Monongah Mining disaster

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The Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia took place on December 6, 1907 and has been described as "the worst mining disaster in American History". The explosion was thought to have been caused by the ignition of methane (also called "firedamp"), which ignited the coal dust in mines number 6 and 8.

Rescue workers could only work in the mines for 15 minutes due to the lack of breathing equipment. Some of those workers also perished due to the poisonous gas.

In all, the lives of 362 boys and men were lost in the underground explosion, leaving 250 widows and over 1000 children without support. In October 1964 Reverend Everett Francis Briggs stated that "a fairer estimate of the victims of the Monongah Disaster would be upward of 500"[1]. The victims were actually 956, the vast majority of them (171) were Italians who had migrated from San Giovanni in Fiore, San Nicola dell’Alto, Falerna, Gizzeria, Civitella Roveto, Duronia, Civita d’Antino, Canistro, Torella del Sannio and other villages in Calabria, Abruzzo and Molise. The exact death toll remains unknown.

A morgue was set up in the bank building to accommodate the victims. Hundreds of coffins lined Main Avenue in front of the building. U.S. Congress reacted to the disaster at Monongah and mining laws were passed and toughened.

The ruins of the coal mines have been sealed shut with bricks. Many of the original mining homes were built on the hillside above the mine.

Father Briggs (Fitchburg, Mass., Jan. 27, 1908 - Monongah, Dec. 20, 2006) was the head of a Committee that recently (2007) erected a statue as a tribute to the widows of the 1907 mining accident and to coal miners’ widows everywhere. The statue Monongah Heroine is made of Carrara marble and is located near the Town Hall in Monongah [2].

The sole survivor of the blast was Peter Urban. He found a little fox hole to climb out before the toxic gases got to him. Some historians believe that several other men escaped with him, but there is little evidence to support that. He had a twin brother Stanley who was killed in the disaster. Peter Urban was killed in a mine cave-in 19 years later.

[edit] Victims

List of miners killed at Monongah - Annual Report of the Department of Mines, West Virginia, 1908 [3].
No. 6 Mine

  • Americans : Henry Burke | Fay Cooper | Fred Cooper | G. L. Davis | Thos. Donlin | Thos. Duffy | Harry Evans | Wm. Evans | John Fluharty | Floyd Ford | Jno. Herman | Lonnie Hinerman | L. D. Layne [4]: | Sam R. Kelly | Timothy Lydon | Henry Martin | Albert Miller | J. W. Miller | Frank Moon | James Moon | A. H. Morris | Cecil Morris | Homer Pyles | Fred Rogers | Frank Shroyer | Scott Sloan | Will Staley | Harold Trader | Wm. R. Walls | A. J. Watkins | Milroy Watkins | Geo. Wiley;
  • Polish: Geo. Boshoff | Frank Davis | Felix Gasco | Ignat Goff | Frank Krall | Ignots Lapinsky | Jno. Regulski | Petro Rossia | Frank Sawyer | Frank Shantah | Thos. Susnofsky | Mike Wassale;
  • Greek: Gass Levant | Nick Scotta | Nick Susta | Andy Tereza | Nick Tereza;
  • Slavic: Joe Bagola | Andy Berrough | Geo. Berrough | Mike Belo | Mike Bonotsky | Martin Bosner | Jno. Cresko | Mike Donko | Jno. Dunko | Mike Durkuta | Jno. Dursc | Thos. Duvall | Mike Egar | Steve Feet | Lobe Feretts | Joe Foltin | Paul Frank | Albert George | Jno. Gomerchec | Wogtech Hamock | Mike Hanish | Jno. Hiner | Martin Honick | Paul Honick | Jno. Hornock | Steve Ignatchic | Mike Kerest | Joe Kovatch | Jno. Kristofitz | Jno. Martin | Mike Oshwie | Geo. Polonchec | Paul Provitsky | Jno. Sari | Geo. Sari | Mike Sari | Steve Sari | Mike Sebic | Thos. Seyche | Andy Stie, Sr. | Andy Stie, Jr. | Geo. Strafera | Mike Wattah | Geo. Yourchec | Geo. Yourchec, Jr. | Mike Zucco;
  • Italians: Carl Abatta | Frank Abatta | Joe Abatta | Frank Abruzino | Joe Alexander | Angello Bagunoli | Frank Basile | John Basile | Sam Basile | Salvare Basilla | Joe Belcaster | Sam Belcaster | Pasq Beton | Tony Beton | John Bonasa | Adolph Brand | Don Cemino | Frank Connie | John Connie | Rolph Couch | Joe Covelli | Victor Davia | Nick Deplacito | Lunard Dewett | Loui Faluke | Joe Ferara | Tony Frank | John Fusari | Tony Gall | Franc Garrasco | Carmen Larossia | Frank Larossia | Loui Lelle | James Lerant | Salvatore Lobbs | Mike Meffe | Salvastore Motts | Steve Noga | John Olivaria | Tony Olivette | Janaway Orse | Nick Perochchi | Dom Perri | Fred Prelotts | Peter Privingano | Tony Prosper | Domnick Richwood | John Richwood | Patsy Richwood | Tony Richwood | Mike Ritz | Louis Scholese | Tony Selet | Frank Tallorai | Patsy Toots | Tony Touch | Patsy Virgelet | Tony Virgelet | Dom Ware;
  • Litvitch: Frank Dutca | John Matakonis | Mike Matakonis | Thomas Matakonis | Thos. Zinnis;
  • Irish: Patrick McDonough

