The New York Herald Newspaper, September 11, 1869, Page 3

The TH COAL MINE HORROR. NO MORE BODIES DISCOVERED. Horrible Rumor Regarding the Origin of the Calamity. The Shaft Said to Have Been Fired with Kerosene Oil. Revenge on the Welsh Miners the Motive, Aid for the Sufferers from This City and Elsewhere. Prompt Action-of the New York City Officials, No More Bodies Discovered—Probabilities of More Eeing in the Mine~Horrible Rumors Regarding tho Origin of the Calamity=The Shalt Reported Fired by Kerosene Oil—Re- ‘Venge ou the Welsh Miners the Motive. SCRANTON, Sept. 10, 1869, To-night no more doubts exist as to the probabil- ity of other bodies being still lying in the wines, A few, however, shake their heads and say if the mine were thoroughly searched at least ten bodies more might be found lying in the remote portions of the mine. Experienced and careful miners persist in declaring that this cannot possibly be, as the mine Was a new one, with no intricate passages or inac- cessible chambers, and that every corner tn it was as thoroughly known to the eagincers as might be the rooms in a two story house. Neverthele:s, some men are still incrednious, One Person bases his disbelief of the total clearing of the mine on the statement of a woman living in Pittston who had two sons lost by the accident. She says her sons, and five men who boarded with her, started for Avondale on Monday morning, and that davan sain Se AT onto “a vusy UV@ havé yecd accounted for. She feels sure the others are still in thé ils, but Were is aHkelinood that they might have been taken out and cared for by some one of their friends of ‘Whom she knows nothing. Two gangs went down the shaft this morning to Batisfy themselves that no bodies remained, and re- turned without any, Another gang went down to destroy, by application of sulphuric acid, the putrid Temains of some half dozen mules, which were be- coming particularly offensive. A new theory to account for tho disaster at Avon- @ate has been started this evening, and I can only give it. for what it ig worth, merely premising ‘hat it is probably set afloat in the inter- est of the mine owners. As antagonism has existed in this section for a year or two past between the Welsh miners and those of the other nations, based upon the partiality shown to the former in tne way of promoting them to fill most of the supefior positions around the mine, this an- tagoniain has developed itself in evidences of ill- feeling. The Welsh have always been slow to strike, ana inthe meetings of the miners’ unions they have nearly unanimously voted against the ‘pasis,?» which is a term ex- Pressing an agreement among the miners to etrike whenever the coal fell, and not work until it ‘Went above that figure again. ‘The other mines have mostly favored this mode of proceeding and the ‘Welsh alone have been opposed to it, Three months agoa meeting was held, at which, after much de- bate,it was agreed on all sides to strike. The sirtke ‘was a failure and the Welsh were more indignant Shanever-witn those” who led tiem into tne rruitiess struggle to uphold the ‘basis. ‘This week wiih pockets empty and the pinch of privation already felt, the men of the Avonaale mine went to work. In the meantime, among the mining circles of Hyde Park, near here, threats were freely uttered against the Welsh for their timidity in striking, and the grumbling they indulged in when called upon to sustain a prolonged opposition to the mine owners, So much by way of explanation. Now for the story of transcendant sensationalism that has come to hight this evening by way of the village of Hyde Park, anda for which nobody holds himself responsible, but which is super-excellent food for speculation to pass from hand to hand. Monday morning a funeral Was announced to take place at Plymouth, near Avondale, and to this funeral all the miners were invited except the Welsh, When the latter went below to their work it is supposed the wooden par- tition inthe shaft was fired with kerosene oil by some person standing in the tunnel forty feet below She top of the shaft, and thus the work of destructicn ‘was begun. To give color to this horrible assumption of the mines being fired, one man states that the brattice, meaning the centre partition of the shaft, ‘Was less burned below whan above, and that I it were set on fire from the furnace in the mine, the Jower part would be totally consumed and the upper would be the least affected. That it was possible to fire the brattice in the centre, and, burning it up, kindle the woodwork of the breaker overliead, bring- ing all down in a blaze of ruin, and choking up the air passage entirely, the woodworn falling from above would still continue burning down below and ignite the remainder of the brattice, but not to that extent that it would be whoily destroyed before the water from tne engines extinguished the flames. The furnace, it is heid, could not have set the brattice on fire, because of its long distance from the mouth of the shatt. Another man says he thinks he saw traces of Kerosene: oil on the edge of the tunnel, but this is hardly worthy of mention, a3 it occurred to him as Au afterthought on hearing the story 1 have re- latea, The people over in Hyde Park have areport this evening that ten more bodies have been found in the mine, but Superintendent Storrs, who returned from Avondale afew hours ago, after accompauy- ing Governor Geary over the ruins, says there is no truth.in the statement, Mines and Miners—How Loug the Imprisoned Lived=The Labor of the Rescne—Herolen of the Rescucre=Miduight at the ~))—< SB Wa = ow ex mine A ToWn with Five Men Left. PLYMOUTH, Pa.,. Sept, 10, 1860." The excitement of the past three days ts gradually subsiding, The miners have not yet returned to ‘work, but itis thought thac Monday next will fina the mines of the Delaware and Lackawanna Com- pany occupled and busy with the bum of labor as before. Miners are a pecuilar race of men. Death in its more horrible form and on .the most extended acale, as in the case of the Avondale catastrophe, has no such terrors as to keep them a moment from rnnuing the same risk as did their unfortunate brethren who were buried in Hyde Park Cemetery yesterday. The very mine that has been the grave ofso many could find sufMiciont men willing to go gown | aft to-day and work In its fearful gham- bere titehd oo Meatad