six feet wider and longer than the space intended for the shaft. When the rock is reached a foundation is gained, and on this foundation a cribbing of timber or solid masonry is built on all sides of tlxe opening up to the surface to protect the earth from falling into the shaft when opened, Afte constructing the cribbing the rock is then cut in a downward course until the coal i-: reached. Sprimjhill CoUhrj Disaster. 273 Having reached the bottom of the coul seam, the operator then cuts from each side of the shaft, and at right angles to it, a passage through the coal about twelve feet ^'•ide to form the beginning of pas- sages known as "gangways." Another passage is next cut from each end of the rectangular foot of the shaft, about half the width of the others, in order to form the commencement of what is called the first " cross-heading." After these excavations have been made, passages at the extremities of the cross-head- ings are driven parallel to the gangways for the for- mation of airways. After the shaft has been sunk, and these chambers formed, the operator must be governed by ci eumstances Ik.w his mine is to be operated. There are several systems of laying out a mine for actual workings, but the general principle of operating all bituminous mines is said to be about the same. As a rule, the coal seam must be fol- lowed, no matter where it leads. As the mining engineer cannot go over the ground and form a line such as the civil engineer does for a surface road, he must advance the best he can, constructing as he progresses. AVhen a shaft has been sunk to the depth desired, the openings for the basin, which is to receive the mine water, must be made below the level of the ilii:^ ni ll^ 274 Spru}f)h(U Collknj Disaster. foot iTiiiurwav, so that all the water of the mine may run into it. A pump must also he erected through the shaft to force this water to the surface. The airway is another essential that must he constructed in connection with the shaft. The indispensahle sections of the shaft leading down into the mine are the carriage-way, the air-way, and the pump-way. The entire horizontal space of opening for a modern shaft leading to a coal mine is thirty feet long hy twelve feet wide. In this space four compartments are made hy constructing wooden partitions cross- ways hetween each couipartment. These partitions are formed with stout timhers called " huntons." The ends of the huiitoiis are let into the rock on each side of the shaft, running across the twelve foot space. They are placed at distances of four feet from each other, and against these huntons closely fitted boards are nailed down the whole depth of the shaft. A space of six feet at the one end is allowed for the pumping gear, and a ten foot space is par- titioned oif at the other end for the air-course, the two seven feet centre spaces being arranged for the cage platforms ascending and descending into and out of the mine. Immediately over the top of this shaft proper machinery is erected for hoisting the coal. Steam- Springhill Collier y Disaster, 275 power 18 also put into operation to work the ma- chinery, and the coal is carried up this shaft in small wagons, which are placed on the cage platform at the bottom, and, on reaching the top, are removed to the "banking out" ground, dumped, and returned to the pit for refilling. While one cage, with loaded wagon, is ascending one side of the shaft, the un- loaded one is descending. Where mining is done by shaft there is seldom any other way provided for the men to go into and out of the pit than by the shaft entrance. If the outcrop of the coal has been discovered, and the dip over twenty degrees, m entrance to the mine is eftected by means of a Slope, such as those of the Springhill mines. The slope is a passage into the coal seam similar to that of the drift, with the distinction that the drift is opened from the surface on the strike of the seam, while the slope is driven on its dip. In opening the slope the operator commences at the surface cutting a chamber in the coal to the width of about twelve feet, and the full depth of the seam, following the natural dip as far as he desires to go for extension to either side in order to operate the mine. As the opening of the 1^ i! ; V 276 t O o o o > Springldll Colliery Dliostcr. 