A MAJOR MINER STORY!

    MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2021

   A MAJOR MINER STORY!

    I wonder if you ever notice those

Historical markers located here and there

along our highways and streets? They 

tell some pretty interesting stories. Some

pretty dramatic stories including one that

tells of one of the worst mining accidents

ever in our anthracite coal fields. It was

called the Twin Shafts Disaster and it

happened in the greater Pittston area on

this very day in 1896. In was 3 o'clock on

a Sunday morning. 90 miners were working

underground  at the Newton Coal Company's

Twin Shafts Colliery when the roof of the 

mne caved in! Houses shook for miles around

and many people believed in was a major

earthquake. At first it was feared that all of

the miners had been killed.  In the end we

learned that 58 men and boys died in the

accident some 434 feet underground. Their

bodies were never recovered. They rest there

still!  All too often we pass by those historical

markers without giving them a second glance.

We don't read about those disasters. We don't

teach about them these days.  And that's too bad.

All of those men and boys deserve to be

remembered. Especially on this anniversary date!

I hope you will, and that all your NEWS is good!