The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-10 00:00:00

THE FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

TILE INQUEST.

PONTYPRIDD, IdoNi iAr.
The inquest was opened at the New Inn, Polity.
phdd, to-day, by the coroner for Glamorgansbire, yr
George Overton. There was a considerable attendance of
mining engineers, and the proprietors of the colliery were
also present. Mr. C. R. James, solicitor, watched
the proceedings on their behalf ; the government was
represented by Mr. Wales, inspector of mines for the
South Wales district. The workmen were represented by
a deputation from the Miners' Association.

The Coroner in opening the proceedings briefly
alluded to the appalling extent of the disaster which they
were about to investigate, which involved the death of 175
persons, and there were still three or four missing, The
great majority of the deceased were killed by the fire,
whilst in most explosions about 90 per cent. died from
the after damp. This fact showed that there mutt have
been a very considerable amount of gas in the pit. All
these accideuts could be traced to similar causes, and they
differed from each other only in degree. Unfces
tunately South Wales had obtained • pest
notoriety for their accidents of late years. I•
the inspector's report for 1865 the number of deaths
in the South Wales district far exceeded that of any other
district of the kingdom, and, compared with the quantities
of coal raised,was out of all proportion to the death rate of
English districts. In 186 d, although the lamentable acs
cident at Oaks and Talk-ot.the-Hill swelled the death
list to a total higher than that of this district, yet the
number of separate accidents in South Wales was greater
than that of any English district. Hs was apprehensive
that the sinking of new pits in maiden coal districts hadnot
been accompanied by a proper amount of knowledge, and
inexperienced and unfit men had been employed in the
pit. He feared that until they had a better edaeated
class of men foe viewers and overmen they would still hear
of accidents. He thought the system of examination and
test of ability adopted with reference to the appointment
of commanders of ships, and the keeping of log-books ce
journals might be applied with great advantagetz collieries.
The Coroner also complained of the difficulty of punishing
delinquents under the present Mines Inspection Act. There
were so many loopholes of escape that when an information
was laid and • defendant committed to the assizes for trial,
invariably some flaw was found, and the defendant
escaped. That was • state of the law which ought to be
remedied without delay. As to a civil remedy under Lord
Campbell's act that was out of the question. Most of
these unfortunate accidents were attributable to had
management, to the defective supervision of the ventila-
tion of the colliery ; and it would be the duty of the jury
to inquire whether in the present case any person
or persons were blameable for this deplorable accident.
In inquiries of this kind there were three essential points
to which attention should be directed, namely, the
management, the discipline, and the ventilation of the
colliery. Unless • pit was managed by a competent person
and the persons employed under him kept in proper con.
trol, and the ventilation be adequate and properly distri.
buted, accidents must occur, and it was to the neglect of
one of these conditions that most of these 'addicts were
to be traced. The Ferndale Colliery was divided into
three districts, which were quite separate, and the eaplo.
1106 extended to two of those districts only ; he therefore
proposed to take a case from each of those districts as an
illustration of the others.

Richard Wise, a police-sergeant, proved the occurrence
of the explosion, and that 178 persons were missing, of
whom 175 had been recovered dead.

Mr. Roberts, ssuireon, proved that of the deceased 145
were killed by burns, bruises, and suffocation; :Li from
suffocation only ; and four from braises.
Mr. David Davies, Maesyfynnon House, Aberdare, said
he was the principal proprietor of the colliery, and his two
brothers were the other partners in the firm. The colliery
was situated in the Rhondda tack Valley, and the mana-
ger was John Williams, one of the deceased, who was
appointed in August last year. Having described the
officers of the pit and where they were stationed
be proceeded to state that there were three lanipmen em.
ployed in the pit, one in each district, whose duty it was
to light, lock, and examine lamps when given out, and to
relight the lamps when they went out. Two of them—
those of the Rhondda and Blaenllechan districts—were
killed by suffocation. Mr. W. Adams, C.E., was their
consulting engineer for all their collieries. Ho visited the
collieries monthly to advise and consult with the mans.
gers. The colliery had been in work five years, and during
that period there had not been, to his knowledge, a single
case of death from explosion before the accident on the
Bth ult. Latterly they had been working from 9,000 to
10,000 tons of coal per month ; the average daily out pat
being 400 tons.
By Mr. Wale—Up to my brother's death in May, 1866,f
took an active part in the underground management of the
collieries, but since then I have not, having too much else
to attend to. We appointed Mr. Adams in consequence,
as consulting engineer.
A deputation from the miners of England wished to be
allowed to put a few questions to the last witness.
The Coroner said they could do so through him.
By the deputation—l did not receive a daily report from
the manager as to the condition of the pit, nor do I think
the late manager, John Williams, kept a register. As the
managing partner I should have been the right person to
have received such a report.
By one of the Jury—l have not heard from my agents
or firemen that there was • quantity of gas in the workings.
By Mr. Wales—Nor did I hear it from anyone else.
William Adams, mining engineer, sworn, said-1 have
been employed as consulting viewer for the whole of the
collieries of Messrs. Davies and Sons since the' sth Mardi.
It was my duty to visit the Ferndale Colliery, as a rule,
about once a month. I used to inspect the colliery with
the resident manager, John Williams. I talked over
matters with him, and advised him how he ought to hive
proceeded as respects the application of steam power, end
the best modes of ventilation ; but he carried them out as
he thought proper. In going into the colliery
if I saw anything wrong I mentioned it to Johr.
Williams, and advised him how to amend it;
but the distribution of air was quite under his control. I
never had any conversation with any of the other officers.
The plan I now produce is • correct plan of the workings
the Ferndale Colliery, end describes the different currents
of air. I think the colliery has been in working about five
years. It consists of two pits. The winding pit is sunk to
the Oft. coal, and is 298 yards in depth ; the size is lift
by 12ft., which would make the 204 ft. The pumps are is
this pit down to a depth of about 100 yards below the pit,
but there is scarcely any water there. The upeast was
first sunk to the 4ft. coal, where the ventilating furnace
is placed, and is about the same depth as the downcast
It was afterwards sunk to the rift. and et
coals, a further depth of about 40 yards ; and the
size of it is lift. by lift. equal to 154 ft. area. The see*
tilation is carried on by means of a furnace 9ft. by Sit., or
72ft. area. The quantity of coal used at the furnace was
about 90 tons • month. I produce the rules of the col.
lien,. There was no record kept of the quantity of the
air passing through the pit. It was the resident manager's
duty to keep a record of it. I have gone into the PA
and I observed • great quantity of air passing at the
time. I believe be did keep a record of the air, but he Jul
not keep it in the office. I have seen a memorencluia et
his own twice, but I believe there was no regular registee
kept by him. He gave MO to understand that he
male measurement of the air about once a month,
and he promised to hoop a daily register of the conditioa
of the pit, and a monthly measurement of air, but hoi had
not begun to do it. On two occasions he gave me as
account verbally.
[This witness was under examination when our parcel
left.]

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