aah whet ie burt the summons of the bell and took their last look of sun and sky forever, ‘There was arule of the Avondale mine that any Man arriving at the mouth of the shaft for the par- pone of descending after the vell tolled seven should Not bé allowed to work that day. Monday morning two men came late, but only by a few minutes, ‘The person in charge of the cage refused to let them go down, at which they grumblea and swore, and threatened to be even one day with the unaccommo- dating oMcial. How altored their feelings of resent- ment must be can only be imagined, Monday at ten o'clock was appointed for the funeral of an Irish miner, and all the Irishmen employed at avondale Fesolved to attend it, Over fifty worked in the mine and over fifty are now living to thank that funeral fot escaping a tertibie fate. may it be sata im thetr case that through they found life. Half s dozen Irishmen were among the victims; all the rest, about one hundred, were Welsh, ana of the samo nationality were most of those who perilled their lives in the rescue of the dead bodies. Only two native Americans were found. Tuesday morning @ rumor prevailed that two gen- tlemen from Philadelphia, visitors to the mining dis- tricts, went down the shaft and were never after- wards seen. This, of course, could receive neither confirmation nor denial unti) the pit was cleared, and now that tt is the report is found to have had no foundation. It was a sad commentary on the prejudices that warp the miners’ minds against those who are placed in any position over them that the body of Evan Hughes, “the inside boss,’ though found first, was compelled in deference to these un- holy prejudices to be left in the pit until twenty other bodies were removed, though at each removal it was necessary to brush against the dead body of Hughes, who was found sitting ona pile of coal in one of the main passages, Had Hughes been brought up first, dead, disfigured and blackened as he was, the miners would ave murmured against this grim partiality; so there he had to stay, au actual impedi- ment to the progress of the exploring gengs, until twenty others were removed, HOW LONG THE IMPRISONED MINER3 LIVED. Agreat many opinions have been given on the probabie length of time which the imprisoned men lived after the fire in the shaft broke out at nine o'clock Monday morning. Yesterday some people believed the question was entirely set at rest by the finding of several dinner and water cans full, from which fact it was inferred death resulted before twelve o'clock, noon, the time when the men ure accustomed to take their dinner. This theory is plausible enough; but then it is by no means hard to believe that when the miners discovered the dreadful nature of their situation all thon ght of din ner and dinner caas fled from their minds; and had they lived for twenty-four hours it is not unreason- able to think the same indifference to food would have continued, Anybody who has been amid the dangers of a battle fleld will readily recognize this feeling. THE WORK DONE IN THB RESCUE. To a stranger looking at the vast ammount of débris strewed around the scene and aware of the fact that Quother vast amount fell down the shaft a depth greater than from the top of the traceried pinnacle of Trinity church to the sidewalk beneath and choked up the only means of ingress and egress to a height of forty feet irom the bottom, it seems marvellous how the rescuing party ever got to work in so brief atime, Then again the machinery was all destroyed, the flames burned with the fiercest violence in the shafc and below it, and for a hundred yards outside the mine on the slope desceading to the railroad track & Most intense slow fire made the atmosphere OTE FEP Oye as Mh Le: 1 lerable lor a wide circuit of space, iuere were 2 fire engines on the ground, no machinery to replace what was destroyed and none of the conveniences at hand to meet the exigencies of the occasion. Almost everything had to be brought from Scran- ton, a distance of twenty-three miles, The fire in the shaft was finally put out, but the slow burning anthracite that fowed down the hillside in a flery stream, like lava, still kept up ite white heat, and uniting with the blistering sunrays made the work of excavation ft only for @ gang of salamanders. A beam of timber was laid across the partly disman- tied walls of the engine house, a couple of young oak trees were felled on the mountain to support this beam, a drum was rigged up, a rope put around tt and run over a pulley attached to the beam just mentioned, a horse was procured to drive the drum, and @ bucket being attached to the rope over the shaft the next question remained, who was the man to venture down that black and steaming mouth, with ali the anticlpated horrors to be met with below ? THE HEROISM OF THE RESCUE. The crowd around the ehaft was tremendously excited at this time, The bravest fell back ap- palled at the prospect of venturing alone in a bucket down Into the gloom of that awful ruin, not unlike a iliving picture of hell itself. The beams of timber in the partition across the centre of tne shaft still smoked from the recent fire. Whoever shouid ven- tuce to go down took his life in his hands; for all the sulphurous gases had been let loose by the con- suming fire, and one breath of such was sure Mr. Charles Vartue, of the Grand Tunnel colliery, was the first man who ventured down the mine, He stepped forth to the sacrifice looking the beau ideal of a hero, with a well cut, reso- lute face, athletic build, ana a clear blue eye of unwavering steadiness, It was here the heroism was shown to which no mere words of praise and admiration can do adequate justice, Vartue was the first to go down the shaft; but others as heroic followed and penetrated in darkness and amid rush- ing clouds of sulphur into gangways and chainbers where death in frightful shapes had visited, The courage of the battle fleld has nothing in it nobier or more self-sacrificing than the conduct of these brave men, who, conceiving that in some remote chamber of the mine their feliow men were waiting and pant- ing for deliverance, struggied through the foul aur, the awful gloom and oppressive stillness to rescue them or perish in the attempt, MIDNIGHT AT THE MINE. Wednesday night, when the iast body, the 10sth, was tak en from the pit and the work of exbumation