The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-14 00:00:00

DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

(From the Manchester Guardian)

A coalpit explosion, producing terrible conse-
quences in the loss of at least 24 lives, occurred
about noon on Saturday last at Tyldesley Colliery,
two miles from Leigh, the proprietors of which
are Messrs. Green, Holland, and Co. The fire-
damp exploded in a down-brow running south,
and then took a rectangular direction, extend-
ing to beneath St. George's Church, Tyldes-
ley. In fact, it is supposed to be right under
that sacred edifice that the gas ignited, .and
the greatest destruction of human life has taken
place. The colliery is not of very long stand-
ing, but its -workings have generally been con-
sidered more or less dangerous to those em-
ployed therein. The point where the calamity
is said to have its origin in some 1,000 or 1,100
yards from the pit's eye, and therefore no loud re-
port was heard above ground, but those who were
below at the time of the explosion say, that the
noise resembled the discharge of a park of artillery,
and might have been heard some miles if it had not
been stifled in some of the deep caves of the earth.
A few, though but very few, of the miners and
drawers escaped before the crash came, having
taken alarm at the unusually dense accumulation of
foul gas which was perceptible. One sturdy col-
lier took away himself and two boys to the pit's
eye, through a considerable distance filled with the
noxious atmosphere, but not before the two youths
had become completely insensible and the man
himself was thoroughly exhausted. The remainder
of the colliers and drawers who -were at work in
the different bays and in the levels have been killed.
All persons practically acquainted with coal getting
operations were confident such would be the case
from the features noticeable immediately after the
explosion. It was quite evident to them that if
some had not been burnt to death it was quite im-
possible they could escape the scarcely less horrible
fate of being suffocated by the after or choke damp.
No one connected with the colliery seemed to be
able to speak with certainty as to the exact num-
ber whose lives had either been sacrificed or ex-
tremely jeopardized. It was imagined by some
that not more than 16 men and boys had been at
work, but men who had been working down the pit
maintained that there more than a score. This
latter estimate, we much regret to say, more closely
approximates he stern reality than the other, for
it is now beyond doubt that not less than 24 human
creatures have fallen victims in this lamentable
catastrophe. The larger proportion of the dead
were married men, most of them having young
families. The managers and persons employed in
the colliery, having recovered from the first shock
to their feelings caused by this melancholy occur-
rence, proceeded with all despatch to adopt the best
available means for clearing the mine of the deadly
vapour with which it was surcharged. An effective
body of stalwart and anxious men were told off to
explore the mine as soon as they possibly could, for
the purpose of ascertaining beyond all doubt
the fate of those poor fellows who had been in such
fearful danger. The state of the atmosphere, how-
ever, was such as to baffle all their attempts to
make any incursion up the workings for two or
three hours. Hy laudable perseverance in a judi-
cious use of the ventilating apparatus, in another
hour or so they, were enabled to traverse a consider-
able distance of the " jig-brow;" but for some time
they only succeeded in finding one dead body.
Between 5 and 6 in the eveninc, it was reported that
seven lifeless bodies were met with. A numerous
concourse of persons assembled in the neighbour-
hood of the pit bank, some anxious to learn the sad
reality as to the fate of those relatives who were
near and dear to them. About half-past five it was
communicated around that in the opinion of the ex-
plorers below it was impossible that any of those
who had not yet been reached could be alive. Then
it might be said that the struggle between hope and
despair terminated on the part of the survivors.
Orders were issued that none of the remaining
bodies should be brought to the surface until a
somewhat late hour in the evening, in the hopes
that the assembled multitude would by that time
have considerably diminished and an unnecessary
scene of woe be avoided. At 10.17 p.m. the first
dead body was drawn up, and the conveyance to
the pit-brow of the bodies of 15 sufferers was ac-
complished in an hour and a quarter—a work of
some dispatch, considering that most of them had
to be carried a considerable distance along the brow
to the pit-eye, preparatory to their being placed
in the tubs by which they were to be raised above.
With one exception, all the 15 seem to have lost.
their lLves by the after or choke-damp which would
encompass them immediately after the explosion.
Aspinall's body is, however, blown to pieces. As
to the immediate cause of explosion, nothing fur-
ther is known. It has been conjectured that the
gauze-work of a safety lamp must have burst, and
thereby a naked light have become exposed; but
no one is left to tell the tale.
MONDAY AFTEROON.
The task of exploring the workings of the pit
has now been completed, and the number of lives
lost is ascertained to be 24. Nothing more is known
of the origin of the explosion. It is said that no
foul air had ever been discovered in this part of
the mine before, and all the lamps that have been
found to this time appear to have had their tops
on ; but it is supposed that the gauze of some of
them may have been imperfect. About 21 of the
bodies have been taken home, or to the houses of
relatives, but the remainder were too much dis-
membered and disfigured to be recognisable.

