The New York Herald Newspaper, September 10, 1869, Page 3

THE COAL, BEB NORROR, aw! One Hupdred and Eight Bodies Exhumed, No More Victims Believed to be in the Mine. Funeral of a Large Number at Scranton. AFFECTING SCENE AT THE CEMETERY. Interesting Details of the Disaster and Its Cause. Aid for the Families of the Dead. Almost Another Coa! TMiine Horror in Missouri. SCRANTON, Sept. 9, 1889, A feeling of relief is experienced here this even- ing that the hideous work of drawing the dead Dodies of men in endless succession from out the Avondale Coal Mine is at ancnd. One hundred and eight bodies made the sum total recorded at noon to-day as having been exhumed, and the belief with miners generally is that this constituted the entire force at work in the mine on the day of the fatal catastrophe. Mr. Benjamin Hughes, who headed the committee that went down the shaft this morning at half-past eight o’clock and remained at the work of explora- tion for over three hours, is one of the most ex- pertenced miners in this district and ts intimately acquainted with the topography of tho Avondale Mine. His brother, Evan Hughes, was the inside boss, whose remarkable attitude, sitting on a pile of coal, with his head resting on his hands, and quite dead, so struck the frst gang of explorers that descended the shaft, Mr. Benjamin Hughes is quite satisfied no more bodies remain below, and in this opinion he 1a endorsed by the best authorities here. Nevertheless, to satisfy everybody, the work of search, though temporarily stopped for the purpose of more thoroughly ventilating the east portion of the mine, ‘will be carried on again to-morrow with additional gangs of men, and every possible nook and corner explored. ‘The funeral of forty-three miners to-day at one clock was an event of unusual impressive- ness. A solemn reqniem was tolied by the city bells, flags were hung at half-mast, stores were closed, the principal streets deserted, ‘the numerous locomotives draped in mourning and ‘all the working population of Scranton appeared to have betaken themselves to Avondale, one train of ‘thirty-seven platform cars cari,.ng 8,500 passengers to the scene of the late disaster. So great was the erush that two men were knocked off the cars and cut to pieces, The throng at Avondale was im- menge and extended down the ratlroad track for miles. A vast majority of those present came purely from motives of curiosity. ‘There were hundreds of women, dressed in cos- tume more efitting a picnic than a funeral, and among many of the men there was a levity and rudeness of manner better adapted to the neighbor- hood of a prize mug than a solemn scene of such great grief. The coffins, in grim array, were piled upon a con- struction carriage. On reaching Scranton they were deposited, one by one, in ten hearses and a number of wagons. The crowd tiat followed this dismally formidable funeral to the Welsh cemetery at Hyde Park numbered over three thousand, all on foot, of a decent and well-behaved class of people. When the third coMn was about being lowered imto one of the long and regular row of excavations @ woman rushed forward and with desperate energy threw herself upon the comin, crying, ‘You shan’t bury my William! You shan’t! youshan’t! Give him back tome! Or if you won't bury me with him |!” Finally the poor creature, be- traying in her distracted face all the strongest emo- tions of a passionate sorrow, was prevailed upon to let the coMn be lowered to its place, But as the men began to shovel the earth in on top of it ehe threw her eyes up towards heaven, clasped her ‘tremulons hands, and, with an expression of the wildest despairing anguish in her face, which those who saw will never be likely to forget, exclaimed, “Oh, Almighty God | take me—take me to where my Willtam is!” And with frequent repetitions of this ftrong mmploration she passed with weary steps out ef the cemetory gates. The rest of the interment ceremony was marked by no especial incident, and the large assemblage Present dispersed quietly when all had been con- signed to the grave. Dr. Roberts preached the fn- mera! sermon. In the evening at seven o'clock eleven more bodtes were brought up from Avondale on a train of cara, on which over 5,000 people must have been Passengers, They were taken, as belore, to the Hyde Park Cemetery, without the accompantment f so large a boay of mourners as followed the mid- day procession. Fifty-four bodies are now buried in Hyde Park Cemetery. Two lave been Interred by friends, one ‘at Pittston and one at Wyoming. Another is being waked this evoninz, and fifty-one remain to be buried to-morrow. A great deal of controversy is going on in town to-night on tne question of who is to blame for the Present ineMcient way of ventilating mines and giving protection to the miners, One side Insists it 4g the miners are to blame, for if they choose to say, “We will not work in any mine which is unprovided ‘with a means of escape in case of accident to the shalt," the owners of mines would quickly see it was their inicrest to adopt the proper precautions against the dangers that are now so apparent, Miners, thoy say, will take the risk of working any- ‘where provide’ they are paid, and are as utterly in- different to palpable danger as the salior who goes to sea Ina leaky ship. Names of the Victlus—One Handred and Sixty-eight Widews and Orphavs=No Chance of ther Tale of Horroc Ever Being Told. SCRANTON, Pa., Sept, 9, 1869, ‘The foliowtng is a full list of the dead by the mine @isaster at Avondal Paimer Steele, Dennison Slocum, John Bowen, William Powell, Witham Wwu- ams, Willie Philips, William Evans, Murray 1, wards, Jacob 1. Mosier, Peter Contin, John Clark, Willtam J. Evans, George Stackhouse, Edwin Jones, ‘Morgan Watkins, Audrew Frothingham, William ‘Allen, Thomas PD, Jones, Poter Jonson, Evan Aughes, jaside foreman; Wm. bowen, James Powell, ‘Thomos Hughes, William Reese, William Porft, Wil- Jiam N. Williams, Wiliam Lewis, John Hughes, ‘Thewmas Morris, Elijah Bryant, Thomas Robderts, William Dick, Dante! Jones, David Thomas, Daniel GWens, Evans teese, Kdward W. Edwards, Henry Nor, William 1. Willlams, David 5. Reese, Richard Worley, Jota R. Davis, David James, William Williens, Ricuard Owens, Willie Hatton, William Evans, James Powell, Thomas Matton, Kdward Owen, Pola Burtch, John Burtch, Jr, John Jen- king, = WWillam RR. Bvans, —Dantel ~— Wood, William Noss, David Reese, Jr, Grimtn Roberts, J. tn Ruth, Joseph Morris, Patrick MeGur- tok, Henry , With, Shem Howell, Thomas Davis, Wil- Nam Dowdle,\ John Roherty, Thomas Ryan, Hugh (roy, John M ther, Patrick Burke, William 1. Mor- James Mu.