The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-31 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY, EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1851.

GREAT COLLIERY EXPLOSIONS.

THE RAWMARSH TRAGEDY.
Yesterday, the adjourned inquest, to investigate
the circumstances attending the death of the 50 miners
who lost their lives by the explosion at the Warren Vale
Colliery, near Rawmarsh, on Saturday, the 20th inst., was
held at the Star Inn, Rawmarah.
Some of the men who were employed in the colliery
hiving been examined, tee following important evidence
was given by Mr. Charles Morton, the government inspects:4'
of mines. He said :
On Saturday last I examined the Warren Vele mine with
a party. of the surviving colliers. Last Monday I examined
it again with Messrs. Biram, Jeffeock, Locke, Sm. On
Monday the general ventilation of the thick coal mine was
better than on the Saturday. I infer that on the latter day
it was better than before the explosion, because latterly
there has been a furnace-man both day and night. Prior to
the explosion the furnace was attended in the day time
only. On Monday the quantity of air passing through the
" dip " aide works was about 13,000 cubic feet per minute.
On the " rise" Rideworks (near where the explosion took
place), it was about 16,000 cubic feet per minute; and near
the small staple pit (where the air leaves the thick coal)
there were about 20,000 cubic feet per minute. It may fairly
be assumed that prior to the explosion 15,000 feet per
minute passed through the thick coal works, or some
parts of them. Ordiasrily this quantity of air might be
sufficient, but in an emergency it would be quite inade-
quate. It is not the mere ordinary conditions of a mine
that are alone to be provided for. There must be, to keep
it safe, a large surplus of air, to meet unforeseen exigoecies,
such as the sudden influx of inflammable gas, which led to
the recent explosion. The accident originated in the
western portion of the thick coal workings, in a " benk "
about 200 yards from the shaft. The place is called No. 8
beak on the " rim " side of the colliery. It is the spot la
which the bodies of Sylvester, Cousin., Bugg, Lee., Go-
thard, and Knapton were found. It is comparatively a
newly-opened piece of work, aud it appears that the roof
here had been threatening to fall for the first time for two
or three days before the explosion. The area of coal exca-
vated at this point does not exceed one-eighth of an acre,
and having a height of about six feet. In my judg.
ment, the roof of this bunk fell freely on the
morning of the accident, and when Sylvester was
examining it. It is not unusual for the roof of
a recently started bunk to disengage a large quer
thy of fire-damp when it begins to break down. The
liberated gas was then suddenly and unexpectedly brought
in contact with the workmen's lighted candles in the face of
dia hank, and there it ignited. It seems that Sylvester and
tem Misers attempted to escape front the place by clamber-
*, WPM the fallen rubbish which now blocked up the south
side Of the honk, but in vain, fur their retreat was cut off,
mad the body of Sylvester was eventually found lying on
Ms tap of a heap of debris seven or eight feet high. All
the liedkations at present observable in the mine point to
the No. 3 bank as the locality where the fire originated, and
I have no doubt it arose in the manner anal at the spat
before described. The portion of cold which had here been
excavated left a hollow space termed a goal, which on two
of its sides is completely enclosed by air-tight walls
six feet thick, built of roof stone and shale. These are called
pack walls end they serve to keep open the tramways laid
along the northern and southern boundaries of the excavation.
The third, or lower, side is bounded by solid coal, and the
fourth, or upper, side only is open. The current of air is
not allowed to yam across this Roar, but merely along its
upper edge ; and the consequence is that it soon becomes a
mumble of inflammable gas which rises by its own levity to-
wards the face of the Wok where the colliers are at work
with naked lights, and where it is liable to be accidentally
ignited. A fall of the roof in the middle of the goof may at
any time drive out upon the miners' candles sufficient fire-a
damp to cause an explosion, pros ided there be not passing
at the moment an abundance of fresh air to dilate gas below
the igniting point. Ignorant or careless persons imprn
dently venturing into the goat' with a naked light may also
set fire to the confined gas. The kindled tire-damp on the
morning of Saturday last was fed by the gas contained in
the goof of No. 3 bunk, and rushing outward to the shaft,
found additional supplies of inflammable matter in its
career amour similar goofs formed in No. 2 and
No. I banks. The flames, thus augmented, ap-
pear to have visited almost every avenue of the
mine, excepting the extreme dip boardgates, when
Hague and his sons, Shaw, Cooper, and a few more of the
survivors, were employed. I have not been able to discover
any criminal neglect on the part of any person in connexion
with this dreadful calamity ; but I feel it my duty to state
that there has been in venoms was, and by various indivi-
