The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-06-15 00:00:00

THE HAYDOCK COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

About eleven o'clock on Friday morning in last week a
terrible explosion occurred at one of Messrs. Evans and Co.'s
collieries known as the Wood Pit, about five miles from
Warrington.—The Correspondent of The Times, writing from
Wigan, on Friday night, gives the following particulars
"The most appalling disaster that has occurred in
the history of British coal mining, with the' sOlitary
exception of that which happened at the Oaks Colliery,
Barnsley, in 1866, occurred this morning at the col-
lieries of Messrs. Richard Evans and Co., Haydock,
about seven miles from Wigan. The firm employ
several thousands of hands, and their chief offices are
in the centre of a thickly-populated village, situated a
short distance from Earlstown Junction, on the Man-
chester and Liverpool section of the London and North-
Western Railway. Scattered over the village are
probably a dozen pits which form the Haydock Col-
lieries, and it was at one of these, called the Wood
Pit, that the dreadful disaster of to day occurred.
The Wood Pits are, considering their purpose and
the grimy work with which they are connected,
exceedingly pleasant to look upon. The village, which,
although very neat and clean for a colliery village,
still possesses many of the dusky characteristics of its
class, is about a quarter of a mile distant, and, in ex-
tending their operations to the Wood Pits, the colliery
proprietors have mined a piece of wooded country,
and the head gearing is on one or two sides hid from
view by the trees among which it is situated. The
principal charge of these extensive collieries is in the
hands of air. Chadwick, a gentleman of very large ex-
perience in mining, who had among his staff several
certificated managers, and who has had for many years
the reputation of being one of the most accomplished
mining engineers of the district.
"Previous to 1868 the collieries were remarkablyfree
from accident, but in that and the following year they
along with many others which had been celebrated for
the excellence of their management, suffered a terrible
visitation'. The fearful series of colliery accidents in
West Lancashire, which commenced with that at
Hindley-green in 1868, and did net close until that at
the Moss Pita in 1871, will never be forgotten in the
district, and it will be remembered that two of these
disasters were at the works of Messrs. Evans. Both
occurred at the Queen Pits, the first in the month of
December, 1868, when 24 lives were lost, and the
second in July, 1869, when 57 lives were lost. Since
that period of disaster and up to the time of the
Pemberton accident in December last the coal-field
which centres on the borough of Wigan was free from
any great catastrophe in mining; but it appears that
the district has only been spared for a few short years,
and the disasters which have happened within the past
six months will revive the evil reputation which our
coal-fields possessed seven years ago.
"The Wood Pits are situate a very short distance
from the Queen Pits, at which the disasters of 1868-9
occurred. The engine-houses and head gear are plainly
visible one from the other, and to-day many eyes have
been turned from the scene of the present disaster to
the place where eight years ago a similar disaster
occurred. The pits are under the charge of Mr. John
Turton, certificated manager, but under the superin-
tendence of Mr. Chadwick. Shortly after eleven
o'clock Mr. Turton came up the shaft, after inspecting
the workings, and was walking away from the pit brow,
when he was startled by dust coming up both the
downcast and upcast shafts. Fearing that some
disaster had occurred, he immediately despatehed
messengers for help, and, without delay, himself gave
the signal to the engine-man and was lowered into the
pit. He at once set to work to put the ventilating doors
at the bottom in order,-and proceeded as far as he
could into the workings. He helped what few men
there were into the fresh air, and some who were lying
on their faces he turned on their backs in order to
enable them to breathe the pure atmosphere.
"Without doubt some of those who escaped owe
their lives to the bravery and courage of Mr. Turton
in desoending the mine so promptly. In a short time
Mr. Turton was joined by Mr. C. Pilkington, one of
the assistant surveyors, and other officials. Mr.
Chadwick shortly afterwards arrived on the scene, and
he immediately descended the shaft and took charge
of the under-ground operations, which were carried on
by a large staff of willing hands. This work was one,
however, of great difficulty, for, owing to the terrible
force of the blast, the roadways were greatly damaged,
and only slow progress could be made into the workings,
notwithstanding that nearly 100 men were employed on
the work. The roads were blocked with large falls of
roof, tubs were scattered and blown to pieces, and
horses lay dead across the roads. As the exploring
parties proceeded, the bodies of the killed were found,
dreadfully disfigured. They were placed at one side
of the road and ticketed as found, but it was con-
sidered nnadvisable to remove them to the pit-eye and
thence to the surface. By degrees, the workmen, who
were ably directed by Mr. Chadwick, pushed on the
workings, carrying with them the fresh air, and bodies
were come across as they went along. Of the neigh-
bouring colliery proprietors, the first to arrive was Mr.
William Smethurst, of the firm of Messrs. Dewhurst,
Hoyle, and Smethurst. He at once descended the
shaft, and offered his services and 'such help as his
works could afford. Together with Mr. Chadwick, he
examined the mouth of the tunnel through which the
returns worked into the upcast shaft, and at the entrance
to which was situated the ventilation furnace. The
fire had not been extinguished by the explosion, but
it was considered advisable at once to put it out, and
this was done. Meanwhile Mr. Clarke, of the Gars-
wood Coal and Iron Company, had descended the pit,
and Mr. F. Crippin, of the Brynhall Collieries, had
likewise arrived. Me was on the point of descending
the shaft when Mr. Smethurst and Mr. Clark came to
the surface, it having been decided that for the time
being the work of exploration did not necessitate any
other supervision than that of Mr. Chadwick, who
had under his command the entire staff of certificated
managers and experienced underlookers.
"The work of exploration was conducted with every I
possible precaution. The difficult and dangerous I
nature of the work was evident as from time to time
men struck by the after-damp were brought to the
shaft for the purpose of being taken to the surface and
restored. At intervals the work had to be absolutely
suspended, for the workings being all upbrow made it
a very tedious task to clear the air-course. The de-
struction, too, of roadway and of plant had been
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to relieve the explorers as they were brought up to the
pit-mouth. The survivors were also visited at their
homes, and their wants attended to. The Rev. H.
Shirlock, vicar of Haydock, the Rev. Mr. Hawkely,
the Rev. J. Lemon, and other clergymen were also on
the pit-bank."
"The news of the terrible disaster quickly spread
through the village, for messengers hastened from
pit 'to pit summoning the chief officials to the aid
of Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Turton, The .conveyance
of such messages had often been witnessed by the
occupants of the cottages, and there at first seemed
nothing in this to lead them to think that their village
had sustained so terrible a blow. In a very short
time, however, it was evident that the accident was
of no ordinary nature, atnod
the
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throng the approaches
, silence which prevailed was appalling. Owing to the