*fay, Michael Daly, D. P. Pryor, Philips, Nes Willtams, John p. Bvans, ‘William Harding, .\emuel B. Morgan, Witiem R. Byana. William Wila'dch Reese Lnmdev, Toemas NEW YOR HERALD, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1869—TRIPLE SHEET. . Liewellyn, Reese LieweMyn, William Davis, Joxn ‘Thomas, John Davie, William T. Wiliams, W‘cfiam D, Johns, Darius Guyter, William Willtam Spick, John Harris, Thomas Jones, Thorahs Phillips, Lewis Davis, Charles Frear, John ‘Thomas, David Johnson, James Mallon, James Heékins, William D. Jones, Edward Taylor, Rowland Jones, Madison Al- Uback, Daniel Edwards, John Powell, William Evans. The above, 108 in number, were in the mine, Be- sides these Thomas Williams and David Jones were suffocated Monday evening in attempting to enter the mines, ‘Yhe figures 202, sent as the number in the mine, were on the authority of Mr. Lee, the outside fore- man at Avondale, who should have been the best authority. Various calculations have made the number from 138 to 160, {t is certain, however, that 108 is the total number, The explorations have been very thorough and there ts no doubt that all have been found. Nobody attempts to account for the great discrepancy between the estimates and the result. The widows are fifty-nine and the orphans In this country are 109, A number of the men hac living in the old country, The destitution existing is great and requires immediate relief. Three and & half months’ strike had reduced all the families to the verge of starvation, the men not being to work Jong enough to receive any pay. ‘There was never a case that appealed more strongly to the charitable. Funerals bave been going on all day. Thirty-seven have been buried at once in the Hyde Park Welsh Cemetery this afternoon, Sixty-one corpses in all havo been received in this city. Others have been buried at points down the valley. It has from the first peen hoped that Mr. Evan Hughes, inside foreman, would have made some memoranda which, being found, would give informa- tion as to the time life was prolonged, &c. When Mr. Hughes’ body was brought up his coat was off, and his tools, time books, &c,, were missing. Alter it was deemed certain that more bodies remained in the mine Mr. Benjamin Hughes, general in- side foreman of all the Delaware, Lack- a@wanna and Western Katlroad Company’s mines and brotper of Mr. Evan Hughes, taking four men with him, went down to search for his brother's coat, hoping to find init the memoranda 80 much desired. He found the coat 600 or 600 yards from where Mr. Hughes’ body had been found and outside of both of the barricades, It contained his compass and other tools and two time books, but no memoranda whatever, 80 all hope of having a record of the last hours of the dead 1s lost. The Fatal Mine and Its Appenrange—Tho Death of the Mincra~The Grief of the Wo- men—Who Is to Blame for All the Misery ¢ AVONDALE, Pa., Sept, 8, 1869, Standing on the track of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad to-day at noon and looking up the steep hill side at the rvins of the once flourish- ing coal mine of Avondale—the shattered engine house built of stone, the torn, twisted and scattered machtnery, the sloping ridge of fiercely fred embers filling the motionless air with a strong and shim. mering heat, the blackened wreck of coal shute and breaker, the charred oak and hickory trees upon the hill above and the utter wreck and ravage of the scene all over, impressed the spectator with awe and seriousness. But much more awful and serlous must become the color of his thoughts when told that from beneath that fearful ruin the bodies of 200 human beings, a few days since full of strong and palpitating life, were being brought out, one by one, black and bloody corpses and bearing many marks of a brief but desperate struggle with the doom of suffocation in the horrible gloom of the pit below. Knowing the character of the occurrence end the purpose for which these crowds of sad- dened women and solemn men have gath- ered, lining the dismantled walls in compact and sorrowful numbers, it had a strangely dismal effect upon the mind to see issuing from the mouth of alow, dark tunnel at intervals of every fifteen minutes through the day and nignt four weary, Worn men, bearing on a stretcher the black- ened form of a human being, across the distorted face of which coarse, white cloth was thrown; and as the melancholy cortége moved up between the ranks at either side of mourning miners the awful presence of deatn made itself aszerted. Voices were hushed, and in the women’s eyes grief and fear alternately found expression. It was also a strange effect to watch, as each miners name was called in stentor tones that echoed aloug the hill, how all the men turned their eyes upon the women in painfal suspense that some wild startling shriek might rend the air and some poor heart-broken creature reveal the dreadful grief of her bereavement. The day is over now. Sixty dead bodies have been rescued from the fatal pit and three score widowed wives sit by desolate hearths this evening, COULD IT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED? Could al! this misery have been avoided 1s a ques- tion that might a8 easily be answered as asked, It certainly could. Coal mines are at all times, of course, subject to risks, and those who engage to work in them are satisfied to take the consequences of whatever natural casu- alties attend the operation of mining coal. Many of these casualties the miner's instinct and experience will teach him to avoid; bat where huinan ingenuity, prompted by a spirit of greed, provides only just such means for the miner as will enable him to work at the least possible expense on the part of his em- ployer and at the greatest risk on his own, no forethought or intelligence can provide against the accidents that are likely to occur. An alr hole at an expense of {rom $10,000 to $15,000 sunk in the Avon- dale coal mine would have saved perhaps every man mthemine. The short-sighted and inhuman policy that refuses to make this simple provision against emergencies at any time likely to arise must have a terrible recoll in tie tong run. - But Avondale is not an exception to other mines. All around this sec- tion of country are mines to each one of which but one shaft is atlachea, and when tha means of escape are cut off in ¢hat quarter no hope remains for the men at work below. Mines in this country seem to be constructed on the principle of getting out the most coal at the least espense, and with- out a particle of consideration as to the health and safety of the miner. Had we any such deep shafts and extensive galleries among the mines of this State as they have io England accidents like this of Avondale would be of frequent occurrence and of equatly appalling horror. The Delaware and Lackawanna Corporation is immensely wealthy, and has another mine, called the Taylorville shaft, run on precisely the same prin- ciple as the Avondale mine, and Hable at any time to the same fearful accident, It remains to be seen whethor this corporation will take any steps even tn compliance with the statute law of the State to render thelr mines @ lttle less like huge traps for human life, The feeling on this bead is confined to no particular class, Man ask, ia it not about time that this recklessness of life should cease? If the wretches sont to the State Legislature prefer using human life as a means of extorting black- math to doing their honest duty, 13 that any reason why the companies should fool themselves at Itberty to disregard every means of providing against such calamities as this at Avondale. The most sensible advice that could be given the miners in the matter is to reject all solicitation to go into any mine constructed after the fashion of the one at Avondale. HISTORY AND APTEARANCH OF THE MINE. Avondale {8 & sweet, suggestive name that in no manner belles its application to this peautiful sec- tion of the Wyoming Valley, A high and bold range of hills overlooks a# green and pastoral a plain as the keevest lover of rural svenery might desire, This high range of hills, clad to the summit with oak, ash, hickory and chestnut, 18 one great vein of coal, in some places of exceeding richness, and no- where too poor tw reward the toil and ex. pense of seeking for it, On the steepest and most commanding side of the Shawnee hills the Avondale colliery was built and finished in 1867. It was constructed under the supervision of Mr. 5. D. Kingsiey, and cost $150,000, The Dick. son Manufacturing Company put in the machinery, tue remains of which, now visible in the engine house, attest the splendid charactor of the work, Through the Wyoming valley this mine had tne reputation of being the best and largest; whence At ia to be inferred that all the rest must be of a rather intertor class. When. in fall working order it Yielded 700 tons of eval ner dav: but during a recent strike of the miners it was idle for aterm of three months. It was leased by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Weatern Railroad Com- papy. who also lease many other mines in the valley, and by this ingenious plan of leasing in place of opening mines themselves, tiey avotd the charge of being held responsible for the manner of their construction. The lessee of a mine, however, is practically the owner, for when he comes to yield up his Jease perhaps there is no mine left. ‘There is no doubt, however, that the Avondale mine was one of the best and worst in the valley. ‘The masonry work, running down the sides of the shaft some twenty feet, was as strong as stone and cement could make it. ‘The engine house was firmly built, the machinery of the finest kind used in the colliery business, the breaker, that covered the en- gine house and through which the broken coal was despatched through @ long shoot to the railroad track below, was built in the most substantial manner, and aitogether the works to the casual observer seemed to leave no room for improvement, The shaft was sunk to a depth of 237 feet, with a space twenty-six feet by twelve, divided in tne centre by a wooden partition, on one side of which the pure air de- Bcended to the mine, and on the other the impure vapors ascended to the top and were dissipated abroad, After going ina sheer descent to the bot- tom of this shaft the explorer of the mine found on either hand two long galleries, or avenues. one branching east 1,200 feet, and the other west 800 feet. Moving straight onward at right angles to the shaft, and at a distance from it of 220 feet, the fur- nace for creating @ draught of air through the gallerles and chambers of the mine might be found blazing away in dangerous proximity to the woodwork lining of the passage way reserved for the admission of the fresh aircurrents, It wasa spark from tbis furnace fall- ing on the ary scantling adjacent that caused the accident, It blazed up rapidly; the flames made a running leap to the bottom of the shaft, caught the wooden partition already mentioned, and clamber- ing up the 287 feet, seized on the heavy wooden breaker overhead, which never should have been there, and piercing with a flerce and steady tongue of fire through the supports, brought down the ponderous beams, the débris of the breaker and the coal within it into the shaft, choking up its space to a depth of forty feet, shutting out tne fresh air from above, and turning back the sulphureous gases from the blazing furnace into the galleries and chambers where the miners were at work. This took but half- an-hour or soon Monday morning last. The men had descended to their work but three hours before. HOW THE MEN MET THEIR DEATH. Itshould be explained that the galleries which penetrate this mine are irregular in line, running east and west under the hill toa considerable dis- tance, with chambers atintervals and doors at vary- ing distances to keep out currents of foul air. There is no doubt but that the miners at onco divined the accident that had occurred, and took prompt mea- sures to save themselves. In the long galleries, run- ning deviously east and west, the miners were acat- tered at work, some in the