duals, a want of caution and a degree of laxity in the ma-
nagement of the m'ne, which is at all times pregnant with
danger in working a fiery coal scam. For exaople, the
ventilating furnace, which is the prime moving power of
the whole system of ventilation, and which ought to be
kept constantly and fiercely blazing both day and night,
was here not attended to in tee night, but was
smothered up with fuel from 6 p.m. to 5 the stoat
morning. On Sundays this inattention extended over
a still longer period of time. The effect is to slacken the
current of air in the works during the night, sad increase
the risk of explosion next morning. Common prudence,
therefore, dictated that a furnace-man should go down and
stir up the fire at least two or three hours before toe opals's
desoanded. Prudence would also have dictated that a
'competent bottom steward should enter the mine two or
them hours before the workmen, and visit every place with
a many lamp, to see whether or not it was fru ban
ant Kis discovered danger, to place a well-understood
smogs the entrance, to prevent unwary person !toes
gag te work there. These usual and salutary precautions
wen Indliftunately omitted by the deceased (Sylvester), sad
by these who were in authority. If Sylvester had gone down
on the massing of the accident, two or tbros hours before
the ml . and taken a safety lamp with his, instead of a
end* the probability is that he would have forbidden the
EOM meelffifet is No. 3 beak, and thus the explosion might
have bees eseibed. It is almost impredie to prevent acci-
dude Am 6e-dam,. if the miners On to be permitted to
go down llibmbelootely with the beim steward on his
first vidt, m they Mut to kayo dons hew. A similar inoon-
siderateneee wens M barrearjeaselead towards even-
ing, for it has set bees the deep of any person to
look round the works at the and of the day
and see that all the trapdoors were sarefully closed,
although the accidental lea,* apes of one all
night may cause an expire= next morning.
The colliers and boys have evidently bees left too much to
their owe guidance, sad have had tee and of their own
way, es immoraut of the moddidese *veggies of Sylvester,
who has bees supposed to be their superintendent The
various bramilm of monnal labour devolving upon him as
fire-trier, rent gsgsloar, stopping builder, trapdoor setter,
&c., would liteely possinde him from exercising the im-
portant mesh& dude midi appertain to the vigilant and
skilful sapeedeles of 70 perinea working in a fiery mine.
And Sylvester's deficiencies in this respect do not appear to
have been tad for, and in het could not be effect-
ively. eta ffffied as aged lied Mimes man like Kay, who
nom:m.lly lid Sas lime et beim eiewerd at this and
other pies buboes, in MOM ChilinllNlntb. Toe safety
at these 70 erifelmeeple mid the econsuoird management of
die miss die -demand the SIMI* IlMinine see-
** ef as emerged. and ei periesced eapeeistandent,
gememed et eslideet .hill and intelligent* and endowed
el* ample astbetily et Motet and cootrol tho wider-ground
redeem of the therein, and
the sa upon wham
*bility=ls;4B.2.ll goribling foesafety sad
mdf="of the ZOO end Ole miners. It is marl.
hat that in the preesst melancholy instance the
gspeedbility has bees vaguely distributed in seer
bed proportion mew erylvester, Kay, and Wars,
est ssdiority OW the men has not bars adepreedy
esembed as pieemed by Sylvester. The Ames of
don& of bind, and the non-existence of printed
st edits to define the duties and regamel-
balm et der egos% sod workmen, is to be regretted,
id Mille etyma improvement for the future The peas
Woof tairati mess labouren is the pit at night instead of
deem all in the day-time is advisable. The duty of
thaneierl beta report to the bottom steward in the morn-
?gni =of rism7= har sea
iag thine tnhigehtni.rinf aid
t will,
esysiese lemelter te imp Se level, headings, and
hardiness well In edemas of el the other work', with a
view of tagging and drawing et the natural gaseous sup-
plie, sada will be prudent to work such places with " brat-
tires " est misty lamps.
Mr.lllcolos was still under examination at half-past four,
when our report was despatched.

only fireman or underlooker of that part of the mine when
this explosion took place. Pigott was short of breath,
being plagued with asthma, but was capable of doing his
work well. If Pigott, who went into the mine half-an-
hour before the coldere every morning to examine the
Nate of the air, had found any fire-damp in a bay as he
went up the workings, he would usually wait till the col-
UM ems up, and caution them. It was Pigott's duty to
maim every forking, bay, or drift-way in the mine,
whether in work or exhausted, and he was sup-
posed se do so every morning. There were no writ-
tea neles, but the colliers were often told what
the rakes were, and where was the use of written
Mee le men that could not read f The galloway teeters
leswiled She furnace fires in the pit on Sundays, but at
Idleblelbe *es were raked with coal and slack, and left to
dismiskews. The air was good, and was very strong that
Healy Reynolds, underlooker of the colliery, said he had
I been manager at the bottom, in these mines, 10 years. The
laic time he was in this pit, and in the workings where the
explceiun occurred, was the Thursday before the accident.
