The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-30 00:00:00

THE COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN GLA-
MORGANSIIIRE.

PONTYPRIDD, TUESDAY.

On the re-assembling of the jury yesterday afternoon,
Mr. Poulden, barrister, of the Western Circuit, was in
attendance, and stated that he had been sent down by
the Government to assist the coroner in his inquiry.
Any evidence or suggestion calculated to elicit the real
eause of this unfortunate catastrophe would receive the
greatest attention.
Mr. Davies, surgeon, of Cymmer, was then examined,
and deposed to having attended the sufferers in the acci-
dent at Mr. Insole's colliery. He described the injuries
which had been sustained by a great number of the de-
ceased colliers. The number of persons killed on the spot,
and who bad died since the accident, amounted to 114.
Of that number 15 were badly burnt, 21 slightly burnt,
73 suffocated, and 5 bruised. Five were brought up alive,
who had received injuries from burning, and one laboured
under asphyxia. These persona were progressing favour-
ably, and would be able to attend and give evidence in
the course of a week or ten days.
Mr. Williams, surveyor, said he had made a plan of the
Cymmer Colliery, which he produced. Was acquainted
with the course of the air in the part of the pit in which
the explosion occurred. The pit was an oval one, 16ft.
6in. by 9ft. 6in. ; but a portion of it was bratticed off,
reducing it to 14ft. by 9ft. 6in. The area was between
9 and 10 feet. The brattice was composed of brick at
the bottom and wood at the top. On this working there
was only one pit, and the principal portion of it was used
for winding, pumping, and as a downcast shaft. The air
on reaching the bottom of the pit travelled along a level
heading up to a point called Evan Phillips' heading.
After ventilating the workings it passed along the
northern portion of the colliery, and ultimately escaped
by the upcast. At Evan Phillips' pit a part of the air
returned at a "split," and after going to the south works
escaped in another direction. The explosion occurred in
the south workings. The witness here described at some
length the mode in which the various stalls of the mine
were ventilated. Small portions of the air were allowed
to escape from the main air course for the purpose of
ventilating the old workings.
By Mr. Evans—The size of the air-way between Evan
Phillips' dip and the wind-way heading is 6ft. by 2ft. 4in.,
and gives an area of 14 feet. This current all passes to
the south portion of the workings, where the explosion
took place.
The inquiry was then adjourned till Tuesday.
TUESDAY.

The jury re-assembled at half-past ten this morning.
Mr. Poulden, from the Home-office, and Messrs. Mack-
worth, Evans, and Dickenson, her Majesty's inspectors
of mines, were again in attendance. Mr. Huddlestone
appeared on behalf of the owners of the Cymmer Colliery,
and Mr. Owen for the friends and relatives of the de-
ceased. Before any witnesses were called,
Mr. Huddlestone, addressing the coroner, said he was
desirous of calling attention to a matter of considerable
importance. He was glad to find that the Government
had considered the case of sufficient importance to send
down a gentleman of great experience to assist in conduct.
ing the inquiry. So far, however, as he understood the
position of that gentleman, it was in no way to interfere
with the power which the coroner possessed in that
court, or indeed in any way to interfere in the arrange-
ments which the coroner might think it necessary to
make ; but Mr. Poulden was simply the person named
in the act for awtnling the law for the inspection of coal
mines, who was sent down by the Government for the
purpose of protecting the interests of every class of so-
ciety interested in the inquiry. Representing the owners
and managers of the colliery, he (Mr. Huddlestone) was
as anxious as the Government for the most rigid investi-
gati na. He was most anxious that the cause of the acci-
dent should be probed to the bottom, that all the cir-
cumstances attending it should be investigated, and that
no individual should be screened from any blame which
might attach to him. Since yesterday he had considered
the course which had been taken and the evidence which
had been adduced, and he was compelled to admit that
a portion of that evidence had burst upon him by sur-
prise. He had hoped that the object of the adjournment
upon the last occasion was to afford the survivors of the
accident an opp)rtunity of attending to state all that they
knew of the occurrence. It was obvious that the inquiry
could not terminate until those persons had been exa-
mined; and it was always usual in cases of this descrip-
tion to proceed with the evidence of the persona on the
spot first. He therefore believed that it would be the best
course to adjourn the inquest until the survivors could
attend, which would probably be in ten days or a fort-
night. It would certainly be unfair to them, unsatisfac-
tory to the ends of ju,tice, and would have the appear•
ante of stifling the inquiry, if the proceedings were to be
precipitately brought to a close. He therefore begged to
apply for an adjournment.
Mr. Owen, on behalf of the survivors, coincided in the
opinions expressed by Mr. Huddlestone.
Mr. Poulden also concurred, and explained that he
had been sent down by the Government to:: the purpose
of assisting in the inquiry. His instructions were not to
take the investigation out of the hands cf the coroner,
nor to assume the position of a prosecutor, but to give kis
professional aid in making the fullest investigation into
the cause of the disastrous occurrence. As far as the
Governm.snt were concerned they anxiously desired that
a full, fair, impartial, and proper inquiry should take
place into the whole of the circumstances.

- After a short conversation it was agreed that at the
close of the day's proceedings the inquest should stand
adjourned till Monday week.
Mr. Williams, colliery surveyor, was then recalled
an.), in answer to Mr. Evans, said that the total length
of thi main air current on the south side of the pit was
10,325 yards. There were 67 doors, including stall doors,
and the main current of airdepended on the whole num-
ber of doors. At most of the stall doors there was a lia.
bility to leak, an aperture being intentionally left on
each side of the door for the purpose of allowing the air
to pass into the headings, so that the drawing roads
might be ventilated as well as the wails. He believed
that the leakage to which he referred would not diminish
the quantity ot air passing along the main workings more
than was necessary. In seine headings the leakages
would no doubt injurious;y diminish the main current of
air. In some parts of the inine there were double doors
for the purpose of preventing leakage. Double doors
were marked upon the plan as having stood at the hot.-
tom of a working called Jacob's heading. All the doors
were blown down by the explosion.
In reply to the coroner, the witness stated that whe❑
coal had been got rubbish was put in to fill up the va-
cuum, and the rubbish went by the name of " goaf."
There were 258 yards of " goaf " from the end of the
straight leading to the face of the level.
Mr. Owen—Am I to understand, from your evidence,
that you think the pit was properly ventilated ?
Witness—l do not mean to say anything ot the sort.
Mr. Huddlestone—Mr. Williams has given no opinion
on the subject.
By the Jury —The tracing of the mine produced was
made before the accident. I cannot say whether there
was any air current to the old workings from Joh',
Caemaur's heading. In point of fact, I did not examine
John Caemaur's heading because it had been abandoned
The foreman said it was most important that John
Caemaur's heading should be thoroughly examined and
that the evidence should be very precise as to the course
of the air thiou.Th that he idiog.
Mr. Owen—Have you not said that you did not go
through the old working because you were afraid that
there was fire damp ? , 1

W►tness—l said I did not visit Jacob's heading for
that reason ; but I did not go to the old workings be-
,use they were abandoned. After the explosion I
foual a door blown down near John Caemaur's heading
ornizti induced me to believe that there had been a door
in that position previous to the accident. I saw indica-
tions of tire damp at the month of Griffith Williams'
heading, and also at the top of the straight heading. I
saw candles brought out of Moses' heading, but the ob-
ject of my visit was simply to prepare a plan of the works
and not to make inquiry into those matterF.
The proceedings were adjourned at half•past 1 o'clock
for an hour.