The New York Herald Newspaper, September 9, 1869, Page 3

NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1869.—TRIPLE SHEE, THE LATEST HORROR. An Appalling Scene at r Avondale. The Mine Explored and a Worse than Calcutta Black Hole Discovered. Two Hundred Dead Men and Boys Huddied Together. Evidences of Their Frantic and Unavail- ing Efforts to Save Their Lives. More Descents Into the Mine—Danger from the Foul Alr—The Fire in the Furnace—The Last Vestige of Hope Aban tions for Further Work. SCRANTON, Sept. 8, 1869, ‘The Repudlican ts in receipt of the following addl- tional bulletins from the scene of the great colliery accicent at Avondale:— + 8:30 O'CLOCK P. M., Sept. 7.—Another relay of four men next went down the shaft. They pro- ceeded along the gangway through the first door and about seventy-five feet further, when they opened a door Jeading to the furnace. It was found to be full of burning coal and that the fire had communicated with a heap of coal near by, ‘Which was also a blazing mass. One of the party be- coming overcome with the gas, the rest retired quiokly and barely reached the platform in time to succor three of the number. On reaching the mouth of the shaft one of them was carried out bodily by four men, and the other two assisted out to the open air, @vhere they were resuscitated with great dim- culty. 4 o'CLock P. M.—A consultation was now held; the deliberations were serious. ll efforts, #0 far, to relieve the men or get at them to- @ay have been worse than fruitless. The air has been forced into the mine all day through the gang- way, m which stands the furnace. It has been ‘understood since last night that the coal in this fur- mace had been drawn out and extinguished upon the first alarm of fire. Such was the re- port of those who first entered the mine on Monday night. It now seems not, and that the vol- ume of air sent into the mine has swept over the burning furnace and carried ali the gasea and smoke therefrom into the inner recesses of the mine. ‘This alone, continued as it has been all day, would be enough to cause the death of every inmate of the mune, even if any had been fortunate enough to have been alive this morning. Hose is being let down the shaft, as the fire must be extinguished be- fore any further progress can be maae. At 8:26 P, M. John Williams, John Hopkins, H. W. Evans and D..W. Evans went down and staid ‘twenty-five minutes, causing considerable anxiety among those above. The hose was carried forward to the furnace thirty feet. They reported that there ‘was no fire except in the grate, which seemed to be dying out, At 9:05 o’clock William J. Price, Lewis Davis, G. Davis and Willlam McGregor went down, but after remaining twenty minutes reported no new developments. At 9:40 o'clock Thomas M. Price, Mark Evans, William Bray and D. W. Reese went down, and after a lapse of fifteen minutes returnea, and reported the hose placed in position for the water, the idea being to throw the water against the roof at a pressure of 200 feet and let it fall on the furnace. While these men were down, those who anx- ously awaited the result of their descent were considerably frightened by the cracking of the roof of the tunnel and the falling of part of ft, caused py the cooling of the surface rock. Fortunately no one was hurt. The water was turned on at ten. At quarter past eleven D. W. Morgan, R. H. Williams, A. Phillips and William J. Price went down and stayed fifteen minutes; bad air coming up the shaft, The hose was pouring water upon the fire and doing good execution. No further advance than the furnace. At twelve o'clock David S. Jones, Henry Atherell, Samuel Morgan and John Williams went down, and, after twenty-five minutes, came up in a very bad eondition, the biue damp that now commenced arising making them quite sick, but not insensibie, as the others were affected, They threw water upon the fire and think itis out, At about the time” this gang asked to be hoisted George Morgan, who was watching at the opening of the shaft, had to be re- moved, and all except four or Ove were driven from the “blue damp” that was coming up the shaft, making Morgan sick and placing all who might be in the tunnel ina very perilous situation. No fur- ther attempt will be made to go down for an hour, Water is gging down. Things at this time, five minutes past two A, M., fre at a standstill, except as regards the water going in upon the furnace and the rising of the biue damp. Noone bas been down since the gang last reported, and although an effort is making to get an- other gang to go, and although there are those who bave not yet been down and are ready, those in authority are afraid to run the risk unless some one who has been down goes along. Observation thus far convinces us, as it also does all who expresa an opinion, that the 202 men are beyond all hope of rescue, and that some time must elapse before an- other gang will be ready to venture down, as they are all worn ont; that the air in the mine Is gra- dually becoming more foul and dangerous; that some Considerable Umme—probably days—will elapse before there will be @ chance to get to the men— before any of the heroic men who ventured will be able to withstand the fumes of the gas long enough to learn anything definite, LATER, awo men have been brought up by agang that went down since the last telegram. The excitement great, The bodies are in a bad condition and not recognizcbie. Tho Air Getting Purer—Two Bodies Found in the Stable and Brought Up—A Sad Specs tacle. SORANTON, Sept. 82:56 A. M, ’ The air is getting better in the mine, Two bodies, padty dioated, were found im the stable—one a young Man, probably eighteen years of age; the other middie aged. They are not recognized at present. Phere ia Viood in clots about their moutha, They ed=Prepara- are terrible objects to look upon. strangers, supposed to be from