Four colliers and their drawers were then working there,
but he saw no gas. Had never seen any gas there, except
just up to the fault near it. The men were working with
naked candles, and the current of air was strong. Had
examined the workings since the explosion, and, judging
from the blowing down of the stoppinga, and from the
knowledge of where the foul sir was most seen, he
should thick the blast must have occurred near
the step of the fault, near which Whittle and Davies were
working. Pigott and Bushell, two of the deceased, were
employed in drawing props after examining the air. They
would not be drawing props that morning, because there
were some ready for use. Had found the top of the fire•
man's lamp near his body. Could not find the bottom, but
it did not appear to have been blown off, end thought it
must have been unscrewed and the top taken off for some-
thing. This should not have been done, because it would
expose the flame. The furnace fires were never much at-
tended to at this time of the year, end he could not say
whether they were kept in by means of damped ashes beaten
down at night. Never gave any directions *gaited that
being done. He did not know it' the fire was out during
Sunday, this foggy weather, that it would cause the draft to
be languid on the Monday morning.
Edward Harrison, collier, sworn—Had been attending
the ponies—or galloways—in the mine for the fortnight
before the explosion. He also attended to the furnace. On
Sunday (the day before the explosion) :he fire was out : he
raked it out en Saturday night, and on Monday morning
he went down at a quarter-past four o'clock to light the
fire. Did not light toe fire till between five and six, after
he had fed the horses. He was in the stables in the mine
when the explosion occurred.
Tile Coroner inquired if any further evidence could be
obtained from amongst the workmen at the mine, but it
appeased that all the colliers and their assistants in the
workings within 150 yards of the point where the explosion
occurred, had been killed by it, so that in point of fact
there was no direct evidence as to the immediate cause of
explosion.
Mr. Joseph Dickinson, a government inspector of coal
mines, was then examined. He said—l went down this
pit on Wedneelay last with Mr. Reynolds, the undcrlooker,
and his son, and the boy Banks, who so providentially es-
caped, with the view of ascertaining the cause of the explo-
sion. Banks pointed out to me the place where he left his
muter, Davies, and Whittle, when he took the tub to the
pony shunt. Between that place and where the other col-
liers were at work there is a narrow straight drift, with
wide drifts branching out of it, which is said not to have
been worked at the time of the explosion. One of these
wide drifts has no opening through it, not having been
holed for air, and having no bratticing in it. It conse-
quently forms a natural receptacle for tire damp, being iso-
lated from the ventilation. It is to this wide drift that
I trace the explosion. The stoppings are driven
from this point, and such of the props as aro
left standing have their sides, next to it, thickly
coated with dust, and some of them with char, the direction
of the blast being clearly traceable from this point, both
towards the goer or sink, as well as along the other open-
ings. An accumulation of gas in this wide drift is not only
probable but likely. This gas would accumulate from the
sides and roof. 1 cannot, however, reconcile this accumu-
lation of gas, in close proximity and open to the working
places of the men and boys, with the proper examination by
the firemen, such as appears to have been required by the
rules of the pit. Had the fireman tried the place, he would,
I think, have detected the gas, and have dislodged it, or,
tailing to dislodge it, he would not have allowed the men
and boys to work close to it with naked lights, or would
at least have cautioned them of the danger. But no
such intimation appears to have been given. The
boy Banks, the only one who escaped, says ho heard
nothing ofj any danger. The conclusion, therefore, forces
itself upon me that these old drifts had not been examined
that morning. Pigott, the fireman, was a very old man,
and although he is said to have been a strong man for his
age, it appears to me questionable how far a man so much
advanced its age should be entrusted with duties which, in
' addition to experience and care, require all the energy and
strength of • man in his prime. I can only conjecture how
the gas was fired: it might have been by a train in the
roof from one of the working places, or one of the sufferers
may have entered this place with his lighted candle. The
top of the fireman's lamp was found in my presence among
the rubbish, and as the screw is perfect it is probable the
lamp was open at the time; but, from the position where
it and the man's body is said to have been fouud, I see no
reason to suppose that the gas was fired by this light.
and if the lamp being open indicates anything, itj may be
that the fireman considered he had completed his examina-
tion, and had taken off the gauze for the sake of a better
light. considering all to be safe. From the extent of the
workings in this pit, the furnace power appears rather
limited, the furnace being only 23 inches wide across the
bars. The practice of damping the fire down (called raking
it) with ashes and dust at nights and week ends, or allowing
the fire to go out on Sundays, would naturally sleeken the
ventilation and tend to form accureulatioas of gas in places
whick would be otherwise clear, and may have led to the
accumulation which formed the explosion
Mr. Dickinson explained, by a plan of the workings, to
the jury, the grounds on which he had come to his conclu-
sions as to the cause of the melancholy catastrophe, and they
found a verdict attributing the deaths of the unfortunate
men to accident.

