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Rev. David Wright, Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Canada passed away at his home in Hantsport on April 2nd, 1929. Mr Wright was a native of Scotland, who studied first at the University of Glasgow and later took his theological course at Pine Hill College in Halifax. He served in the ministry successively at Springhill, Wolfville and in Prince Edward Island and during his last years at Blue Mountain and The Garden of Eden. Four years ago he suffered from a stroke from which he only partially recovered and resigned: from active service. Since then he lived for some time in Halifax and later removed to the town of Hantsport, where taken by another seizure on Tuesday, he passed away. Rev. David Wright will be widely xemembered for his heroic action in leading the rescue party down the mine after an explosion at Springhill. From the results of his efforts at that time he never fully recovered and the strain undergone at that time had without doubt much to do with the final illness which ultimately resulted in his death. His action at this time was characteristic as the immediate cause of the long illness which finally resulted in his death was due to unusual exertions made to care for a parishioner who was seized by an apoplectic stroke while the tWo were driving together on a very stormy night. The exertion with the effects of the exposure at Springhill combined to weaken the strong frame with which he was naturally endowed. He was a man of fine gifts, always a student, understood human nature and was greatly beloved by the people among whom he labored. His only beloved son lost his life in the Great War. The above mentioned parishioner was Mr. Alexander Chisholm of Blue Mountain, who with Rev. David Wright were returning to Blue Mountain after attending a meeting at the First Church, New Glasgow, on Dec. 1st, 1925, dealing with Church union. The funeral was held from the Presbyterian Church at Springhill, from the Church which in gratitude of the people named after him. The following newspa- per article describes Rev. Wright. A day of heroism recalled The death of Rev. DavidWr,ghr at Hantsporron Wednesday and his burial at Springhill today)recaUsthe Springliill explosion of February 21st, 1891, and the part played by Mr. Wright himself in rescue work: Thatgteat disasteris?ot remembered by the present generation) but to the older citizetlsofCumberland it wil)be recaUedwitli avividnesstliat the pas~of (imecannoteff.1Ce. One hundredandt.Wen ~-oneme werekiUed in that explosion) leavi beh i nd fif0/- eight widows 3nd over 160 children, without a fathe( or a breadwinner for them. Coming as it did in thCtmidq1e ofwint~rt and wi[houtt~~ sligl)rest warning whatever; with the;exceptionofa ;prediction by a womaQknown as ('Mother; Coo)'that sofi1edisaster would sOOn; befall the town) itcreat:ed asituatioft of: Cc tt~gedy that can be better imagined than de$cribed;. . c But ther( :wer~heroes in Springhil) i~thos~: days,~~ there h~ve; been since ;.c c c c particularJyin the da~ size ofthecal~ity;was no c sooner ;known tlianrescue;parties ofcourigeousC millers andccitizehs:wereat c"c comrades. ()neofthesecicizens was Rev. Davjd Wright, pastor o�St. Aridr~s Prcsbyt;eri~nChurch. ML Wright was at ;Springhill;Junction when he heard of the explosion on his way to RiverJqhnf bqthe immediately hurried b to SpringhiU and join~da re~cue par~ that ; c c went down into the mine; Everv slope and: mine bord in the East and West .J milies were strewn with wreckage, with horses killed, and with fallen mcn in every direction. The party to which Mr. Wrigl)t b(longedworked continuously for five hours and then ierurned to the surface. Mr.Wright $tayed at the slope aJl night and the,n'Yentdown into the mine ~ainatfourQ'clocki the morn.; ing. Thisw~s ~ Sabbath momi;ng: He went down again at .2 o'clock. For four daysr~~cueparti~~contjnuedcthe work and the last bOOy;broqght up was that of ilieunderground manager, Henry Swift. one do~notcneed to recallmofe;Qf this tragedy which shocked not only the peop)e o(No~a'S~otia,butCthe:whole,of Canada and brought forth a sponta.. neous response in a~istance;and money; that again proved; that �one touch of nature makcs the whdle ,work kin;" It was Mr Wright's devotion to the men ,and to the bereaved families at this rilne iliat ~er aft(r endeared him, to the peopJe ofSpringhill, irrespectiye of denomination, and which ca4sed the Pre.'ibyt;er~ans of the' t9~n in c~urch to name it after him. cMr Wnght might nor be regarded as a profound thinker, but he had whatwasperhap.s bet- rer, a warm heart, a deep understanding ofhuman nature, and a devotion to his work that was not surpassed. It cannot be surprising. then, that the people of that town should feel a person~ loss in his passing and it is certainly \.cry fitting cl1at h is remains should rest in the (:omm unity where he spend so many of the best years of his life. ",