was rapia and ceaseless, the scene from after dark till dawn was terribly picturesque, On the hill where the mining shops stood is an immensely high and ponderous wall of mountain rock, intended, no doubt, to support a roadway to the mines and keep the soll of the mountain from giving way. Along ‘the parapet of this wail a row of human figures sat, Partly women, but mostly men, Another wall, twenty feet lower than this and removed further out, Was occupted in the same way. Next to this, still coming down the hiliside, intervened the road to the tunnel, thickly thronged with men waiting for the appearance of the bodies, Lower still came a third wall, hike the others level with the roadway it supported, and cus also was laid under contribution, Looking up from the railroad track the spectators above appeared like the audience in the galleries of a theatre, rising in tiers one above the other, while the great central object of attraction was the mouth of the tunnel im the face of the hill. When night came the long ridge of burning coal, which showed ho flames by day, burst out in glorious brilliancy and illuminated with a@ strange purple light the scenery of the plains beneath and of the mountain top above. Every few minutes carling flames of bright purple blae ascended from the long, steady ridge of Gre, and made ® very beautiful sight. Darkness mggt profound reigned over all the Wyo- ming Valley. Rain fell with a steady drip throughout the night, but no man left is post, except, strange {9 say) the doctors, for Whosi ‘calis were made and Against Whom piveh fdignation was exhibited, “thg spate jn front of the tunnel was a busy place near midnignt, Scores of the miners, with lamps In their hands, went flying around, whtle as many men with lanterns kept moving in and out to preserve order and keep a passage way clear for the dead bodies, A group of men with lanterns in hand stood atthe moath of the tunnel, into the dense darkness of which the eye peered in vain to see an object, Forty feet inside this tunnel the shaft is met going down its dizzy distance of nearly 300 feet. Bringing out the biers Jaden with their ghastly louds in the heavy blackness of the night, relicved only by the dim lanterns, made a picture of as fearful Moment as could enter a poet's imagination. At one's back was the whole valley wrapt in gloom aud dark: neas up above the dismal mountatn tops, along which the ightning coursed incessantly, on either hand Tough, grimy men, and, coming from the tunnel’s mouin every few minute: corpse, bloated and shocking to look at; while out upon the alr, from the houses near by, came the shrieks of women, piercing the very souls of men, and making even tho etrong onescry. Then again might be heard the endiess creak of the windlass drawing up bodies from the pit of death; the puffing of the donkey engine, forcing air into the shaft, and, at incervals, the great, strong voice of James George, aunouncing to hill and vale the name and address of each rescued miner. Ai- together the scene and the circumstances can never be forgotten by any one who witnessed them. A DBPOPULATED VIBLAGE. Some adequate conception of the great disaster may be formed from the fact that in the village or town of Avondale only Including Mr. Conrad, the superintendent, A busy heads of families are left, throng might have been seen there last week, but desolation most desolate now reigns over the once emiling little village, Governor Geary at the Scene. HONESDALE, Pa., Sept. 10, 1869. Governor Geary left Honesdale yesterday morning for Scranton, whence he wili proceed tothe Avon- dale mine. In an address to the people of Hoaes- dale on Thursday night the Governor said:—“I cannot bring my remarks to a close without adverting toa calamity which has filled the Commonwealth, and, indeed, the whole country, with gloom. { refer to the coal mine disaster. I will proceea to the scene to-morrow, in order to ascertain the actual amount of distress in that region. I may find it necessary to issue a proclamation calling on the people of this State to open their purses and come to the aid of the destitute widows and orphans.” The Governor has already subscribed $5,000, AID FOR THE AVONDALE SUFFERERS. Organization of the Co: ittee Appointed to Receive ContributionsMoney Needed at Once, PLymovrs, Pa., Sept. 10, 1869. The committee appointed for the relief of the Avondale sufferers met to-night at the First Na- tional Bank, in Plymouth, and perfected an or- ganization by electing BE. 0. Wadhams, president; Henderson Gaylord, treasurer, and W. L. Webster, secretary. A retief committee was appointed to at- tend to and reheve the immediate wants of the needy, and report to an adjourned meeting to be held on Monday night. _ The various committees throughont the country and elsewhere are requested to forward without unnecessary delay any contributions they may have on hand, or may hereafter recetve, to Henderson Gaylord, treasurer, Plymouth, Pa. Tneeting of Citizens at the Mayor’s OMice—A General Public Subscription to be Opened. In response to the request of Mayor Halla num- ber of prominent citizens assembled at the Mayor's office yesterday to take action in regard to the late mining horror at Avondale, Pa, Mayor Hall was chosen to act as chairman and Marshal Tooker as secretary, and {he meeting being thus organized Mayor Hall said:— GENTLEMEN—I have requested you to meet me here for the purpose of making some prrangements by means of which the citizens of this great city may show their sympathy at and the same time exhibit their charity § toward the bundreds of sorrowers rendered destitute by the recent calamity at Avondale. Of course it 1s unnecessary to picture to you the extent of sul- fering which must follow such an occurrence, The details of the shocking event and its consequences, with which the queue prints ae, Weaning, how us that there must be an amount of deprivation io that “valley of death” which we gan scarcely realize, Gentiénén, Buok & calaiiity must send & burl] to the heart of every human being who has 8 hae capa- bié of sentiment. It has sent sucl & thri ang the finer feelings of men are awakened té show that the occurrence is regarded &3 & national disaster, while its possibility is looked upon as @ local disgrace, ‘The rapid striding of death is regarded generally as too much of a commonplace affair to excite wonder- ment, but when so many, in the bloom of life, are cut off “with one fell swoop” the scythe that hews nes see sends @ quiver through the whole fleld of jumanity, ‘There can be no doubt that from all quarters of the nation substantial tokens of sympathy will fow in to the bereaved widow and orphans of thé de- ceased miners, and I deem it proper that the city of New York should be the first in this matter as in all others. 