Avondale Disaster (II), The [Laws G7]

DESCRIPTION: A fire in the Avondale Mine kills 110 miners. Relatively few details of the disaster and rescue are given, with the focus being on the plight of the bereaved families.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1934 (Gardner/Chickering-BalladsAndSongsOfSouthernMichigan)
KEYWORDS: mining disaster death
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Sept 6, 1869 - The fire in the Avondale coal mines near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The fire blocked the only exit route and consumed all the oxygen in the tunnels. A total of 110 miners died, with 76 found in one ineffective shelter.
FOUND IN: US(MA,MW)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Laws G7, "The Avondale Disaster II"
Korson-MinstrelsOfTheMinePatch, pp. 191-192, "Avondale Disaster" (1 text)
Gardner/Chickering-BalladsAndSongsOfSouthernMichigan 122, "The Avondale Disaster" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 784, AVONDAL2
Roud #3250
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Avondale Disaster I (The Mines of Avondale)" [Laws G6] (subject)
NOTES [48 words]: Laws lists only two versions of this ballad, one of those from manuscript. The first stanza is superficially similar to "The Mines of Avondale," but differs in detail: "Come, friends and fellow Christians, and listen to my tale, And as I sing, pray drop a tear for the dead of Avondale." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.2
File: LG07

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