Post by Polly on Jan 25, 2005 21:44:04 GMT -5
Last weekend, we had the commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the Knox Mine disaster (22nd January 1959).
12 men were lost (one of the men was a Scot btw), when the Susquehanna river broke through the workings.
It was a terrible day for Pennsylvania...not only because of the loss of life , and not only because the deaths were needless (the chambers should not have been cut so close to the river, but the company wanted the coal, old story!), but also because it effectively ended the industry in NE Pennsylvania.
It was a moving commemoration, especially as we still have the opportunity to talk to some of the survivors.
But, one thing shocked me.
When the water broke through, the men working were told to get out, but weren't told why they should get out. Because, it is said, that the foreman didn't want to scare them.
I was wondering about that. Surely if the men had known it was a break through of water they were dealing with, some of them at least might have stood a better chance of getting out.
Your thoughts?
12 men were lost (one of the men was a Scot btw), when the Susquehanna river broke through the workings.
It was a terrible day for Pennsylvania...not only because of the loss of life , and not only because the deaths were needless (the chambers should not have been cut so close to the river, but the company wanted the coal, old story!), but also because it effectively ended the industry in NE Pennsylvania.
It was a moving commemoration, especially as we still have the opportunity to talk to some of the survivors.
But, one thing shocked me.
When the water broke through, the men working were told to get out, but weren't told why they should get out. Because, it is said, that the foreman didn't want to scare them.
I was wondering about that. Surely if the men had known it was a break through of water they were dealing with, some of them at least might have stood a better chance of getting out.
Your thoughts?