Hyde Park, came down thirty minutes before the discovery of the bodies, A gang of ‘The Worst Fears Realized—Diecevery of the Miners Huddied Together Dead—Appalling Spectacle—Particulare ef Their Efferts to Save Themselves—The Bodies Brought Out. SCRANTON, Bept. 8, 1869. At a quarter past five o'clock A. M. G. D. Davies, Thomas Williams, 8. Davies and William Smith went down the shaft and were gone thirty-five minutes, and discovered dinner cans and cups. At half-past #ix A. M. R. Williams, D. W, Evans, Joho Williams and Wiliam Thomas went down and were gone thirty-minutes, They discovered the whole company of miners dead on the easteide of the plane. Pre- parations are making to send down six gangs of four men each, and the bodies will be brought out as rapidly as possible, The foul air does not inter- fere to any great extent. At halr-past seven o'clock one of the gangs just returned report that they went up the plane, just beyond which @ barrier was met, consisting of a car packed around with coal “culm” and clothing. This was cleared away, snd proceeding a little further another barrier was met, nearly completed, and constructed asthe first. One man was found upon the outside, where he had been at work laying up the wall, All was completed save a small aperture, Just suMcient to admit of the passage of a haman body, and It is inferred that be had just finished his task and was preparing to join his companions on the opposite side by crawling back. This barrier ‘was removed, when the whole force of miners was found congregated, and piled one upon another and dead, Active preparations are making for the immediate’ removal of the bodies, which work will consume a greater part of the day, owing to the lack of facill- ties for hoisting. The condition of the mine is im- proving. At aquarter past elght o’clock Coroner Eno, of Plymouth, who is on the ground, has empan- elled a jury of inquest, as follows:—W. J. Harvey, foreman; Samuel Van Loon, Martin McDonald, Jas. George, Chas. H. Hutchinson and Thomas Patton. They will view the bedies as they are brought out. 8:40 O'CLOCK A. M.—The body of John Bowen, of Plymouth, a miner, was the third one brought out, He was aged thirty-one years. His left eye is partially open, but other- wise his countenance is placid. John Bowen formerly lived tn Providence. He leaves a wife and one child in Plymouth. He was found outside the barricade behind which were all the other bodies. he was evidently overcome before he could get through. Mr. E. C, Wadham says the names of the dead men will be announced as fast as they are brought out, and the relatives will be allowed to enter the lines. ‘The Coroner’s jary have just viewed the bodies of Steele and Slocum. The men engaged in bringing out the bodies are required to be sworn to the facts In each case. EB. L. Merriman and H. B. Payne, lawyers of Wilkesbarre, are attending the jury. Father O'Hara, of Wilkesbarre, is present. 9:10 O'CLOcK A. M.—The fourth body exhumed was that of William P. Ewell, of Plymouth (Turkey Hill). His eyes were both open and his head turned aside. His wife and several children are in the old country. One daughter lives‘ Wymouth and he had a son in the mine. 9:80 0'CLOcK A. M.—Daniel Jones, who lost his life im an effort torescue his companionson Monday night, and Thomas Williams, who also sacrificed hig tife for the same object, are to be buried this afternoon. ° At9:45 Mr. William Haliday, of Pine Bridge, was brought from the mine nearly exhausted. The fifth body rescued is that of a boy named William Williams, aged fourteen years, of Hyde Park, He had worked there only one day. The sixth body is that of Matthew Evans, of the Steuben colliery. He appears to have died in great agony. His hands were clenched. The seventh body was Wilham Evans, a brother of Steuben. His hands were also clinched. Wiliam Holliday reports that each of these poys was found in the arms or his father. ‘The eighth body was that of Evan Hughes, “inside boss.” He was found sitting down, with his head forward on his knees. His watch had stopped at quarter-past five. ‘This is supposed to have been Tuesday morning, a8 the miners usually wind their watches at night. Mr. Evans’ watch had stopped at forty-two minutes past four. At eleven o'clock a barrel of lime was sent down to mark the pathway to the chamber where the men lie, for the reason that two men had lost their way this morning. The boy supposed to be Matthew Evans turns ont to be Willie Phillips, cousin of Mrs. Captain Blair, of Hyde Park. The ninth body, that of an unknown man, was found 800 or 400 yards in the west part of the mine, along distance from the rest. He was lying on his face, which had apparently been forced into the ground, and was much disfigured. He has a black mustache and also a new pair of shoes. 11:30 A. M.—The tenth body is that of an unknown man—supposed, however, to be Peters, of Upper Plymouth. He has ona blue shirt and new shoes. His face is at rest. He was lying by the ninth man, and also with his face down. Up to 7:15 this evening the work of bringing the dead bodies to the surface proceeded steadily. Sixty bodies have now been raised, and their fu- nerals will be held to-morrow, from Avondaleg At eight o'clock sixty-six bodies haa been raised. Acting Coroner Wadhams will take testimony as to the cause of the disaster, at two o’clock on Saturday afternoon, at Plymouth, 9 o'CLocK P. M.—All of the sixty-three bodies first found together are up. A doctor has been called for to attend the men about to go into parts of the mine yet unexplored in search of men yet unaccounted for, but there 19 no response from the dootora, ‘There {s a terrible outbreak at this time from the women in the nearest miners’ houses. Heaps of coal left in the shute and screens are blazing high to-nignt. The line extends from the ratiroad track to 150 feet up the hill. Half-past nine o'clock P, M.