gangways, others in the chambers, following the usual routine of daily toil. Laborers were filling the cara trom the broken coal brought down by the miner’s pick; boys were driv- ing forward the mules to the mouth of the shaft with car loads of coal to be- hoisted to the world above; ail was proceeding in the customery way, when the rush back of the sulphurous gas from the furnace told the miners too wel: the nature of the disaster that bad occurred. Inthe light of what the brave men discovered on going down early this morning to reacue their fal- len comrades, we can easily trace what followed when the discovery became known through the mine that the ‘sbatt was stopped and the fresh air of heaven excluded. All those in the vicimity of the urnace retreated by winding ways 80 as to avoid all contact with the polsonous gases, to the utmost lumits of the mine, tos gangway 1,200 feet from the bottom of the shaft. No doubt there was @ fearful hurrying backwards, for the fatal carbon rushed ‘with hot and rustling breath along the galleries and overtook many a poor fellow who vainly strove to reach some place of delusive safety. Atthe entrance to the last gallery of the mine sixty-seven appalled but yet collected miners met and with the true instinct of self-preservation pro- ceeded at once to barricade themselves in between @ space extending in a semi-circular sweep some 20) feet. At cither end of this limit were two doors which were instantly closed, and on some crevices being discovered the men pulled their shirts off and stopped the interstices, but not be- fore the fearful demon in the air had pene- trated their last retreat—not in force, how- ever, but in sufiicient strength to do the work of death with unerring certainty. In this terrible chamber their lamps extinguished, and the black- ness of eternal night closed around them. It ts carefully Bstimated that the strongest of the men succumbed in eight hours after their self-Immure- ment, The supply of fresh air which they locked in was quickly exhaustea by the breathing of sixty- seven pair of powerful langs; while all the time the coal above, below and around them was emitting the deadly carbon. Mr. Thomas, one of the firat of the heroic fellows who penetrated to this point in search of the missing men, reports that after breaking in the barrier and gaining entrance to the gangway where all those human lives surrendered to the King of Terrors the sight that met his gaze completely unmanned him, and he wept like a little child. To him there was nothing terrible in the spectacle; the men were once his comrades; their cold be- @timed faces wero familiar to his eye, and from the danger of which they were the victims he him- self had many narrow escapes. It was the touch- ing friendship for cach other which these rude sons of toil showed in the last moments of their struggle for life that melted the soul ofthe brave, stern man who descended the perilous shaft to save them if he could. Men were found locked im each other's embraces; others with hands clasped laid themselves down to die; one was discovered calmly sitting by prostrate companion, as though listening to his dying request. A father fell into his eternal sieep holding his son to his bosom. Nothing harsh or angry was observed in the features of the poor fellows, Within a space of forty feet they had all yielded up their lives, evi- dently with a heroic resignation and a calm resolye to die like men, OTHER SCENES, Outside the entrance to this gangway two men were found lying prostrate, as though in despera- tion they had burst out of the enclosure where the others lay, resolved on one final effort to get tree, but meeting fall in the teeth the fatal current that now coursed through all the galleries they fell and- denly forward and expired, Mr. Hughes, ‘boss’ of the inside mining opera- tions, was found sitting on @ heap of coal, his face resting on his hands, as though meditating his awful situation, aad while thus occupied was silently re- leased from existence. A great many were caught in the retreat to the rear of the cave, and were found in all kinds of attitudes throngl the galleries and chambers. THE GRIEF OF THE WOMEN, Not all the women who came to see the dead bodies taken ont had relatives tn the pit. Many were movod to travel long distances to see thissickening spec- tacle from motives of mere morbid curiosity, The bereayed and sorrowing Wilows were easy to tell. None of that wild, demonstrative grief that many Of the reports speak of could be seenonany day since the catastrophe happened. There was no loud, Jong wail, and all the sorrow that gavo itself vocal utterance was confinel to a few. Wet eyes and looks of ‘in tense desolation too deep for expression might be seen on every aide, There was one beautiful young Welsh girl who ex- cited a great deal of sympathy, She had only been in thiv country three weeks; knew not a word of English, and knew no one but the fine young fellow to whom she way married in Wales, and who went down iu the vigor of life through the fatal shaft on Monaay morning last to be brought out to-day at noon a black and swollen corpse. He had evidently atraggied hard for life and surrendered with a look of deflanco on his face. Two kiudly womon bore away the poor young widow, who through the flood- ing tears cried aloud in ner native Welsh ina tone Of voice so touching as to melt @ heart of mone, Thw was the saddest sorrow in the whole scene. To-morrow the funeral of forty of the minera takes place, and will no doubt be very largely attended. AD FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE AVONDALE VICTIMS. Card from the Secretary of the Relief Anso- elation at the Scene of the Disaster. PLyMovrs, Pa., Sept. 9, 1869. It is requested that each neighborhood that may have the wish to relieve those who have been made widows and orphans by the awfal calamity at the Avondale mines, Plymouth, Luzerne county, Pa., will immediately take such measures as they may think best to collect funds for te object and forward the same, as soon 48 practicable, to William 8. Wilson, Firat National Bank, Plymouth; Colonel H. B. Wright or Thomas P. Hunt, Wiikesbarre; Theodore String, National Bank, Pittston; W. W. Wivton, National Sank, Scranton; George Coray, Scranton; George H. Stuart, Philadelphia, Upwards of one hundred orphans and sixty widows need ald. 1. P. HUNT, Secretary. At & meeting of the Relief Committec at Avondale at half-past twelve o’clock George Coray, of Scran. ton, was appointed to proceed at once to New York and solicit subsoriplions, MOVEMENTS IN THIS C:TY FOR THE RELIEF OF THE AVONDALE SUFFERERS. Donations from the Attaches of the City Government, the Gold Brokers, &c.