The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-26 00:00:00

THE FLOODING OF A COLLIERY.

The inquest on the body of William Ashmore, the man
who of the 13 that were entombed in Locks-lane Pit lost
his life, was opened on Thursday at the Bell Hotel, Brierley
Hill, before Mr. W. H. Phillips, deputy coroner for South
Staffordshire. Charles Garbett, the first witness, identi-
fied Ashmore's body, The witness was employed at the same
pit, and when he came up from work on Tuesday week last
he saw deceased on the bank ready to go down. When he
came the next morning he found the pit flooded. Witness
did not go down the pit again till on Sunday night he
went down in company with others to search for the body
of the deceased. He found the body in a place above the
level of the water. The body appeared never to have
been wet ; and it was entirely naked with the exception
of a short shirt.

James Grainger, the engineer in charge of the pumping.
engine on the night the pit was flooded, stated that up till
about eight weeks ago, the pumping-engine had been work-
ing at about three and a half strokes a minute ; and was
throwing from 50 to GO gallons of water a minute. In con-
sequence of the wet weather, however, there was a gradual
increase of the water, and the speed was increased to six and a
half strokes a minute. That speed kept the water at the
same level that the three and a half strokes a minute did.
The water in the pit came from two sources—Chapel-hill
Pit and the Old Trough Pits, both of them the property of
the Earl of Darnley. The water in both cases was kept
back by dams, in which there were taps to regulate the
flow. In the Chapel-hill dam there was one tap four
inches in diameter ; and in the other there were two, one
below and one above. He had examined the latter dam
since the men were got out, but he could not ascertain
whether there was anything wrong with it. Neither of
the dams had burst before so far as he was aware.
George Skidmore, one of the men who was entombed in
the pit, was called. He looked strong and well, and did
not appear to be suffering at all from his long-enforced
abstinence. He said that he and his companions, four
men and two boys, were not aware that anything was
wrong till they were coming out of the pit. He was not
on the side of the pit at which the deceased was at
work. He could not tell where the water came from into
the pit. He did not know anything about the dams in
the pit. They could tell while they were in the pit that
pumping was going on above, because they could hear it. I
He was satisfied that every exertion had been made to get
himself and the others out.
William Millichip, a man who had charge of the water
levels in the pit, stated that he had been at the building on
the two dams at the Chapel-hill and Trough Pits. He had
examined the latter since the accident, and found that it
had burst for the space of about a yard at the bottom ; and
he considered that was the cause of the flooding of the
pit.
Edward Greenway, the underground bailiff, said he had
charge of all the workings below. The dams were put in
under his direction ; and he had examined them while
they were being put in and afterwards, and he considered
them amply sufficient for their purpose. He was not
restricted either as to the cost or the size. He had
examined the Trough Pit dam since the accident, and
found it the same pit as it was before. There was no
breach in the dam, and it appeared to him that the water
had softened the strata under the foundation of the dam,
and so had flooded the pit. He considered that the flood-
ing of the pit was caused by a sudden influx of water from
some old workings beyond the Trough Pits.
Mr. Henry Walker, surgeon, said that he had made a
post mortem examination of the body. The brain was much
congested. The lungs were quite black, and also much
congested. The right side of the heart was full of coagu
lated blood. The stomach was empty, with the exception
of some little bits of coal. The deceased died from the
effects of foul air.

Mr. Baker, the Government Inspector of Mines, stated
that the examination of the pit was not yet complete, and
under these circumstances he asked for an adjournment of
the inquiry.

The coroner adjourned the inquiry till Friday fort-
night.

Mr. Putnam, of High-street, Eton, recently pur-
chased for a small sum an old picture from a furniture dealer
in Windsor. Upon cleaning and examining the painting,
it was observed to be a genuine Ruysdael. The subject
is a woodland scene, with a cottage, ruins, and brook, and
several figures. It is a gem of art, and has a number of the
painter's private marks as well as his signature. The pic-
ture, which has been examined by a number of connoisseurs,
is valued at several hundred guineas.
THE "LONDON REVIEW" AND "Ex AMINER."—The
London Review of this week has the followitg announce.
ment :—" To our Readers.—We are happy to be able to
announce that an arrangement has been entered into for
the amalgamation of the London Review and the Examiner,
which will have the effect of combining the literary and
political resources of both journals. By this arrange-
ment we shall be enabled to offer to our readers a reduc-
tion in price, and to advertisers the benefit of a considerably
extended circulation. On and after the 3rd of April
the Examiner and London Review will be issued every
Friday, price 3d., from the offices, 9, Wellington-street,
Strand."

The Hon. C. B. Portman has this week been on a
tour to Devon and Cornwall, inquiring, on behalf of Govern-
ment, as to the employment of children and women in agri-
culture. On Wednesday ho attended a meeting held at
Newton Abbot. The Rev. R. R. Wolfe, of Torquay, pre-
sided, and Sir B. Leighton and a largo number of the county
clergy and gentry took part in the discussions There
was a general agreement that in Devonshire legislative
interference as to the employment of children and women on
farms was unnecessary. A resolution was passed condemn-
ing the employment of boys under 10 years of age, and
girls under 16. A majority of the speakers expressed them-
selves in favour of compulsory education, and recommended
the establishment of night schools for the improvement of
farm labourers. The overcrowding of dwellings was con-
sidered to bo the cause of the immorality prevalent amongst
the labouring class.
- -

The London correspondent of the Alliance News
givest be reason why the £3,000 collected by Mr. Roebuck's
admirers was settled on his daughter, not on himself. It is
no secret that Mr. Roebuck is ono of the defendants
in an action carried on by the liquidators of the un-
fortunate General Exchange Bank for the recovery of
£14,000, said to have been paid away improperly by
the directors, of whom Mr. Roebuck was chairman or vice-
chairman. If the decision of the court fixes the legal re-
sponsibility of refunding this sum to the shareholders, it
will be for them a matter of very groat interest what
means of complying with this order the directors severally
possess. One thing they will now learn—that they will
stand no chance of getting any of the £3,000 subscribed by
Mr. Roebuck's admirers; and if they should feel a little
chagrined they may be told they ought at least to admit the
ingenuity displayed in depriving them of any possible
benefit from the friendly liberality of Mr. Roebuck's friends.

Under the heading " Strange Story from Carinar-
thenshire," a paragraph has been going the round of the
papers stating that a young girl has lived for seventeen
months without fool. The Lancet quoted the para-
graph in question, and ridiculed the credulity of the vicar
of the parish, who has written to the papers expressing his
belief in the story. In consequence of this the father of the
girl, Mr. E. Jacob, of Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, has called seve-
ral medical men to examine the child, and a committee has
been appointed to investigate the matter. A subscription
list has been opened to defray the expenses of men who
are to watch the girl, two by night and two by day. The
test was commenced at eight o'clock on Monday night.
The story is implicitly believed in the neighbourhood,
and the father is a respectable farmer. It is difficult to
understand what motive there can be for deception, as the
father will not allow the child to receive any money frOna
visitors.