—Six bodies have been found together in one chamber, making seenty- two In all, Discovery of the Dend Bodies—Scenes Along the Railroad and at the River—Anguish of Bereaved Women and Children=Exhuma- tion of the Victime—Preparations for Their Burial—A Relief Fand Started. SORANTON, Pa., Sept. 8, 1800. Leaving here thie morning for the scene of the great colliery explosion at Avondale, it was easy to discover that an intense feeling of excitement per- vaded all clases of people gathered at the railroad depot. On the receipt of an early morning bulletin that all the minera were Gead the jast fond delusive | and for miles is widowed to-night, and none but hope which generally prevailed, in spite of expe- rienced opinion to the contrary, of men being im- mured alive in the chambers of the coal pit and wait- ing with despairing eagerness for the approach of their deliverers, was dispelied forever. A majority of the people persisted in believing that within some chamber of the pit a body of men might still be found alive if the brave fellows who ventured down the shaft succeeded in rescuing wem before life Yielded to the pangs of starvation. ‘The bulletin announcing that seven dead bodies were brought out of the mine and a heap of over sixty was discovered in one particular gangway at once ended all farther speculation as tothe tate of the entire number. The news was quickly dissemi- nated, and when the half-past nine {train from Scranton for the coal mines drew up at the depot to take passengers aboard there was @ perfect rush to embark by hosts of strong and astalworth men, wearing a look of absorbing seriousness, The train was thronged to its mtmost capacity, and though three freight cars were added on numbers were compelled to find such accommodation as they could on the roof of a car or amid the billets of wood on the tender. At Piston station over 2,000 persons lined the platform, all eager to get down to the scene of the great disaster—many from curiosity, others to learn the fate of re latives and friends. Few could find standing room, and the great majority were forced to find other modes of conveyance or wait for a later train. It was the same at West Pittston, Kingston, Wyoming and Delaware. In all perhaps 160 persons were disappointed in not having room toride on this train from Scranton. The women were especially numerous, and in many instances when refused admiseion on the train braved the risk of moving cars and crowded platforms to jump on board, with eVery prospect of tmstantly falling off. The country for milea around appeared to be occupied by one thought—the accident at Avondale. The mines of course were all stopped, and every miner seemed as if he felt it his especial duty to witness the sad and fearful cal- amity that befell so large a number of his class, When the train reached Avondale an assemblage of about 10,000 already occupied the hiliside in Jong lines, rising one above the other, and every eye gazing intently down upon the road leading to the mouth of the tunnel, out of which every fif- teen minutes issued a dead body on a stretcher, borne between four men. Just before each body was raised from the black and awful depths below a couple of miners invaria- bly preceded it, faint and weary, leaning upon each other, and, with a Jantern stilt lighted in front of their hats, were forwarded to the base of a big tree, where they lay down to rest &nd haa restoratives given them to bring them back to strength and fuller consciousness. Every available space in the neighborhood of the tunnel entrance Was thronged by men and women, the latter sitting like daughtera of Jephtha, with features expressive of a deep and abiding sorrow. The miners who went down the pit in pairs were all volunteers—strong, resolute men, with frames of great endurance—and, though well used to the at- mosphere of mines and accustomed for yeurs to work below the surface of the earth, braving and bearing well the noxious gases generated in coal mines, each one, nevertheless, on reappearing at the surface after an absence of twenty or twenty- five minutes, showed all the symptoms of the ut- most physical prostration. In almost every instance it was necessary to apply restoratives, #0,great was the exhalation. " ‘The bodies all, a8 @ general thing, present a horri- ble appearance, caused no doubt by biack coal dust, with which every face was thickly smeared; yet they did not seem to give much expression of pain in the faces of some, but rather a look of resig- nation to an inevitable fate, which gives to some features a calm and undisturbed appearance. Aforce of extemporized police preserved order on the ground, and the formality of a coro- ner’s inquest was quickly gone through by ®@ jury under the instructions of acting Coroner Wadhams. Mr. Phillips, the outside Superintendent of the mine, acted as oMcial recognizer, as he was acquaintea with nearly all of the miners. Where his knowledge failed the comrades of the dead man were appealed to, and not much delay was uader- gone in any case before the result was obtained and the corpse handed over to friends, who prepared i for interment. No one seemed to be utterly friena- lesa or left to charity for becoming burial. If he had no blood relations—and almost every one seemed to have—some comrade stepped forward and under- took the charge of his remains. The inefMciency of the police in excluding from ‘the vicinity of the bier all those who had business there, as well as in admitting all those who had no immediate business there, was very conspicuous. Most of the bodies were clothed ina heavy wool- len shirt and trowsers. Some were naked from the waist upwards, The exhumation went on as rapid- ly as could be managed consider ing the necessary imperfection of the temporary apparatus used, but still the delay was wearisome, even to Mere