—Ben- efit Matinee at the Grand Opera House. Mayor Hall yesterday, in a communication trans- mitted to the Board of Assistant Aldermen, stated ‘that he had issued a call for a meeting of citizens, to | be held at an early day, for the purpose of devising means for the substantial relief of the relatives of the deceased Avondale miners. The Gold Board, ata mecting held yesterday, on Motion of A. G. Crane, voted an appropriation of $2,500 for the relief of the families of the victims of the Avondale mine disaster. The Erie or National Board of Stock Brokers yes- terday voted $600 for the relief of the Avondale mining sufferers. ‘Tho attachés of tne Comptroller's OMice yesterday subscribed upwards of $200 for the same object. ‘The attach¢s of the Mayor’s OMice yesterday made the following subscriptions, and handed the amount to Mayor Hail for transmission to the proper parties for assistance to the widows and orphans of the de- ceased miners: Charles O. Jolin -$15 Hermann Schroeki. 6 Joreph H. Took 13 Wm. A. Croifus. 3 Georgo W. Mortou. 15 James J. Cary. Fy Michael T. 10 Wm. Jon Fy Dauie! 8. Hart. +10 John Will. 8s George W. Ro: 10 Thomas Co 8 Edward 10 Richard O° 8B George H. 5 Patrick Me: Fi Gustave 5 Frank Reiffa 2 Philp, 5 John Hoe: 3 Timotby G. § W. 8. Whitmore. 2 Dr.J. D. 5 Henry Youry 2 J. 0, Golds: + & Frank O'Donne 2 Total . + #151 As will be seen by reverence to an advertisement on the tenth page an extra matin¢e will be given at the Grand Opera House on Wednesday next, at two o’clock P. M., for the benefit of the sufferers by the Avondale tragedy. ‘The entertainment ia tendered by Miss Lucille Western, James Fisk, Jr., and the company, orchestra and attachés of the establish- ment. The great emotional play of “East Lynne” will be performed, and an immense audience will Goubtless demonstrate the aympathy of New York with this noble object. Suvscriptions will also be received at the box office of the Opera House, and forwarded with the names of the donors, The coal dealers and operators of this city, it is ‘understood, ave also engaged in raising a fund for the relief of the unfortunate widows and orphans. The President of the Stock Exchange read the following despatch from Avondale yesterday morn- ing, directed to the Board, from the Superintendent Of the ratiroad at that point:—“Your communication stating that your Board had generously appropria- ted $5,000 to relieve the sufferings of the widows and children of the late calamity is received, ana has been read to the miners, who received the intelli. gence with thanks and appreciate the generosity. We have succeeded in recovering up to this time 103 bodies, but there are many more still missing.’’ The following communication from the Fire Com- missioners has been received by James H. Monroe, foreman of Hook and Ladder{Company No. 8, in ref- erence tothe subscription by the members of the company as published in yesterday’s HERALD: HEADQUARTERS METROPOLITAN FIRE DEPAnt- } MENT, OFFICB BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, New_York, Sept. 9, 1869, JaMES H. Monnol Foremin Hook and Lad- der Companys No. 5: Sirn—The Commissioners have learned with much sausfaction of the prompt and generous contribu- tion by your company in ald of the sufferers by the Avondale disaster, and they trust that the lauuabie example will be followed generally throughout the department. subscription for the same object, headed by the Commissioners, has been started at these headquar- ters, Kespectfully youra, CHaRLés E. GILDERSLEVE, Secretary. Subsertptions Received at the Herald Office. The following subscriptions in aid of the families of the deceased miners were received at the HERALD \TY-FIVE DOLLARS. 143 FULTON Street, Sept. 9, 1869, To THe EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— 1 am gratified to learn from your paper that a dis- position 18 manifested on the part of our citizens to ald the suflerers by the recent dreadful calamity at Avondale mine, Pennsylvanta. The details are terri- bie enough to appal the whole community and awaken the deepest sympathy in every humane breast. A hundred homes leit without a husband or afather! A hundred hearths with some poor boy's chair vacant; for, as we are told, fathers and sons among that 200 victims, perished together; some of them heart to heart and lip to lip in dying caress. They died while in the exercise of their daily labor. Let those who live by labor througnout this whole land contribute something to the support of the helpless ones they have left behiad them. I here- with enclose my check dor twenty-five dollars, to be applied to such a purpose, Yours, &c., JOHN BROSNAN. FORTY-THREE DOLLARS. To THe Eprror oF THE HERALD:— Enclosed please find forty-three dollars subscribed by the employés of the Scranton coal yard, Jersey City, for the relief of those who were made widows and orphans by the recent disaeter at tie Avondale coal mine:— E. Patrick McDonald. Frank Haney. John Whelan Jobn Cooney. Roger Connt William Noon. Patrick Nolan. James Walters James Dwyer. Thowas Kione; Patrick Cragit John Raddiga: 6onn SUVA Mt George Owens Patrick Powers. Michael Falion. James Carroll. pink pagel Lon u] Prank Hoguasiis (7% Patrick Barrett..... Patrick Mitchell, LARS. NeW YORK, Sept. 9, 1869, To THR Eprror or Tne HERALD:— Enclosed find check for fifty dollars in aid of the families of the victims at Avondale. WOODS, LOWRY & CO, FIVE DOLLARS. To THE Eprron or THE HERALD: Tam @ied to see by your paper this morning that a subscription has been commenced to atd the famt- lios of the victims in the Avondale coai mines, and trust that a large sum may be ratsed. Enclosed I hand you fivedoliars, which please place with other funds for same good cause, J, He Ss FIVE DOLLARS. From little Kathieen K., praying God to bless the fatheriess with many friends