Tag: Church

Tuesday, December 24, 1907 Evening—Night

6:30 pm

In Fairmont:

Christ Episcopal Church holds their Christmas services. Following the church service the Sunday school will gather in the lecture room where a program will be rendered. The children have learned a number of pretty Christmas carols and a treat will also be a feature. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

Evening

TBG 12.27.07 - pg 3 - Darr — TBG 12.27.07 – pg 3

In Clarksburg:

At First Presbyterian Church, the Christmas tree was, “laden with many nice presents for the Sunday school children and a feast of good things to eat, such as candy, nuts, fruits, and so on. Generously all of these were turned over to the children at Monongah, where a terrible mine horror recently occurred.” (CDT 12.26.07 pg. 1)

In Fairmont:

The M.P. Church hold their Christmas observance with “an old fashioned Christmas tree” as the feature. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

“Santa Claus arrived during the entertainment and distributed and excellent treat of candy besides presenting each member of the school with a pretty souvenir glass.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“The part of Kris Kingle was taken by Mr. Harry Engle and a better man for that part could not have been found. He caused great amusement among the children and grown folks as well.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

The evening is “…a decided success in every way and was thoroughly enjoyed by young and old.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

M.P. Church - map - I — Building “I” is M.P. Church according tot he 1897 map

7:30 pm

In Fairmont:

First Presbyterian Church holds their Christmas program which consists of songs and recitations and “a surprise is being arranged for the children.” (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

“At the close of a program of songs and recitations…Santa Claus made his appearance through a chimney built of bricks and caused no end of commotion among the children.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“Later, when the chimney was torn down it was discovered that the bricks were but imitations and each was filled with candy and nuts, each child received a brick.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“A feature of the evening was the presentation of a handsome chair to the Sunday school superintendent, Mr. J. Barnes by the teachers of the school. Mr. Barnes has served as superintendent of the school for 18 years and the gift was the reward for faithful service.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

Night

In Gray’s Flats, WV:

Elijah Hannon and Dennis Gilmore are upstairs in C.H. Thankson’s house, alone in the same room. “Gilmore was working with a revolver. Hannon asked him the make and expressed a desire to see it whereupon Gilmore placed the gun on a table and pushed it toward Hannon.” (FWV 12.27.07 pg. 1)

“After Hannon had satisfied his desire in looking it over he placed the gun on the table and shoved it toward Gilmore and while in the act of pushing the pistol to Gilmore the revolver went off catching Hannon in the abdomen.” (FWV 12.27.07 pg. 1)

“It has been less than a month ago since Gilmore’s wife shot herself in Flemington. It was first thought that Gilmore was implicated in his wife’s death but the inquest determined it a case of suicide and nothing was done with Gilmore.” (FWV 12.27.07 pg. 1)

“The ambulance was sent immediately to Gray’s Flats for the man.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

In Monongah:

“The report that the Carnegie Hero Fund had provided…was good Christmas cheer, but no act of charity or work of the relief committees has been more gladly received than the distribution of the many things that Santa Claus brought the little ones of Monongah.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

By night fall, the “committee of assistants to Santa Claus” (Mrs. C.W. Watson, Mrs. J.E. Watson, Misses Lucy and Elizabeth Watson, Miss Helen Tuttle and Miss Lucile Ruckman and Master Edwin Watson) had finished their preparations and the 300 plus packages were ready for distribution, which was in charge of Minnie Watson and Col. T.G. Price, with a delivery wagon. His journey was not by any means an easy one as the sections of Monongah are widely scattered over the hills and old Santa was late in finishing his visit to the last house.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

minnie_2__large — Minnie Owings Watson (Mrs. C.W. Watson)

“Red Row, Hill No. 3, Wahoo, West Monongah with its fifty odd houses where only two male survivors are to be found, were all visited and all shared in the hospitality of the charitably inclined people, who have in no way stinted the Monongah people.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“In addition…Mr. J.M. Hartley sent 30 baskets well-ladened with the best things the season affords, which added cheer to many of the homes.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“The Fairmont Coal Company also provided Christmas baskets for each of the families that suffered loss in the mines, each basket containing a chicken, oysters, cranberries, and everything that would tend to make Christmas dinner wholesome and inviting.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“No trashy toys were given but substantial ones that will be of benefit for some time to come. The dolls were all neatly dressed, the sewing being done by many of the ladies’ societies of Fairmont. Some of the dolls were 18 inches in length for the larger girls, while many smaller ones were given to the smaller ones, with rubber dolls for the infants.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“The abundant supply of Christmas goods was not all used and many buckets of candy and other present were left over and will be given out at New Years.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 8)

