Santa Claus – The Monongah Disaster

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)

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)