THE CASE OF FRANCES JOHNSTON.

On Saturday afternoon, in consequence of an ad-
vertisement which had been issued, stating that
Robert Johnston Would answer the charge of un-
natural conduct to his children, a meeting was held
at the Auction-rooms, 28, Gracechurch-street. It
will be remembered that, some time since, Johnston
was taken before the Lord Mayor, at the Mansion-
house police-court, charged with refusing to main-
tain Frances Johnston, whereby she became charge-
able to the parish. At that examination, Frances
Johnston, who was 17 years of age, gave evidence
as to her father's conduct to her and her sisters
and brothers, telling them to go on the streets, and
to become thieves to support themselves. She also
said, in answer to the Lord Mayor, that she at-
tempted to destroy herself by throwing herself off
London-bridge, on account of the conduct of her
father.
Mr. DUNBAR was called to the chair, and said
that the gentlemen who had interested themselves
in calling the meeting were anxious that Mr. John-
ston should be heard, as they believed that he was
not guilty of the charges which had been brought
against him, and for which he had been sent to
prison.
Mr. CLEGHORN then addressed the meetinc, at
some length, and said that he had looked at all the
points in the case, and he believed that Johnston
had not been fairly treated. Johnston married,
and, from motives of humanity, allowed his wife's
sister to live in the house. He wished to bring
up his children, seven in number, in habits
of industry and economy. They were, however,
indulged, and ebcouraged by their aunt to disobey
him, and rebel against him. He was entirely ex•
eluded from their society. Then it was said that
the children had not been educated, but the fact
was, that Johnson supplied the money for the pur-
pose. What he was stated to have said about his
daughter going on the streets was not the fact, as
they would hear from Johnston himself. Mr. Cleg-
horn concluded by saying that, in his opinion,
Johnston had been hardly dealt with, and that
he should, at all events, have been allowed an oppor-
tunity of proving his innocence of the charges
brought against him.
Mr. JOHNSTON, in answer to the questions put
to him by several gentlemen present, said that he
and his wife could not agree, and that he had ad-
mitted
.his wife's sister to the house, because she
was without any protection whatever. After he put
herinto the house, however, there was no peace,
and he had no control
over 'hiswife or children.
His children had left him, and had stolen goods
from his house to a large amount. The eenditure
upon the family and himself, from 1849 to 1855,
amounted to £1,424 in household expenses alone,
and there_ was no truth in the statement that he
treated them unnaturally.
Mr. BUCKINGHAM said that Frances Johnston
had stated that at the time she attemptedsuicide
she was in a situation, from which, however, she
had no wages, and that her father would not
allow her any money or clothes. lie would ask
whether Mr. Johnston had received any such appli_
cation or not?

Mr. JOHNSTON said he never had; nor had he
given her any reason to believe that he would not
supply them.
Mr. BUCKINGHAM—Did you ever say to Frances,
" If you don't mend your ways you will come to
the streets ?"

Mr. JOHNSTON—Yes ; but he had said that to
her merely as a warning. He never advised her to
go on the streets. When he heard that she had
thrown herselfoff the bridge, 18 months had elapsed.
Other questions having been put to Johnston, it
was unanimously resolved—" That this meeting is
of opinion that Robert Johnston never said any-
thing to his sons or daughters which justifies the
construction of advice to get their living by a
course of infamy-"
After which, a vote of thanks was passed to the
chairman, and the meeting separated.

VISIT OF MR. BRIGHT TO GLASGOW.—The
Glasgow Morning Journal of yesterday authoratively an-
nounces that Mr. Bright, M.P., will address a public meet-
ing in that city on the 21st inst.