in their hour of necd. TWENTY DOLLARS, From the officers and crew of the New York and aoe steamer Champion, pier No. 5 North river. TRN DOLLARS. For the benefit of the widows and children of the miners killed by the Avondale accldeut, MARIA B, TWO DOLLANS, For the sufferers of the Avondale coal mine—widows and orphans. THOS. Ry FIVE DOLLANS. For the peneft of the minora’ families of Avon- dale. A VRENCHMAN, Retief for the Avondale Sufferers in Phila- delphia. Pawape.rnta, Sept. 9, 1909, The Stock Board voted $1,000 for the reliet of the Avondale sufferers, and the Commercial Hxchange will give as much more. The Bernard Opera Troupe are to give a concert on Saturday evening in aid of the Avondale suffer- ers, when Henry Drayton will sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” ALMOST ANOTHER COAL MING HORROR. The Shaft of a Missouri Coal Mine on Fire Narrow Eseape of Fifteen Men—The Fore man Fatally Hurt. Sr. Louis, Sept. 9, 1869, The Werrensburg coal mine, at Carbon iil), Ni caught fire in the main shaft on Monday last while fifteen men were in the mme, Seven of the men suecceded tn getting out by clinging to the ropes of an ascendidg car, although they were badly burned; but the remainder were forced to remain in the mine until the fire was extinguished, when they were rescued in @ more or leas Injured condition, ‘The foreman (Mr. Malvey) 1s probably fatally hurt. TROITING AT PHILADELPHIA. Three ContesteConfidence Wins the First, Henry the Second and Lady Thorn the Third—Lady Thern Makes Her Fastest Mile—2:19 3-4. The Point Breeze track was immensely patronized yesterday by turfmen from ail secttons of the coun- try. Boston and New York were strongly repre- sented, while Philadelphia poured her thousands in to fill up all the spare ground that was available, We do not remember ever witnessing, and we are sure there never was,a greater concourse on this track before, the attraction being a trotting contest between the famous mares Lady Thorn, Goldsmith Matd and American Girl. Theyre was another trot on the pro- gramme, but all the interest seemed centred in the race between the three ceiebrated trotting mares. ‘There wasa trot for $1,000 on the programme, and the concluding heat of the race that was commenced the day before. All the trotting during the day was good, and the crowd were delighted with the day’s sport. The weather was fine, the track in exceilent order, and all the horses that were brought on the track appeared in capital condition. The fasiest time ever made in Philadelphia was made yesterday by Lady Thorn. The following are the details of the trotting as it came off:— ‘THE FIRST TROT, ‘The trotting yesterday began with the unfinished trot of the day before, which had been postponed on account of darkness, Bradley and Confidence had each won two heats of the four heats trotted. There were six horses in therace. When the norses ap- peared on the track Bradley was the favorite against tne ficld at nearly two to one, The horses scored a number of times, and when the word was given Confidence had much the best of the start, Bradley being fourth, He graaually threaded his way through the other horses, but Confidence had such a commanding lead at the halt-mile pole that Bradley could not overtake him. Bradley shut up the gap finely, but was beaten by a length. Confidence won the heat in 2:23%, Bradley second, N. B. Palmer third, Fanny Allen fourti, George M. Patchen fftn and Mambrino Prince sixth. The following is a full SUMMARY. Pornt Breeze Counse, PHILADELPRIA, Sept. $ and 9.—Purse $2,000, tor horses that have never Deaten 2:3) in hamness or wagou; $1,209 to the first, $609 to the second $200 to the third horse; mie heats, best three in tn harness, D. Mace entered b. g. W. H. Borst entered b. g. J. J. E. Norcross entered b. g oo we o oe Be This was the first trot on the regular day's pro- gramme, and was for a purse of $1,000, for horses that have never beaten 2:35 in harness or wagon; $650 to the firat horae, $250 to the second and $100 to the third;, mile heats; best three im five, in har- ness, For this trot there were thirteen entries, s1x of which came to the post. The horses entered were Thomas Best's bay gelding Henry, R. J. Anderson's brown gelding David Bonner, W. H. Doble’s bay. gelding Hop, D. Mace’s bay mare Lydia Thompson, A. Patterson’s gray gelding Gray Prince, owner's cream gelding Good One, F. Scanneli’s chestnut mare Louise, R. P. Stetson’s sorrel mare Lady Light- foot, owner’s bay mare Gazelle, J. Odekirk’s bay Stallion Patchen Chief, Isaac Woodruff’s bay gelding Listener, E. K. Conklin’s bay stallion Andalusian and owner's brown stallion Mambrino Pilot. Henry ‘waa the favorite against the fleld at long odds, and im the pools the other horses were sold without him, Hop being the uext im favor, then Patchen Cluet. All the other horses were bunched together and soid as the fleid, The horses that made their appearance at the post when calied for the contest were Henry, Hop, Louise, Listener, Lady Lightfoot and Good One, the others prudently declining tne race, There was a long time wasted in scoring, and at last the horses were put on a line. The horses then camé up 1 a questionable mauner, and the word was giveu by some outsider; but afterwards the bell rung for them to come back. Four of tue horses, however, went all the way around, believing they had the word, Louise leading all the way and coming in first, Good Ono second, Lady Ligitfoot third and Henry Fourth. The other horses stopped at the quarter First Heat.—Louise bad the pole, Hop the second place, Henry the third position, Lady Lightfoot Jourth, Listener fifth ana Geod One sixth. Louise had te best of the send off, Listener second, Lady Lightfoot third, Heary fourth, Hop fifth and Gooa One sixth. They were allona run when they ieft the acore. At the quarter poie Henry led, Lady Lightfoot second, Listener third, Hop fourth, Louise fifth. and Good One sixit. Thne thirty-eightaeconds. At the half-mile pole Henry still led, Hop second, Lady Lightfoot third, Listener fovrcn, Louise filth and Good One sixth, Time to that point i:17, The horses were widely spread out at this time, with the exception of Henry and Hop, who had the race to themselves. Henry led two leagths at the taree-quarter poie, but coming up the homestretch Hop pressed him closely, and when they passed the score Henry led by abouta length. Hop waa several lengths ahead of Lady Lightfoot, who was third, Good One fourth, Listener (ith and Louise sixth. Time of the heat, 5M. ‘Second Heat.