1 would suggest, gentlemen, that we decide upon some plan of public subscription, and select a treasurer, to whom the amounts collected may be entrusted for the purpose of having them forwarded to the treasurer at Avondale, On motion of Colonel 0, 0. Joline it was adopted that books be prepared for subscriptions of ten cents, of fifty cents, of one dollar, and others for un- limited amounts, and that books be left at the prin- cipal newspaper offices, banks, factories, mercantile establishments, and that the attachés of the public departments also solicit subscriptions in aid of the ‘and. : Mayor Hati—It 1s @ noticeable and Jamontable fact, gentlemen, that the corporate authorities of Subscription in the Bureau of Public Adminis= trator. Andrew J, ROgers...... .sseesseseenereseeseeren $26 Movement Among Raflroad Men In Aid of the Avondale Sufferers. ‘The following cali was issued yesterday tn further- ance of the object of affording relief to the miners’ widows and orphans;— TORAILROAD MANAGERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYE: The undersigned raliroad managers, agents and employés request @ meeting of their associates at the Astor House, room 14, on Saturday, the 11th in at twelve o'clock noon, for the pu of devising some means of giv! aid to the sufferers by the late terrible calamity at the coal mines in Pennsylvania, A full attendance 1s urged. Charles E. Noble, General Eastern Agent M. C. RR., No. 8 Astor piace. = Meyers, Agent South Shore line, No. 9 Astor louse. mE Spaulding, Agent W. Y. ©. RR., 239 Broad- ray. J. L, Gossler, Agent Union 1ine. J. W, Sweeney, General Eastern Agent Pacific RR. Jos. W. Prince, General Eastern Agent M. and St. P. RR. in CS Marshall, General Eastern Agent M. and L. John J. Seproo., Génera) Agent Ill. Cent. RR. A. B. de Friese, Agent N. Y. and Montreal line. Ggo, T. Nutter, Eastern Freight Agent C. and N. W. R. J.B. Y% General Eastern Passenger Agent South- ern ni Route. eee i i Wart, Wee hlway on Bia » lway, 24 roadway. Geo, J. Caldwell, 241 broad way. * J. J. Hollister, 3, 8. line. J. H. Moore, Agent Red line. C. Shutter, Consulting agent Red line. H, ©. Barr, Paseenger Agent L. 8. and M.S. Railway. Ps aber Agent Mer. dis,, No. 1); Murray te tag ale Nps Agent People’s dis,, No. 134 Murray W. P. Robinson, General Eastern Agent T. W. and W., 254 Broadway. A. T, Wilds, Agent A line, 254 Broadway. J. F. Geer, pler No, 2 North river. George E. Jarvis, Agent G. W. ana D. and M. Rail- roads, John T. Sanford, Agent C. R. I. and P, railroad, 255 Broadway. W. G. Van Demark, Agent Empire line, 265 Broad- way. A. ©, Rose, Agent G, W. dis., 201 Broadway. Wihiam H. erry, Superintendent G, W. dis., 201 Broadway. Peter Walcott, General Agent Atlantic Coast line. J. Bernoudy, Agent Merchants’ Protective Freight lon of St. Louis. E. Cummings, Superintendent Mer. dis., 113 Broad- way. J Chittenden, Superintendent Peopie’s dis., 113 Brygaway, ~ “3 i. Higbee, Agent White line, 239 Broadway. J, R, Tupper, N. Y. C. Railroad, 239 Broadway. Charies i. Noble, General Eastern Agent M. C. Rail- road, No. 8 Astor House. Our Theatres and the Avondale Calamity. The generosity of our theatrica! managers and actors in cases of true charity or, wherever there Is a chance to relieve actual distress, is proverbial. The Irightful distress caused by tne Avondale calamity has not, we are glad to learn, been overlooked by our managers, and two performances are already announced to come off, the proceeds of which will be devoted to the relief of the widows and orphans of the unfortunate miners who perished by that sad disaster. Others of our princely managers will pro’ babiy follow the example which has been set them by Mr. James Fisk, Jr., of the Grand Opera House, and Mr. 0. Hermann, the world-renowned “presti- digitateur;” and it is more than likely that amagnif- cent purse will be sent to the bereaved unfortunates at Avondale from the theatres of this city. The lessee of the new Post Office and Court House t¢nces also offers the free use of all its Wri, spaces for tne purpose of advertising such benefit per- formances, 8°. $0 which theatres, societies and other organizations intend moving in this matter, New York lave not the power to make any donation | Our ciisens asa general thing ars charitable tor a in such an emergency as the present. Yet, while | fauit: but they beat love to swall th there can be no doubt that the citizens would com- | Piilti tart {Dey |, DENT Ive te ov aow ne mend a liberal appropriation for such an objects I | tent, In other words, they love to con- do not know but that itis better that the citizens generally should take the matter in hand, and thus five immediate expression to the beneficence which jas_ever characterized the residents of the Metro- polis, That there will be @ hearty co-operation in the work no one can tor a moment doubt. On motion of Marshal Tooker Don Alonzo Cush- ee ag elected treasurer of the fund to be col- jected. Manager Moss, of Wallack’s theatre, tendered the Proceeds of a performanbe to be given at Wallack’s in ald ‘of ‘the‘fund. The tender-was xeceived by ‘Mayor Hall, with thanks. On motion Mayor Hall, with ©. 