Pottsville Miners’ Journal

August 11, 1870

Terrible Mining Accident

A terrible mining accident happened yesterday afternoon at the colliery of Mears, Glassmire and Hines, near Middleport, Schuylkill County. At 4:30 o’clock, as a cage on which were twelve miners, was coming up the shaft, which is 110 yards deep; and when nearing the top, the pinion wheel at the engine broke, precipitating the cage with its precious freight of human lives, to the bottom; tearing the drum to pieces, and demolishing the engine house.

Six of the men were instantly killed, four terribly injured, and two slightly.

Killed: Thomas Quigley, George Stouch, John Roper, Jacob Kline, David Jones and John Matthews.

Wounded: John McGinley, Elisha Manuela, Hugh McAnulty, Albert Koch, all severely.

William Matthews, Patrick Day, slightly.

Matthews and Day were able to walk out of the mine to their home, but the killed and severely wounded were compelled to remain in the mine, at the bottom of the shaft, until a new rope was procured and a temporary cage constructed to hoist the dead and mangled bodies to the surface.

Mr. Glassmire had to come down to Palo Alto for the purpose of getting a new rope.

We have not heard positively in regard to the condition of the severely wounded, but the impression was that from the terrible nature of their injuries, some, if not all of them, would die.

This sad catastrophe, bringing as it does, distress and misery into many households, should be an inducement to the region to place under way, as soon as possible, and bring to successful completion, the Miners’ Hospital, as authorized by law.

Accidents of this character seem to be inseparable from our mining operations, and an imperative duty on the community to see that an institution to which the maimed miner can be conveyed and be skillfully treated, and carefully nursed, shall be erected as speedily as possible. In the interest of humanity, let this thing be done.

A special dispatch to the Daily Eagle states that the men fell a distance of about 75 yards, into six feet of water, and that 125 yards of wire rope fell on top of them, drowning some who, it is supposed, might otherwise have survived. A hemped rope was secured and the broken machinery put into temporary repair, and, after about four hours delay, the wounded were rescued. The last of the dead were not recovered until this morning.