spectators, and must have been doubly so to the watchers on the outside who were so agonized with dread and expectation lest the next disinter- Ment might be of that one of the dead for whom they were especially and immediately interested. A fine-looking, deep-chested Welshman, named James George, President of the Miners’ Union at Plymouth, performed the duty of calling out the name of each dead miner as he was brought ont, three times in succession in deep sonorous tones that reached to the limits of the immense crowd and was heard with a painful and profound stiliness. The work of bringing up dead bodies proceeded uninterruptedly through the day and is being contin- ‘ued through to-night, the general expectation being that all the bodies will be brought ont by to-morrow afternoon. Of course there is a deep-seated feeling among the Mining population that in consulting their own pecuniary interests the owners of the mine showed an utter indifference to the lives of those in their employment, The sum of $2,000 would have been saMeclent to have sunk another shaft which would have permitted a means of escape ‘to the men, and saved perhaps all of them and spared widespread gtief and misery among hundreds of women and children, Every house tn the vicinity of the Avondale mines the Almighty knows the anguish of this state of bereavement, How the fire originated can never bo truly told, for no one lives to tell, It is falr, however, to as- sume that @ spark from the furnace in the bottom of the pit set fire to dry woodwork, which when fanned by thé strong current of ventilating air Gradually grew into a fawe and burned Aercely up SS a a Sa Se a ee ee ee ee ee ee eS eee eee Sie notes the shaft in quick time, igniting the breaker over- head and destroying the engine houses. ‘The funeral of the miners will take place on the 9th and 10th inst, Mayor Hill, ofthis city, has re- quested the storekeepers to observe the days with appropriate tokens of mourning. Mr, Samuel Stone, President of the Delaware and Lackawanna Coal Company, has ordered all the works and shops of the company to be closed and trains to be run free trom the different points on the road. Arelief fund has been started, to which Mr. Asa Packer has subscribed $2,500 and Governor Geary $1,600. Subscriptions in Aid of the Families of the Victims. The Stock Exchange yesterday voted to appro- priate $5,000 to the widows and children of the miners killed in the Avondale mine. It ts tobe hoped that other wealthy corporations and indi- viduals will follow the example thus nobly get. We received the following note, enclosing twenty dollars, last evening from members of Hook and Ladder Company No. 8:— New York, Sept. 8, 1869, To THE Epitor OF THE HEnaLp:— Piease find enclosed the sum of twenty dollars towards the widows and orphans of the late mas- sacre at Avondale coal nines, Pennsylvania:— James H. Monroe. ve Joseph R. Harway William J. McAdams. . John MoParlen...... Total.....-.... Mempers of pany No. 8. Start the ball a rolling. 2 | rorarroneroe wast +: $20 Metropolitan’ Hook and Ladder Gom- AVONDALE MINE. Accurate Description of the Scene of the Disaster—The Miners’ Safety Lamp—In the Labyrinth of Darknese—The Fire-Damp. (From the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph of yes- terday.) ‘The Avondale mine has been worked for two years. Three months ago the miners struck. They resumed work on Thursday last. The mine is en- tered by a shaft on the hillside, This is the only entrance. Wooden buildings, 100 feet high and 200 feet long, covered the mouth of the shaft. The mine was filled with narrow passages from four to ten feet high, which occasionally opened into immense pockets or caves. A ratilroad track was laid on the bottom of each of these passages. ‘Bhe cars were filled with coal, three-quarters of a mile from the shaft, by the miners at work. The coal cars were then run through thé various wooden-supported passages to the shaft. They were then run upon a platform, which was raised to the top of the shaft, the same as a common elevator or a'vertical railway. When the cars reached the earth’s surface they were Tun out over @ trestle railway through the wooden butldings and dumped. The coal would fall in huge screens, where, in some cases, it was properly as- sorted and then dumped into the cars of the Blooms- burg and Lackawanna Railroad, by’ which means it was taken to market, ENTERING THE MINE. A person wishing to enter the mine would get inte ‘an empty coal car, which was then run upon the ele- vator at the top of the shaft, Ata given signal the empty car would drop, and at the same time a loaded car would ascend the double shaft. As the bottom was struck the empty car would glide off invo a dark passage and a loaded car would take its Place. In an instant a mule would be hitched to the empty car, which would be drawn at @ rapid rate to the foot of an inclinea plane. Here a train of light cars would be formed, which were then drawn up the plane by the simultaneous Gescent of a train of Joaded cars. THE LAMP AND DARK TUNNELS. ‘The various veins of coal in the Avondale mine are some nine feet thick, and have a gentle upward slope. A passageway is cut along each vein. These tunnels are fearfully dark. Their only light is that from the miners’ lamps. These safety lamps are worn on the miners’ hats. THE BREASTS AND THE POCKETS. The ‘breasts’ in which the mining is carried on sometimes resemble huge halls and rooms. One vein in the Avondale mine ts thirty feet thick, and the gallery along this vein is correapondingly Jarge- ‘The mine is simply @ vast network of black laby- rinths, expanding occasionaily into immense pock- ets or “breasts,” where larger blasts than usual are made. ‘The coal is cracked by these blasts and loosened by the pick and shovel, after which the cars are filled. The miners work In these dark gal- lernes in gronps of