279 not be (lone in a liiuited space, and might prove unintLTostiiiij: to the majority of readers, a phun outline of the general system of coal mining, it is believed, will be more interesting to all. The design of the writer is to lay before the reader the practical operations of a coal mine in such a way that it might be understood by those wlio are not familiar vith the arrangement of the mine. In order to understand the underground work- ings, the reader must bear in mind that the cool seam, in wb.icli the slopes referred to have been opened, dips into the earth from the surface at an angle of thirty-tive degrees. In cutting the slope down this incline, the operator stops at a point where he wislies to make his First Lift. From tliis point, which is called the "bottom of the slope," a gangway ^s opened to the right or left, or both, as the case may be, and extending as far into the coal as desired, This gangway is called the "bottom level" of the lirst lift, and is driven across the coal seam on the level, or at least the under side of it is level. If the passage is opened twelve feet wide and the angle of the seam's dip be thirty- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // 1.0 If i^ 1^ I.I II.25 lU 1^ 2.2 2.0 l£ §16 ^ ^» 'VQ "9: •>^ Piiotograpliic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. KS80 (716) 873-4503 ^ iV >" ^ \ \ ♦* ^^e uhk- in some measure to form an idea of the difficultv of working in such a place. The method of workiuir such a steep-pitching seam must be from the ])ottoni of where the level is formed upwards. If the bot- tom level of the first lift is opened six hundred feel from the top of the slope, aixl the workings extend upwards five hundred feet, the coal will be mined to within one hundred feet of its outcrop. When the bottom level of the first lift has been extended as far as desired on each side of the slope, and the coal all taken out on the upper siide as far as desired to go, with the exception of the portions left standing to prevent the roof from falling in, the slope is opened a few hundred feet farther down and a Second Lift formed, and operations of the first lift repeated. The portions of coal left standing between the bal- ances, bords and other chambers of the mine, are generally four feet in thickness. On working this second lift, the chambers running up from the bot- tom level are not extended so far as to break through into the excavations of t'le first lift. Between the two lifts a thick rib of coal is left un- touched, known as ihe " chain pillar." This chain Springhill Colliery Disaster. 285 1-illar of tiolid coal protects the upper level of the lift from falls and crushes, and also prevents the water which accumulates in worked out portions ci the mine above from getting down into the lift below. After the second lift has been operated in the r^ame way a3 the first, the slope is extended down- ward another tive or six hundred feet, and the level of a third lift formed. When this third lift has been operated the slope is opened downwardc farther and successive lifts are formed in the same way, until the cynical valley of coal stratum is reached, or, until the interior of the earth gets too hot for the miner to work with comfort. The temperature increases, it is said, one degree for every sixty feet of perpen- dicular descent into the interior of the earth. If the mine is entered by shaft instead of slope, a shaft is sunk fi-om the surface to the bottom of each lift, and operations conducted on the same principle as that of the slope. Before leaving the mine, all the coal that can be raised has been taken out and the place is abandoned for ever and becomes a region of darkness and silence. The last operations of the miner before departure consists in breaking as much as possible from the ribs, pillars, and other )rtions of coal left standing during the time the active mining opera- 1 % ll'i J I . '■'5*a»'i"M". '. 286 Spruifjh'dl Colin )y Dim.^kr. 'k fir . ..?fcj:- tions were going on. Tliis work is coniraonood at the faces of the cliambers, at the greatest distance from the main entrance to the mine, and i)rogri'ssfs from that point until the wliole workings huve heen completed. This work is called " robbing pillars," and is one of the most dangerous acts of coal mining. It re- quires careful watching, as the rock O'erheadwill crash into the chamber if the (.'olumM is nude too weak to support the roof. Witliout this work, how- ever, a large amount of coal would be lost. It i:4 estimated that about one-half the portions of coal left standing can be taken out by this robbing pillar system before the mine is totally deserted. After all the coal that can be collected has been taken out of the mine, the tools and appliances are removed and the [dace is deserted. One wh< has had experience of this last mining operation says : " It is a waste of crushed pillars, fallen rock, and blocked passages. Indeed, it is difficult to conceive of anything more weird and desolate than an aban- doned mine. To walk, or climb, or creep through one is like walking with Dante through the regions of the lost. There are masses of rock piled up in great confusion to the jagged roof, dull surfaces of coal and slate, rotting timbers patched here and SpringhiU CoWmj Disaster. 