The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-24 00:00:00

SEVERAL LI VEt

The inquest on the bodies of the usforionste men who
were killed by the esplueloa at the Middle Duftryn New
Colliery, es the 12th Ina.. reported in the Express of
Saturday week, km sow es :upied two days The catastrophe
has proved sore fatal than had been at first rep irti if. Trio
numb. r ni men killed Is eight—via , Bdmead Beard, William
Davis, William Bounden, William Jones. David Thomas.
James Moretti, James Bantam, and Matthew Tingle; and
there are eight men mine sari tally burnt.
It may be well to state that merlons to the explosion,
whisk proved so fatal, the proprietor of the mine. Mr.
Prima, had takes measures for using the most efiltient
measieln the ventilation of the works, so as to make the
af.lllllll#loll sad the condition of the workmen as perfect as
human ingthuity could render them. With that view be
had determined upon taints the step' which wall be found
described by his principal viewer. Mr. Williams, upon oath
at the invest ; but unfortunately, ere hi. anxious wishes
could he carried into effect a most Was:rens explision oc-
curred
Henry Jenkins, collier, Paid—l was fireman fu ties
Midule Duffryn colliery. The top of the middle sail in the
first arose heading was bad and likely to fell ; and Reck,
George Ready. and several more were engaged la trying is
prop it up while I was engaged in opening a freshwind way.
When we were me 'speed • part of the roof fell ; sad •
blower same out against my candle' and an ezplosioa
task
place. 1 had been in the stall about five minutes before; and
there was no gas there then. lem quite mraio that it woo
from my candle that the gas took fire. I had my lamp with
me; but as it did not give suffici,mt light to enable me to re•
move the plates, I had • lighted candle. I had been eogsged
about an boor b•lore %skips u? the plate.. The roll of
the stall had shown marinas of fattier and that sum
the reseal I had taken up the plates. I hung my lamp is
the stallaishow it there was any gag in the stall, and am
quite positive that there was no gas there until the part-ell
the the tell, when some gas same against my candle. The
Mar fm Issetkia farmed a part of the erineway, and that was
the awes I was se asixioss to keep it open. I fell down
I w the exollsion, and as soon as it was over I got
I tausa
to the balm of the pit. I was quite sensible the
tithe time. The top of the stall was very mantel,
lend several men WON collected near the spot looking at the
Igethantions I was taking, and that was the reason they were
lale, d. It they had been at work in their places they would
am, I think, have bees injured. There were about 14, I
think, sear me. Thome. Meredith was asseitiog me. 1 was
flown at the bottom of the pit about seven hones before 1
vas canted up.
Mr. Meredith, the agent, corroborated this statement, and
added that they only used the sefety•lemp in the morning,
and " when there was occasion "
It was explained by the mend witnesses subsequently
onthathed, that the cause of the delay in bringing the men
to dee suf.., after the accident was teem a quantity of
may having been blown by the it:pleats' upon the stage
Mod foe conveying the miners up aad down. They were
therefore obliged to have recourse to a mere tedious means,
a bucket end trek. One of the deceased came by his
death in a elegular manner. He was on the our
hoe of the ground, and was proceeding by the mouth
of the pit at the time of the expkeith, when be was
killed by a gate being blown upon him. Mis father had
just sect him in quest of an axe, and he related the melon
ehely thine of his son's death to the jury. The top of the
pit was seen to fly into the air at the moment the young
man reached it. la moment's difference in time either way
gonad have saved hoe We.
Mr. Blackwell, the koverament Inspector of mines, who
attended the inquest, questioeed the WIUMIIM with regard
to the means need for mooing the Milian after the explo.
8i ,n—the bucket and crab. Ile impressed, he aseassity in
all such cases of using every exertion to bring the mes oat
the colliery, and was of cosiness that the apparatus used
was insufficient.
Mr. William, the principal viewer of the colliery, de-
scribed the measures which he was taking kat ispreeieg the
ventilatios of itte week.. Thi• wee part of his duty. He
had not bees is the eat my ter a fortnight before the mei.
Amt. There was only one existing airway in the colliery.
There had not been time axe the colliery had been reposed
to make a Beeped. bat it wee intended to make two. The
colliery was quite in its infairey, lie jedged the quantity of
air circulating in the works from 6 000 to 7,000 cable teat
per minute. He was afraid that the seem of coal which
they were working is this colliery was a fiery seas. Kr.
Powell, the owner of the colliery, employed altogether on his
works from 1,400 ti 1,600 men and boys. Only about 2,000
tone have bees yet got in able mine.
The inquest au again adjourned for a few days.

CANADIAN RAILWATII.—A Toronto jounal says :
" It is sta. ed that a proposal has bean received from Bono&
is which same leadiak capitalists there offer to raise oar
fourth at the met of a line of railroad from Premett to
Toronto, provided that the Hatboro itailiciad from Toronto
to Lake Haien. via L.ke Somme, be Atm seettred, With the
ispectaties that a like sem will horsiest by the Ilan iiipalities
sloop the I a-, sad the rematisiai half cost proviatial oo-
VrfaMiell., according to law. The es. ifilletta i,bOVIOW."
The Me•brooks Gestile states that the B'. Lswroses sad
Atlantic Beilr.ad will be oiespleted to /LAbourise by the let
et
ol February seat. Mr. Gait's minion to Tomato revolted
ea smareatoe that, ae mega at 324 miles from St. lirsolatles
cars completed, the provincial plumate, will be granted.