0, Joline, Chief Clerk in the Mayor's office, and Marshal Joséph H. Tooker, were appointed a committee to prepare the books for sabscriptions, after which the meeting ad- journed, Action by the Board of Aldermen. Pursuant to call the Board of Aldermen convened in special session yesterday afternoon, the president, Alderman Coman, in the chair. The object of the meeting was to take action in regard to the late ais- aster at Avondale. After the call for the meeting and message of the Mayor advising the movemens had been read the resolution adopted on Thursday by the Board of Assistant Aldermen was cailed up and also read, The resolution provides that @ committee of five from each board be appointed for the purpose of collecting, receiving and forwarding subscriptions to the treasurer at Avondale, Alderman NORTON moved that the Board of Alder- men concur in the action of the Board of Assistants. Tae motion was adopted and the Presideot appoinued Aldermen Norton, Cushman, Ward, Hardy and Mc- Quade as the committee on behalf of the Board of Aldermen. The meeting then adjourned, Action of the Common Council Committee. Immediately afer the adjournment of the Board of Aldermen the committees appointed from the Boards of Aldermen and Assistants met in joint ses- sion. On motion of Aiderman Norton, Assistant Alderman David Jackson was chosen as chairman of the joint committee, and Alderman Don Alonzo Cushman as treasurer. Both gentlemen acknow- ledged the compiiment paid them in brief and ap- propriate terms, and assured the members of the couimittee that they would leave nothing undone to push forward the good work and the place of the city of New York at the head of the list in the ex- ressions of syinpathy and evidences of charity. Aiderman Hardy then moved that the Chairman ud treasurer confer with the Mayor, inform him of the readiness of the Conmon Council to second Whatever measures he may deem best, and that they be also empowered to carry out, on behalf oh the committce, the plans and projects of the ‘ayor. On motion then the Commiitee adjourned, subject to the call of the chair. Subscriptions in the Mayor's Ofice, trioute to the relief of others by forgettti all about distress and suffering in the excitement o} the play or the intoxication of the waltz, Mr. Jumes Fisk, dr. thoroughly understanding this little pecu- liartty of our citizens, has, In conjunction with Miss Lucille Western, determined upon giving agrand entertalument at the Grand Opera House, on next ‘ednesday alternoon, for the relief of the sufferers by the Avondale tragedy. ‘The entire company and orchestra have volunteered their services and an tm- mense onstrate the sym- “pathy of New “hast yune’? is the piece selected for the occasion, with Miss Lucille Western ia her great dual character of Lady Isabel and Mme. Vine. Professor ©. Hermann, the renowned ‘prestidt- [aap * who has Just returned trom Europe, after four and a half years’ avsence, opens at the Academy of Music on Wednesday evening, for a short season of prestidigitatorial entertainments, The enure proceeds of his first performance he generously de- votes to the relief of the Avondale sufferers. He offers a0 excetlent programme, and the great build- ing should be jammed trom parquet to galiery. Pro- fessor Hermann, who returns to us with a new re- hy ete of marvellous tricks of sleight of hand, will ¢ assisted upon this occasion by his brother, Alex- ander Hermann, who is himself an adept in the “black art.” Subscriptions Received at the Herald Office Yesterday. The foliowing subscriptions for the relief of the families of the miners who lost their lives in tue Avondale coal mine were received at the HeRaLp oMice yesterday :— ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. New York, Sept. 10, 1569, To THE EpIToR OF THE HeRALD:— Enclosed please find check for $100, in aid of the Avondale sufferers, from several members of the ALLEMANIA CLUB, No. 18 East Sixteenth street, ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. New York, Sept. 10, 1369. To THR Eptror of THE HERALD:— £nclosed please find my check for $100 as contri- bution to sufferers from Avondale tragedy. THOMAS A. VYSE, Jn, FIFTY DOLLARS. New York, Sept. 10, 1869, Miss E. Crowe's compliments to Mr. James Gordon Bennett, and begs to enclose fifty doliars in aid of the Pst) Widows and orphaus of the Avondale coal mine calamity. FORTY DOLLARS, New YoRK GOLD EXCHANGE BANK, New York, Sept, 10, 1562, ‘To Ti# EDITOR OF THe HERALD: Enclosed please find cashier's check for forty dol- lars, being the contributions of the cierks of this bank for the relief and aid of those who were made widows and orphans by the receat disaster at the Avondale coal ming:— Name. Amount, Amount, Name, 7 7 7 e receive Thomas B, Thomas..$2 00 ++ $1 00 The following subscriptions were received in the James H. Symes... 2 00 100 Mayor's offic 100 Previously acknow- George Hoftma: Ae L, 100 ledged - $151 Geo. W, Page.. J. Vanderiip.. 1 00 A. Oakey Hal + 109 W. 0, Shipman R. H. Weems - 100 Holbrook, 200 Mrs. Oswaid Otiea- W. Page... R, H. Keen 100 dorfers....+s 200 H, A. Shipma: H. L, Chichester. 69 fi. Starkweather. George. D. F E. Lewis. 100 Tbree Deputy Collec- Caleb 8. Smit J. HH, Brennen, C. L. Benedick 200 tors of assessments. 100 John D, Crump ; M. Barnum. CASN seco. lL 00 Total.. arenes see seeeessteeee ones serene $40 00 SWENINTIyA pte ls tiption in the Office of Corporation | au NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 1869. pent To THE Epitor OF THE ie Counsel. Richard O’Gorman..$190 William Sinclair. «eee 25 John W, O'Conaoi Howard J, Forker... 25 Edmond O’Brien, William J. Kane.,.... 26 William Hodge Andrew T. Campbell, 26 John Parnall. Join RK, Feliows.. 2% Geo. W. Van Tasse! Subscriptions in the Department of Finance. We, the undersigned, members of the Department of Finance, city of New York, respectively subscribo the amounts set opposite our names, in behaif of the families of the suiferera from the jate calamity at Avondale, Pa.: David J. Dean... Rich. B, Connolly.$100 00 Jon Rierdan 500 Rich, A. Storrs... 60 00 Ne 6 00 ©, W. Lawrence,. 60 00 wee 300 Thomas Duniap... 59 00 soe 200 a. t Connolly 0 00 + 600 James Watson.... 5000 James Hickoy..... 1 00 W. HL. Dikeman... 25 W, Butler. + 600 8. ©, Lynes, JP. ..4 » 10 D, P. Smit » 100 H, J, Storrs. » 200 W. W. Burnham., 1000 Wm, O'Connell... 5 00 Amos P. Foster... 1500 0, Macdaniet..... 6 00 P. H, Kingsiand.. 1900 John T. Baker.... 200 Timothy Brennan. » 600 + 60) « 500 « 600 » 500 R. Sutherland 200 F. A. Connolly. 100 Daniel J. O'on 10 00 W. W, Monk 200 John O'Brien. s 4 Hf b Weikes ae 6 00 J. W. Lyons ...