Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 6

The door chime announced their entrance.

"Hi. I'm Adam Dove, and this is Linda Garcia. We dropped in today to find out a little about the history of coal mining in these parts."

"Pleased to meet ya. My name's Hedda Morrison. I'd be happy to give ya a little tour. Is there anything ya'd like to know in particular?"

 "We are actually interested in some specifics surrounding the Knox mining disaster of 1959."

Hedda's smile disappeared, replaced by a questioning look.

"I assume yar referrin' to the flood, the disaster which killed twelve miners in the River Slope Mine?"

"Yes. We'd be interested in any detailed information you may have. Perhaps how it happened?" 

Adam noticed the change in Hedda's demeanor, a subtle frown which overtook her facial  features. She pushed up her glasses, and replied with a slow, almost cautionary gait. "Ya know, that were a very dark time in our minin' history."

Adam saw Hedda's frown deepen into an introspective scowl, which prompted him to explain. "Hedda, we are looking for some answers to ..."

"No need. No need for explanations. I'm sorry, it's not my place. I guess we don't get that many visitors here anymore and it's just that those days were somethin' I personally don't care to recall. But, never no mind, I'll be happy to fill ya in on what happened."

The smile returned to her face and she pointing to a pair of chairs. When they were comfortably seated, Hedda told them the story of that January day in 1959 when the miner's life in the Wyoming Valley came to a sad end. She omitted Luke from the story, but managed to underscore the major events of the day, and days that followed. It was a time for heroes and for despair. She described how one miner led thirty-two workers to safety through the maze of interconnecting tunnels, saving them from certain death in the waters of the Susquehanna river. Those that perished in the torrent were trapped by the flooding or were overcome by released gasses. In all, twelve miners never returned to their families, their bodies never found. The surging waters penetrated deep into the mine and the surrounding network of shafts for weeks. Dirt, rocks and debris were dumped into the insatiable swirling waters but had no effect. Sixty coal cars were dropped into the raging whirlpool, which slowed the flooding enough that pumps could be used to access the mine shafts. Eventually, Knox Mine management was held responsible for digging too close to the riverbed. Indictments were handed out and arrests made. The cost of pumping out the mines made it nearly impossible to salvage the operations. Since that time, anthracite mining in the valley had slowed to a crawl, and eventually ceased altogether.

Hedda paused for a moment as if to clear her throat, but it could have easily been a suppressed sob. The story appeared to have come to an end.

Adam asked, "It sounds as if you were there when the flood happened."

Hedda motioned for the pair to follow her to the window display where she moved aside a hanging map and pointed with her finger. "I was at home when it happened. My husband Luke was in the mine, mine shaft number 102, right here."

Hedda moved her finger from the colliery across a hill to the river.

"Your husband wasn't one of the victims of the flooding, was he?" asked Linda.

"He were in the gangway along with them buggies ... those be the tram cars that carry the coal ... when the river broke on through. He heard the roar of the water and ran up the gangway, but it caught up with him. After that, he didn't remember much until he woke up in a side shaft that weren't there before. He weren't sure what happened. He lost his headgear, and everything were dark, and wet, and noisy. So, he just waited there until he started smellin' the black damp."