No. 8 Mine

  • Americans: Carl Bice | W. H. Bice | Robert Charlton | Wm. R. Cox | James Fletcher | Thos. Gannon | J. W. Halm | E. V. Herndon | Patrick Highland | C. A. Honaker, Jr. | Jno. N. Jones | Pat. J. Kearns | Thos. Killeen | Adam Layne a| Scott Martin | Jno. J. McGraw | Chas. McKane | L. L. Moore | C. E. Morris | Marion Morris | Wm. Morris | C. D. Mort | Jno. H. Mort | Sam Noland | Hugh Reese | Jno. Ringer | T. O. Ringler | D. V. Santee | Harry Seese | Beth Severe | Jessie Severe | Dennis Sloan | F. E. Snodgrass | Geo. Snodgrass | Michael Soles | Leslie Spragg | Sam Thompson;
  • Polish: Andy Garlock | Geo. Herlick | Anton Hiawatin | Vadis Kawalsky | Joe Keatsky | Geo. Kingerous | Mike Kingerous | Jacob Kores | John Kowalish | John Luba | John Majeska | Jno. Majeska, Jr. | Martin McHortar | Chas. Miller | Mike Motsic | Victor Novinsky | Joe Stahnlski | Tom Stampian | Stanley Urban;
  • Slavic: Alex. Bustine | John Cheesit | Paul Cheeswock | John Goff | Paul Goff | John Ignot | Geo. Konkechec | Mike Kosis | Frank Krager | Geo. Krall | Frank Loma | John Rehich | Anton Unovich | John Wolincish;
  • Negro[4]: Chas. Farmer | Richard Farmer | Geo. Harris | Gilbert Joiner | Calvin Jonakin | Rippen McQueen | W. M. Perkins | Jno. H. Preston | K. D. Ryals | Jessie Watkins | Harry Young;
  • Italians: Beat Anchillo | Dominick Anchillo | Paul Anchillo | Tony Angello | Patsy Alexander | Tony Alexander | Patsy Augustine | Colistino Avicello | Angello Barrard | Felix Barrard | Jose Barrard | Ross Beton | Chas. Bolze | Jersti Bonordi | Felix Calanero | Dom Colasena | Joseph Colcherci | Nick Colcherci | Nick Colleat | Dom Colross | Joe Colross | Victor D'Andrea | Vintura Darso | Clem Debartonia | Dominick Debartonia | Mike Deffelus | Tony Deffelus | Pasqual Deleal | Louis Demarco | Angelo Demaria | Jos. Demaria | Mike Demaria | Sebastian Demaria | Sebastian Demaria, No. 2 | Albert Demark | Jose Demark | Felix Depetris | Angelo Desalvo | Chas. Desalvo | Dominick Desalvo | Felix Desalvo | Tony Desalvo | Jos. Dewey | Mike Dewey | Jno. Dills | Donatto Domico, Jr. | Mike Domico | Pete Donord | Tony Dorse | Jas. Fassanella | Armanda Fellen | Carman Ferrare | Joe Ferrare | Matta Ferrare | Tony Folio | Peter Frabiacolo | Petro Frediavo | Prospera Inveor | Jim Jacobin | Jim Jeremont | Antonio Joy | Frank Joy | Jno. Lombardo | Frank Lore | Dan Manse | Mike Manse | Tony Manse | Pete Marcell | Jas. Maronette | D. C. Masch - correct name was Domenico Mascia | Carl Meff | Frank Meff | Cosmo Meo | Bobrato Metill | Jno. Metill | Nick Metill | Dom Morsee | Mike Mostro | Dom Mysell | Felix Mysell | Basile Palela | Jim Palela | Tony Pasqual | Louie Patch | Nick Pett | Saverio Pignalli | Bossilo Pillela | Frank Porzilo | Frank Preletto | Jno. Preletto | Pete Prigulatta | Flora Salva | Joe Salva | Vint Salva | Vint Salva No. 2 | Joe Sarfino | Frank Simpson | Dominick Smith | Jake Sullivan | Angelo Toots | Frank Vendetta | John Vendetta | John Yanero | Nick Yanero | Carman Zello | Jno. Zello;
  • Hungarians: John Palinkis | Joseph Toth;
  • Irish: Patrick Laughney;
  • Lithuanian: Mike Bolinski;
  • Scottish[4]: David Riggins

[edit] References

  1. ^ Science, vol. 146, 2 Oct. 1964
  2. ^ In 2006 the town of Falerna (Italy) contributed with 150,00 euro (Comune di Falerna, decision n. 186 of May, 16th 2006)
  3. ^ after West Virginia Division of Culture and History
  4. ^ a b c "Lane", "Negro" and "Scotch" in original text

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