287 there, with spotH of siiow-wliite fungus; black stretches of still water, into which a bit of falling slate or coal will strike, and sen*] a thousand echoes rattling through the ghostly chambers. Fu- a noise, which on the surface of the earth will not break the quiet of a summer night, down here will almost make your heart stand still with fear, so startlino- is it in distinctness." By carefully considering the quantity of coals that must be imbedded in a few square surface miles of seam ten or twelve feet thick, when mined in the way described, and considering that the Si)ringhill coal field contains ten known seams lying under each other, we will not be surprised that the entire product of the field is estimated at fifty-six millions of tons. It will be seen by looking at the chart of these coal measures that three of the ten seams are now being operated. These are known as the "North Slope," the "East Slope," and the "West Slope." The most common way of extracting coal from its bed is by means of picking, prying and blasting. Two miners and two laborers generally work in one chamber, and their outfit for operations chiefly con- sists of lamps, picks, shovels, hammers, sledges, crow^-bars, drills, and some blasting material. ii 'i '■ m'- ,: ■,<-., 288 SpriiKjItiU CoUkrij Dimskr. When tlie coal is first moved at the face ot" th" chaml)er it is in hiriije portions, and niust he hroken into smaller pieces; liit this is not ditficnlt, as the vertical jilanes of cleavat^e are at right angles to each other, and the stratification almost liorizontal. "When broken, the coal takes a cuhieal form, large blocks being composed of smaller cubes, and these of still smaller to the limit of the smallest i)article. When the coal has been mined and broken .at the Face of the Chambers, and all slaty material separated from it, it is loaded into mine cars called " boxes," and taken to the main level, and thence to the bottom of the slope, whence it is hoisted to the surface of the mine. The slope being laid with double line of narrow gauge railh, forming a tramway, and the principal underground excavations of the pit being laid by extension of the same line of rails, and all connected at the different points of intersection, the labor ot conveying tlie coal from the place of mining opera- tions to the dumping ground on the surface, seems on the whole to be simple and free from all compli- cation. Apparently, the most difficult portion of transportation is in getting the boxes down the balance slopes to the level plane. This operation is SprimjhiU O'Uiny Bi.^oshr. 281) performed by iiieaiiH of a drum, situated at the li. ad of the i^rade, with hulance power. This [.owcr in mo arranged that as the full box comes down the empty one is going up to get loaded. An idea of how this balance is operated, and its connections with side chambers and main level, and how the coal is con- conveyed by horse power to the foot of the slope, may be had by referring to illustration on a former page. On a subsequent page, illustration will also give an idea of the mode of conveyance uj) the slope, and arrangement of dumping ground. The reader, in looking at this latter illustration, should remember that the earth and timbers of the slope are removed to show the interior, with empty cars going down and loaded cars being drawn up by the hoisting cable. It \vi]\ be seen that the surface buildings are all cut away in order to show the track rising to the height of txie dumping place, and the loaded cars running out to the extreme end of the dump. The staying supporting the dumping platform is also made so that the railway cars on the siding under- neath and the screens might appear. This illustra- tion is made to represent the upper portion of a slope similar to the 1,900 foot slope at Springhill, with the surface buildings and earth covering re- moved. The coal is drawn up this slope by steam T ' K ii It I 290 SpruxjhiH OjIIu'I'i/ Di-Jisdr. power, stjitioimry on the Hurfaco at tlie outcro}) in boxc'H lillt'd !