Mine Safety Training Repository
united states mine rescue association
Mine Disasters in the United States

Tank's Poetry


Father Time
See more disasters
from this year
Calendar Image
Mine Disaster Calendar

Heins and Glassmire
Pottsville Colliery Hoisting Disaster

Middleport, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
August 10, 1870
No. Killed - 9

Final Investigation Report  (1.1 Mb)  PDF Format
News articles from the period  (323 Kb)  PDF Format


Twelve Miners Precipitated Down a Shaft 200 Feet
The New York Times, New York
August 11, 1870

Pottsville, Pa., Aug. 10. -- At 4 o'clock this afternoon a cage in the shaft of Heins and Glassmire, near Middleport, containing twelve miners, was precipitated to the bottom, 200 feet, by the giving way of the hoisting machinery.

The following were killed:
  • Thomas Quigley
  • George Stouch
  • John Roper
  • Jacob Kline
  • David Jones
  • John Matthews
Wounded:
  • John McGurnley, terribly injured
  • E. Manuels, terribly injured
  • Hugh McAunly, terribly injured
  • Albert Koch, terribly injured
  • William Matthews, slightly injured
  • Patrick Day, slightly injured
Several hours elapsed before the bodies could be brought out of the shaft.  A temporary cage had to be constructed to hoist the dead and mangled bodies to the surface.




See more about these products