+ M4 60 dtia ff ii fd Gf if if Geeee ry LDj— Enclosed please find check tor twenty-five dollars, in aid of the families of the victims at Avonda: CLEMENT T. Rit TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS, New Yorx, Sept, 10, 1809, To Tor Ep:tor oF TOE HERALD: — We beg ‘o hand you our check for twenty-five dol- Jars in beliall of the suffering families at Avondaie, G. SIDENBERG & CO. TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS, New York, Sept. 1 i ‘To rue Epror or Tar HeRaip:— pt. 10, 1369, Ep TEN DOLLARS. New Rocugn Sept. 10, 1969. NPITOR OF THR HBRALD:— pease find ten doilars for the oenefit of the miners’ ‘amjiies of Avondale, irom Emma and little Carpie De G FIVE DOLLARS. New York, Sept, 10, 1869, To rae Eprror OF THE HERALD Pleas? f£nd enciosed fiye dollars for the relief of the suiferers by the Avondale disaster. C. MELVILLE. FIVE DOLLARS, New York, Sept, 10, 156% To THE Eoiror OF THR MetALD:— Enclosed find five dollars in aid of the sufferers of the Avondale mine. God bless your noble eftorts. ADA MOLLENHAUER, phi Rew Vore, Sept. 9, 180% To rie Eprror or THR HERALD:— Please find enclosed the sum of five dollars towards the widows and orphans of the-late massacre at Avondale coal mines, Seven Mag and | wish I could send you ten times as much. Mra, W. M—K, er Fr DOLLARS. Total parse on 659 60 Torms Bowe oe as. ALD: denture to tie is expected, will be increased to ‘on will ple e enclosed five do! at east. $1,000, the’ tubscriptions of several of te | fand being raised for the relief of the suiferers by” Dereaus of the dopartwent hot being included, the Avoudale mine disaster. oe SO. "IVP uw Your, Sept. 10, 1800, To THe EpiTor oF HERALD:— Enclosed please ay dollars for the benefit of the widows and orphans by the Avondale disaster. TWO DOLLARS. To THE Eprror oF THE HERALD:-~ I forward you two dollars for the Avondale suf- ferers, FRANCESOU SOLITO. Other Contributions in this City. ‘The Thistie Benevurent Association of this city have resoived to contribute $100 towards the relief of the families of the unfortunate miners, ‘The Stereotyper’s Union has atso contributed $100 for ihe same charitable purpose. Brooklyn Aid or the Sufferers, Response 1s being made by the charitabie people of Brooklyn to the appeal circulated in behalf of the families of the victims of the coal mine calamity. On Sunday next the congregations in most of the churches throughout the city will be called upon from the puipits to contribute towards the charitable object in view, Subscriptions in Newark, N. J. At the request of numerous citizens of Newark, N.J., Mayor Peddie has consented to become the treasurer of the subscription fund which has been started in that cityin ald of the unfortunate, be- reaved and suffering ones by the recent shocking disaster at Avondale. Nearly $1,000 has already been subscribed. Subscriptions Received by the Miners’ Relief Committee—Over $6,000 Collected in Scrane ton and Vicinity. SCRANTON, Sept. 10, 1869, The following subscriptions have been received by the Miners’ Relief Committee from parties in this city and vicinity:— i Delaware and Hudson Cana! Coal Company ‘Thomas Dickson ; C. F. Young... E, M. Weston, R. Mandell... East Boston Mining Com, Jervis Langdon..... Joseph J. Albright.. pce * Chase. seorge Corr H. G. Pierce... Monies & Pug! C. F, Matties........ And a number of other ing a total of $6,000, Relief from Philade!phia, PHILADELPHIA, Sept, 10, 1869, The Commercial Exchange has voted $2,000, and George W. Childs has given $1,000 for the relief of the Avondale sufferers, HORSE NOTES. pany, Kingston. This ig the second day of the racing meeting at Fashion Course. The programme announces two races—a hurdle race at mile heats, with three starters—Harry Booth, Lobelia and Simplo Stnon— and a mile heat, best thred in fivé, race, Which also has three entries—Geneoral Duke, Local and Bonnie Braes. Harry booth 1s the favorite in the hurdle race and General Duke in the other. The programme of the antumn trotting meeting at Prospect Park has been issued. It is agrand one, All the purses are well filled. The one for all horses has Lady Thorn, George Palmer, Mountain Boy and Rhode Island, Some time since there was a trot announced in the California papers of three mile heats in harness, and the time given was less than 7:30 in both heats, The statement was talse, as we believed it to be when we saw it. A gentleman who witnessed the race says that the time made by the winner was cousiderably over eight minutes in each heat, Sale of Pools Last Night. Pools upon the Fashion Course races of to-day were sold last night at Riley’s, corner of Twenty- eighth street and Broaaway, by Thomas B. Johnson, ‘The attendance of sporting men was large, and con- siderable excitement was evidently felt, especially upon the second race. On this event considerable money was put up atthe rates published below, On the first race some money was put up, though there ‘Was not 80 much inclination to “post” on this as on the second race. The following were the pools sold:— First Rack.—Handlcap hurdle race; purse of $500; taille heats, over four hurdies. Lobelia... + $130 70 95 50 27 50 Harry Boow + 65 60 62 50 30 53 Simple Simon ° .. 2 23 27 20 12 15 SECOND Race.—A purse of $800, two mile heats, for ail ages. $230 240 220 140 139 109 120 100 50 70 60 45 40 28 82 31 16 30 34 16 12 8 12 20 THE LEXINGTON RACES. LOUISVILLE, Sept. 10, 1369, There was great excitement to-day at the Lexing- tonraces. The attendance was good. In betting circles Herzog was the favorite, Exchange second and Versailles the last choice. This race was for the Produce Stakes, for three-year olds, two mile heats, with fourteen entries, but only three started. The Toilowing is the summary:— B. G. Thomas’ Herzoz. +. John Harper's ch, c, Exchange. General Baford’s b. c. Versaliies Time, 3:40 and 3:40, The second race was a mile dasn, and the follow- ing was the result:— General A. Bulord & G. G. Bacon's b. c, Lyn¢ General juford & G. G. Bacon’s f. Aunetie. John Harper's b. c. Lyitievon.... seeees 3 J&R iley’s b. c. by Australian, dam “by Bob Johngon.. ......