~Midnight
At the Darr mine in PA:
“When the body of Sol Hoke was brought out tonight his widow of a few hours and three children were waiting in the morgue to make the identification. Another fatherless child, too young to walk, had been left at home.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“With tearful eyes the young widow viewed the mangled remains of her husband and while his features were not recognizable, Mrs. Heke made the identification from the clothes which her husband had worn. ‘That’s Sol’s shirt,’ she sobbed. ‘I washed on Monday.’” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“Arthur Hoke, the 18-year-old son of Sol Hoke, was discovered by the rescuing party which quit work shortly after midnight. The body of the young man was found under one of the motors.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“One of the rescuing party said that at least 80 bodies had been located near the ‘swamp’, or twenty-first entrance, and that these would be brought out at daylight. The estimate of 350 dead is not exaggerated, but the majority of these will without doubt be removed within 24 hours.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“In the short distance rescuers were able last night to penetrate the Darr mine, scenes of Thursday’s awful explosion, half a dozen bodies were found and brought to the surface, making the total number that has reached the morgue up to this morning 12. A number of others, it is said, have been located.” (BG 12.21.07 pg. 8)
“While a vast amount of work was done during the night, not much progress was made toward the entries in which the great mass of bodies are entombed. The danger of another explosion is imminent and the rescuing forces dare not venture far ahead of the forces erecting the temporary brattices. Vast quantities of gas have been encountered and the volume seems to be steadily increasing, due possibly to the opening of the new fissures in the earth, resultant from the terrible explosion.” (BG 12.21.07 pg. 8)
Early Morning
At the Darr mine in Pennsylvania:
“Rescue work has been halted. A vast amount of bratticing must be done before it can proceed. The rescue parties, 7,500 feet from the main entrance, have found conditions such that to avert an additional disaster precautionary work must be done.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“The poisonous gases must be forced from the sections beyond and additional air and ventilation must be provided for that section. To neglect those precautions and proceed with the explorations is to risk the life of every man in the rescuing force. To provide these safeguards will require hours of time and it is not believed that the great mass of bodies will be reached before late tomorrow afternoon.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
A total of 12 bodies have been brought out early this morning. (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Conditions round about the mines and in this little mining town are greatly improved. The men who yesterday began a holiday celebration by drinking and feasting have sobered up an ceased their carousing and disorder which made last night hideous.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“The coroner will not begin his inquest until more bodies have been found and greater progress made into the investigation of the cause.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
Morning
In Fairmont:
The Fairmont West Virginian reports the weather as: Fair tonight; Sunday snow or rain. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 1)
In Farmington:
4 men: Mike, Pete, George, and Matt Tonkovick had “filled up on bad whiskey” and became “trouble mongers…they got near house No 42 they became engaged in a battle.” (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)
Stonco Goyac, who had recently arrived from PA and only worked 3 days at Farmington mine, steps out of his house to inquire as to the cause of the disturbance outside. Goyac gets “mixed up with the evil eye quartette and before he could get away he had been stabbed and shot.” The ball penetrated Goyac’s body on the right side below the third rib. He was taken to his boarding house. (FWV 12.23.07 pg. 1)
~8:00 am
At the Darr mine in PA:
“At 8 o’clock this morning, twelve bodies have been recovered from the Darr mine, nine of which have been identified. Relief parties have been delayed on account of gas.“ (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“The weather here is clear and cold this morning and much suffering prevails at the homes of the miners who lie dead in the mine. Great crowds of people arrived this morning on an early train and it was necessary for the state police to rope off the mine to prevent relatives of dead miner from entering the mine.” (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Now that several bodies have been recovered the question arises: How will they be brought to this side of the river where many of the bereaved families reside. There is only a ‘sky ferry’ consisting of a basket or box, which is propelled from one side of the river to the other on wires.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“This basket will carry only six persons and it would be impossible to put a casket in it. There is a bridge at Smithton, two miles below. And another three miles up, and it is not likely that the remains will be taken up or down the river on the other side as far as this. One of the company officials stated tonight that it was possible that a basket would be built to transfer the bodies to the side of the river.” (PPG 12.21.07 pg. 2)
