Allegany County MD Archives News..... Ileen HERMAN's Grief, 1908
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Shawn McGreevy [shawnmcgreevy@geatz.com]


Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland, 7 Dec 1908:
ECHO OF GREAT MINE CALAMITY
Pathetic Letter From Child of One of the Victims
ILEEN HERMANN'S GRIEF
Lots of Flowers for Papa's Grave
Will Be Lonesome This Christmas Without Him
Message to Little Friends at Monongah
A year ago yesterday, December 6, the terrible accident in Monongah mine, near Fairmont, W. Va., 
occurred and John Herman, formerly of Eckhart Mines, was one of the many victims.  His family 
returned to the old home where they have since resided.  The Fairmont Times, of Saturday, has the 
following interesting little story relating to the disaster:  Coming to an echo to remind us that 
the first anniversary of the greatest of all local horrors is close upon us is a letter address to 
"Mr. Paper Man," Fairmont, W. Va.," and from little nine year old Ileen Herman, whose father, John 
Herman, was one of the Monongah victims.  She in her childish simplicity of manner, asks us to 
allow her space in which to reach her little chums at Monongah and to tell them how she and her 
mother, brothers, and sister, miss the father, whose life was snuffed out with that of his fellow 
workers in the terrible disaster.  It is her first letter, she writes, and it shows that the 
greatest of all sorrows which follow such calamities is the loss of the parent, felt by the widow 
and her little flock.  Pathetic in the extreme is where Ileen tells about keeping the grave of her 
father strewn with flowers.  She has a little brother buried at Monongah and she appeals to her 
former playmates to put flowers on the little mount "just lie you do the graves of your papas." 
Here is the letter:
Eckhart, Md., Dec. 3
Dear Mr. Paper Man--
Will you put my letter in the paper so all my chums will read it.  I want to tell that Sunday is 
a year since our papas were all killed.  I will never forget the 6th day of December, 1907.  Our 
papa was good to us and we miss him.  Won't it be lonesome this Christmas? We are going to have a 
tree but we won't have our poor Papa to help Santa Claus trim it.  Mama will have to help him this 
time.  Will all of you have a tree?  We will not get candy here like in Monongah last Christmas.  
We are going to school, but they have no tree.  Willie he did work on the Company farm and gets 75 
cents a day.  He works all day.  Santa is going to send me and Stella a doll, Willie a pair of 
skates, and James Reidy a Tedy Bear.  Our baby is call after Dr. Reidy.  He will be one year old a 
year and a week after the explosion.  Doctor brought him to us to work for Papa.  We put lots of 
flowers on Papa's grave and it is a better graveyard than at Monongah.  Did they get all of your 
papas?  We are very near the mines here and when Mama hears the blasts she gets scared.  Mrs. 
Hesse gave us lots of new dresses when we came here and Mama says she is very thankful to 
everybody for their kindness to her.  My Papa's name was John Herman.  He was killed in No. Six 
Monongah mine.  I will tell you a sad story, little boys and girls, about all the Hermans. Uncle 
Jake's wife died first, then his baby and then our Papa.  Then Uncle Frank and his wife died 
inside the same years.  Uncle Jake has six children.  Uncle Frank four and there are four of us.  
That is a lot of cousins who have got no Mama.  We have a little brother dead in a Monongah 
cemetery.  Will some one of you put some flowers on his little grave just like you do on your 
papa's graves?  Me and Stella are going to school.  Willie will go when it gets too cold.  He 
likes to work but will never work in the mines.  There is no snow here, is there any out there? We 
used to Slay-ride down by the Ruckmans and the Deans.  When it shows here we'll slay-ride down the 
pike.  This is all.  Good-bye.  Lots of fund and a happy Christmas to all from
ILEEN HERMAN
Eckhart Mines, Allegany Co., Md.



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