>} till' mintTfl at tlic Hcttion [)itw wiifre it \f (lu^. Tliose boxes contain about 17 cwt. each, ^nd are hauled by li(>rHe-jto\ver from the bottom ot the nuiin iiicline sectionw of the pit to the foot of the Hh)|ie, wlierc tlie nuichincry cable in attached, and on their arrival at the bank head the cable in discon- nected and ihey are conveyed out to a place called "The Tipple." As the oitening of the nlojte is on the same level, if not a little higher than the floor of the tipple, a small ettbrt i« needed to get the cars to the dumping place after they arrive on the surface. The number of cars forming one hoisting rake is generally seven ; but powerful winding engiiies are being introduced at some mines capable of hoisting from twelve to fifteen boxes from a depth of five thousand feet. At this place the coal is dumped down a grade, running ever screens placed underneath, and tinallv reach the diiFerent coal cars according to grade. These cars are standing on a railway siding beneath the screens, awaiting the reception of the coal, and when they are filled they are removed and replaced by others. The tipple is generally a large, rough Sp) /tiff hi// C«//lir>/ DisaMer. 201 frame Imild HliT ^', coiistnictod upon stout tirni )or JU po8tH. Tho flo(»r is ul,<,ut thirty feet higher thsii, t!.. railway track, wl.ich in conHtructod boneath the cuter end of it. A plutform on the floor of trie tipple buildin^ir is so adjuste.l l>y a sin^rle shaft, tliat uhen a loa.Ied oar is pushed ou it, it tips forward to an angle of about thirty do-reeM. The end gate of the car 18 op-nod, an.l when dumped the coal ruus out on to the screens. Thone screens are made cl longitudinal iro' bars, i.idined outwanlly, aid at distances apart to allow the gra.le of coal desired to run through them. The coarse coul, aft:, i;dssinir over the first set of burs, runs directly into a ca. standing on the track at the extreme end of the grade. The coal which passes through the first set of bars falls on to a second screen and passes along into a car placed in position to receive it. As many screens as desired are arranged in the same way, and at some collieries the bars are being supersede 1 by revolving screens, which are said to do the work much better! In hauling the mine cars to the bottom of the slope, the horses are driven by boys who usually take in four empty cars and bring out the same number of loaded ones. The horses arc kept in stalls cut in the coal stratum near the foot of the slope. When the boy gets his horse hitched to u trip of fli i -T 292 SpringhiU Collier)/ Disaster. cars he climbs into the forward car, with lamp attached to the front of his cap, cneks his whip, and proceeds along the level into the darkness, shouting or whistling as he feels inclined, to keep up his courage. If the grade of the mine is not too steep when he reaches the foot of the first chamber he is to supply, he unfastens the front car from the others, drives the horse up the incline with it, and leaves it near the face to get filled ; the other empty cars are distributed in the same way. On a siding of the level at the foot of the last chamber visited he finds a loaded car, to which he hitches his horse and starts on his return trip to wLsre he started with his empty cars, picking up other loaded cars on his way to make up hi^ com- plete rake. If the grade of the mine is steep, the empty cars are left at the foot of the ncline cham- bers, and are taken up by balance power to the w^orking chambers to be loaded, or filled, on the level siding with coal which has been mined and run down in shutes. At intervals along the main level there are sidings for this purpose and where rakes going in opposite directions may pass. The position of driver boy in a coal mine is the miner's first step of advancement. Having entered the mine as a little !; Springhill Colliery Disaster 293 :lii " TRAPPijR," he graduates to the advanced position of driver, and afterwards to higher positions. The term trapper is derived from trap-door, placed as an air door for the purpr.so of controlling the ventilating current. At this door the little trapper must stand . remain like a sentinel from the time the first rake of cars passes in in the morning until the last comes out at night. His duty is tiresome and monotonous. He is alone all day, save when other boys and men pass through his door. His abode is a hole cut in the rib of the passage, and, as his light is dim and often goes out, he can do little to amuse himself but whistle. To' save his oil, the little fellow often works in the dark. When he hears the sound of a footstep or wagon approaching his door his duty is to pull on a string, one end of which is attached to the door and the' other secured where he can grasp it in a moment, when the door will open. After the passengeis or cars have safely passed, by slacking the rope, the door shuts of its own accord. The trapper boy is generally contemplative and quiet. An observant spectator says of the little trappers : " Sitting so long alone in the darkness they become thoughtful, sobe^, sometimes melancholy. They go silently to their ^•--..it.