—Henry took the lead, Hop second, Listener third, Lady Lightfoot fourth, Good One fitth and Louise sixth, At the quarter poje Henry led two lengths, Hop second, Listener third, Lady Lightfoot fourth, Good One fifth and Louise sixth. ‘The horses were eeveral lengths apari, and their struggles were not noticed by the spectators, ail eyes being centred ou Henry and Hop. The former won the heat by a leugth aiter @ very close struggle. ‘Time of the het ‘he Third Heat, lenry soon took the lead and held it to the end, notwithstanding the desperate eiforts of Hop to overhaul hin. These two horses made an excellent contest. Henry passed the quarter pole t ‘ven and a half seconds, the haif-mile poie yy and won the heat by a length second, Lowse third, Good One fou The te =f Hop tener fifth and Lady Lightroot sixth, isa MARY. Save Day.—Parse $1,600, for horses that never veaten 2:35 Mm harness or wagon; mile heats: st three in five, in harness:— ‘t. Best entered b. g. Henry...... W. A. Doble eutered b. g. Hop. J. Marphy eniered ch. im, Louis rac Woodruft entered b. g. Listenc J, Bowen entered ch. g. Geod One... R. P, Stetson entered ch, m. Lady Lightfoot. 3 Gazelie, Patchen Chief, Mambrino Phot, lasian, Gray Prince, Lydia Thompson and Bonner were withdrawn, TiMn. Quarter. 3s have 1 8 3 5 4 46 Anda- David May. First heat... Second neat ‘Third heat, . THE GREAT TROT was called on after the horses {n the £1,000 purse had made the false start, and the heats of two races were trotted alternately. When the three mares were bronght on the track (hey were received with burets of applause from the great crowd, who tad collected especiaily to witness their great speed. The spectators were not to be disappointed, for they saw Lady Thorn make the fastest heat of her iite— 2:19%%4—the same as Fiora Tempie’s best tame; and it is a happy, coincidence that both mares were driven in thetr best by James D. McMann. ‘he Point Breeze Course ts a full mile, aud ts not considered a fast track, Whica makes Lady Thorn’s time the more remarkable, The following are the details of the rac First Heat,—Lady Thorn was @ great favorite against the fleld, seliing in the pools for twive as much as the otiers together. Goldsmith Maid won the pole, Lady Thora second place, American Giri the outside, At the start Golasinitt Maid had the best of it, American Girl and Lady Thora on even terms. Leaving the score Gotismith Matd broke up and lost two or three jongths, and Lady Thora went to the front, led around the torn and to the quarter pole two lengths in thirty-four and a half seconds, Amer- ican Girl second, three lengths in front of Goldsmith Maid, On the backsiretch Goldsmith Maid trotted” pe 4 fast, going up to and passing aliead of American Giri, then taking sides with Lady Thorn and flu ally showing her head in front at the half-mile poie im 1:00%%. Goldsmith Maid broxe up again on tie lower tarn and Lady Thorn got away acouple of lengths. Tho little mare ratiied again, and at the three-quarter-pole she was on even terms with Lady Thorn, American Girl had fatien four or five te ig in tho rear, Coming on the homestretch Lady Thorn waa in the lead and, going steadily up the homestretch, won the heat by three-quarters of @ length, American Girl balf a dozen iengths behind, ‘Tine, 2:21%, Second Heal.—Lady Thora was now a gresier fa Vorite than before the start, and sue sold in the poois at nearly four to one. Amertean Girl was ow rst, Lady Thorn second, Goldsmith Mait third, Going around the lower turn Goltsintth Maid broke and fell off a couple of lengths, At the quarter-pole Lady Thorn led half a length, American Girl second, two lengths alead of Goldsmith Maid, who had broken up a second time. Time, thirty- four and a half Going — the back- stretch Lady Thorn shook American Girl off, and showed daylight between them, Goldsmith Mata lonatl behind. baal the anus orn which was passed by sho was one lepa@th in advance of American Girl, who was two lengths feoping up ner steady. 1 eeping up her si '. ahead of ber. Goldsmith american Girl and passed Lady Thorn won the heat by in 2:19%, the fastest heat she At the finish Goldamitn Maid was second, we lengths in front of Amertcan Girl. rd Heat.—All betting on the result of the race had now ceased, ey Thorn ered ite vineibie, Goldsmtih Maid had the of the Lady Thorn second, American Girl close Jaa Thorn made a gallant burst away from and goon overtook and passed Goldsmith Mald and led two Jengths around the turn, Goldsmith Maid second, three levgths anead of American a si At the quarter pole Lady Thorn was two eng’ ad- vance of Goldsmith Maid, who was two lengths, abead of American Girl, the latter, however. beginning to make dash for the second, money. The time to the quarter pole was five and a quarter seconds, Gol the backstretch Lady Theron int: Sage a 4 an cae en it up to in 1:11, American ni Maid and soon passed her, The struggle betweem American Girl and Goldsmith Maid was highly ex- citing to the finish, At the three-quarter pole Thorn led four lengths, the others being head: head. The old mare kept this advantage to the end, She won fhe heat by over four lengths in 3:04, American Girl second, half a length in front Goldsmith Maid. ‘The following ta a Saux Day.—Purse $1,600, free for all horses: $1,600 AME Day,—Purse $2, ree ; $1, to the first horse, $750 to the second aud $200 to the third. Jos, McMann entered b. m, Lady Thorn. B, Daniels entered b. m, American Gir B, Doble eucered ». m Goldsmith maid., TIME. Half. 120933 1:09 it Mi 2:21. 