Fairmont West Virginian:
“…it seems quite probable now that very little if any evidence will be brought before the Court of Inquiry until after Christmas…it would occasion no surprise if the jury is not called together until the latter part of next week” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
Congressman Sturgiss of Morgantown, introduces a bill to prevent mining disasters which sets up financial endowments for agricultural colleges. (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
These finances are to be used for such things as, “the employment of professors, instructors and experts, and the purchasing of apparatus, supplies and books, and equipping laboratories to be used in teaching a practical and scientific knowledge of the best and safest methods of mining…” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
“Providing further, that said schools or departments of instruction shall make investigation of all explosions, fires and loss of life in mining operations within their respective States and territories, to ascertain as far as possible the cause of the same and to devise and recommend suitable remedies to prevent or minimize the repetition of the same of similar dangers, and to study mining conditions and to gather all statistics relating to said industries…and they shall make annual reports to the governor…and to any department or bureau of the United States that may be charged with the study or supervision of the mining industry within the United State and its territories.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
Gov. Dawson announces a special session of legislature to meet at the end of January. “He would not say positively what subjects would be embraced in the call…impression that he will add one or more subjects, perhaps something with regard to the mining laws of the state.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
“The coal mines of the United States are killing 3 times as many men per 1,000 employed as those of most European countries.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
“In the last 17 years 22,840 men have given up their lives in the mines of this country. As many violent deaths have occurred in the mines during the last 6 years as during the preceding 11 years.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
“The number of fatal accidents each year is now double that of the year 1893. In 1906, 6,861 men were killed or injured in the mines, the dead numbering 2,061 and the injured 4,800.” (FWV 12.1907 pg. 1)
“The figures given in this report indicate that during the year 1906 nearly 7,000 men were killed or injured in the coal mines of this country and a number of these accidents caused directly or indirectly by explosions has been steadily increasing.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 1)
“Interest and excitement about the Monongah disaster is getting down to normal once more. People in many places seem much interested.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“A friend from Barbour County wrote to Fritz enclosing stamps for postage and wanted as many copies of Fairmont papers as he could get containing names of dead or missing, as he thought, a large number from that county had been working at Monongah.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“We were well pleased with the announcement of the Fairmont Coal Co. that the families of sufferers could stay in the houses rent free as long as they choose. This almost disproves the idea that “corporations have no souls.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
The death of Homer Pyles is announced in a lovely obituary written by his cousin, E.G. Pyles. (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“Homer Pyles, aged 24, was killed in the disaster at Monongah although his body has not been found.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
Homer left a mother, 5 sisters, 1 brother, and a half-sister. He was a, “…man of good and noble character and loved by all who knew him.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“Mr. Pyles went off so jolly and with such a smile on his face that morning. His mother said as she followed him to the door to bid him goodbye till evening.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“It surly was hard to give up a good boy like Homer for he never gave his mother a cross word and stayed right at home with his father.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“His poor mother walked the floor and prayed for her son that he might be saved and her prayer was answered by the great God on high. We know that Mr. Pyles has gone to meet his father and little brother in that sweet bye and bye where goodbye is never known.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“Homer Pyles will be spoken of and his friends will think of him in years to come although we can’t see his face we won’t forget his smile on that fatal morning. ‘And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea: saith the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works shall follow them.’” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“Now Homer is gone and no song is sung for his chair is vacant and no sunshine lingers in this house. Little did his mother think that fatal Friday morning would be the last look on his face but if we never see his face on earth I know we shall see him in heaven where there will be stars in his crown.” (FWV 12.19.07 pg. 2)
Clarksburg Daily Telegram:
The West Virginia Argus:
“There is not a state in the union which has had as many disastrous mine explosions within the past few years as the state of West Virginia. Neither is there another state that has developed so rapidly in coal mining as this state.” (WVA 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“The time has come, however, when every safeguard must be thrown around the hazardous work of the coal miners of West Virginia to prevent a repetition of the recent mine explosions which has caused the death of so many men and boys.” (WVA 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“At the next meeting of the legislature this matter should be taken up vigorously and earnestly by our lawmakers.” (WVA 12.19.07 pg. 2)
“Let the investigation of the Monongah explosion place the blame where it properly belongs.” (WVA 12.19.07 pg. 2)
Daily Arizona Silver Belt:
“Phoenix is raising funds for the sufferers of the Monongah mine disaster.” (DASB 12.19.07 pg. 2)
Evening Star in D.C.:
“The mining commission of the West Virginia legislature arrived at Fairmont W. Va., yesterday to investigate the great disaster at Monongah. Positive action will not be taken until after the coroner’s inquest, which will probably be held next week.” (ES 12.19.07 pg. 16)
The Rock Island Argus in Illinois:
The Cairo Bulletin in Illinois:
Topeka State Journal in Kansas:
The Mirror in Minnesota:
Warren Sheaf in Minnesota:
Along with an update on Monongah, the verdict of the December 1st Naomi disaster is also published:
The Weekly Corinthian in Mississippi:
Goldsboro Weekly Argus in North Carolina:
The Democrat-Sentinel in Ohio:
“Shrieks of horror comes to us from our sister State of W. Va. And its echo resounds from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The cry of hundreds of widows and one thousand helpless orphans, has touched the hearts of the American nation.” (TDS 12.19.07 pg. 14)
“Oh God, no, there is no God; was the cry of an Italian woman, as she gazed, with her seven children, upon the charred form of a husband and father. Such a cry, doubting the Justice of God, can only be made by one in a state of desperation in a moment of melancholy, in a fit of momentary insanity; because the fool sayeth in his heart there is no God.” (TDS 12.19.07 pg. 14)
“Can we accuse God of wholesale murder? Any same man will answer ‘no.’ Could we accuse God when on July 3rd, 1863, 36000 men lay dead upon the gory field at Gettysburg? No! it may be called justifiable homicide. God in his wisdom has established immutable natural laws, and when man neglects or disobeys these laws, punishments and dire disaster will follow. Under these laws the strata of coal was formed, from vegetable matter, the science of geology and mineralogy, opening this jewel box of the dusky diamond, but in addition God in his chemical laboratory has produced the gas and petroleum, and woe to man who will ignore the hidden forces contained in vapor or fluid, if he does, and explosion will follow.” (TDS 12.19.07 pg. 14)
“We say therefore, thank God! That we live in a land of civilization and religion. The American people have long since forgotten the question of Cain; ‘Am I my brother’s keeper and who is my neighbor?’ True religion is built upon the adamant foundation of supreme love to God and an undivided love to our fellow man, we weep with those that weep and give a brother hand to the unfortunate and helpless and besides our Evangelical, (glad tidings,) we say in the language of the poet:
Somewhere the sun is shining,
Somewhere the song birds dwell,
Hush then thy sad repining
God lives and all is well.”
(TDS 12.19.07 pg. 14)
Times Dispatch in Virginia:
The Raleigh Herald in West Virginia:
“A small baby is said to have been killed on the hill opposite mine No. 8 when the explosion occurred.” (TRH 12.19.07 pg.? )
“G. Bonomi, one of the leaders of the Italian colony at Fairmont has issued the following statement to his countrymen relative to the Monongah disaster.” (TRH 12.19.07 pg.?)
“One report which has been spread is that foreign miners are leaving West Virginia, declaring that it is a fatal state for them.” (TRH 12.19.07 pg.?)
More on How Death Gloated!
The Monongah Disaster 