Follow Friday: Parrall Mine Men Rescued February 10, 1906

With the horrendous news this week of another mine disaster in West Virginia, the thoughts and prayers of the country are with the families as they struggle to wait patiently for news of their loved ones.

Sometimes, there can be encouraging news in mine disasters.  A case in point is the Parrall Mine, near Oak Hill, Fayette County, WV.  There was an explosion in February 1906, and it was believed there were 31 men trapped in the mine.

The following names are taken from the February 10, 1906, Pittsburgh Press newspaper article.

Rescued:
F Z FITZGOULD
Robert PRATT
Ervin RIGGS
Rodman OPINEKI
F P ZARK
Robert GILL
Donald BELL
Jule NEAL, colored
Charles MATTHEWS, colored
Herbert CALLOWAY, colored

Bodies Recovered:
George MORRIS
Ike SPEARS
Hans COVIA
Joseph HUNTER
one unidentified

The article indicates the recovery of the other missing bodies is still in progress.

When you've got some time, be sure to read old newspapers.  They are a great source for genealogy and for history.  Google has been a great job of getting them online for us all to enjoy.


©2010 AS Eldredge

Madness Monday: Marianna Mine Disaster in Washington Co, PA

Nothing could be more frightening than news of a mine disaster.  These happened quite often in the past in the coal mine country.  In addition, we all watch the news holding our breath and praying for the safety of the workers when a mine collapses even today.

Here is a list of some of the dead in the Marianna Mine Disaster in Washington Co, Pennsylvania, on November 28, 1908,  The writing is hard to read in the old newspaper, but perhaps, this could be of value to genealogy buffs as they search for old coal mine deaths.

It was reported in newspapers at the time that there were 288 feared dead.

Joseph Holmes
Joseph Gresinger
Robert Locket
Charles L Scelrob(?)
William Hall
Henry Belty(?)
Peter Donlin
Clarence Williams from Monongahela City
Alfred Mackin
Samuel Lipton(?)
Frederick Jenkins, mine foreman
Charles Welrah(?)
Patrick Donnellin
Senior Lee of West Monongahela
Edward Maranult of West Monongahela
George Acker

Injured:
Russell Michener
S W Vance

Brought out alive:
Frank Ellinger

Thought dead:
nephew of John H Jones, President of the Pittsubrgh-Buffalo Company

Brought out and died:
Henry Thompson, mine foreman

At the scene, two women, one a wife and one a mother, apparently went "insane" and tried to commit suicide.

The madness of it all was the state mine inspector had just left the mine.  The mine was thought to be a "model" mine.

More can be found in the November 28, 1908 Pittsburgh Gazette Times.

©2010 AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: Clyde Mine Remembered

The old main entrance to the Clyde Mine in Fredericktown, Washington Co, PA, as seen in 2003.

This mine originally opened around 1900. My greatgrandfather was the stable boss and one of his sons worked as a miner.

The mine tunnels ran for quite a ways and were deep underground near the house of my great aunt. One day the house shook with all the blasting and cracked the sidewalk. Guess she was lucky it didn't destroy the house!