2:19) 9323, Firat heat. Second beat. Third heat. THE LEXINGTON RACES, LovisviLix, Sept. 9, 1869 ‘The attendance at the Lexington races to-day waa small. The weather was very clear and pleasant, The race waa mile heats, best three in five. There were only two entries, ie summary was:— General A. Buford's ch. f, Coquetie, three yet * old.. . oe 2 | The, 1:5633—1:56 34. The great races for to-morrow are two-mile heats, when Hersog runs again. ENTRIES FOR THE PROSPECT PARK FALL McETING. The rooms of the Prospect Park Fair Grounds Ag sociation were crowded last evening by members of the assoctation, by owners of trotters and lovers of sport, to hear the entries made for the fall meeting of the association, which takes place on the 14th, 16th and 18th inst. The entries made were ag follows:— FIRST DAY. For horses that have never beaten three minutes: J. Varian enters g. Rigat Beis, C. Quinten enters b. & Samuel D. Patenhen, Owner enters 0, a. Mary T. F. H. Ham!itou euters b. m. (no name) John Lovett enters ». m. Lady Eila. W. H. Borst euters 8, g. (no name). William Bain enters b. g. Nameless. W. ©. Woodnut enters b. m. Brooklyn Maid. Owner enters g. 10. Lady Emina. f Owner enters b. m, (no name), Hiram Howe enters s, g. Hi. C. Murphy. dobn J, Wheeler entera br. m. Lady Augusta, For horses that have never veaten 2:25:— oun Lovett enters b. c. Americaa Boy, formerly henry. M. Roden enters ch. g. W. B. Whitman, formerly Billy Barr, SECOND DAY. For horses that have never beaten 2:30:— a A. Patterson enters br. & Manhattan, J. Murphy enters b, m. Lady Sears. M. Roden enters br. y. Captain Gill, Dan Pfifer enters br. ¢. Daniel Boone. ¥. J. Nodine enters b. m. Belle Brooklyn. Owner enters b, g. Dreaden. For double teaut nd Naboughieish. Owner enters Sf W. H. Borst enters Jessie Wales and Honest Allen, Roden enters Commodore Nutt and David Bonner. THIRD DAY. For horses that have never beaten 2:40;— J. Maione entera b. 8, Young Wilkes. J. Lovett enters h. mu. Lady Franklin. J. Loomis enters bik. m, Soubrette. W. H, Saunders enters br. m. Belle of Clyde. M. Roden enters b. g. Captain Smivh. William Baine eniers b, g. (20 Lame). F. J. Nodine enters bik. m. Eastern Queen. In the race free for all:— 8. MecLangulin enters b. g. Mountain Boy. J.D. Mexaun enters b. m, Lady Thora. C. Champlin eoters b. g. George Palmer. TEN RUWDOLST MEMORIAL. The Humboldt celebration in this clty on Tuesday next will consist of grand, eolemn and Interesting ceremonies during the day and several atter cele- brauions in the evening. Some of the wealthy Gers mans and thoir friends will have a banquet at the Leiderkranz Hall, walle the German singing and workingmens’ associations hold a torchlight procession, and a number of German literary societies have previded an entertainment at the National Assembly Rooms, on Forty-fourth street. Delegates of the smging and worXingmen’s asso- clations leid a mecting at the Germania Assembly ’ Rooms iast night, Mr P. F. Steffen pre siding, in order to deliberate on the details of the torchhght procession. The following organizations were represnter ‘The Northeast. em Saengerbund, composed of twenty-nine singing societies; the General Saengerbund, coraposed of sixteen societies; the German Organ Makers’ Unton, Cigar Makers’ Union No. 90, Wood Turners’ Union, Machinists’ and Metal Turners? Association, Yutlore’ Union No. 1, Custom Tatiors? Association, Mendelssohn Quartet Club, Hansabund, Piano Makers’ Union, Kreutzer Maennerchor, Cabi- net Makers’ Union, Journeymen Barbers’ Union, Hudson Maennerchor, Humboldt Liedertafeis, North German Saengerbund, ‘Furriers’ Benevoient Society, Bloomingdale Saengerlast, German Printers’ Society and Clothing Cutters’ Protective Union. A rograuine for the procession was reported by Mr. crnest Lasche, from the executive committee ap- potated at the lasé meeting and adopted, of whien the foilowing are the main features :—The proces. sion will be divided into four divisions, each led by a band of music. General L. Burger will acé as Chief Marshal, assisted by Colonel H. Luz, Colonel A. Saenger, Lieutenant Colonel C. Schw: and Lieutenant Colonel F. Unbekaunt. The Gi Lodge of Hermen’s Sous and their sub-lodges will be invited to pa ate, The rouve will be from the % Germania Assembly iooms, Bowery, Grand street, Broadway, Fourteenih street, Second avenue, Tenth street, avenue A, Houston street, Bowery back to Germania Assembly Rooms, A mammoth globe, with a bust of Huthboldt on top and | Surrounded by representatives from the five grand divisions of ine h, Will be carried im the pro- cession on a decorated wagon drawn by four horses, and aiso a number of transparencies. # It is expected that from 10,000 to 15,000 will participate in the procession, and that the num- ber of torch bearers will be about 3,009, The New York Turnverein will have a banquet and concert at Turner fall, In Orchard etreet, on the evening previous to th rocession. IME GERMAY SCHOOL QUESTION. Mecting of the German School Society in the Twenty-sccond Ward=Iuteresting Proeeed+ inge=Union of Parochial with Public Schools—W omen’s Rights. The German School Society of the Twenty-second ward met last night at Unger’s Hall, corner of Fortys ninth street and Broadway, Mr. M. Ellinger in the chair and Dr. £. J. Bode officiating a3 secretary. Dr. Bode, as delegate of the ward to the General Committee, reported as proceedings of that com- Tni‘tee that & memorial had been agreed upon and presented to the President of the Board of Kan cation and to the chairman of the School Com- mittee; and that it had been, in so far a could bo judged, wel! recelved, The chairman of the meeting added to this report that a special committee of the Executive Commitiee, of which Mr. Bilinger is a member, will have avon‘ cuce -s with the Superintendent of Public Schools, |: ordex to consider in what way tho German languics may + be Introduced in the schools as an additional objoct of instruction without Interfering with any the establisied ranches of learning. ‘the report Was accepted aud ordeyed to be spread upon the winutes. A nuiaber of Wo Lpgcegess were authorized and recetved written powers to collect funds that 4 may bé necessary for current expenses Of the meet- ie inga. Ene following resolntions were offered by Dr. A. V. Hofer, and afier speectes in favor of their gs tod ance by Dr. Hofer, Dr. Mann Mr. Krobaez they were adopted, with but one dissenting voice:— Resolved, That we have seen pubite pross, how tn the eity of Creatas tas About fo be Foatized of ng between ‘hat city and Arch- Mahop. Parcelly tot chiatachoois of tt Oe ne Cathae, para elt discussion ensued upon & a8 members of the an immense A i admit ladies ved by Mr. bling: was accepted, and Mr. in his place. ‘the meeting