A Town of Widows: Seattle Rallies for the Franklin Mine Dead
The Post-Intelligencer opens a relief fund for the widows and orphans left by the Franklin mine disaster, one of Washington's worst.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Distress always follows in the wake of a disaster like that which occurred in the Franklin mine yesterday. There are many more widows and orphans in the hamlet of Franklin today than there were early yesterday morning. Death stalked in suddenly and deprived them of their breadwinners, and many of the bereaved ones are without means for future support. Before perhaps a week has rolled around many may be actually in need of the common necessaries of life.
This is one of the greatest disasters that has ever happened in the state of Washington. It affords the charitable an opportunity to not let hunger and suffering be added to the anguish of those who have so suddenly and unexpectedly been made widows and orphans. It is a time to start the ball of charity rolling and aid these unfortunates in their hour of need.
The Post-Intelligencer starts the list with a subscription of $100, and the contributions of those who desire to give, of whatever race or color, will be received at the business office of this paper. J. E. Hawkins, on Columbia, between Second and Third streets, will receive subscriptions to a fund on behalf of the colored people.
The Oregon Improvement Company has shown an enlightened regard for its employees by assuming the entire expense of the funerals and will give temporary aid to the families, but there is abundant scope for public charity in securing the sufferers against all future need, as was done so well in the case of the Roslyn disaster two years ago.
“There are many more widows and orphans in the hamlet of Franklin today than there were early yesterday morning.”
Mine disasters in Washington once left entire hamlets dependent on charity. Today stronger worker-safety rules exist, but the question of who bears the cost when industry kills breadwinners still echoes in debates over workplace deaths and relief.
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