The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-31 00:00:00

Serious Accident at Guildford,

A shocking occurrence took place yesterday
morning at the lime pits at the foot of the Farn-
ham-road, adjoining the tunnol on the South-
Western Railway, which will in all probability
result in the death of two labourers engaged in the
pit, named Thomas Stoner and Jeremiah Jackman.
It appears that the men in question were engaged
in excavating lime from the quarry, and for this
purpose they resorted to the blasting process. In
the present instance, after having bored with a
jumper for some depth into the cliff, they deposited
about two pounds of blasting powder, together with
a quantity of shot, in the hole. They then filled up
the hole in the usual manner with loose stones and
sand firmly rammed in, and connected a fusee with
the powder. A match was applied to the fusee,
but it went out before the fire reached the powder.
The men waited some time, but as no explosion took
place they proceeded to draw the charge, employ-
ing for the purpose a long steel borer. It is sur-
mised that while so engaged the borer struck
against a flint, for an explosion suddenly took place,
which hurled the men a considerable distance from
the hole, throwing them flat upon their backs. At
the moment when the explosion took place both
men were stooping over the hole, endeavouring to
ascertain the cause of the former failure of the
fusee. The shock which they sustained, therefore,
was tremendous, and their hands, head, and upper
part of the body have suffered fearfully. Their
faces and necks were charred and shattered with
powder, while shots have penetrated their bodies
in all directions. Mr. F. D. Ross, surgeon, was on
the spot almost immediately after the accident, and
by his direction the men were conveyed in a cab to
a neighb'uring tavern, where their wounds were
dressed by Mr. Ross, Mr. T. Butler, and Mr. Schol-
lick. Stoner is married, and has one child ; while
Jackson, who is a single man, has been the sup-
port of a widowed mother. But slender hopes are
entertained of the recovery of either. The spot
where the accident occurred is within 400 yards of
the new hospital now in course of erection for the
county of Surrey.

The following notices have been received in rela-

tion to the debts of Mexico and Venezuela :
" Mexican Dividends—Messrs. Baring Brothers and
Co. have received by this mail on account of
Mexican dividends 45,915 dole. 23c." " Venezuela
Debt—Messrs. Baring Brothers and Co.'s agents in
Venezuela advise that they have received for 55
per cent. of the import dues, from the Custom-
house of Puerto Cabello, 6,086 dole. 75c.; do., La
Guayra, 28,440 dole. 77c.—total, 34,527 dole. 52c."
The last week's railway receipts, ascertained up
to this day, are, in round figures, as under :

1864. 1863.
Great Western, £61,974 £55,675
North-Western
South-Western
Brighton
Midland 46,971 29,607
South-Eastern
Great Northern
Lancashire and Yorkshire 33,047 31,230
Bristol and Exeter
North-Eastern
Great Eastern
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln 18,185 3.5,176
Glasgow and South Western
Great Southern and Western Ireland 8,467 7,614
Ties e returns, compared with those of the same
period of last year, show some very satisfactory

features :—On the Great Western there is an in-
crease:of £6,299; North Western, £12,505 ; South
Western, £3,546; Brighton, £5,188; Midland,
£7,364; South Eastern, £4,454; Great Northern,
£1,879; Lancashire and Yorkshire, £6,817 ; North
Eastern, £7,280 ; Great Eastern, £4,225; Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 13,009; Great
Southern and *Western of Ireland, £853. The
Glasgow and South Western, however, exhibits a
decrease of £l9.