TEP 12.26.07 - pg 1 - Monongah photo — TEP 12.26.07 – pg 1

At the mines:

“Three more bodies were recovered from the Monongah mines today, making a total up to date of 346.” (AMJ 12.25.07 pg. 1) (SLH 12.25.07 pg. 2)

“Another body will be removed tomorrow.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 3)

Midnight

In Monongah:

“The customary religious services were held at the Monongah churches and midnight mass was observed as usual at the Catholic Church on Christmas eve, but the sad eyes and sunken cheek gave evidence on the face of the mourning congregation that this observance of mass was different from any other ever witnessed before and it is the prayer of every Christian throughout the land that no such calamity may ever be visited upon another community in the future.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1 & 8)

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Tuesday, December 24, 1907, Christmas Eve Midnight –Morning

~Midnight

At the Darr Mines in Pennsylvania:

“Up to midnight 50 bodies had been prepared for burial, while more than 30 are at the bottom of the slope ready to bring out.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

“Work of exploration on the right of the main entry is practically completed and it is believed that most of the bodies have been located.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

“Several of the hours were required to change the air currents so that the work could be carried into the left section. It is on this side that most of the bodies will be found.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

“Scarcely had the change in air been effected when the men had to be called from the mine because one of the blades of the big fan became loosened. Telephonic communication has been established between the mouth of the pit and the rescuers and they were notified to come out immediately to wait for repairs.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

Morning

In Fairmont:

A “committee of assistants to Santa Claus” spends all day getting names and “over 300 packages, each package containing toys, dolls, mechanical toys, games, books, fruits, candies, nuts, and most everything else that would be appreciated by the children” ready for distribution at Monongah tonight. (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“The work was too much for [Santa] so he had the assistance of Mrs. C.W. Watson who took personal charge of the distribution of the Christmas presents. Mrs. Watson was assisted in this work by Mrs. J.E. Watson, Misses Lucy and Elizabeth Watson, Miss Helen Tuttle and Miss Lucile Ruckman and Master Edwin Watson.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

“Mrs. A.J. Ruckman, who has been so deeply interested and so painstaking in her work of relief lent valuable assistance. She did not rely entirely on the census for the names of the needy ones but made a personal house to house canvass of the neighborhood to make perfect the list of names and with her precaution it is hardly probable that a single person was missed.” (FWV 12.26.07 pg. 1)

10:00 am

In Fairmont:

The Fairmont West Virginian reports that the weather will be: Light snow or rain tonight and tomorrow. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

A meeting of Monongah Miners’ Relief Committee commences in the city council chambers. There is “…much work to do in the next few weeks and it is very important that proper plans for that work be laid out.” (FWV 12.23.07 – pg. 5 – extra)

“The report of A. Howard Fleming, secretary of the subscription committee, and the report of the executive committee were made and the work of the committees were applauded by the general committee and were urged to pursue the course that they have.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

Hon. J.M. Jacobs introduces a motion directing that a letter be written to the head of each relief fund that is raising money and inform them to send the money received to Mr. Sands or place it in a bank to Mr. Sands’ credit so that he can draw on the bank for the amount placed in it. (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

“Many suggestions were offered in the meeting as to how the future work of the executive committee should proceed…Rev. J.C. Bloomfield moved that a committee of three, composed of members of the present executive committee, should draft bylaws and rules to govern action of executive committee.” They also determined that “…the number to constitute a quorum of the committee was reduced from thirteen to nine.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

They collectively agreed that this committee “should report at a meeting to be held in the council chamber on next Tuesday at three o’clock.” They also decide that the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 3:00 pm will be the regular time the MMRC will meet and report. (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

The committee acknowledges that, “So far there has been no census taken of the number of dependents that will have to be cared for. This matter will be looked after. This work will largely be done through the priests and pastors of the churches.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

“The name, age, nativity of each victim of the explosion will be taken; the name of the wife, the names and ages of the children whether in this country or in their native land will be taken. Also the future intention of the dependents as to what they will do or expect to do. This complete record is necessary so that the distribution of the funds may be done with the precision that it should.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