- o . G, G, Thomas’ Firefly teteees 5 Time, 1:4834- In pool selling Lynchburg was the favortic. The weather was beautiful and the track in good order, but the time was not considered fast. ST. HYACINTHE (CANADA) RACES. St. HYACINTHE, Sept. 8, 1869, The fall races of the Montreal Club concluded to- day. It rained a good deal in the morning, and occa- sional showers, with threats of more, deterred many visitors from attending. There were about 4,000 people present, and everything went off quietly and successtully, There was considerably more betting than yesterday. The favorites won througiout, so that there was little financial sensation. FIRST RACK. Hurdle race, $: weiter weights, pwo miies, over eight hurdies, three feet 6.x inches high, sti! Umber. H. C, Lloya’s b. h. Starlight, by Star Davis, out of Brown Kitty, by Birmingham, aged, 161 lbs.... 1 W. Kirwin’s ch. c. (pedigree unkuowa), 4 years, 142 1DB..0¢ ya seeeee.eee Vado TNE J.P. Dawes’ b. g. Lottery, by Wagram dam, by Niagare, 6 years, 158 |bs, . byizereese eee, ‘ne, as5hkg Betting was about 100 fo 40 on Startight, who had one leg bandaged and had ouly taken his first gallop that morning. The start was slow, Lawlor pulling up the favorite to a mere canter and letting the coit lead him twenty lengths ac the first hurdie. The young one getting over safely, Joun ran tor hima bit and was within ten lengths at the second hurdle, where the colt fell, but was got up quickly, The pair took the next hurdies together, and finished tne first mile in Hi. ae colt led over the fifth hurdie by a couple of lengt! a 8 Race en Farce ¥ FGF Starlight collared him and crossed t xth Wurdle half a lengtn ahead, and drew clear of him at tie ecventh, hard held, The colt fst on even terms at the head of the stretch, but ieil at the last hurdle, and Starlight cantered {n an easy winner hard held, A purse was given to the rider of the josef for his ee riding. This is the fifth year in succession hat Lawlor has won this race—twice with Teara- way, then with M, D. and erie with Stariignt, SECOND RACE. Province bred plate, $200, mile heats, weight for age, o, Dawes’ b. g. Lottery, by Wagram, dam by Niagara, 5 yrs., 113 Ib: ry 1 Fisher & Carson’s b. g. J. H, Daiey, 6yrs., 119 ibs. 2 Time, L644, 15034. Betting—100 to 70 on Lottery, who took a short lead in each neat and never was headed, winning hard, held py a couplé of lengths each time. TH RD RACE. Jockey Club purse, $509, two mile heats, weight for age. oa eNitoway's br. h. Climax, by Balrownie, 1 2 ‘dam Jewel, by The Arab, aged, 126 }bs........ 1 H. ©. Lloyd's b. bh. Viley, by Uncle Vic, ont of imp. Silver Star. 4 yrs, 107 ibs 4ea'8 ‘Time, 3:60%%, 3:48. Betting 100 to 70 on Climax, who wasridaen by Mr. Ciement Alloway. The favorite led all through the race, the first mile in each heat being run slowly and the second bettering the pace. Cilmax drew away ‘a little each time on the homestretch and won the first heat by two lengths, the second by a neck, cach time hard heid. The track was about six seconds slow on each heat. For the Consoiation Handicap there were two entries—Tom Wolfolk, six years, 116 pounds, and Eminence, four years, 110 pounds, Tom Wolfolk aid not accept, ao the race fell through. ‘This closed the meeting at St. Hyacinthe for 18 ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF G, H. HOLLISTER, MINISTER TO HAYTI. HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 10, 1860, The Litchfeid Enquirer states, on the authority of a private letter, that an attempt was made to assas- aimate G. H, Hollister, Minister to Hayti, at his resi- dence, near Port au Prince, ‘The revels have threat- ened hue lite belore, the letter statos, and” threats have als ade against Mr. Bassett. port aye wee Btinesrs ‘wounds were not fatal, bug hat be lost a good deal of blood. =~ AVAL INTELLIGENCE, Paymaster Watm is been assigned to Pensacola Navy ‘Yau of Paymaster brows A RAILROAD HORROR. Disastrons Locomotive Explosion Near Port Jervis—Four Men Instantly Killed— The Bodies Blown Several Hundred Feet. The calamity which occurred yesterday morning on the Erie Railway, three miles beyond Port Jervis, must be regarded as one of the bloodiest pages in the records of railroad slaughter. At twenty min- utes before one o’clock a locomotive boiler ex- ploded, sweeping off the engineer, freman, brake- man and flagman, all of whom were xilled, The cause which produced that explosion can never be known satisfactorily, owing to the cemplete ais aster which befell those who alone could relate any- thing about it. ‘The time and piace of the explosion, with its terrible results, are all that could be ascer- tained, THE EXPLOSION, It appears that shortly after twelve o’olock @ train ofempty coal cars, drawa by locomotive 239, leis the depot at Port Jervis and proceeded ata slow pace along the Delaware division. The rallway runs along, with the Delaware and Hudson Canal on the one side and the Delaware river on the other till Wt crosses the canal at a point about three miles from Port Jervis. The locomotive was only 200 feet from tits bridge when the explosion took place The frebox was swept backward, and with it the four men who were on the platform; the dome was blown tnto the air, over two lofty trees, and landed on the bank of the river one-eighth of a mile distant; large fragments of the boiler were hurled across the dwelling houses to the vicinity, and several small fragments struck the walls of one house, breaking some of the windows, ~ The headlight of the locomotive was only bent at an acute angle; the smokestack withstooa the shock and remained erect as ever, and while the sheetiron casing of the large cylinder containing the flues was carried off, the body remained with all the flues undisturbed, save that their support at one end was taken away; nor was it thrown off the wheels, but ran about a hundred feet after the ex- plosion occurred, when it came to a stop. This shows that i Was ranning at not more than five miles an hour. The back of the ten- der was forced downwards, striking the car following, and three of the cars were thrown from the track. One of the rails at the point where the engine exploded was vent into a curve forming & semi-circle aud the corresponding rail was dislodged from its position. Had the train being running at a rapid pace the cara would have been piled up in inextricable contusion, and had the explosion occurred half a mile further on, where the railway spans both the river and canal, there is littie doubt a portion of te bridge would have been carried away. The report was heard at @ distance of five iniies ana resembled the discharge of a cannon, followed by a rumbiing witch rever- berated for two or three seconds, TO THE RESCUE, This locality 1s called Sparrowbush, and there fs a tannery near the line of railway which gives em- ployment to about 150 men. All these were aroused trom thelr sleep by the Be rere and they hurried to the scene after a brief delay in dressing. Lamps aud lanterns soon became so numerous that a blaze of light was thrown across the railway and we wreck was revealed. Mr. James M. Allerton, one of the attorneys for the railway company, was awakened