-., rtii^n Liicy leave tiie iinue; they do not stop 294 Spinghill Colliery Disaster. to play tricks or joke with their fellows ; they do not run, nor sing, nor whistle. Darkness and silence are always depressing, and so much of it in these, young lives cannot help but sadden without sweet- ening them." With a knowledge of such facts should every Christian philanthropist not pray and labor for the day to come when the blooming cheek of childhood shall not be soiled, nor the happy smile suppressed by the labor of the mine ? Viewing this matter from the standpoint of the advantages hitherto gained for the working classes by the advance of Christian civilization, are we not encouraged to hope that at no distant day the driver- boy and his horse in the mine will be superseded by the motive power cf electricity, and the trapper cap- tive freed by some contrivance of genius operating in his place ? A good authority, referring to this latter idea, says : " By a skilful applicution of the regulator and air-crossing, the use of air doors has been abandoned in some ot the best ventilated coal mines. Where there is an abundance of fresh air carried forward there is no necessity for them. It is only the mines inadequately supplied with air through the insufficiency of airways that are termed ' fiery.' Where there is not an abundance of air, Sprmfjhill Colliery Disaster. 295 the lame method of using doors to force the little air in circulation here and there and everywhere is resorted to. Plenty of capacious passages will fur- nish an amount of air in proportion to their capacity.'* In order to circulate a live current of air in a mine, various methods have hitherto been employed. The earliest method of creating an artificial air cur- rent, which should be constant, is that of the open ftirnace. This farnuce resembles an ordinary old- fashioned fire-place with stout grate bars. It is con- structed near the foot of an opening into the mine, and furnished with a smoke-flue built of brick. This flue leads into the air passa.ge of the surface opening at some distance above the floor of the mine. The volume of heat from this furnace passing into the airway creates and maintains a strong upward air current. h\ some mines the furnace is built at the foot of an air shaft a long distance from the main opening, thus making it an upcast air shaft. By the continued use of a huge fire in this furnace a power- ful current of air may be put and continued in motion, but it is found an expensive way of " raising the wind," and the system is rapidly giving place to another in the shape of the Rotary Steak Fan. ri H II' . lii: 296 Sprwrjhill Colliery Disaster. of spokes, it lias blades like a windmill. It is placed on the surface over the dov^'ncast airway of the shaft or slope leading to the mine. It is operated by steam power, and revolves with tremendous force. Its average revolutions are given as being about forty per minute, and, if the surroundings are favorable, every revolution is said to send 5,000 cubic feet of atmospheric air into the mine. Of course, the quantity of air forced into the mine by the operation of this wheel depends, to a great extent, on the size of the fan, and the space of the ingress air passage. Two hundred cubic feet of air per minute to every man in the mine is considered the amount necessary for perfect respiration, and as this fan is capable of supplying 500,000 feet per minute, the quantity would be suf- ficient for 2,500 miners. It is therefore obvious that so long as this fan and the air passages are in good working order, there need be no fear of lack of proper ventilation in the mine. The atmospheric air, after descending into the mine, is distributed through all the working cham- bers by means of airways, cross-headings, and other passages, which are all arranged so as to insure its general circulation. When desired to force a certain quantity of air with rapidity to any particular Springhill Collier}/ Disast 'er. 297 portion of the mine, a " brattice," or board partition, is constructed across the passage. A sheet of coarse eanvas, called brattice cloth, is sometimes used for this purpose, being