Bishop Donahue is appointed to prepare a census form (blanks) “which will contain questions when properly answered will give all the information necessary without being a conglomerate mass. These blanks will be printed so that the work will be comparatively easy.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 8)

At some point during the morning:

At the Darr mines in Pennsylvania:

“Even though many of the widows have been left practically without money with which to buy Christmas present for their children, a number of voluntary contributions along this line in the form of candy and toys have been made. There will be distributed by the committee on Christmas morning. The last donation to be received was large pails of candy from a Pittsburgh confectioner, and it is said that several hundreds loaves of bread will be received tomorrow.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

Darr-burial storage — This image is often used in association with Monongah, however, this is a photo of victims of the Darr mine disaster either being “stored” until burial or of being placed in the potter’s field. The key noticeable difference is the type of coffins pictured.

“That many a home which was to have had a Christmas tree will contain a coffin during the happy hours of yuletide was demonstrated today when Henry Grossman delivered but three of the 26 Christmas trees which had been ordered from him. Grossman came into town this morning to deliver his trees, but at almost every door he was met by a sad faced woman who countermanded the order.” (PDP 12.24.07 pg. 1)

In Butler, WV:

Charles Simonel, aged 65, says, “I am going to spend Christmas with my God,” and kisses his small grandson goodbye. An hour later his wife finds him “dangling at the end of a rope from the attic. In a pocket she found a note which read: ‘Have not been at church for 32 years, but have made my peace with God and want to go to him.’ He leaves a widow and three children.” (FWV 12.24.07 pg. 5)

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Sunday, December 22, 1907 Morning

~5:00 am

In Fairmont:

Stonco Goyac, the 29 year old Hungarian miner stabbed and shot in Farmington, dies at Cook’s Hospital. He leaves behind a brother in Pennsylvania. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

7:30 am

In Fairmont:

Christ P.E. Church – Holy Eucharist (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

9:30 am

In Fairmont:

M.P. Temple Sunday School meets; “a full turn out of the school is desired so that the plans for the ‘Old Fashioned Christmas Tree’ service to be held on Christmas Eve may be completed.” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Diamond St M.E. Church Sunday School meets in charge of Mr. E.A. Wilson. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 2)

Presbyterian church Sabbath School meets – J. Walter Barnes, superintendent. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

First M.P. Church Sunday School meets – J.A. Swiger superintendent. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 2)

Palatine Baptist Church Bible School meets with Supt. W.A. Hustead in charge, the subject being, “Christmas lessons” (FWV 12.20.07 pg. 2)

M.E. Church South Sunday School meets – Dr. L.N. Yost superintendent (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Grace Lutheran Church Sunday School meets – Home-coming day. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

First M.E. Church Sunday School meets– C.W. Evans in charge. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

First Baptist Church Sunday School meets. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Christ P.E. Church Sunday School meets. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Central Christian Church Sunday School – McIntire, superintendent (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

9:45 am

In Clarksburg:

First Presbyterian Church, Wm. M. Hudson, Minister – Sabbath school meets. “Tuesday night the Sabbath school will have a tree to which the children and others are to bring presents and these presents are to be sent to the Rev. W.O. David at Monongah for distribution Christmas night to the Monongah children.”(CDT 12.21.07 pg. 3)

10:00 am

In Fairmont:

Cook Hospital informs Coroner Amos of Goyac’s death. This is the first any official has heard about the incident. Coroner Amos attends the postmortem examination. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)

10:30 am

In Fairmont:

M.E. Church South service – R.T. Webb, pastor. “Both the music and the sermon…will be appropriate to the Christmas occasion.” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Grace Lutheran Church service. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

- Subject, “No Room for Jesus”
- “Reception of members at 10:45”
- “Sacrament of the Lord’s supper will be administered immediately after the sermon.”
- “Congregational meeting after morning services.”

10:45 am

Christ P.E. Church – morning prayer and litany (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Presbyterian Church service – H.G. Stoetzer, Pastor (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

- Organ voluntary
- Elsa’s Prayer, Lohengrin
- Doxology
- Invocation hymn no 171 Antioch
- Reading of the Psalter
- Gloria Patri
- Scripture lesson
- Anthem, We Have Seen His Star in the East, Simpson
- Prayer
- Hymn 173, Mendelssohn
- Announcements
- Offertory
- Song from Rug Blas
- Anthem, Tidings of Joy, Porter
- Sermon
- Prayer
- Anthem, Adesti Idles, Dudley Buck
- Benediction
- Interlude, The Marvelous Works, Handel

First Baptist Church service – W.J. Eddy, Pastor (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

- Subject of sermon, addressed to the boys and girls, “Jesus, our Great Christmas Gift.”
- “Some special music will be rendered by some folks as well as by the choir.”

