Saturday, December 7, 1907, Midday

In Pennsylvania:

12.7.07 - pg 1 - Naomi — CET 12.7.07 pg 1

In Baltimore:

“A dispatch from Vice President Jere H. Wheelwright, of the Consolidation Coal Company, was received at the offices in Baltimore yesterday.” (TBS 12.8.07 pg. 2)

“Mr. Wheelwright has been at the Monongah mine since Friday…”(TBS 12.8.07 pg. 2)

“His dispatch, which was sent to Mr. A.G. Dunham, the general auditor, was brief. It merely said that his worst fears had been realized and that the dead miners would number between 350 and 400.” (TBS 12.8.07 pg. 2)

“Further than this the officials here knew nothing more of the disaster than was told in the press dispatches.” (TBS 12.8.07 pg. 2)

Wheelwright-findagrave — J.H. Wheelwright

In Clarksburg:

12.01.07 - pg 1 - Xtra - disaster 13 — CDT 12.7.07 pg 1 – 1:30 extra

Noon

In Monongah:

“Even nature seems to dumbly feel the horror of the day and the sun has held its face behind leaded clouds since the fire damp did its fatal work.” (EO 12.7.07 pg. 1)

“There is no home in the village that is not stricken. Each one will harbor a dark coffin if not several after the last body is extricated from the covering of earth and bodies of fellow victims.” (EO 12.7.07 pg. 1)

In Fairmont:

A Fairmont undertaker places order for 100 coffins with Muskingum Coffin Co. in Ohio. The company goes into emergency production, working around the clock. (McAteer)

“The newspaper offices are kept busy answering specials in all directions.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

The Fairmont West Virginian releases a special, 14-page, Noon edition:

12.7.07 - pg 1 - headlines — FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon

In Monongah:

“The four hundred and twenty-five checks that were given out yesterday morning hardly represent all the men that were in the mines at the time their ill fate overtook them. Other men not having checks likely to have been ushered into eternity by the same cause.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

“Yesterday the people of this city and of Monongah were sort of dazed but today the realization of the enormity of the explosion and the terrible results following it.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

“The women whose husbands and near relatives are among the entombed are taking it as cooly as possible. There is little excitement and all that there is to see today is the removing of the bodies.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

“The number at the morgue up to this time is 12.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

A new force of workers makes a new opening at #8 and “have now gone to a distance of 1500’ in the mine, or about half the distance to where the 2 pits, 6 and 8, meet.” (FWV 12.7.07 – pg.1)

In Fairmont:

“Photographer Busy: Mr. Marvin D Boland has been one of the busiest men in town since yesterday. City papers in all parts of the country are calling for photographs. In the absence of a picture of the fated mines a Pittsburg afternoon paper ran a stock cut of Otis Watson, the original coal operator of the Fairmont region.” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 1 – noon)

“All day today knots of people have been on the street discussing the scenes of the disaster. At the corner of Jefferson and Main streets there was a big group of men and women all day who with eager ears tried to catch every syllable of news…the whole city has been listening, every scrap of news was gobbled up with a craving almost insatiable.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

12.7.07 - pg 1 - media list — FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon

In Monongah:

“About 50 newspaper men are on the ground today many from Pittsburg, Cleveland, Baltimore, and New York.”

“G. Girosi of the Italian New York Herald is one among the number as well as L. Friedel, of the Cleveland Zabadsag, a Hungarian paper.” (FWV 12.7.07 – pg.1)

A list of the dead and suspected dead is also published to the public but it is purely American miners only, with the exception of Francesco Loria and Stan Urban who were taken from #8. The list contains about 50 – 60 names though it is not known yet if these men are dead or simply missing, including the name of coupler, Bill Sloane. Bill’s two sons, Scott and Dennis Sloane, are also included in the list though neither has likely been found and identified as of this point.

More on How Death Gloated!

