The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-06 00:00:00

T.IIB BOILER EXPLOSION 42' SEATON
BURN COLLIERY.

We regret to state that Chevill, who, it will- be
rervinbered received a severe blow on the head from
a. stone, died from the effects of his injuries about
10 o'clock on Monday night. He was about. sixty
years of age, and had been twice married. James
'another of the men reported as hurt, has, it
appears, been more seriously injured than we were
at first led to suppose. He has been very severely
cut about the face, and had some of his front teeth
knocked out and his tongue split, but he is in a fair
way of recovery. The engineman Younger was also
stated to be doing well, but the woman Tennant
was still considered to be in a very precarious con-
dition. In addition to the persons formerly men-
tioned as injured, we learn that a hewer, named J.
Carr, was struck by a stone while standing on the
pit heap, and very severely hurt.
When the engines were stopped by the accident,
there were about 165 men and boys in the pit, and
it was of course a matter of some difficulty to get
them out. In the course of an hour, however, an
apparatus was improvised at the air shaft, about a
mile and a half to the north of the main shaft, and by
two in the afternoon the whole were extricated. The
efforts of the workmen are now vigorously directed
to the replacing of the boilers ; and it is expected
the pumping apparatus will be got to work in a day
or two, while the general work of the pit will pro-
bably be resumed in the course of the week.
The inquest on the bodies of the deceased was
commenced on Tuesday by Mr. Coroner Reed, at the
sign of the Board Inn, Seaton Burn. Mr, Crone,
the colliery viewer, was present during a portion of
the proceedings.
Robert Wight said—l live at Seaton Burn Col-
liery, where I am chief engine-wright. I have
charge and superintendence of the engines and the
boilers. The boiler that exploded was the fourth
from the south side. It had two safety valves,. be-
sides one common float and one whistle alarm float.
I should say it would have been safe to have worked
this boilerat a pressure of 451 b to the square inch.
The boiler was fitted with Scheffer's steam gauge.
I cannot tell the pressure that burst the boiler. She
works at 351 b to the square inch. About eight
months ago this boiler underwent some repairs,
when a small plate was put in. The boiler plates
are in. thick. The boiler has been in use about 16
years. About nine years ago it was injured by an
explosion, and I think about one-third of it was then
made new, the whole boiler being cut to pieces and
rebuilt. I have examined the plates of the exploded
boiler, and in my opinion they have been heated to
a blue red. The engineman has charge of the boilers
and he and th© fireman work for 12 hours. Yester

d6y, morning the engineman, Wilkinson Younger,
went to work at 4 o'clock, and the fireman, John

Turner, at five. The engine and boilers were under
the charge of Younge7 at the titne of the explosion.
The alarm will whistle when the water has fallen

to two inches above the top of the flue,which would
indicate a want of water. It is possible the alarm
whistles might get out of order. I have known them

partially stopped, but never altogether. It is the
engineman's duty to see the whistles and floats are
in proper order. The engineman will have had care
Of that boiler for eight years. The fireman, Turner,
has been employed about six months. I wish to ex-
plain at the time of the explosion the safety valves
were loaded at 351 b. I have seen the safety-valve
lever, and the weight is attached at 351 b. The in-
dex explaining the amount of pressure is the same
on each boiler, and I find on examining the other
boilers that it shows 351 b.
The coroner said they must have the engineman
examined. He proposed to adjourn the inquest
till Tuesday next, April 10, at one o'clock.