from five toadozen men. The cars hold about two tons apiece. In brisk times the mine will turn out about 600 tonsa day. The mi- ners proper work by the carload, and easily make five dollars per day. The mule boys generally get five dollars per week. The men who handle the cars and attend to the hoisting. are also paid by the week. THE DEADLY FIRE AND CHOKE DAMP. As there was but one main shaft to the Avondale mine, its ventilation was diMcult, It had not been worked for some time and much foul air had col- lected in the damp places. Beside the bad air gene- rated by the men and horses, and by the burning of lamps and gunpowder, inflammable gases issue from crevices in the coal. These gases mingle with the foul air of the mine and will explode on the approach of @ lighted candle. This gas is the fire-damp so much dreaded by the miners. To breathe it thirty seconds is sure death. ‘The fire-damp is composed of carburetted hydro- gen and the choke-damp of carbonic, When biast- ing for coal it will frequently issue in jets called blowers. At times, when the cavities are broken into the coal by pick or crowbars, these blowers will burst out, creating a singing noise by the force current, The great danger is from opening pent-up reservoirs holding under great pressure immense bodies of gas disseminated through large areas of coal or collected in abandoned workings. AN EXPLOSION. When such bodies are inflamed the whole atmos- phere of that portion of the mine explodes, and the coal dast floating through the passages is ignited. ‘The mine is like the interior of a flery furnace. The fiames rush through the long corridors, causing re- peated explosions. In some cases they spring up the shafts as if issuing from the crater of the vol- cano. The subterranean walls are frequently shaken as if by an earthquake, The miners in their work- ings, their lights blown ont by the force of the ex- Piosion, hasten through the dark passages, stum- bling over heaps of rubbish. THE FATAL FURNACE. It is possible that the accident at the Avondale mine was caused by one of these explosions, Per- sons entering the mine complain of the sulphurous fumes choking up the corridors. The mine was ven- tilated by a furnace at the bottom of the shaft. By this furnace the air was made to circulate through the complicated passages of the mine, Tne air for feeding the furnace was of course drawn from the lower part of the mine. DEADLY VENTILATION. Avondale mine has but one shaft. That was divi- ded by an air-tight partition into an upcast anda downcast. The fresh air across the passages below caused the alr co pass to any and all desired points before it reached the passage leading to the furnace. Ingentons expedtents were adopted to reguiate tne currents of air, and to cause only the air which had passed through the purer portions of the mine to feed the fire, lest the more impure currents shovid become inflamed, and the explosions follow back in- to the most removed workings. The partitions across the great gangwaye along whitch the coal was run to the shaft, was furnished with doors, which were opened and shut as the coal cars passed through. Thus the furnace was the sole means of ventilation, THE PIT OF THE DEAD, ‘The cause of the disaster wit never be known, At early morn a stream of fire shot up the shart with frightful rapidity, and the bulldings above were wrapped in fames so quickly that the engineers and others barely had time to escape, Tne wood of the shaft either caught fire from the furnace or the rushing blaze came from the lighting of a fire-dump witht the mine, The dryness of the mine favors | the former supposition, but the sulphurous gasses choking the expiorers and the fleetness of the fre ‘would indicate an ignition of a fre-damp. In either case every soul in the mine has perished. The tele- graph has failed to tell us who attended to the fur- Dace, or whether apy deaa bodies were found at the bottom of the shaft. “ATIONAL EXHIBITION. The First Day—Opening Ceremontes—Ad- dresses by O. A. Clevelnad, of New Jersey, and Horace Greeley, of New York—The Ar- rangements Still Incomplete—Want of Sys- tem Visible. ‘The thirty-eighth annual exhibition of the Ameri- can Inatitute was formally opened to the public yes- terday evening at the Empire Rink, on Third avenue, corner of #ixty-third street. It had been intended to throw open the doors to visitors at noon, in order to dave the actual commencement of the exhibition from the middle of the day, while the ceremonies, the oratorical and musical para- phernal‘a were to give éclat and a sort of official sanction to the close of the first day. But this origi- nal arrangement could not be carried out for various reasons, and it bad to be changed. Even as it was, the admission of the public being post- poned from noon to evening, the opening cere- Monial was quite incomplete, and the whole appear- ance of the exhibition not only not what it should be on the first day, but rather unsatisfactory. This was fully appreciated by the board of managers themselves, and it was said that in the course of the afternoon it was seriously considered by them whether the best policy might not be to defer the formal opening still further for one or two days, that exhibitors and their workmen should have ample time to arrange the articles offered for com- petition with proper care and with some regardjfor symmetrical if not picturesque effect. But it was thought that to delay the formal commencement beyond thesday announced months ago might give rise to a presumption of neglect of duty on the Pa of the managers, while they felt confident that thev had done everything within their power to have all arrangements complete and perfect in time. The managers, therefore, unwilling to expose them- selves to even the least shadow of such unjust sup- positions, determined to proceed witn the opening ceremonies