Friday, December 6, 1907 11:00 pm – Midnight

12.7.07 - pg 1 - Monongah — TBD 12.7.07 pg. 1

12.7.07 - pg 1 - Monongah 7 — CET 12.7.07 pg. 1

“It is believed that the shock of the explosions displaced many of the heavier timbers in the galleries and whole rows where the unfortunate men were working collapsed upon them. In this case the work of reaching the entombed men will be infinitely greater. Some of them are now believed to be separated from the outer world by many tons of earth.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8)

“The hope that they are alive lies in the possibility that enough pure air remained in the mine to supply those who were not crushed outright until they can be reached by the rescuers.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8)

In Monongah:

“At eleven o’clock tonight the list of employees had been checked off, showing that 380 were in the two mines when the explosion occurred. Of these six had been brought to the surface dead and five escaped through air shafts. The latter are in the miner’s hospital here in a precarious condition.” (DASB 12.07.07 pg. 1)

For hours now, more than likely since the meeting with Pres. C.W. Watson, General Manager Malone has been sorting through the payroll lists for Monongah mines #6 and #8 to get a better idea of just how many fatalities they are facing. By 11:00 pm, he is as finished as he can be with this aspect of his research. However, he does not deny that this list of around 380 payrolled names does not include any non-payrolled workers (such as B&O railroad workers on loan or those hired and paid by the miner personally—what we would consider an Independent Contractor today), younger trapper boys, or those who have been hired since the last time this list had been updated some two weeks prior, nor will it include those who were known to have been hired the morning of the explosion.

None the less, the press and public will become fixed with this very first “official” number of 380 and begin to speculate on their own.

“Six charred bodies lying in the improvised morgue, five men near death in the hospital and 369 men imprisoned by tons of coal, rock and mine debris in the depth of the hills surrounding this mining town with chances all against a single one of them being alive is the most accurate summary obtainable at 11 o’clock tonight…” (SFC 12.7.07 pg. 1)

The company nor the press is yet aware of just how many workers, like Bill Sloane and this author’s own great-grandfather, did not go into work that morning. As each one begins to turn up alive over the next several days, the overall number of potential corpses continues to be lowered rather than a name simply getting checked off the potential identity list. Though the extra off-payroll workers are acknowledged by company, they are not included in their factors.

In Fairmont:

“Late in the night…the streets of the city were crowded with anxious people eager to snatch any news that came from the disaster. Every car that came from Monongah, the passengers were stopped while inquiry about the news was made by the waiting crowd but the passengers had little to satisfy the hungering ones.” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 2 – noon)

At some point during the night at the Miner’s Hospital, William H. Bice, the fan engineer who was blown through the walls of the #8 fan house, dies of his injuries. Though many doctors and nurses have returned to the Miner’s Hospital, the morticians and undertakers are still in Monongah. As a result, Bice had plenty of care in his final hours of life, but in death there is no one on hand to care for his body at the hospital. His body, along with others, is simply left in the hospital morgue.

In Pennsylvania:

Clarence Hall has been on the site of the Naomi mine disaster for days, but now he boards a train and heads straight for Monongah. He is considered U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s personal representative as one of the few federal government agents attempting to remedy the ever-growing mortal cost of the mining industry in the country.

In Monongah:

Before the midnight hour, rescue work transitions into recovery work as the long process of removing bodies from the mines begins. As #6 mine was not as badly damaged as #8 and workers have been able to restore enough ventilation for rescue crews, the process begins there.

As each body is brought to the surface, Dr. F.W. Hill and several other medical volunteers briefly examine the bodies in hope to quickly determine the true cause of death before sending them over to the temporary morgue. Though Coroner Amos and many other morticians are expecting to have the chance to perform autopsies, they simple become too overwhelmed too quickly and decide against doing so. Due to the conditions of many bodies, it is impossible to embalm them and they must be prepared for burial and identified as quickly as possible.

