The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-04 00:00:00

THE LATE COLLIERY EXPLORION AT INCE.

INQUEST UPON THE BODIES.

The result of the late catastrophe at Kirkless Hall Colliery, has
proved far more serious than was at first anticipated. Oat of the 13
injured four have since died. Their names are, Thomas Greenough,
Jonathan Barber, and Thomas Jolly (drawers), :and Samuel Yates,
collier; making a total lose of nine lives. Two others of the injured
persons are not likely to recover. On Monday, Mr. Duffield, coroner,
held an inquest upon the bodies of seven of the unfortunate persons,
at the Walmsley Arms Inn, Ince.—Mr. Higson,'government inspector
of coal mines for this district, was present, as also Mr. Jahn
Lancaster, the managing partner of the Kirkless Hall Coal
Company. Roger Taylor, of Ince, said he was fireman at the
pit where t'.e accident had happened. Ile went into the mine,
commenced an examination of the workings, and found the dead
bodies of Robert Crompton and John Whittle in No. 4 up brow. They
were not much burnt, and ha 1 died from suffocation. The deceased
men seamed to have been going up the workings when the explosion
occurred, and as though they had been overtaken by the after dam];
and choked. His opinion as to the explosion was that the gas pro-
ceeded from a hidden fall in the roof of the "goaf " or old workings.
John Greenough proved that the deceased, Jonathan Greenough, was
his son, and that he was 15 years old. The deceased was much burnt
all over the body, and was crushed. The day after the explosion
the deceased told witness that a drawer named Enowel Massey
had "set the gas off " by holding a naked candle up to the
roof. John Nuttall, a collier, examined at the inquest on Wednesday,
was again called. He sated that they were accustomed to working
with naked candles, and he considered them perfectly safe. Joseph
Bateson said ho was the first collier who entered the mine on the
morning of Tuesday, and was at work when the explosion happened
He had worked in the mine nearly three years, and had always used
candles, except when the roof fell in and when gas exuded from
He considered it safe to use naked candles. James Howarth, one of the
firemen of Hindley mine, gave evidence in corroboration of that
deposed to by Roger Taylor. He was for the introduction of the safety
lamps, and approved of their use in place of candles. Henry Reynolds,
anderlooker at the Hindley mine, said he preferred the use of candles
to a safety, because it made the men more careful about the ventila-
tion. Mr. John Lancaster said he had examined the mine, and came
to the conclusion that the fire-damp had originated from a fall of roof
in the " goaf," which was hidden from view. Mr. Higson gave similar
testimony, and strongly urged the desirability of safety lamps being
used in place of naked candles. Mr. Lancaster said he would mention
the matter to the company, and if they could obtain the acquiescence
of the workmen, they would introduce the lamp. The jury, after
deliberating for about half-an-hour, arrived at the unanimous verdict
"that the deceased met their deaths accidentally in a coal mine, by an
explosion of gas; but how that explosion originated there was not
evidence to show," and recommended the use of safety lamps instead
of candles in the Hindley mine in future.

THE NEW CLUB-HOUSE OF THE JUNIOR
UNITED SERVICE CLUB, REGENT.STREET.

The design is in the Italian style of architecture, the bow-window
In Regent-street forming a prominent feature in the composition,
above which is a sculptured group allegorical of the army and navy.
The whole of the sculpture and ornamental details throghout the
building is characteristic of the profession of the members of the club.
The exterior of the building is surmounted by a richly-sculptured
cornice, with modillion and dentils, and beneath it an elaboratB
frieze, having medallions with trophies and other suitable emblems,
separated from each other by the rose, shamrock, and thistle. The
external walls of the building are of Bath stone, and the balustrade
round the area is of Portland stone; upon the angle-pieces of this
will be bronze lamps, supported by figures not yet placed in position.
On the left of the entrance-hall is the morning-room, 63 feet by 30
feet, with a bow-window fronting Regent-street. On the right of the
hall is the members' coffee-room, 65 feet by 41 feet, with a bow-
window fronting Charles-street. At the back of the members' coffee-
room is the visitors' coffee-room, 55 feet by 21 feet, lighted by a
turret-light, filled with painted glass, and separated from the
members' coffee-room by Sienna marble columns in scagliola, in
pairs. Communicating with this is the house dining-room, 23 feet
by 22 feet; and beyond this the smoking-room, 54 feet by 22 feet,
lighted by a dome light with painted glass, and approached from a
corridor leading from the entrance-hall, with an exit for members in
St. Alban's-place. Upon the first floor fronting Regent-street, and
over the morning-room, and of the same dimensions, is the evening-
room, which is also used as a picture-gallery, 24 feet high, with a
bow-window fronting Regent-street. In the gallery are portraits of
military and naval commanders, her Majesty and Prince Albert, and
the Emperor Napoleon, and an allegorical group in silver, presented
to the club by the Emperor. Messrs. Nelson and Innes, of Whitehall,
wer - the architects. Mr. John llamas executed the sculpture. The
total oust of the building will ba about