at the gia hour in the evening, and they would not even take advantage of the wretcned weather. THE RINK LAST EVENING. At sunset the gas was lit, but oan half the burners that skirt the arched ceiling were lighted. The rea- son was that it was hoped the fourteen new ‘sun reflectors,” each with a continuous circular stream of of over ten fect in diameter, or at least a ma- jority of them, could be brought into position in time, and would, notwithstanding the diminution of the light usually provided for the ‘wide expanse’ of the rink, make it as light as broad day. But this hope was not realized. It was not until after Mr. Greeley had concluded his address that even one of these huge reflectors had been hoisted to its ened but even this single one justified the expeditions had. For, wherever its reflected rays could reach on the subjects below—and this was upon a space of nearly 100 feet in diameter—everything was as clearly and distinctly visible as under @ midday sun, itn @ soft, mellow tint inoffensive to the eye, ‘When all these reflectors shall have been placed, and when they are lighted, all that has been pre- dicted of their power will be fulfilled, and within the Mmite of the Empire Rink night will have been chi into day without the painful intensity of the direct force of the sun. Considering the rather indistinct light which pre- yailed at the exhibition last night it would hardly have been fair to go into any critical examination of the many specimens of American industry and handicraft exhibited, Jt is especially in the fleld of woollen and silk manufactures that the present exht bition will far excel any previous one ever held in this country of American products. But as yet, for the reason named, no full and exhaustive examina- tion could be made. and none was as yet attempt@d. ‘Moreover, and this is another drawback, order has got yet come out of chaos. Many of the articles to exhioited are still packed away in their boxes; a number of the tables and shelves are yet empty. jal the @pace available for the accomm mn, of exhibitors has been given away and the appli- tions were so numerous from all of room caper ‘The delay in this is that almost is at! small portion of the articles contributed are as yet im thetr proper places, while a part stand about promiscuously and witbout m, the for all this 1s more in the exhibitors themselves, who es handing in their goods will the last momen The machimery department is still in a general uproar, but few machines being, as yet, completely arranged, The workmen do a8 much as thev can, but more could not be employed without being in each other’s way. Afew days more, however, will remedy these defects, and by the time the boilers are fixed on their brick hearths and steam can be raised, there will be seen at Dlace_ such a hammering and pushing, and snorting and whirling, and puliing and twisting, sawing and boring and screwing, as nowhere else ever be- fore in this country. The machinery department of the great World’s Fair at the Crystay jace in this city, in 1853, was, for its day, a wreat exhibition of the combined power of steam, tron and steel, but this present one, though confined only to American machinery, promises to be as superior to it as that ‘was to an ordinary machine shop. ‘The Art Department is situated along the northern wing of the rink, and presents already an interest- ing collection of painungs, sculpture, photographs, sketches and the like, though itis yet somewhat deficient in proper arrangement, which, however, will also be remedied in due time, after a few days at farthest. A SUGGESTION. And here a suggestion, made 1m all candor, may not come in amiss. There 1s visible a deplorable want of system in decorative arrangement and symmetrical adornment. There might yet be introduced @ proper and marked division between the several departments of the exhibt- tion and the different groups of each de partment marked by some orvamental device, which would at once Gesignate the proper branch of industry where the visitor finds himself and at the same time brighten the effect of the whole upon the beholder, It is not only the professional visitor for whom such exhibitions are alone proftable; they should be made specially attractive to the yy non- professional public, and this might probably be done ma higher degree than it is now by following the suggestion made, THB OPENING CBREMONIES. At half-past eight o’clock nearly 2,000 people had assembled, and a band of music was discoursing exhilarating airs from the platform, when Mr. Orestes H. Cleveland, of New Jersey, mounted the speaker's stand and asked for the attention of the assemblage. He apologized for the incompleteness of the exhibition on this the first day, but such delays were unavoidable, and in a few days more éveryhing would be tn order, and wt then would be an exhibition worthy of the Institute, of this grand city and of the Ameri- can nation, as it would combine such a variety of the products of industry as had never been seen together before. It would be alike interesting and instructive to the manufacturer, the inventor and the laborer, and all these the American Institute takes under its fostering care. He then introduced Mr, HORACE GREELEY as the orator of the day. Mr. Greeley referred to the fact that this was the fortieth year of the existence of the Institute and thirty-eighth exhibition. He hoped that in good time the Inatitute would have a building of its own wherein to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Amertcan Independenee. The first exhibition of the Institate was held thirty-seven years ago at Masonic Hail, on Broadway, near Duane street, and a hall of 69 by 100 feet contained all things exhibited. What a change had come over the civilized world during these forty years. In no like period since the Uhris- tian era, since the invention of