~Midnight

“Of the victims six dead bodies had been taken from mine Nos 6 at midnight and six others were piled up in the entry awaiting the completion of facilities for bringing them to the surface. From mine No 8 at the same hour, fourteen bodies had been removed, and a number of others are ready to be brought out as soon as arrangements can be completed.” (LAH 12.7.07 pg. 1)

Outside #8:

Once the small fires in #8 are subdued, the temporary 8’ wide fan on loan from a local mine in Shinnston is started up once again. Though they manage to recover some bodies near the mouth and along the main shaft of the mine, the temporary fan is simply not powerful enough to purify the air in the mine and rescue crews only make it around 700 feet beyond the main entrance before they are once again driven out by toxic gases. However, this does not stop the rescue and recovery efforts. A fresh crew replaces those who came in contact with the gases and a round-robin system of smaller crews and shorter trips into the mine takes hold at #8.

In Monongah:

A large number of lingering physicians are “ordered out” of the town; “At midnight these messengers of mercy with pity and patience were on the scene ready to minister to the maimed and moaning, but there was little need for their services.” (FWV 12.7.07. pg. 1 – noon)

More on How Death Gloated!

Friday, December 6, 1907, Evening into Night, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

“Tonight, thousands are gathered at …No 6 and 8, aghast of the horror of the explosions…in fact, the entire town of several thousand people are crowded about the mine openings anxiously awaiting the work of the rescue party, but without even the slightest hope of seeing any of their loved ones alive.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

~7:00 pm

In Monongah:

“Trolley cars and trains over the Baltimore and Ohio brought great crowds of people from Clarksburg and Fairmont, many of whom have relatives in the terrible catastrophe, all anxious to learn the worst, as all hope had been abandoned that any survived and the only hope that remained was that the bodies at least might be recovered.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

Vice President Potter, General Manager Thomas Fitzgerald and Division Superintendent and other officials of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company heard of the horrible disaster and arrive to offer their services.

14 miners also arrive from Tunnelton, WV, to aid in the rescue (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 1)

“The general opinion in the town is that the number of dead and imprisoned will reach 500. A few persons believe this number will be exceeded, claiming that more than half the total force worked during the day, while on the other hand some think the number will be smaller. The most conservative estimates place the number of victims at 300 or more.” (DASB 12.07.07 pg. 1)

~7:30 pm

At #8:

Superintendent A.J. Ruckman finds the body of Charles Honaker. “…it was thought that Honaker had been blown in the river but he had not. He was lying about 70ft from the mouth of No 8. When he was found his watch was still keeping time and this property was the means of his identification. Mr. Ruckman still has his watch.” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 2 – noon)

“Undertakers on the scene have converted the First National bank building into a morgue to take care of the bodies and all the caskets possible have arrived from Clarksburg and Fairmont with a special order on the way from Wheeling.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

~8:00 pm

At the mines:

“At this time the rescuers are hard at work digging debris, dirt, coal, timbers, and the like away so as to get further into the mine. The efforts are to rescue any live men who may possibly be in the mine and dead bodies are now being removed.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

“The chief efforts of rescue are at mine No 6, where the explosion was not so terrific.” “At No 8 the rescue work is difficult and proceeding very slowly on account of the afterdamp.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

In Monongah:

“The saloons have all been closed by order of the mayor. The great crowds still linger at the mines. The order is good.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

West Virginia Governor Dawson wires a message to Pres. C.W. Watson: “Inspector to arrive tomorrow. Do not hesitate to call upon me for assistance.” Watson replies, “Our accident was deplorable indeed. Very much obliged for your offer…glad to know Chief Mine Inspector Paul will be here in the morning. Impossible to tell extent of fatalities at this time. Will advise you early tomorrow.” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 1 & 2 – noon)

~8:30 pm

Evening presses from major papers across the country are putting out some of the first words the country will read about the disaster in Monongah. At some point during the day, either General Manager Malone or someone who had talked with Malone had a telephone conversation with a reporter at the Associated Press. As a result of this too early conversation which will be reprinted again and again nationwide, much of the first and perhaps only words many people will read about the disaster over the next month are highly inaccurate.

