1892-05-18-pi-p2-mine-explosion-william-richmond-killed
May 18, 1892 Seattle Post Intelligencer Page 2:
Work was quite certain that the hole was [filled], as the same was full of a slack substance when he first saw it.
John Thompson testified to gas in the lower levels of the slope, but never had trouble with it.
Fireman Shaw was again called to the stand. In his best judgment the hole in the cross-cut was shot, and that the dust and fire damp caused the explosion. The dust he considered was not an agent of destruction unless set off. At the conclusion of his evidence the court ad until Wednesday morning. It is thought that the matter will get to the jury by Wednesday morning.
The Tacoma dailies have published statements relative to the rescuing of unfortunate miners, with special reference to the nationalities that were most active in the work, that has aroused much indignation here, particularly in the Italian colony. The records of the time-keepers show that the rescuing force embraced in its number a fair representation of the Italian miners, and the foremen who had charge of the work state that they did their, full share. The Tacoma News of Friday contained a statement imputed to General Manager Kangley which placed him in rather an embarrassing position with the white miners. He was represented as having said that the colored miners “worked nobly, even better than the white men.” Mr. Kangley made an emphatic denial of the accusation, and stated that in reply to an inquiry he remarked: “The negroes did their share, they stood their hours.” It will be understood that the chasm between the white and colored miners here is far from being bridged over, and no person is more familiar with the situation than Mr. Kangley. It is scarcely to be presumed that he should utter at this time such sentiments as the one credited to him.
The relief committee is in receipt of the following subscriptions and contributions to date:
POST-INTELLIGENCER fund.......... $2,287 75
Seattle house of delegates........... 80 00
Tacoma News......................... 875 00
John Kangley, individual check.... 1,000 00
Citizens of Roslyn.................. 850 00
Citizens of Everett................. 210 00
Total ........................... $5,392 75Ellensburg contributed a car load of staple groceries and provisions. The first distribution of necessaries by the relief committee was made on Sunday morning, each family receiving its pro rata share of all provisions. No plan has yet been determined upon for the distribution of the The following circular appeal will be forwarded to various parts of the country:
Roslyn, Wash., May 16.
An explosion occurred in the slope in mine No. 1 at Roslyn, Kittitas county, Wash., at 1:45 p. m., May 10, 1892.
Forty-five persons were in the slope at the time of the explosion, and every one was killed. By the explosion were made twenty-nine widows and ninety-three orphans, all of whom are now left in destitute circumstances.
In several cases father and son were killed, thus cutting off the entire means of support of large families, consisting of children varying in age from two weeks to six and twelve years. These widows and orphans must be supported, for a time at least, by the generosity of the people.
Temporary relief has been furnished for all. The citizens of Roslyn decided to appeal for aid to establish permanent means of support, and appointed committees to receive and disburse funds.
We appeal to you for aid.
All funds should be sent to the Roslyn bank of Ben E. Snipes & Co., Roslyn, Wash.
James Lane, Chairman,
R. P. Lumsden,
Milliam Rees, Relief Committee.
F. A. ABERNETHY, Chairman,
J. M. Hoagland,
Gustave Linstrom, Finance Committee.
The men at the morgue possibly had the most delicate and disagreeable work to perform. Here James Lane, George Beal, James Wilson, Thomas Wilson, Charles Eaden, Rev. M. Moore, Edward Hanlon and Matthew Milleo were on duty from the time the first body was brought in until the last corpse was washed, dressed and turned over to relatives and friends, and it required men of strong nerves to handle the charred and mutilated bodies of forty-five men. The bodies were handled carefully but expeditiously and with due respect to the dead and the living. W. R. Jones and a force of men was kept busy two days and nights excavating the forty-four graves in rough ground, it being necessary in many instances to blast the rock. Charles Bilger, Archie Patrick and William Thomson, the burial committee, had their work well arranged and no embarrassing features were presented.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the individuals who took an active part in the work that devolved upon the citizens of Roslyn by the disaster of Tuesday. None are known to have shirked their duty. When the call was made for volunteers to enter the mine immediately after the explosion, every miner present expressed a willingness to follow to the rescue of their entombed comrades. The records show the names of eighty or more who were in almost constant service from the moment of the explosion until the last body was taken out, and there were fifteen or more who were in the mine from thirteen to fifteen hours at a stretch. Among this number might be mentioned:
John Donovan, J. K. Miller, Edward Hewettson, Thomas Carrothers, I. McD. Rothermel, John Thompson, John Hitchcock, George Blunt, William Rees, David W Rees, William Hernon, Paddy Burke, Uriah Ackerman, William Wedgewood, George Mills,, Harry Franklin James Wright, John Chiabotta, Anton Schronack, John Poth, H. Natool, A. Batrine, William Gallaway, A. Matts, D. Edwards, J. Graham, J. Eaden, —. Boylinia, B. A. Vieturn, G. Miller, H. Robinson, Ed Berg, Jobn Mawkorke, Joseph Yooman, William Richmond, A. Simon, M. Simon, James Pearce, Peter Brynn, Charles Brynn, Jonn Vaneaki, Henry Miller, William Eadon, Joseph Lokinsky, George Wray, John Robinson, Ed Clay, Mike Launon, E. A. Davis, Antonio Mutta, Giovanni Curto, Antonio Cinotti, Giovaunl Morgando, Giacomo Masso, Pietro Deiro, Pietro Cigliana, Cesare Cardetto, Giovanni Rolendo, Pietro Giovanni, Giovanni Malatesta, Gioseppe Bianco, Giovanni Buffo, Emelio Preghenela, Angelo Bettini, Alesio Machioda, Giacomo Ciavario, Cesare Laudio, Durtino Bolione, Batista Prevetto, Giacomo Chiabotti.