priuting and the dis- covery of America, had such changes been wrought, and go full of blessings. He then referred to the po- litical condition of Europe in 1829-30, to George LV. and Charles X., to the United States and their Population of only 12,000,000, to the wilder- ness of the Western country, to Chicago as a trading post, and tw the then condi- ton of the Pacific coast, While steamboats ‘were already known on the rivers in this country, the first railroad was operated in England in the year of the first exhibition of the Institute for the transport of coal, and shortly after a similar one in Mauch Chunk, Pa. ‘The speaker then referred rapidly to the achievements of jater years, to the extension of ratiroads, to the introduction of the telegraph, barely @ quarter wane old; to the sewing machine, in all of which the Ameri- can ‘Inatitute proved a great aid by the competition it evoked through Its exhibitions. They should all, therefore, resolve that what little it has deen enabled to do heretofore in aiding progressive industryg shall be an earnest and foretaste of what it will and can do hereafter. The speaker was loudly applauded at the close of his address, and the thirty- elgnhthannual exhibition of the American Insutute was declared to be opened, AUMORED MARINE FILIBUSTERING. A rumor is current tn relation to the fitting out of 4 vessel at this port intended to act as a Cuvan priva- teer, the vessel suspected having been formerly a United States gunboat named the Pequod, and re- cently purchased by an agent of the Junta here. ‘The Pequod ts now lying near the Atlantic Docks, Brooklyn, and is being rapidly fitted out for sea, and ja seine fitted to the purpose. She is, when loaded, very little likely to present mucn of her bull above water, and as she 18 a swift craft, is likely to prove an effective blockade runner, Her armament consists of eight long sixty-eight unders and @ 100-pound Parrott gun a the bow. jer crew will consist of English speaking sailors and will be a large one—ih fact, thrice the number required to work her. Rumor also gives the name of the captain as William McDermott. Another ves- sel intended for a similar purpose is now under seiz- ure, The Junta has paid the officers three months in gold in advance. Sae will be coaied shortly, and, when ready, hag @ tender to act in concert with her, 3 ASHINGTON. Wasainaton, Sept. 8, 1609. Cabinet Consultation. ‘There was a consultation held to-day between the President and Secretaries Fish and Robeson and Postmaster General Creswell on business relating to their respective departments. Mr. Fish left the executive mansion at half-past one o'clock; Mr. Robeson followed about half an hour later, and Mr. Creswell remaine1 in conversation with the Preat- dent until three o'clock. Movements of the President. ‘Tae rresident will leave here to-morrow evening, at nine o’clock, in a special car for New York. He ‘will be accompanied by his private secretary, General Horace Porter. On Monday next the President and family will eave for Washington, Pa,, by the Allen- town route over the Pennsylvania Central Railroad to Pittsburg. Secretary of War Ad Interim. ‘The President this afternoon appointed General Sherman to act as Secretary of War until the va~ cancy caused by the death of General Rawlins shalk be filled. Visit of Mrs. Grant to Mrs. Rawlins. The President received a despatch from Mrs. Gran® on Monday evening, stating that she had returned to New York ctty from Saratoga. On Tuesday Mrs, Grant proceeded to Danbury, Ct., to visit Mrs. Rawlins, wife of the late Secretary of War. ‘The New York Post Office. Supervising Architect Mallett returned to the ‘Treasury Department this morning from New York. He has completed satisfactory arrangements con- cerning the erection of the New York Poat Office, which will now insure rapid progress in the build~ ing of that edifice. Postmaster at Louisville, Ky. ‘The appointment of Jesse Boyles as Postmaster at - Loutaville, Ky., 18 officially announced, Wholesale Arrests for Smuggling in Riche mond. A general search was instituted at Richmond, Va., on Monday evening, through the vessels at the dock, by internal revenue officers, who were looking for smuggled tobacco. The search resulted in the arrest and arraignment before the United States Commis- sioner of the captains of four of the vessels on charges of defrauding the revenue by smuggling to- bacco, on which the tax had not been paid. The captains were bailed for their appearance. Trials Before the Texas Military Commis- sion—Writ of Habeas Corpus Applied For—Proceedings in the Case Postponed. The following order was issued at Norwich, Conn. The parties in whose behalf the petition was made, are now on trial before @ military commission at Calvert, Texas, for the alleged murder of Dr. Max- well, in June last:— Ex parte Ben. Brown, Eli Wood, Jonn H. Holli- gan ranville Rose, Wiliam Andrews and Phillip ne Metz, petition for habeas corpus at bg before 8. P. Chase, Chief Justice of the Unit Staves, September 6, 1869. Upon hearing of the petition in this case, it appearing irom the statement of D. U. Barziza, +, counsel for the petitioners, that there is no good reasom to apprehend that the sentence of the military com- mission now trying the sald petitioners will, if against them, or either of them, be carried into exe- éution until the questions arising upon their peti- tion shall have been determined py the Supreme Court of the United States upon the hearing of an application in behalf of E. M. Yerger for a writ of nu Beas corpus, with a writ of certiorari directed to the Circuit Court of the United States for the Distric} of Mississtppi, to be made at the session of the Su- preme Court of the United Staves in October next, or upon the hearing of a similar application for habeas corpus with certiorari directed to the Circuit Court of the United States for the Western District of to be made at the said Supreme Court at its said October session in behalf of the petitioner; it is therefore, and om Motion of the counsel for the petitioners, ordered: that further action upon tnis petttion be postponed until the second Monday of Uctober next, at Cham- bers in the city of Washington, at which day, or earlier if it be found needful, this spplication.