The Alle-Kiski Valley’s greatest industrial tragedy, 118 years ago, resulted in the founding of a national award that continues today.

On Jan. 25, 1904, a huge explosion took place at the Allegheny Coal Co. mine in the Harwick section of Springdale Township.

The explosion took the lives of an estimated 179 miners and two rescuers, though reports of how many miners died has varied slightly over the years.

The disaster still ranks among the 10 worst in U.S. coal mining history.

The mine opened around 1900, and it quickly became productive. By 1904, about 500 men worked in the mine that yielded about a half-million tons each year.

Since the mine was only a few years old, it was using the most modern equipment at the time.

But weather played a major part in the tragedy.

Ice forming in the mine’s shaft was ordered to be removed by mine inspectors in the days and weeks before the explosion. The ice in the air shaft had restricted ventilation.

On Jan. 23, the temperature in Harwick fell below zero, and ice formed once again.

This time it caused a methane gas buildup.

At 8:15 a.m. on Jan. 25, workers blasted dynamite in the shaft, which not only ignited the methane, it also caused accumulated coal dust to explode and travel throughout the entire mine.

The blast was so powerful that it wrecked the exterior of the mine shaft.

Rescue efforts began immediately, despite 4 inches of fresh snow that had fallen that morning. Men from every corner of the Alle-Kiski Valley and as far away as Slippery Rock descended upon Harwick in what soon became a recovery effort.

After the mine entrance was cleared of rubble, ventilation had to be installed so volunteers and medical personnel could find and remove the dead .

One person survived — Adolph Gunia, age 16 — who suffered severe body burns.

Bodies were moved by sleds to a grade school in Harwick. A blacksmith near the mine hurriedly supplied 27 coffins. Fifty more coffins from outside the community arrived and were immediately filled.

Two rescuers, Selwyn M. Taylor and Andrew Lyle, weren’t so lucky. They died after entering a methane-filled area.

The Carnegie Hero Fund

Sometimes, good can come out of tragedy.

Industrialist Andrew Carnegie was so greatly touched by the efforts of Taylor and Lyle that he had medals struck for their families.

Two months later, Carnegie set aside $5 million to establish the Carnegie Hero Fund, which remains in existence.

More than 10,000 civilians have received the award dedicated to “persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada.” Each received a medal and a cash grant.

Seventeen recipients were named last year.

Another result of the disaster was a set of new laws regarding bituminous mine safety, including water being used to curtail coal dust so it wouldn’t ignite.

The aftermath

The mine eventually reopened, and most of the coal produced was used to service the Duquesne Light power plant near the Springdale-Cheswick border by way of a railroad spur along Tawney Run.

Duquesne Light closed the mine in 1970. About all that is left are some cement abutments and steps outside the Harwick neighborhood and the bridge over Pittsburgh Street near the plant.

On June 10, 2021, GenOn Holdings LLC announced the power plant’s closing.

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