In grade 6, in 1965, our music teacher Mrs Stewart taught us this song. She had lost family members in this tragedy. I loved Mrs,,Stewart, and I loved this song. I was just watching a series on Prime video, greatest disasters, and the Springhill disaster was one of the episodes. Brought back soooo many memories of Mrs. Stewart, and this song, and what it meant to her, and how proud we were as her students to sing it strongly for her, and for all the families who lost loved ones in this disaster.
I'm going to play this song for my students tomorrow. I want to make them aware of the price that industrialisation demands on people. I hope they gain empathy. I love this song, I have roots in mining myself (a grandmother who always feared for her father's life - he was only 36 years old).
From Wikipedia: The 1958 bump, which occurred on October 23, 1958, was the most severe "bump" (underground earthquake) in North American mining history. The 1958 bump injured Springhill residents and devastated the town's economy. No. 2 colliery was one of the deepest coal mines in the world. Sloping shafts 14,200 feet (4,300 m) in length led to a vast labyrinth of galleries more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) below the surface. Mining techniques there had been changed 20 years before the 1958 bump, from "room and pillar" to "long wall retreating" after reports had shown the increased danger of "bump" phenomena resulting from the former technique.[4] On October 23 a small bump occurred at 7:00 pm during the evening shift; it was ignored, as this was a somewhat common occurrence. However, just over an hour later, at 8:06 pm, an enormous bump "severely impacted the middle of the three walls that were being mined and the ends of the four levels nearest the walls".[5] The bump spread as three distinct shock waves, resembling a small earthquake throughout the region, alerting residents on the surface over a wide area to the disaster. "Dräger" teams and teams of barefaced miners entered No. 2 colliery to begin the rescue effort. They encountered survivors at the 13,400-foot (4,100 m) level walking or limping toward the surface. Gas released by the bump was encountered in increasing concentrations at the 13,800-foot (4,200 m) level where the ceiling had collapsed, and rescuers were forced to work down shafts that were in a partial state of collapse or were blocked completely by debris. Miners not saved by being either in side galleries or some other shelter were immediately crushed during the bump, the coal galleries and faces being completely destroyed. 75 survivors were on the surface by 4:00 am on October 24, 1958. Rescue teams continued working, but the number of rockfalls and the amount of debris slowed progress. Meanwhile, the Canadian and international news media had made their way to Springhill. Arnie Patterson[6] was the public relations spokesman for the Company, and relayed news of the progress of rescue (and later recovery) to the families of the miners and to reporters. The disaster became famous for being the first major international event to appear in live television broadcasts (on the CBC[7]). As the world waited and those on the surface kept their vigil, rescuers continued to toil below ground trying to reach trapped survivors. Teams began to arrive from other coal mines in Cumberland County, on Cape Breton Island and in Pictou County. After five and a half days (therefore around the morning of Wednesday, October 29, 1958), contact was established with a group of 12 survivors on the other side of a 160-foot (49 m) rockfall. A rescue tunnel was dug; it broke through to the trapped miners at 2:25 am on Thursday, October 30, 1958. On Friday, October 31, 1958, the rescue site was visited by various dignitaries, including the Premier of Nova Scotia, Robert Stanfield, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who had been at meetings in Ottawa. On Saturday, November 1, 1958, another group of survivors was found. None were found thereafter. Instead, bodies of the dead were hauled out in airtight aluminum coffins, on account of the advanced stage of decomposition, accelerated by the Earth's heat in the depths of No. 2 mine at 13,000-14,000 feet (4,000-4,300 m) below the mine entrance. Of the 174 miners in No. 2 colliery at the time of the bump: 75 died, and 99 were trapped but rescued. One of the rescuers, Arnold Burden, was also involved in the 1956 disaster.[3]
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In grade 6, in 1965, our music teacher Mrs Stewart taught us this song. She had lost family members in this tragedy. I loved Mrs,,Stewart, and I loved this song. I was just watching a series on Prime video, greatest disasters, and the Springhill disaster was one of the episodes. Brought back soooo many memories of Mrs. Stewart, and this song, and what it meant to her, and how proud we were as her students to sing it strongly for her, and for all the families who lost loved ones in this disaster.