| may be renewed. fs Chief Justicé of the United States. Payment of Interest on the Virginia Debt. Accounts from Richmond, Va., represent that the interest paid thus far on the State debt amounts to about $190,000, including the amount for interest dae abroad. There is now in the State Treasury up- wards of $200,000. ‘4 Union League of America. ‘The National Executive Committee of the Union League of America will meet in Philadelphia on Sat- urday next, at two o’clock P. M. COMMERCIAL CONVENTION. Mississippi Valley Commercial Convention— Work Before the ConventionThe National Capital Question. KEOKUK, Iowa, Sept. 8, 1860. The Misstasippi Valley Commercial Convention re- assembied at nine o'clock this morning. A perma nent organization was reported as follow: President—Wi\liam Vandever, Lowa. Vice Presidents—R. R. Reynolds, Alabama; J. L. Sharp, Tennessee; Horace Reed, Wisconstn; Cyrus Aldrich, Minnesota; M. W. Delahay, Kansas; Judge Sutton, Louisiana; M. W. Beitzhoover, Pennsylva- nia; J.’W, Batcheller, Ohio; H. W. Webb, Illinois; J. D. Davis, lowa; General Aiken, Missouri; Hiram Barney, New York; B. Field, Kentucky; M. Shoen- berg, Arkansas. Secretaries—t. A. James, Tennessee; W. B. Mur- ry, Minnesota; Colonel Coffin, Kansas; M. Flood, Louisiana; B. J. Sloan, Ohio; 'A. J. Tickner, Iowa. ‘Temporary secretaries were added by resolutions. ‘The ‘President was conducted to the chair and made a speech of considerable length. Mr. Howell, trom the Committee on Order of Busi- ness, presented a majority report. The committee Teported the following subjects to be acted upon:— Firat, “The Mississippi River and its Tributaries; second, ‘Foreign Commerce; tnird, “Immigra- tion;”’ fourth, «The Postal Telegraph.” The committee further recommend that standing committees be appointed upon each of the foregoing subjects. ‘The minority report was then read. It proposes that the Convention shall consider all matters con- nected with the commerce and travel of the Missis- sippi and her tributaries, or which may in any way hinder the development of the country dramed by its waters, and that the Convention ought not to be confined to the four subjects mentioned in the ma- jority report, that one subject included in the ma- jority report. “Postal telegraph?’ has no special appli- ‘cauon to the Mississippi Valley, while other subjects of great importance to fhe Mississippi Valley are ex- cludea, They aiso think it would be unjust and un- wise to refer all resolutions to the committee with- out debate; they also believe no standing committee should be Ce ptm but that all subjects should be. considered in open convention unless special com- Mittees were ordered. The minority committee therefore recommend the following order of busi- ness;—First, the Mississippi river and its tributa- ries; second, foreign commerce; third, immigration, and that the Convention shall then be open to con- er Ocher matters pertinent to those objects, Mr. Finklenburg, who made the report, said tnat since the committee had prepared this reporf, by the change in the views of the members, it had become a majority report. After an hour's discussion, which took wide range, the minority report was adopted. Mr, James, of Tennessee, offered a resolution that the vote of each State be represented with its repre- sentation in Congress, if not, lowa and Missouri would swallow up all the other States, General Bussey, of Louisiana, offered a resolution that a committee of one from each State be appointed on the subject of “The Mississippi and its Tributa- ries;"’ committees of five each on the subject of “{m- migration,” “Foreign Commerce,” and “The Re- moval of the Capital.” The following were appointed a committee on the subject of ‘The Mississippi and its Trivutaries:”’ M. A. Bryson, Missouri; F. A. James, Tennessee; James K. Kerr, Pennaylvanta; R. M. Reynolds, Ala- bama; P. A. Coffee, Kansas; 1. Dellavande, Louisiana; Colonel Schrider, Arkansas; J. 8. Koi dan, Iltnots; H. R. Clausen, lowa; Irving Reed, Ii dian . Messinger, Wisconsin; R. Summer, C7) A. rr, Kentucky} R. Blakely, Minnesota; J. W. Bacheller, 10. On “Foreign Commerce’—Wm. Burwell, Louist- ana; L. R. Shryock, Missourl: C. Winston, Illinois; R. 8. Bower, lowa; A. A. Bemis, Tennessee. roo the “Removal of the Capitol”—S. Cyrus Bussey, Louisiana; W. , on ammigration””—B. 0. Howard, Missouri; A. Chambers, Missouri; Dr. Engli Minols; A. T. Shaw, Tennessee; W. R. Fish, L ang. The Convention adjourned till three o'clock this a ne wince Afternoon Session. Judge Miller, from the Committee on the Re- moval of the Nationa: Capitai, makes the following report:— Resolved, That the best intereste of the whole people of the United States require the removal of the national capital its present location, and that it is the opinion of this Conven- tion that some pornt in the valley of the Mississipp! should be selected for itt permanent establishment, 2 Resolved, That we are opposed to any further appropria- tlonefor permanent government. buildiiga in Washington city, and recommend that Congress take measures for the removal of the sent of government as soon as it may be con- ventently done. Alter strong speeches for and against the resolu- tions, a motion to lay them on ihe table was carried by _& Vote of 46 to 42. Resolutions in regard to the tariff, the moi market and varions other questions were presen by various members, Some were referred to the various standing commitiees, but most of them Were laid on the tavie,