CDT 12.6.07 pg 1

(ETR 12.6.06 pg. 1)

~9:00 pm

Inside #6:

Rescuers begin investigating side entries and rooms further from explosions. As each crew moves forward, they stumble over material debris as well as dead bodies of miners and horses.

“Relay parties bring no work of encouragement, to the contrary their only report is the finding of dead bodies piled up in the mine pits in heaps of twenty, indicating that when the explosion occurred, many of them rushed to the openings and perished on the way—overcome by gas.” (CDT 12.7.07 pg. 1)

In Monongah:

Another special train arrives, this one from Baltimore carrying V.P. Wheelwright of Consolidated Coal Company, President Oscar G Murray and General Manager Thomas Fitzgerald from the B&O railroad company along with more company officials, volunteers, newspaper reporters, and sightseers.

It becomes clear to company officials that many burial sites will be needed, and the existing potter’s field is insufficient.

“C.W. Watson, president of the company, is deeply affected by the accident and refused to give out a statement tonight. He only observed that it was ‘Too bad! Too bad!’” (TS 12.7.07 pg. 1)

Outside #8:

“The deadly fire damp made it impossible to do much rescue work early in the day, especially at Mine No. 8, where the explosion had completely wrecked the fan, until another fan could be brought from Shinnston, twelve miles away, and put in working order, the men labored at a disadvantage…” (WH 12.7.07 pg. 1)

Relief crews have managed to create a stable air hole about a half mile from the mine mouth. A temporary 7-foot-wide fan has arrived from Shinnston and put into place at #8 mine. But, “When the fan that was installed at the mouth of mine No 8 was started…it caused a small fire.” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 1 & 2 – noon)

Inside #8:

“One fire was discovered to the right of the main entry in No. 8 and a pipeline was immediately laid into the mine and the fire extinguished.” (FWV 12.10.07 pg. 2 – Floyd Parsons)

~9:30 pm

“Up to 9:30 Peter Roisberg is the only man brought out alive.” (TS 12.7.07 pg. 1)

More on How Death Gloated!

Friday, December 6, 1907 10:30 am

10:30 am

At the mouth of #6:

J.H. Leonard and Alonzo Shroyer are staring down the portal of #6 mine, bracing for the imminent impact of the runaway train of coal cars. Inside the #6 fan house, the clock connected to the sensitive pressure gauges of the fan marks that at 10:30 am the gages “go up a little then drop clean to the bottom” (Inquiry, Victor).

Somewhere in the deep recesses of the two mines, a massive explosion erupts. As it tears through the workings of the mine, following the paths of least resistance, it consumes all oxygen, extinguishes the carbide lamps of the miners, and destroys most of their belongings.

Many men within the mines die instantly as a result of traumatic injuries such as burns, blunt force impacts, and decapitation. Others get caught up in the blast and carried away as, “Every movable object shot with terrific force through the mine.” Majority if not all of the workers caught in this wave are utterly demolished, several of their bodies will be found “strewn at the mouth” or not found at all, having been disintegrated in the force. (Nurses) (LAH 12.8.07 pg. 1) (McAteer)

Inside #8 mine:

The DePetris brothers are violently thrown off their feet, the blast hurling them against a rib then to the mine floor. (McAteer, Inquiry)

Nearby, Dan Dominico is smashed to the ground with such force that his ear is badly cut and one arm is injured so seriously he cannot move it. (McAteer, Inquiry)

Outside #8 mine:

The south-bound interurban trolley is only a few yards beyond the mouth of mine #8 when the crowd of passengers begin to feel and hear the earth rumble around them. (News)

On the East side of Monongah:

George Peddicord has barely begun to cross the Iron Bridge between the two mines when he feels everything around him shake and hears a rumbling noise from up river, in the direction of #8. (Inquiry)

At the Traction Park Interurban station between #6 & #8:

