Story by Dana Martin

Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal mining country are active mines that produce millions of tons of coal each year. Mining is a lucrative business, and no one knew it better than Virgil and Sally Burnham, who owned the Burnham Coal Mining Co. in the early 1900s.

An astute businessman, Virgil married Sally Durant, of the Union Pacific Railroad Durants, thereby securing an exclusive partnership to transport his coal out west.  The marriage produced great wealth, but Sally and Virgil hated each other. Virgil quickly renamed his worst and least producing coal mine “Black Sally” as an insincere wedding gift, but even the dumbest Pennsylvanian recognized the insult. Virgil hated his new wife and the feeling was mutual. 

The problems at Black Sally started immediately. To produce more coal in his weakest mine, Virgil sacrificed safety, ignoring proper support by pillars and timbers. Virgil Burnham didn’t care about mine safety or morale and showed it by whistling as he inspected Black Sally.

Whistling, as it turns out, is forbidden in mines. Miners are superstitious by nature, and one superstition cherished by miners is whistling. To whistle in a mine is considered an evil omen. Miners never whistle—they may sing, but they never whistle—for they believe whistling frightens away the Good Luck Spirit and leaves miners at the mercy of the spirits of evil. 

It turned out they were right.

The Great Disaster of 1955 was western Pennsylvania’s most horrific mining accident in history. Sixty men and boys were buried alive beneath miles of earth and rock. News stories reported that Black Sally caved-in from lack of proper support, but miners arriving for the night shift tell a different tale.

Early in the evening of Black Sally’s final day, Virgil and Sally were seen arguing at the mouth of the mine shaft. It is rumored that Sally had asked Virgil for a divorce and he refused, content to torture Sally for the rest of her life. Shortly after, Virgil left her there and walked into the mine with a carefree whistle on his lips. Miners witnessing Virgil’s disregard for mine luck were too horrified to follow him inside to relieve the day crew—and coincidentally were the miners who lived to tell this story.

The rest is history. The Black Sally mine collapsed with Virgil still inside. Rescuers claimed none of the 60 miners could have survived the cave in, and Sally Burnham was unconcerned with recovering Virgil’s body. So the mine was boarded and abandoned with no attempt to free the victims.

Fifty years have passed since the collapse, but folks say that the Black Sally is still haunted by a handful of angry miners who did survive the cave in. Of the teenagers who’ve explored the remnants of the mine shaft and lived to tell about it, many report sightings of skeletal, diseased, pick-wielding apparitions feasting on human bones and flesh. ATV riders, exploring the hills surrounding Black Sally, have been killed—their bodies found with human teeth marks puncturing the skin or entire limbs ripped from their torsos. 

Old Sally Burnham has been dead for years, but some say Virgil still lives as a ghost of the abandoned mine, trapped forever in the ruins named after the woman he despised.

And they know it’s Virgil, because they can still hear him whistle.

 

EXPERIENCE THE BLACK SALLY FOR YOURSELF INSIDE TALLADEGA FRIGHTS... IF YOU DARE!!!