The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-12-22 00:00:00

SAMUEL BROWN RESCUED.

A few minutes afterwards the signal was repeated and the
policeman immediately spread the report tbat some one
must be alive in the pit. Engineers and medical men were
sommoned to the spot, and In the meantime losoec•or
Wetherell rigged up some ben wire and sent • Itoge nark of
tea aid nranny to the bottom of the ghat'. When the wire
wet withdrawn It was founo that the flub had In en re-
moved Ihe signal was no illusion, ant the excitement
and anxiety that immediately followed the accioent were
In part renewed. The third explosion on the previous day
had so far damaged the head-rear that it could not be used,
and • mire rope had to be fitted on • pulley over the pit's
mouth A small Iron tub shout 2ft square was attached
to the rope ant In this rude and dal grout contrivance
two mining engineers, Mr. Mammatt and Mr E nnle•on,
Slowly and cautlnesly descended the shaft. TO about twenty
minutes they re •ched the bottom, where they discovered
a miner named Samuel Brown, who was supposed to have
been tilled on the re•lpus day. The poor fellom was inhere
exhausted, and it was found to be no easy task to balance
him in the rickety little tub which britight the man and his
hexoic deliverers to the surface. Os reaching the pit's bank,
Brown was handed to the care of I medical men, and
there is every trains to hope that he will uliimarely recover.
Be states that when the second explosion happened he was
some distan, from the lotion of the shaft, and avoided he
fury of he blit.t try hi hing ill a ebelterril recess. The ex-
plosion, however, rendered him inieurible, and he remained
in a state of stnpefaction for several hairs, lie heard
nothing of the third explosion, and when he recovered cou-
scioaaness he groped his way to the bottom of the shaft.
This Was no easy test; the air was loaded with noiton. Itm,
the roadways were tilled with debris and the awtnti 8.-hila-
rious of the situation were Inten•ifled by stnnahling now and
then rater the ho 'y if some de n.mrade. Whett he resc,ed
the boitom of the shaft, he was for a t•me unable to find the
signal wire; hilt P. was at last seen by the light of a few
Spurt which tell dowu No I shalt. Brown reports that he
heart no m.•aning, and otiservyl no ran of any o her living
person being in the plt. An eecape so extraordinsry is
prthebly wlthout parallel. It was the prevailing topic of
con.ersation arn.hg the hundreds who visited the colliery,
and Was looked on as the one bright epitode of the oaten
triphe.

The workpeople in charge of the pit were employed
on Friday repairing the headmear of No. 2 shaft, and
removing the 1218(11.117C chair, which the last explosion
on Thursday bad tramfixed in the woodwork. A gin
and tub were also fitted up at the cupola, so that the
pit might be expb,red as soon aa the engineers deemed
much a step advisable. Mr. Morton, the Government
inspector, and a number of mining engineers from the
north of England and the Lancashire coal districts,
and some of the managers of the neighbouring col-
lieries, held a conference at the "Nag's Head" Inn,
Barnsley, as to tha best course to be taken. The crus-
h rence lasted several hour., and at its close Mr.
Morton announced that the meeting waa of opinion
that tire was most probably in the mine, and that it
was itnist-sible any person conld be alive there. They
considered that an interval of three days !Mould elapse
before any further proceedings were taken, and that
the inquiry by the coroner should be adjourned until
after the expiration of that time.