tn hus house, about a mile distant. Messengers were sent to the depot at Port Jervis, and Mr. Readington, supertntendent of the Delaware division, prompt- ly answered ing Wil bin a squad of hen he ved Ny at the scene he found not less than 100 men besides several women and children, ali ina state of excitement. Anxiety for the fate of the en; and those who were with him nerved every one to extraordinary exertion, Some stood half clothed, gazing with mute dismay on the wreck, others spec- ulated on the fate of the missing men, while squads were sent out with lanterns in every direction, These were not loug in discovering the objects of their search. . THE BODIES FOUND. About 100 feet from ‘the railway and between it and the river is a stone fence, The body of one man was found jying on this fence, Another body was found fifty feet beyond the fence, while @ third was taken up at adistance of over 20) feet from the wreck. The head of one was flattened out lke a plate and the soles of his boots were swept off. This was recog- nized as the body of the fiagman, judging from his » dress, ‘The fireman’s limbs were greatly shattered and half of the face was blown away. The brakeman ‘Was so cut aod bruised that recognition was barely possible, The bodies were placed on acar and con- veyed to the depot at Port Jervis, where they were encased in wooden boxes, the name of each victim being written with a pencil on the lid. The lids were screwed down and the boxes piled on iop of each other outside the ladies’ walting room, just a3 We sec ordinary freight, so that no person wouid sup- pose for a mowent that the remains of human beings: were lying there were it not for the crowd of mea and boys that visited the place and peered curiously through the chinks to catch a glimpse of the agon- ized faces. Hours passed by after.these bodies were found and the engineer was still missing. Every feld, jen and fence within the distance of haifa mile was searched, but without success. At alx o'clock @ line, to which iarge fishhooks were attached, twelve inches apart, and to which weights were attached, was stretched across the canal and dragged up and down a distance of halt @ mile several times, Eight o’cleck arrived and the excitement increased. Superintendent Reddmgton called several men around him and cried out, “Fifty doilars to the mau who finds the engineer's body.” At this an- nouncement fifteen sturdy, brave _feltows stripped for the work, and as they went down to the canal the anxiety of the spectators was at lever heat. Tney dragged and dragged, and looked de- mure, At fifteen minutes before nine one of the party, named Cornelius Caskey, called for help, Four men rushed to assistance, and the body of theen- gineer was drawn to tne surface. This was 150 feet trom the scene of the explosion, The crowd felt as if they could applaud Caskey for his indefatigabie perseverance, but the occasion forbid it. Caskey earned his reward. and all acknowledged it. The body was removed to Port Jervis and stretched on the iloor of oge of the rooms in the depot. ‘The facé was not disfigured; on the contrary, the countenance Was as if he were reposing in the shade on a summer evening. The leit side of the breast was pierce d with a bolt, witch passed almost through the body. Tue lett leg and right arm were es ad shattered, NAMES OF THE KILLED. Russell fiarris, the engineer, He was twenty-nine years of age, and was considered one of the most efficient men ou tie railroad, where he had served faithfully aad weil for a long time, William Bowers, the fireman, was twenty-two years 01 by and resided at Shohola. George Kosencraus, the brakeman, was also an old employe, ohn Borleigh, the flagman, who presented the most ghastly spectacle of ail, was highly esveemea by the railroad empioyes, who bewatled him bitterly yesterday, He and the brakeman were keeping com- paay With the engineer and fireman when they were hurled out of existence without belog in apy way responsible for thetr terribie fate. THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION, as bas been remarked, Is a mystery. The loco- motive was in good condition. This is positively asserted by all the railroad officials. One theory Advanced ly that the sudden heating of the boiler, whieh bad cen lylig tip during the day, and which was brought out in somewhat of a hurry, caused an undue expansion of the iron; but Bs a siliy to be discussed. The probability ts, that 1i lar explosions on railroads and ete! It was caused by the sudden rushing of cold water into the botier. In such a case the water comes tn contact with the highly heated metal, steam {8 generated too rapidly, and the iron is unequal to the test. Another theory is that the iron became gradually thinner in conse- quence of the corrosive subsiances used io cleaning it. This opinion was sworn to on a& former investigacion. ,The engineer who ae this testimony observed that he remonstrated the superiniendent several times on the state of the jocomotive, that the running of it was attended with risk every day, and that he at length opjected to ride ou it. But these theories are mere conjectures ap- pired to the present case, That the locomotive was classed among the best on the railway is evi ‘ent from the fact that the authorities put the lor 1s $10,000, and they have contracted for the co AG tion of first class locomotives at $13,500, THE INQUEST. An inquest was hold by Coroner Isaac Peni... at the Delaware House. Several witnesses were @xuin- ined as to what they saw and heard from the inio- ment the explosion occurred till the last of the bodies was found. The investigation 1s likely to be & pro- tracted one, but can hardly result in determining anything materiai as to the cause of the disaster, SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE RAWLINS FUND. General Butterfietd farnishes us with the folowing list of subscriptions to the Rawlins fund, received at his office yesterday :— acknow- Governor Walker, of 29,000 Virginia. 2500 1,000 Ji ‘600, 250 Rrown Bros. & Co. 300 Arnol 100 A. B. € ho John D. Wolfe 100 Wm. 1. Aspinw w Winslow, Lanier 1 Total .ssceceseetrneescereeeereee " 987,510 NA NIHL BUTTERFIELD, Treasurer. Governor Walker, of Virginia, telegraphs to Gene- ral Butterfield Hage just been inforined of your effort im behalf of General nd of the late fate te couttibute ghar GILBEAT O W.