Comments on: “A Creaking Noise Was Heard, Followed by a Sound Like the Crash of Thunder”

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:40:31 +0000

The two newspaper articles that are the source of this story do refer to the collieries — perhaps part of the “surrounding districts” that are mentioned as covered by this conference. Coal mining must have been going on not very far from Newport in 1852 (maybe not long enough before 1852 for abandoned mines under the town to be collapsing?) but ongoing at least.

By: Joseph S.

Joseph S. — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:59:03 +0000

I also loved the she bear comment kevinf. As for mine shafts settling, there were no coal mines in Newport. It is very near the sea and the South Wales coal field is further inland. Maybe somewhere like Virginia City, Nevada. you might see some of that but not in Newport. Also 1852 is a little early for the coal boom around the turn of the century with which most people associate Wales.

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:10:12 +0000

Love it!

By: Clark

Clark — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:03:12 +0000

As I read the story, it wasn’t the building that collapsed, but an upper floor. This sounds like more of an overcrowding/weight issue than ground settlement. If building codes and fire marshal limits on occupancy seem like a pain sometimes, this should serve as a cautionary tale.

On another note, the esteem given the “Elders” indicates that the current policy of “how you serve, not where” had yet to be developed. (Thank you Pres. Clark…)

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:35:39 +0000

Thanks, Researcher and kevinf. I confess I hadn’t checked a map yet. And while I love the she-bear thought, I hesitated to include the line about unbelievers having been hurt. In fact, if both sources hadn’t been from Gentile newspapers, I might have hesitated to use the story at all — some people would doubt the miraculousness of it had it come from a Mormon source, I think.

Strangely, I can find no editorial comment about it in the Millennial Star. They simply reproduce one of the newspaper clippings.

By: kevinf

kevinf — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:27:41 +0000

Amazing that there weren’t more serious injuries in a collapse like this. It would have been even more amazing if the mocking and reviling non-believers had been eaten by a she-bear.

On a more serious note, I just started to wonder if part of the reason for the collapse may have been settling of the building due to the collapse of old coal mine shafts, which is not all that uncommon for coal towns.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:08:08 +0000

Amazing story. Despite having Welsh ancestors, I must admit that I have little idea of Welsh geography besides the location of Cardiff, so I had to look up where Newport is.