HAIOML6r, Saturday Noon.
About half-pest four this morning the few men on defy
were startled by another explosion. At Ave O'clock and five
ednuten to nine others took place. the last of which was the
most slarrnit g It was followed by large escapes of fres
smelling of ulphur The report wan accompanied by • hl.a-
lug and oull, rolling sound, like • railway train at a
distance I hero were two or three slight explotions at short
intervals soon after midnight, but by those who heard them
they were pronounced to be mere trifles an compared wiah
those which followed at the epproach of and after daybreak.
A police inspector wro wen on duty thirty or forty yards term
No I theta was blown off Ms feet by the conenselon of air
proceeding from the explosion at 8.55. The ounntitv of soot,
bricks. •no small coal heeled at the same .Ime into the air
wag prodigious. The smell of the chokedamp Wa. strong on
the bank for • long time after, and nil the adjacent hedges
nrid helps of brica• or other materials were c Jeered with
black dust, which had been deposited upon them
the recurrence of these repeated evnienc.es of fire and gas
coming in contact in the mine determined the authorities
ate, co to stop up the cupola shaft Close by was a large
mound of clay and sand. A temporary tramway was vickly
conatructed. and • large ho ,y of workmen were employed
to convey it in waggon• to the lad hole," or iron doorway
in toe site of the cupola, and tilt it down to the bottom.
The object of this operation is to stop up the draught-hole,
and thus reduce the current of air by which it is likely that
the tire in the mine is being fanned, hour after hour, Into
additions' fury. The workmen proceeded most covionaly,
under the direction. of an expel lenient under-ground steward
named Beamont, of Oughtibridge. If they en coed in getli"g
fr.,m ten to twenty yar sof rnat•rial thrown down thin
shaft Without another eruption it will then be seen how far
. the experiment has sin:needed. If it should nudge no uhf.
ference, it may ho necessary to stop ap all the draining and
ventilating snails and that will be a work of Immo time
and labour. At the time this was writ,en another exploal.m
was • xpected every moment, and the men al the month of
the cupola may be said to be working with their lives In
their bands ; bet they go oit with the necessary toll, per-
/nrraiing it with a will and nothli g daunted.
Without any MmHg, to exiiggeraie, it may safely be said
that thin ulaaster will cause on almost unparalleled amount
of family distress. On S .terday night ait Rnwlinson, of
setae, rtlade nonre.to- hnu. visits*. am..rg the bereaved,
and in several instances acrounatered relief. One cue which
nnpealed no his sympathy most keenly wan that of a poor
woman left with eight children ; in another five brothers had
been killed: and it, • third the father and two sons were
miming He matte an urgent appeal to his community
at Halifax to provide more lands, and he is sanguine that
they all aubtcribe handsomely.
0 Saturday evebirig a colliery panorietnr In the neignhour-
hood of Wakefield stated that his own under-ground deptity
would not heal ate to gi down the pit in eenrch ii such •
service was wanted. He admitted tha'. he Would not like
the expeddloti, bat • arose of duty would oVerride all con-
antergiion of personal safety.

On Runde, morning the weer from the we.er-drif; In No.
2 moult 1•1.5 pr j c ed above greund inn c .noicereble cluing,
gm If tip some powerful hydraulic ermine mint. Toe nnrilt
was 50 >Ude IIOWII tie shaft, MO, XI the Millar correct of
olr pessieg be. ween N., 1 and No. 2 sha.t‘ WE, Inferrupltd
alsarranged, the pressure of sir up No. 2 'heft pro-
duced this extraordinerY result.

Sunday Evetrirg.

At 4 35 Ihfs evening there was aim.! explodoi; at the
C diiery, followed lea few nitwit, I y a trinci lese rarllng
one. A volume of sulphur°. Brooke aid sohes was 1,1•,wn
u • the No 1 that' ad hunt tor some tie over it like •
tailor u.ui To. so were tne first Crdein slew given to-
day that th- fire In the pit was ,tilk raging An ut burst ltid
hoe, looked for all day, so thst tn. •of kitten and the po'ice
no 111 at the c IPery were riot taken or surprise. and no
one was Juno. The Oiling up of the cupola shaft seem, a
slow process, 10'. It is carrte.l on as quickly oat?!. labourers,
,with ticwd Vent, can work. It Is stated that the chief
—serintendent 91 the Vnne and Se•ham C dliertet, In
deeleres positivity that nothing will stop Odder-
_ .devalitation hut inundating the Mine 'with-
,u: deist. 'fo-.lsy there have been ityerre.l at itainisiey
Ceinst.ry 27 bodies of the men and boys who have aeons
skilled, at Ards!. y Church 26, innlder • few at Monk Bretton.
At Ardrley the coffinn were depoetted In one hilrge.Vatilt,
each being separately enclostd h. tel kaork. Thsre were
many painful tits in col,elecl. with the Interments.

.44111e.d,

Monday Morning.
The state of affairs an respects tie Cake Colliery
remains much the same. A consultation of monog
engineers and other persons experienced in the work •
inv of collieries fs to take place today. The Sheffield
Telegraph, referring to the funerals of some ot the
sufferers which took place yesterday, says :
Inning the attenloon beams might have been men In the