AN ATROCIOUS OUTRAOR WAS PERPETRATED ON
TUESDAY last, at the house of Mrs. widow, lessee
and keeper of the Coughton toll-gate, Lewis,;bout half-a-mile
from Attester. The only inmates of the house were Mrs.
Lewis, ber grand-daughter, nine years old, and a youth aged
fifteen years. About one o'clock in the morning, Mrs. Lewis
was awoke by a call of " Gate," and on going to the
window she saw two men leading two hones. After
coming down stairs, and whilst in the act of opening the
host door, one of them struck her on the head three
these with a bludgeon. She instantly cried " Murder,"
emi attempted to close the door, but her exertions were
neeveiling ; the door was burst open, and the man
VIM bad struck her rushed into the house. Mrs. Lewis
denegled with her esailant, and succeeded, with the
of bow little grand-daughter, who had run dowa stain
es the noise, and laid hold of the robber—in wrest-
ing*, frOm him, not, however, before he had
aims& a New at the girl's head, which would undoubtedly
ban been fatal had it not been warded off by the arm of
IMes. Lewis, which was fractured by it. The fellow who
kept watch outside handed his comrade another bludgeon,
by which time Mrs. Lewis and her grand-daughter had
gained the inside of the staircase-door, and the youth, who
was upstairs, calling loudly for help, the ruffians decamped,
taking with them what they thought was the cash-box,
but which contained only a few articles of little value, the
box which they wanted remaining in the room, with a large
amount of money in ft.—Birmingham Casette.
MANSLAUGHTER AT WHITECHAPEL.—Lad even-
ing Mr. W. Baker held an inquest at the London Hospital
respecting the death of George Hankin, aged 30 who, it
was alleged, had died from violence received in a Ilht with
a man named Peter Draper. Police constable Clarke, 90 K,
proved that Draper struck the deceased with his fist with
great violence, which knocked the deceased backwards on
the pavement, the latter being intoxicated, and not able to
save himself. Witness asked Draper why he bad struck de-
ceased, and he (Draper) replied "Beause he struck me
father-in-law." Mr. 3. 0. Kent, the house surgeon,
that the deceased died from an extensive fracture of the
skull, as doubt by a severe fall. There were injuries also to
tie boa*, and other parts of the head. The coroner having
enemsed up the evidence, the jury unanimously returned a
Verdict of " Manslaughter" against Peter Draper.
DEATH OF A CLERGYMAN'S DAUGHTER IN MILL-
Sege. Pi.—terday, Mr. Bedford held an in-
quest in Millbenk Prison on the body of Elisabeth
Ilan Chambers, aged. 64, the daughter of a deceased
elergyman, and a prisoner therein, under sentence of
transportation for life. The deceased, described as nage,
and whom the witnesses styled a lady by birth, was highly
respectably connected, and formerly kept her carriage. On
the 27th of June, 1850, she was received into the above
prison from Newgate, under sentence of transportation for
life, for forging and uttering, and for a previous eoaviction.
She was admitted as 45 years of age, butshe subsequently
stated to some ladies win visited the prison that she
woe 64. By her own desire she was kept apart
from other prisoners, and would not see any relatives or
acquaintances. She made no complaint, but enjoyed good
health up to the 15th of August last, when be ill she was
removed into the Infirmary where she reoained • fore
night. On the 28th of October, suffering hem lose of appe-
tite and great debility, she was re-admitted into the Infir-
mary, in which she remained, gradually sinking, till the
afternoon of Sunday last, about five o'clock, when she died.
Mr. Helps, assistant surgeon of the prieoe,said that deemed
while in the Infirmary, was 'applied with everything she
fancied, including wine, bon, and brandy. She never,
however, rallied, and two days before UST death was
attacked with diarrhea, which haeteoed that mat. The
deceased was very reserved, bat from the little enweenedini
witness had had with her he °weaned her to bevels=
highly educated. On making epee wren examisetios et
the body he found the cause of death to be:extensive dissose
of the lungs. The jury returned • verdict of s'
Natant
MoD.
,•
NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL ASSOCIATION are
about to appoint a deputation to wait upon Lord John Rua-
sell. His lordship having already given an audience to the
deputation appointed by the rival society—the Manchester
and Salford—has consented to an interview, and has fixed
I the 31st January for it.
THE HOPE Or THE NEW YEAR.-14 Mr. Putsch
presents the compliments of the season to Lord John Rus-
sell, and hopes the Noble Premier will not forget that New
Year's Gift which he promised him—that same measure of
Parliamentary Reform for which Mr. Punch has so long
been waiting. —Pink.