lighter and more easily handled than the boards. Upcast Air Shafts, are opened in various sections of the mine. Theee shafts are formed like a large flue, with their open- ings on the surface, and extending from the under- ground workings, thus giving vent to the air current, after it has circulated through the mine, to carry all impurities which it has collected in its course out with it into the open air. The surface construction of this shaft is called a " cupola." The next important matter to that of ventilation in the mine is the Matter of Drainage. The accumulation of water in many mines sur- pass in weight the tonnage of coal raised. In some wet districts several tons of water is taken out to every ton of coal hoisted. The reader will be able to form some idea of the vast quantity of water that must collect in some mines in wet regions by the fact that the dam of the Springhill collieries has > I canacitv for n^nrlv fnnr 071/1 o Tioif »^^;ii;^^ ™„ .11 298 S'pringhUl Collim> Disaster. In the system of drainage the dam, or what is called the " Sump," is mavde by opening a drainage level a short distance below the bottom level, or gangway, with connecting reservoir channels. As the workings of the mine are all above the bot- tom level, and the water level below it, and the floor of the mine throughout graded so that all the water will gravitate to a certain point, the water naturally collects in the lower ground where the basin is made to receive it. From this cistern the water is pumped up through the compartment of the slope or shaft, known as the " pump-way," and discharged on the surface. If the underground workings discharge a free flow of water, it will re- quire a powerful steam pumping engine located at the surface to keep the bottoin level from being over- flowed. The most powerful of these pumps, it is estimated, will throw out a volume of 1,200 gallons of water per minute. The copious flow of water coming from a mine soon forms a brook, the waters and banks of which present the appearances of a. sulphureous spring. In addition to the pumping and fan engines a Hoisting Engine is in operation in the immediate vicinity of the SpringUll Colliery Disaster. 299 mouth of the main slope, or shaft, leading to the mine. Carpenter's shop, forge, furnace rooms and other buildings, covering the whole surface plant of the mine, are all constructed in the same neighbor- hood, and give the place a lively appearance. An idea of what these buildings really are may be formed by looking at the illustr.^tion on a former page, of Engine House and Carpenter's Shop at No. 1 Slope, Springhill. It will be seen that other build- ings besides those shown in the illustration are situated in the background, and must cover quite a space of territory. Among these buildings is a large one for the workmen, as a shelter from the storm. One is a fire-engine house, where hose, buckets, and other apparatus for extinguishing fire are stored. A machine shop is also included, where drills, lathes, planes, and other essential implements are kept ready for use at any time. The drills and picks are daily being sharpened at the forge, as without these the miner could not operate to advantage. In Hoisting Coal by Shaft, hea\7 upright timbers, from thirty to fifty feet in height, are set up, inclosing the opening. These timbers are well braced and united by cross-beams. This structure is called the " head-framp." and on 800 Sprint/ hill Collier)/ Disaster. its top are placed large upright wheels, known as *' sheaves." The steel or iron wire hoisting cables, which connect with the cages, run over these wheels, and extend from them to the drum in the engine- room, around which they are coiled in such a way that as one is being wound up the other is being unwound. Owing to this arrangement, as one cage descends into the shaft the other ascends by virtue of the same movement of the engine. The arrangement of the cage is similar to that of a modern elevator. The ordinary cage consists of a stoutly built wooden platform, with vertical posts at the middle of the sides, united by a cross-beam at the top. To the middle of this beam is fastened the end of the wire cable, from which it is raised and lowered. On the cage platform a rail-track is laid corresponding with that at the bottom of the shaft. When the cage descends the mine track is continu- ous with that on the platform, and the loaded mine car is pushed on to the platform and securely fast- ened, when the up-raovement commences. On arri- val at the mouth of the shaft, the car full of coal is run by two headmen from the cage platform to the tipple, the rails being laid to correspond the same as those below. Many other contrivances of the mechanical oper- Springhill Colliery Disaster. 