George Bice is around 330 yards north of #8, by the Traction Park interurban station when he hears the report, “likened to the discharge of a cannon,” from behind. He spins around to look at #8 and sees tons of brick, 8×8 timbers, infrastructure, machinery, coal cars, tools and other debris from deep within the mine hurled up and out the entrance by the explosive force. The miners’ check-tag board is eviscerated, the brass ID tags scatter into the river and are lost. (McAteer, Inquiry, News)

At #8:

The large iron gate at the mouth of #8 is ripped away as the force exits through the mine mouth. But the pressure is simply too much and the force tears a 100-foot hole in the hillside where the entrance once stood, tossing the iron gate and chunks of concrete, one “weighing fully 1000 pounds”, across the river and embedding them into the eastern river bank. (McAteer, Inquiry, News)

“So great was the force of the explosion that one man was blown out of a pit mouth a distance of 400 feet.” (WT 12.7.07 pg. 1) Charles Honaker is caught by the first blast wave at the entrance of #8. His clothing is “lit ablaze” and his body is hurled into the air along with the debris and blown hundreds of yards away, toward the river. (McAteer)

The 10 ton, 30’ tall fan for #8 is considered one of the most powerful fans in the country. It is ripped from its concrete moorings, chucked across the river, and embedded in a hillside almost a half mile away from its original location. The large powerhouse, with all its large machinery and boiler room is blown all the way to other side of the river. (McAteer, News, Inquiry)

Electric wires about the mouth of #8 mine are ripped apart and strewn across the ground. (News, Inquiry)

Across the river at #8 tipple:

Otto Smith yells out to the #8 tipple boss, “I reckon the mine has blown up!”. He turns around to see a plume of fire and smoke shoot from the open hillside of #8 more than 60 feet into the sky. (Inquiry)

In the vicinity of #8:

Windows shatter in the buildings around #8, including those all the way across the river in the house next to the tipple. Hyre Stalnaker hears the blast inside the carpenter shop and attempts to run outside but the shock of the blast throws him back into the shop and knocks him out. (Inquiry, News, McAteer)

In the center of town:

George Peddicord can not see the #8 portal from his position on the Iron Bridge, but the force is so intense he can see the timbers and debris flying above through the air followed by a tower of black smoke. (Inquiry)

In Monongah:

Lester Trader was in bed, though not yet asleep, when “the whole house lifted, then the sound of a terrible roar and I felt the earth shaking with such intensity causing objects to fall from shelves…”. He rises from bed and races for the door.

Almost instantly, before Lester Trader can make it to his door, a second report comes from down river in the direction of #6. When he reaches his door, he can feel the wind still coming off of #8. (Inquiry, McAteer)

Inside #8:

Dan & Leo Dominico and the DePetris brothers are just getting to their feet when they are knocked down again by a second, equally powerful explosion. (Inquiry)

Peter & Stan Urban hear and feel the second explosion; they begin to run. (Inquiry, McAteer)

On the East side of Monongah:

Christina Cerdelli hears the noise of the blast in her doorway. She sees smoke coming from the toad holes all along the west side. The smoke is so thick and abundant some believe it is coming from St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. A bit farther up river, Lee Curry also sees the smoke above houses and St. Stanislaus on the west side of town from his vantage point on the #8 tipple. (Inquiry)

Beneath the #6 tipple, E.P. Knight hears something that sounds like dynamite with “a roar to it” come from #6.(Inquiry)

At #6:

Tons of earth are heaved high into the air around #6 and adjacent buildings are damaged. (News, Inquiry, McAteer)

At the mouth of #6, J.H. Leonard and Alonzo Shroyer are thrown back as the blast exits through the portal. Leonard is covered in rubble; his arm and ankle are very hurt. Shroyer slams into something hard, possibly the derailing switch, cutting him to the bone behind his right ear. (Inquiry, McAteer)

A piece of rail track comes down into the #6 blacksmith shop though the blacksmith, Will Jenkins, only sees a sootish-colored smoke with no flame coming from #6 in a steady blowout. (Inquiry)