“The Pittsburg Coal Company, owners of the ill-fated Darr mine, announced here this morning that they would purchase a plot of ground at Smithton, situated about a mile from here, where nearly all the miners will be buried when their bodies are recovered. It is almost impossible that half of the dead miners will ever be identified according to the manner of mangled remains of the 12 so far recovered. A neat plot of ground has been selected, where the ‘unknown dead’ will be buried.” (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
During the morning
In Chicago:
Patrolman Brophy accidentally shoots himself and will probably die. He had been demonstrating to a few spectators, saying he could throw the revolver on the floor and it would not be discharged. After throwing the pistol to the floor the second time, it went off, the bullet penetrating his forehead. (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 1)
In New York:
A bomb explodes in a crowded tenement. It is attributed to the Black Hand as, “A desperate attempt to destroy a whole family…which practically wrecked the entire building, seriously injuring three children and endangering the lives of a score of others.” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Explosion was just outside the apartment of Angelo Transicanti, a barber occupying the ground floor. One of the walls fell across the bed in which the barber’s daughters were sleeping, badly burning all three.” (FWV 12.21.07 pg. 1)
At the Darr mine in PA:
“One more body was discovered at 11 o’clock today in the Swamp, about two miles in from the main entry. The body is that of a foreigner, but the rescuers were unable to bring it out. The work of rescue is going on as fast as is consistent with the safety of the rescuing parties.” (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Mine Inspector, T.J. Williams, of Connellsville, who came out of the mine at 11 o’clock said there was no fire in the mine and the work of recovery was going on all right.” (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“The rescue work is slow.” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“From a canvas made it is believed the total list of dead will be close to three hundred.” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Company officials have ordered that exploring parties shall advance only as fast as the passageway can be cleared of gas, ventilated and otherwise made safe.” (BG 12.21.07 pg. 8)
“So bad is the general idea of the conditions in the mine disaster, there is no enthusiasm over joining the rescuing parties. There are few volunteers for the service and those who enter the mines are exercising the greatest caution.” (BG 12.21.07 pg. 8)
“Evidence of much suffering and distress among those dependent upon the victims has already been disclosed and steps have been taken to organize relief committees.” (BG 12.21.07 pg. 8)
“The miners of the vicinity were not paid as usual, the company announcing that payday would be postponed until next week. This action was taken to avoid confusion.” (BS 12.22.07 pg. 2)
“This forenoon notices were posted in the offices of the coal company stating that pay day would be postponed until next week. The men had begun to gather in expectation of receiving their money today. The reason for this delay was stated to be the desire to avoid confusion and also ensure that none of the pay envelopes get into wrong hands.” (DH 12.21.07 pg. 1)
“Clark Adams, said to be the son of wealthy parents living in New York, a young man just out of his tens, is said to have met death in the mine. Three months ago Adams sought employment at the mines, with the intention of earning money to buy himself a new outfit of clothing and return to his home. He intended to leave for the East next Sunday.” (BS 12.22.07 pg. 2)
“Body No. 5 was today identified as that of Joe Simko, in a very peculiar manner. The body was believed to be that of Nick Murphy. It was so badly mutilated that identification was difficult. A friend of the Simko family informed the coal company that Simko’s wife always placed a piece of cotton between two of his toes on the right foot as a mean of identifying him in case of accident. Only the right leg remained on the body, and cotton was found between the toes as described.” (PDP 12.22.07 pg. 2)
“The attendants of the ‘sky ferry’ which is crowded every trip, were caused much uneasiness by women giving way to strong emotion while in the basket. On several occasions men passengers had to hold them to keep them from falling out.” (PDP 12.22.07 pg. 2)
“The sight of a miner’s lamp which called to her mind vividly the death of her husband in the Darr mine, was sufficient to cause Mrs. Mary McVey, 40 years old, to fall in a swoon on the floor of a little country store here tonight.” (PDP 12.22.07 pg. 2)
“With eyes red from weeping she had come into the store for her Sunday supply of groceries when another customer purchased a lamp. The woman fell with a scream. Such scenes as this occur each hour.” (PDP 12.22.07 pg. 2)
In Clarksburg:
“President C.W. Watson, of the Fairmont Coal Company, was a visitor in the city for a brief period Saturday morning.” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 10)
“He came in from the East in a private car attached to train No. 3. A special train was made up here and took him to Monongah over the M.R. division shortly afterwards.” (CDT 12.21.07 pg. 10)
More on How Death Gloated!
The Monongah Disaster 