301 ations of the mine might he referred to did space permit, but enough has been stated to give the reader an idea of the general workings of a colHery ; and any reader of this book who has not been to a coal mine, and should ever have an opportunity of exploring that gloomy region and its surroundings, will doubtless be able to express their experience in the language of the Queen of Sheba when visiting the court of Solomon : " Ilowbeit I believed not the w^ords, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it : and behold, the half was not told me.'' As scarcely any two mines are worked exactly on the same principle, it is impossible, in writing, to give more than a gen- eral description of the mechanical operations of coal mining. In reference to this matter, one of exten- sive experience states : " There is scarcely a mine of any importance in the entire coal region in which one cannot find some new contrivance, some ingeni- ous scheme, some masterpiece of invention devised to meet some special emergency which may have arisen for the first time in the history of mining." In closing this chapter, the writer would say that one-half of what an observant spectator may see in and about an extensive coal mine cannot be com- prehensibly recorded in any book. f Gloflarij of ^eFm| U|ed by jainerf. Afler«damp. The gases resulting from combustion of fire-damp. Air Shait. A vertical opening into a mine for the passage of air. Airway. Any passage in the mine along which an air current passes ; but the term is commonly applied to that passage which is driven, for ventilating purposes, parallel to and simultane- ously with the gangway. Anticlinal. A fold of strata in which the inclination of the sides cf the fold is from the axis ao\, vard. Bankhead. Surface of the mine. Balance. An incline chamber running up from the main gang- way with balance power at the head. Barrier Pillars. Large pillars of coal left at a boundary line, or on the outskirts of a squeeze. Battery. In steep-pitching seams, a wooden structure built across the shute to hold the mined coal back. Bearing In. Cutting a horizontal groove at the bottom or side of the face of a breast. Bed, Any separate stratum of rock or coal. Bench. A horizontal section of the coal seam, included between partings of slate or shale. Black Damp. Carbonic acid gas ; knoy ti also a^ choke-damp. Blossom. Decomposed coal, indicating t.ie presence of an outcrop. Blower. A forcible and copious discharge of gas from a cavity in the coal seam. (303) 304 (th.sstny iif n I' Ills f'su/ hi) Mincrff. Bord Room. A side chRml)er running from a balance incline. Bony Coal. Coal containing in its composition slaty or argiila- ceouH material. Boom. A rafter used in supporting the roof of a mine chamber. Bore*holP. A hole of small dianu-ter drilled or bored in the coal ; Usually, a ho!e drilled for prospecting purposes. Box. A mine jar or wagon in which coal is taken from the mine. BrAttice* A partition made of boards or of brattice cloth, and put up to force the air current to tht face of the workings. Break -Through. A cross-heatHng or entrance, used in the mine. Brea.st. The principal excavation in the miit' from which coal is taken ; known also as chamber. Broken Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Buntons. The timbers placed crosswise of a shaft down its entire depth, dividing it into vertical compartments. Butt. The vertical planes of cleavage at right angles to the face cleavage. Bntty. A fellow-worker in the same chamber. Cage. See Carriage. Carriage. The apparatus on which coal is hoisted in a shafl. Cartridge Pin. A round stick of wood on which the paper tube for the cartridge is formed. Cave-Hole. A depression at the surface, caused by a fall of roof in the mine. Chain i^'Iilars. Heavy pillars of coal, linir,; one or both sides of the gangway, and left for the protection of that passage. Chamber. See Breast. Chestnnt Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Choke-Damp. See After-Damp. Cleavage. The property of splitting on a certain plan. Gfossar// of Tii'iiis fWt/ ht/ M, mcr. no; Coill Field. Extent of coal UmIh in any l(>.l seam. Calm. All coal refuse finer than buckwheat size. Dip. The angle which any incline stratum makes with a horizontal line. Door-Boy. A boy who opens and siiuts the door placed across any passageway in the mines to control the direction of the venti- lating