Pat McDonald, who was still running toward #6 on the trestle, is also hurled over 100 feet backwards and badly injured. (Inquiry, News, McAteer)

The top of the #6 fan house is “blown in the air a considerable distance”, more than 400 feet. (FWV 12.6.07 pg. 1)

Ed Fry is in the doorway of #6 engine room when he is physically jarred by the second blast, though he hears no report. (Inquiry, McAteer)

On the East side of Monongah:

E.P. Knight is still on the telephone with John Talbott until he glances out his shanty window, then runs out the door to see a good bit of dark brown smoke coming out of the #6 air shaft. On the other end of the line, inside the company offices, John Talbott heard the report and saw the flash of fire at #8 through the 2 large bay windows in his office which faced both mines.(Inquiry, McAteer)

The outside foreman, Charlie Dean, and Superintendent of #6, A.J. Ruckman, are talking in the company offices in Monongah when they feel the building shake from the concussion. The loud report causes Charlie Dean to assume that the #8 boiler has blown up. A.J. Ruckman, looks out to #6 and sees smoke coming out of the air shaft “strong, under high pressure”. (Inquiry, McAteer)

Frank Morris feels the jar in his office inside the company store. He runs outside to see smoke coming out of the mouth of #6 and begins running toward the mine. (Inquiry, McAteer)

At #6:

J.H. Leonard does his best to crawl away from the #6 portal to an area where he could let himself down under the trestle and protect himself from flying debris with the door from a coal car. (Inquiry, McAteer)

In the center of town:

George Peddicord drops his buckets and rushes across the Iron Bridge, not to the mine, but to his home. (Inquiry, McAteer)

At #8:

The interurban trolley is rocked on its tracks by the concussion, but holds its bearings and continues on with a crowded car of stunned and terrified passengers. (News, McAteer)

In the surrounding areas:

The “shock from the explosion was distinctly heard” 12 miles away in Pruntytown. (FWV 12.7.07 – pg.1)

The concussion is reportedly heard up to 50 miles away and is “distinctly felt” in Grafton and in the school house at Hoult where the “erasers were jarred from the blackboard and struck to the floor with a bang.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8) (FWV 12.12.07 pg. 2)

“People for miles in every direction begin to make inquiries over the telephone…” (FWV 12.7.07 pg. 1 – noon)

Lee Lichtenstein of Columbus was 6 miles away in Fairmont at the time. He will later tell The Baltimore Sun that, “The explosion shook Fairmont…as if by earthquake…a rumbling noise, houses rocked to and fro, people rushed wildly to the street and it was 15 minutes before it was known what occurred.” (News, McAteer)

In the town of Monongah:

No one in Monongah needed to ask what had happened. “They divined instantly that another great mine horror had taken place.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8)

The sounds of the blasts were deafening. “The buildings of the cities tottered and waved as if they would collapse. The pavements were upheaved and some of the frailer structures fell into ruins.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8)

“Pedestrians and even horses were knocked off their feet… Fires started in various parts of the city.” (WED 12.7.07 pg. 8)

“In the shock of the explosion the school house at Monongah was shaken in such a way that it threw the children in a frenzy and they rushed to the doors and windows some thinking an earthquake had occurred. When the smoke from the mines was seen an uproar was started as it was then realized what had happened. Children screamed pitifully that their fathers were killed and the teachers were utterly unable to control them.” (FWV 12.10.07 pg. 8)

More on the Monongah Disaster of 1907

Introduction

Disclaimer and Guide

How Death Gloated!: A Timeline of the Monongah Disaster and Bloody December of 1907

Who is Guilty?: A Timeline of January 1908 and the Coroner’s Inquiry

Issues with the Monongah Timeline

Bibliography/Resources

About the Author

Contact Information

Wednesday, December 4, 1907

At the Naomi mine in Pennsylvania:

12.4.07 - pg 1 - Naomi — FWV 12.4.07 pg 1

In Washington D.C.:

Gov. Dawson - wikipedia — photo of Governor W.M.O. Dawson from Wikipedia

Governor William M.O. Dawson arrives in D.C. for the national river convention. Governor Dawson conferred “with river enthusiasts from many States and is rejoiced at the enthusiasm…”. (FWV 12.5.07 pg. 1)

ABFleming - wikipedia — Photo of Aretas Brooks Fleming from Wikipedia

Former West Virginia Governor and current Fairmont Coal Company associate, A.B. Fleming, is also at the convention in D.C. (FWV 12.5.07 pg. 1)

In Grafton, WV:

Sam Furk has been arrested in Grafton by local authorities for crimes associated with the Black Hand. Furk is described as a “tough-looking” “big Italian”, believed to be “king of the Black Hand society of this section of the country”.

“Nothing concerning where Furk came from can be elicited from any of the local foreigners and all of them seem to be afraid of him. He arrived here a short time ago and has been spending his time among the foreigners.”

Furk is charged with extorting other Italians for money around the Grafton and Fairmont areas.

“From what could be learned of the matter from the foreigners, most of whom were so badly scared they would not talk, it appears that Furk, since he came here, has been posing as the ‘big man’ in the ‘Black Hand’ society and in making his demands upon the foreigners has emphasized his remarks by the flourish of a big revolver.”

Many local terrorized Italians are “afraid that if they do appear against the fellow that he should not be held for court that he would kill them as soon as he could find them after being released.”

“…Furk was not given a hearing yesterday, but he will probably be arraigned today.” (FWV 12.4.07 pg. 2 & 6)

At the Monongah mines:

Day shift worked at mines #6 and #8

Fred Stubbs is among them but this will be his last day of work for the rest of the week because his wife is very sick at home. At this time, a system known as “miners freedom” allows Fred to choose if he wants to work, rather than requesting the time off.

Ebook - miner's freedom - Race & labor in America — *For Jobs and Freedom: Race and Labor in America Since 1865*
By Robert H. Zieger, page 37

In #8:

It is the first day on the job for 3 Russian immigrants: Paul Goff, John Goff, and Frank Kreger.

Fred Vandatti works the gathering motor in #8: 4th right, 2nd north. Hugh Reese (brakeman) was his helper.

motorman — Motorman driving a gathering motor.

In #6:

James Rogers (assistant foreman in #6 and foreman in #3) is working in #6. This will be his last day of work this week due to illness.

George Simko works in #6: 2nd right, E face, room 8. This will also be his last day of work this week due to sickness.

Libberato Delasandro is working in #6 and finds gas accumulation earlier in the day at 2^nd right off of D face, in rooms 2 & 3. However, it was only a slight trace – normal and relatively safe—so he does what most miners do: he takes off his coat and waves it around, fanning the gases out of the air and working space. Later, he will find gas and dust accumulation on 2^nd right of G face in #6. At one point a foreman comes into where he is working, notices the gas and shouts at Libberato to lower the flame on his cap and so he does. (Inquiry, McAteer)

In Fairmont, WV:

The Fairmont West Virginian reports the weather as: Snow tonight. Thursday fair. Minimum temperature tonight about 15 degrees.

CW Watson - Wikipedia — Photo of C.W. Watson from Wikipedia

Fairmont Coal Company and Consolidated Coal Company President Clarence Wayland Watson is world-renowned for his show horses. 14 of C.W. Watson’s show horses arrive in Fairmont on train No. 7., care of the US Express company from New Haven, Conn. (FWV 12.4.07 pg. 5)

Night

In Monongah:

A meeting of Monongah mine foremen & superintendents is held in J.C. Gaskill’s office. The meeting is called to go over things regarding safety of the mines.

Fairmont Coal Company supervisor David Victor, Tom Donlin (foreman at #6), and foreman Pete McGraw are present for the meeting.