M.P. Temple service – J.C. Broomfield, pastor. Sermon, “The Birth of Christ”; text, “And the Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us.” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

Central Christian Church service – W.H. Willison, Pastor. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

First M.P. Church service – Rev. U.W. Morrison, pastor. Subject of sermon, “Christmas” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 2)

Palatine Baptist Church service – T.B. Lawler, Pastor. Subject, “The Guiding Star” (FWV 12.20.07 pg. 2)

First M.E. Church service – G.D. Smith, pastor (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 5)

- Anthem, “Come and Worship”, E.L. Ashford
- Hymn No 107
- Prayer
- Anthem, “Bethlehem”, Bartlett
- scripture lessons
- Offering
- Ladies Quartette “Under the Silent Stars”, C. Whitney Coombs

- Hymn No 111
- Sermon, “The Guiding Star”
- Anthem, “Sing O, Heavens” B. Tours
- Hymn No 113
- benediction

Diamond St M.E. Church services – Rev. G.W. Bent, Pastor; subject of sermon, “Christmas themes” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 2)

11:00 am

In Clarksburg:

First Presbyterian, Wm. M. Hudson, pastor; Divine worship and sermon, “The sermons at both services will be held in the spirit of Christmas, the morning sermon dealing with ‘Blessedness of Giving’…” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 3)

“Strangers are cordially invited to all these services.” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 3)

11:45 am

In Fairmont:

Diamond Street M.E. Church class (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 2)

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Friday, December 20, 1907 Afternoon

“Williams was coming out with his cars and was held up by another train some distance from the mouth at Jacobs Creek. He walked along the shaft toward the mouth and had almost reached the open air when he was lifted from his feet and turning over and over in the air, landed on the ground, seventy-five feet away, and then rolled over and over down a hill.” (WBR 12.21.7 pg. 5)

Early Afternoon

At the Darr mine in PA:

LAH 12.20.07 - pg 1 - headline — LAH 12.20.07 – pg 1

“Superintendent Black, who was in charge of the mine, recently resigned, also David Wingrave, former fire boss, also resigned on account of the gaseous nature of the mine. He said he notified the officials that the mine was unsafe for men to work in. There are many such reports here.” (FWV 12.20.07 pg. 1)

In Fairmont:

At the Grand Opera House, Irene Myers & company performs a “special relief fund” Matinee. The entire gross amount of the matinee and 10 percent of week’s receipts will be turned over to the General Relief fund. (FWV 12.14.07 pg. 3)

FWV 12.17.07 – pg 6

~3:30 pm, Press Time

At the Darr Mine in PA:

Rescuers have gone 5,000’ into the mine and it is necessary to go ¾ of a mile farther before coming to where the diggers will be found. (FWV 12.20.07 pg. 1)

“Clambering over obstructions that have been blown into the slope the men succeeded in reaching a point 5,000 feet from the mouth, where the first of the victims were discovered. Here was the office of the pit boss a small declivity hollowed out of the wall of the main passage, where the boss’ telephones are located, and where the business of the interior of the mine is transacted.” (WBR 12.21.07 pg. 5)

“Five bodies lay in a heap here. From one the head was blown off and this was found a little alter, thirty feet from the bodies. The features were blackened and scared beyond recognition, while only parts of the mens’ clothing remained after the fearful consuming blaze.” (WBR 12.21.07 pg. 5)

“It is now thought that about 180 men were working in the mine when the explosion occurred. Usually about 400 men worked in this mine but yesterday was a holiday and several foreigners remained out. It is not thought that any of the miners will be rescued alive.” (FWV 12.20.07 pg. 1)

“All of the 13 bodies taken out up to this time are terribly mutilated. Three of them are headless.” (AR 12.20.07 pg. 1)

“Up to this time the rescuers have found no fire in any place in the mine.” (AR 12.20.07 pg. 1)

In Fairmont:

The Loyal Temperance Legion meets at the Diamond St. M.E. Church and presents a small program of recitations and songs. (FWV 12.14.07 pg. 2)

In Monongah:

“With the recovery of five more from the mines of the Fairmont Coal Company at Monongah, W. Va., the total to date is 334.” (IJ 12.20.07 pg. 1)

During the Afternoon

12.21.07 pg 2 - Monongah — PDP 12.21.07 pg 2

In Pittsburgh:

“’I did not find at the mine the gruesome scenes I feared,’ said Vice President W.R. Woodford, of the Pittsburgh Coal Company, on his return yesterday afternoon from the Darr mine at Jacobs Creek. The acting head of the corporation was in telephonic communication with the mine almost the whole night after the explosion and the strain told upon him visibly. He went to Jacobs Creek early yesterday morning and held a conference with the men in charge.” (PDP 12.21.07 pg. 2)

“’No definite conclusion has been reached,’ he continued, ‘accounting for the explosion. Our experts will be unable to decide until they have explored the inner workings. Three theories, gas, coal dust and the two combined, have been advanced.’” (PDP 12.21.07 pg. 2)

“’It will be time enough to talk of our future plans when every body has been brought to the surface. We consider the proper burial of the dead miners the most pressing need. Afterward we can sit down and figure out future developments.’” (PDP 12.21.07 pg. 2)

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Tuesday, December 17, 1907, Afternoon

“Of the dozen or more miners from Clarksburg who perished in the Monongah mine horror the bodies of all have been recovered except that of a man named Hyland. If his body has been taken out it has not been identified. It is more than likely that it never will be identified and will be buried with the unknown.” (CDT 12.17.07 pg. 5)

~ 12:00 pm

At No. 1 mine in Yolande, AL:

“40 bodies now recovered. The remainder will be out by tonight.” (FWV 12.17.07 pg. 1)

“The mine has been pronounced free from gas by State Inspectors and it is supposed that the explosion was caused by dust.” (FWV 12.17.07 pg. 1)

The explosion is now known to have occurred in either the 5th or 6th right entrance. All of the bodies have been recovered from those entries and some of them are so horribly mutilated that identification is almost impossible. (FWV 12.17.07 pg. 1)

At the mines in Monongah:

One body is found in No. 8 by Chief Paul’s inspecting committee. The inspection committee is working “through No 8 toward No 6”. (FWV 12.17.07 pg. 1)

~2:30 pm

Women’s Christian Temperance Union holds a meeting in the Library parlors. (FWV 12.16.07 pg. 5)

~3:00 pm

The Arts and Arts & Crafts Dept. of the Woman’s Club holds its regular meeting at the public library in Willard Hall. A special program is given, in charge of Mrs. U.A. Clayton, to which the public is invited. Admission is 35 cents and the proceeds will go to the Monongah relief fund. The subject of the programs is “The Madonna” (FWV 12.13.07 pg. ) (FWV 12.14.07 pg. 5)

“The entertainment was a success from a financial stand point as well as a literary and musical treat the sum of $35 being realized.” (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 4)

At some point during the afternoon

In Washington D.C.:

William Griffith and John J Payton, of Scranton PA, arrive in D.C. “in an almost famished condition” after walking almost 200 miles to Washington from Scarbro, WV. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

Both were induced to leave their work in Scranton “some months ago” by advertisement of the White Oak Coal Company offering to pay wages at which they could have earned from $5-$6 a day. When they got to work they were paid $.48 for the work in which they received $1.10 at the Scranton mines, and $.50 for what they received $1.29. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

“If stories told…are true, the laborers at the mine of the White Oak Coal Company at Scarborough, WV are virtually slaves.” (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

Their wages are paid in scrip good only at company store and they were often forced to discount their checks even at the stores. The longer they worked at the mines the deeper they became indebted to the company. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

They would have left there at the end of the first week if they had not virtually been imprisoned by the detectives and guards of the company. Every day, they claim, the miners are marched to and from work under guard. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

After 3 or 4 unsuccessful attempts, they managed to escape with $1.50 as the result of their 3 months labor. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

They are asked to present their grievances to the Assistant Attorney General Russell with a view of securing evidence for the prosecution of the coal company. (FWV 12.18.07 pg. 7)

In Monongah:

Chief Mine Inspector Paul is still on the ground with district inspectors making an examination of the mines.

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