current. Double Entry. One of the systems by which openings into the bituminous coal mines are made. Downcast. The passage or way through which air is drawn into a mine. 306 Glossary of Terms Used h>j Miners. Drift. A water-level entrance to a mine, driven in from the sur- face on the coal. Drill. Any tool used for boring holes in the rock or coal. Driving. Excavating any horizontal passage in or into the mines. Drum. A revolving cylinder, at the head of any hoisting-way, on which the winding rope is coiled. Egrg Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Entrance. See Cross-heading, Entry. The main entrance and travelling road in bituminous mines. Face. The end wall at the inner or working extremity of any excavation in or into the mine. Fan. A machine used to force a ventilating current of air through a mine. Fault. A displacement of strata in which the measures on ono side of a fissure are pushed up •'bove the corresponding mea- sures on the other side. Firc-Board. A blackboard, fixed near the main entrance of a mine, on which the fire boss indicates each morning the ammmt and location of dangerous gases. FIro Boss. An official whose duty it is lo examine the workings for accumulations of dangerous gases. Fire Clay. The geological formation which is usually found im- mediately underlying a coal bed. Fire Damp. Light carbureted hydrogen. Fissure. A separation of rock or coal across the measures. Floor. The up])er surface of the stratum immediately inulerlying a coal seam. Glossaru of Tenns Used hy Miners. 307 ( One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Picking Shnte. A shute in the breaker from which the pieces of sk'te are picked out by a boy as they pass down with the coal. Pillar. A column or body of coal left unmined to support the roof. Pillar and Breast. The name of a common mining method. Pinch. See Crusli. Pitch. See Dip Plane. Any incline on which a track is laid for the purpose of lowering or hoisting coal. Pockets. Receptacles at the lower ends of shutes, in breakers, from which coal is loaded into railway cars. Glof-arn of Terms Used bif Miners. 309 Prop. A wooden post to support the roof of a mine. Prospect 1 11?,'. f?e:ircliing for indications of coal on the surface, and testing coal seams from the surface by boring. Pump Way. That compartment of a shaft or slope down which the pump rods and pipes are extended. Rake. Number of cars constituting a trip, drawn at one time by any motive power. Bib. The side of an excavation as distil guished from the en«l or face. Rob. To mine coal from ^he pillars after the breasts are worked out. Rock Tunnel. ■ A tunnel driven through rock strata. Rolls. In breakers, heavy iron or steel cylinders set with ♦eeth, used for breaking coal. Roof. The stratum immediately overlying a coal seam. The rock or coal overhead in any excavation. Room. Synonymous with breast or chamber Safety Lamp. A lamp that can be carried into inflaminable gases without igniting them. Scraper. A tool used for cleaning out bore holes in blasting. Screen. Any apparatus used for separating coal into dillerent sizes. Seam. A stratum of coal. Separator. A machine for picking slate. Shaft. A vertical entrance into a mine. Sheave. The wheel in the head-frame of a shaft that supports the winding rope. Shift. The time during which a miner or laborer works continu- ously, alternating with some other similar period. 810 Glossary of Terms Usal by Miners. Sliute. A narrow passageway througli which coal descendH hy gravity from tlie foot of the l)rea8t to the gangway; an inclinte Carriage* A platform on wheels on which cars are raised and lowered in steep slopes. Smut. 8ee Blossom. Split. A branch of a ventilating air current. Spread. The bottom width of a slope, drift, tunnel, or gangway between tlie legs of the timbering. Squeeze. See Ciush. Squib, i^ powder cracker used for igniting the cartridge in blasting. Steamboat Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Shopping'. A wall built acrogs any passage to control ihe venti- lating current. Stove Coal. One of the regular sizes of prepared anthracite. Strike. The direction of a line drawn horizontally along any stratum. Stripping. Mining coal by first removing the surface down to the coal bed ; open working. Glossmy of Terms Used by Miners, 311 Sump. A basin in mines entered by a slope or shaft, in which the water of the mine is collected to be pumped out. Swamp. A. depre"8ion in the seam. Synclinal. A fold of strata in which the inclination of the sider is from the axis upward. Tipple. A building in which coal is dumped, screene