Gaskill asks McGraw and Donlin about conditions inside and about the mines and they replied that it was good in both cases. “…McGraw said he had a little bit of shooting off the solid that he had not been able to eliminate. He was instructed to eliminate all of that and that he must get rid of the men who had that practice.” (Inquiry– Victor)

James Rogers, assistant foreman in #6, talks with foreman Tom Donlin in the company supply store about watering the mines tonight.

At the mines:

Night shifts work and, per usual, the main-ways of the mines are watered, but not the branching off hallways and rooms. (Inquiry, McAteer)

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Tuesday, December 3, 1907

Morning

At the Naomi mines in Pennsylvania:

12.03.07 - pg 1 - Naomi — CDT 12.03.07 pg. 1

In Fairmont:

Very icy conditions – “The walking…was very treacherous and many people got falls” (FWV 12.4.07 pg. 8)

Mrs. Jacob M Watkins of 5th ward fell and broke her wrist.

Miss Edith Frey slipped on icy pavement on her way to school and broke her elbow.

Mrs. Ellis Billingsiea fell and was unconscious for some time. No broken bones.

Mr. Crawford M. Shaw, a well-known B&O Engineer, fell on icy pavement and broke his arm.

Mrs. J.M. Watkins fell at home on Locust Ave and broke her wrist.

Afternoon

The Women’s Auxiliary of Christ Episcopal church routinely shift hostesses for their meetings. Today the collective leaves Fairmont on the 2:00 pm trolley headed for Monongah. After about a 20 minute ride, they meet up with their hostess, Mrs. Ruckman at Monongah. (FWV 12.2.07 pg. 8)

Night

In Viropa (mining town one mile north of Shinnston):

Fire destroys the houses of five miners. “As there was no means of fighting the fire except by volunteer bucket brigade another house was dynamited to prevent the flames from reaching a large boarding house and the mine tipple.” (CDT 12.4.07 pg. 8)

The houses actually belong to the Fairmont Coal Company. “The company’s loss is between $3,000 and $4,000, but the property was fully insured. The houses were occupied by foreigners who saved most of their household goods.” (CDT 12.4.07 pg. 8)

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December 1, 1907 – Welcome to Bloody December

Belle Vernon, near Fayette City, Pennsylvania.

Sometime between 7:15pm – 7:30 pm, the Naomi mine explodes “with a roar that shook the whole countryside.”¹

“The explosion was caused by gas being ignited by an open light or an electric spark or flame from the electric wires, and it was greatly augmented by coal dust.”⁴

Fires inside the mines immediately follow the explosion. The Sunday night shift is relatively small so it is believed some 30 – 60 miners are entombed underground where the fires steadily consume all breathable oxygen and replace it with toxic gases known as black damp.

“Within a few minutes hundreds of people surrounded the pit mouth. The screams were indescribable. Wives and children and friends of the men entombed wrung their hands and begged piteously for rescuing parties to enter the mines and bring out their loved ones. All night they refused to leave the pit mouth.”1

“After a brief examination of the conditions, the impression prevailed among the inspectors that no one would be found alive in the mine, as the after damp would in all probability have smothered those who were not burned by the gas or hurled to death against the sides of the mine by the force of the explosion. The miners, most of whom were foreigners, were at work almost a mile from any entrance.”⁴

“Only one man, an unknown foreigner, (out of 34 employees), reached the surface after the explosion occurred, and as he reached the open air he fell unconscious from inhaling the gas fumes and died in a few minutes.”⁴

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In West Virginia:

Governor Dawson leaves for Washington D.C. to attend a meeting of rivers and harbors congress which will be in session for several days. (FWV 12.4.07 pg. 4)

Welcome to Bloody December.

1907 is considered the deadliest year of the mining industry in the United States.² The month of December produced 5 separate major disasters and numerous accidents which cost the lives of over 800 men and boys, the majority of whom are minorities and immigrants.

This month will be the real catalyst to a decades-long fight to bring an end to negligent labor practices across the country. Bloody December is so horrific that the American public finally lets its government and its industries know that they have had enough. The devastating and very preventable loss of life sparks a heavy push for government regulation in private industry and labor practices.

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