I'm going to play this song for my students tomorrow. I want to make them aware of the price that industrialisation demands on people. I hope they gain empathy. I love this song, I have roots in mining myself (a grandmother who always feared for her father's life - he was only 36 years old).
one of the best song ever
We went to Springhill because of this song. They took us down another, safer mine, due to our interest. I never knew what dark or cold was before!
This has to be one of my favorite of their song.
Sad story, sad song, and a good ole man singing it
I'm listening to this because of a school project but this is a genuinely good sound
i was 17 at the time- it was all over the news
I was eight and remember the coverage and tension.
From Wikipedia:
The 1958 bump, which occurred on October 23, 1958, was the most severe "bump" (underground earthquake) in North American mining history. The 1958 bump injured Springhill residents and devastated the town's economy.
No. 2 colliery was one of the deepest coal mines in the world. Sloping shafts 14,200 feet (4,300 m) in length led to a vast labyrinth of galleries more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) below the surface. Mining techniques there had been changed 20 years before the 1958 bump, from "room and pillar" to "long wall retreating" after reports had shown the increased danger of "bump" phenomena resulting from the former technique.[4]
On October 23 a small bump occurred at 7:00 pm during the evening shift; it was ignored, as this was a somewhat common occurrence. However, just over an hour later, at 8:06 pm, an enormous bump "severely impacted the middle of the three walls that were being mined and the ends of the four levels nearest the walls".[5]
The bump spread as three distinct shock waves, resembling a small earthquake throughout the region, alerting residents on the surface over a wide area to the disaster. "Dräger" teams and teams of barefaced miners entered No. 2 colliery to begin the rescue effort. They encountered survivors at the 13,400-foot (4,100 m) level walking or limping toward the surface. Gas released by the bump was encountered in increasing concentrations at the 13,800-foot (4,200 m) level where the ceiling had collapsed, and rescuers were forced to work down shafts that were in a partial state of collapse or were blocked completely by debris.
Miners not saved by being either in side galleries or some other shelter were immediately crushed during the bump, the coal galleries and faces being completely destroyed. 75 survivors were on the surface by 4:00 am on October 24, 1958. Rescue teams continued working, but the number of rockfalls and the amount of debris slowed progress.
Meanwhile, the Canadian and international news media had made their way to Springhill. Arnie Patterson[6] was the public relations spokesman for the Company, and relayed news of the progress of rescue (and later recovery) to the families of the miners and to reporters. The disaster became famous for being the first major international event to appear in live television broadcasts (on the CBC[7]). As the world waited and those on the surface kept their vigil, rescuers continued to toil below ground trying to reach trapped survivors. Teams began to arrive from other coal mines in Cumberland County, on Cape Breton Island and in Pictou County.
After five and a half days (therefore around the morning of Wednesday, October 29, 1958), contact was established with a group of 12 survivors on the other side of a 160-foot (49 m) rockfall. A rescue tunnel was dug; it broke through to the trapped miners at 2:25 am on Thursday, October 30, 1958.
On Friday, October 31, 1958, the rescue site was visited by various dignitaries, including the Premier of Nova Scotia, Robert Stanfield, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who had been at meetings in Ottawa.
On Saturday, November 1, 1958, another group of survivors was found. None were found thereafter. Instead, bodies of the dead were hauled out in airtight aluminum coffins, on account of the advanced stage of decomposition, accelerated by the Earth's heat in the depths of No. 2 mine at 13,000-14,000 feet (4,000-4,300 m) below the mine entrance.
Of the 174 miners in No. 2 colliery at the time of the bump: 75 died, and 99 were trapped but rescued.
One of the rescuers, Arnold Burden, was also involved in the 1956 disaster.[3]
Thank you.
great job on that one
Magnificent song.