 On
December 19, 1907 an explosion in the Darr Mine took the lives of an estimated
239 men and teenage boys. Though most of those killed were Hungarian immigrant
laborers, AHF honors all those that sacrificed their lives. The Darr Mine
Disaster is known as the worst in Pennsylvania history and 2nd worst in
US history.
In 1909, AHF placed a Memorial over the common grave (seen here) at Olive
Branch Cemetery in Van Meter, PA. In 2007, AHF and its key organizations
commemorated the 100th anniversary of the
tragedy.
AHF thanks all those involved in the commemoration, including state representatives
Mark Gergely and Tom Harhai and all co-sponsors of Pennsylvania House
Resolution 401, honoring the Victims of the Darr Mine Disaster.
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THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 401 Session of 2007
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INTRODUCED BY GERGELY, HARHAI, KOTIK, BELFANTI, BOBACK, BRENNAN, CAUSER,
COSTA, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, ELLIS, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH,
GRUCELA, HELM, HERSHEY, JAMES, KORTZ, LEVDANSKY, MAHONEY, McCALL, McILHATTAN,
MENSCH, MILLARD, MOYER, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PAYTON, RAMALEY, READSHAW,
REICHLEY, ROSS, SAINATO, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SWANGER, VEREB, VULAKOVICH,
SANTONI, BEYER, PAYNE, DALEY, CALTAGIRONE, ROHRER, MANN AND SURRA
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INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, SEPTEMBER 25,
2007
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A RESOLUTION
1 Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Darr Mine Disaster, a
2 historic event in the history of the Commonwealth of
3 Pennsylvania that tragically cost the lives of more than two
4 hundred coal miners at the Darr Mine located in Rostraver,
5 Pennsylvania.
6 WHEREAS, Coal mining has a distinguished history in the
7 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with coal remaining a principal
8 product of this State; and
9 WHEREAS, In the annals of mining, coal miners bravely work
10 long hours in inherently dangerous conditions, daily risking
11 their lives; and
12 WHEREAS, On December 19, 1907, an explosion occurred in the
13 Darr Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania, which tragically took
14 the lives of 239 men and teenage boys; and
15 WHEREAS, This mining disaster is considered the worst in the
16 history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the second worst
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1 in the history of the United States; and
2 WHEREAS, Most of those killed in the gas and dust explosion
3 in the dark tunnels of the Darr Mine were Hungarian-American
4 immigrant laborers; and
5 WHEREAS, These Hungarian-American laborers were among the
6 countless number of hard-working immigrants who came to America
7 to seek a better life for their families, but who died
8 prematurely due to hazardous unsafe working conditions; and
9 WHEREAS, In the year 1907, as many as 1,400 coal miners died
10 in mining incidents in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
11 WHEREAS, In December 1907, the deadliest month in United
12 States coal mining history, more than 3,200 miners died in the
13 entire nation; and
14 WHEREAS, As a result of the Darr Mine explosion, and because
15 of similar tragedies, mine safety became a public issue,
16 resulting in new laws, policies and procedures for the mining
17 industry designed to better safeguard the lives of those working
18 underground; and
19 WHEREAS, Given that deep mining remains an inherently
20 dangerous occupation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Deep
21 Mine Safety program is regarded as a national model due to
22 advances in knowledge, equipment and regulations; and
23 WHEREAS, A number of Hungarian organizations, along with the
24 local community, are sponsoring a ceremony to commemorate the
25 tragic event that took place one hundred years ago; and
26 WHEREAS, These organizations include the American Hungarian
27 Federation; the Bethlen Communities, Ligonier, Pennsylvania; the
28 Calvin Synod of the United Church of Christ; the Hungarian
29 Reformed Church of America; the Hungarian Reformed Federation of
30 America and the William Penn Association; and
20070H0401R2478 - 2 -
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1 WHEREAS, The commemoration ceremony is scheduled for
2 Saturday, September 29, 2007, at 11 o'clock a.m., in Van Meter,
3 Pennsylvania, at the Olive Branch Baptist Church and neighboring
4 Olive Branch Cemetery, where 71 Darr miners, 49 of whom are
5 unknown, are buried in a common grave; therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
7 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania join with the sponsors and all
8 Pennsylvanians in recognizing the Darr Mine Disaster as an
9 important event in the history of the Commonwealth of
10 Pennsylvania and in honoring those who died by affirming that
11 the sacrifice of these men and boys was not in vain; and be it
12 further
13 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
14 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania congratulate the sponsors and
15 participants for their efforts in commemorating this event and
16 recognize the important, historic role the Darr Mine Disaster
17 had in leading to better worker safety laws in Pennsylvania and
18 around the country; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the House of
20 Representatives transmit a copy of this resolution to the
21 American Hungarian Federation at the National Press Building,
22 No. 809, Washington, DC 20045.
[Go to AHF's 2007 Darr Commemoration]
[Go to all AHF news] |
 Pennsylvania
Historical & Museum Commission Historic Site Marker honoring
the coal miners killed in the Darr Mine Explosion, Dec. 19, 1907. The
plaque is located at the Olive Branch Cemetery, on PA Route 981 between
PA Route 51 and Smithton, PA. The marker was not erected until September
1994.
The plaque reads as follows:
"On December 19, 1907, an explosion killed 239 men
and boys, many Hungarian immigrants, in Darr coal mine near Van Meter.
Some were from the closed Naomi mine near Fayette City, which exploded
on Dec. 1, killing 34. Over 3000 miners died in Dec. 1907, the worst month
in U. S. coal mining history. In Olive Branch Cemetery, 71 Darr miners,
49 unknown, are buried in a common grave."
The American Hungarian Federation
(AHF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1906 in Cleveland,
Ohio. The largest Hungarian-American umbrella organization in the United
States, AHF is also among the oldest ethnic organizations in the country.
AHF was established as an association of Hungarian societies, institutions
and churches to "defend the interest of Americans of Hungarian origin
in the United States." Read more [about us]
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