The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-21 00:00:00

4in. or sin. in diameter, were laid along the north
level, through the stone drift, to the bottom of the
travelling road, which is about 800 yards from the
shaft. Thepipeswerelaidonthetravellingroadwhich
is parallel with the engineplain. Thepipeswere taken
to .the lamp cabin, and wherever a gaslight was
wanted it was supplied. The stables 400 yards
down the plain were not lit with gas, but those near
the pit bottom were. Naked lights were taken to
the stables 400 yards down, and that is the same
as having gas there. A place for shoeing the horses
is near those stables, and gas was lit near them.
Gas was not taken further than 400 yards down
the dip. Only in the south level was gas also used,
not in the lamp-office at the bottom of the shaft.
Gas was not used northwards from the shafts. The
safety-lamps were locked. The hurrier boys and
horse-drivers and trapdoor keepers had lamps. It
was by Mr. Woodhouse's authority those natural
gaslights were used. Mr. Dymond and I made
suggestions partly for the use of gas, and Mr.
Woodhouse modified them. Mr. Minto, who was
then resident engineer, approved it being done.
Mr. Woodhouse sanctioned the gaslights used up to
the time of the explosion. There was only one ar-
tificial gasometer. The orders and suggestions and
modifications by Mr. Woodhouse, I believe, are
not in writing. We showed Mr. Woodhouse what
kind of gas it was. He was rather opposed to it at
first. Ido not know what his reasons were, but I
believe he said gas was a ticklish thing to deal with.
Before that we had naked oil lamps burning 400
yards down the workings where gas has since been
used. Mr. Woodhouse, I think, never recommended
that naked lights should be taken away, but he ob-
jected after they had been there some time to their
being carried as far as 800 yards. They had not
been taken as far as 800 yards without his know-
ledge or consent. It is more than a year since they
have been kept within 400 yards. We had not one
Davy's lamp but two Clanny's lamps, kept for sur-
veying purposes only. The lamps were cleaned
every day after the men left. The man who lit the
lamps locked them. Ido not know his name. He
is alive. I shall be able to get the names of the
persons whose duty it was to examine, light, and
lock the lamps, and I will obtain them for the
coroner and jury. (A copy of the Oaks Colliery
rules was here put in, and at Mr. Morton's request
Mammatt took out the bylaws not connected with
this inquiry). As the workpeople went down each
morning the lamps were delivered to them by the
lampkeeper. - In the places where coal was got the
lamps were hung upon nails driven into the coal or
into one of the prop It was a regulation that
they should, not be put on the floor, and were to be
placed far enough from the swing of the pick.
Generally that regulation was observed. Occasion-
ally I have seen a lamp set on the floor, and ordered
it to be hung up. There have frequently been the
glasses of lamps broken by accident, leaving the
wire entire, and then the lamp became not so good
as a Davy lamp. We have had instances within
my observations of lamps being struck through, one
apparently by a pick and another by a nail. They
were shown to me by Mr. Dymond, but none that I
remember by the late David Tewart. Sometimes
we have had limbs broken or crushed by falls of
coal, but it is a long while since I remember one.
We have had the hurriers' lamp-glasses broken, but
not by being accidentally run over. Damaged
lamps, when the glass is broken-, generally remain
till the end of the day, but a crushed lamp should
be put out at once. If a Stephenson lamp glass was
broken, a thousand to one the light would go out.
I do not know any instance in which a lamp so in.
jured has been kept lighted to the end of the day.
If the lamp is put out, the man would go to the
lamp office for another. I cannot say whether men
have been in the habit of keeping broken lamps
burning, but I have heard of no such instance. The
man pays the value of the glass if the lamp is
crushed. Inquiries were made as to the breaking of
lamps, and there was a pit diary, which is now in the
lamp cabin in the pit, and every occurrence of the
kind is there entered. I used to see it every time I
went down, which was sometimes twice a week. I
was last down before the explosion on the 21st of
November. I went down at 10 o'clock in the morn-
ing, and came up about half-past 12. We used
weJges and picks entirely in working the end. Not
an ounce of powder was used in the mine for coal-
A long time since powder was used, but
'or several years and lately none has been used ex-
cept at the downcast pit bottom, which is not coal,
but stone. It was used there on the day of the ex-
plosion, and for three or four mouths past. It was
in a drift not far from the pit bottom. From the

getting.

shaft bottom, the place where it was used on the
day of the explosion is 80 yards. The stone
.drift

was nearly parallel with the engine plain. We had
two motives for making that drift. One was mine
and one Mr. Dymond's. Mine was to asist the

ventilation down the travelling way on the dip side.
Mr. Dymond's motive was to save the men the

trouble of going round to their work, and to give
them more direct access to their work ; instead of
going down two sides of a triangle they would then
have only to go down one. It would be 7ft. high
and 6ft. wide, or 40ft. area. Ido not know who
authorised the use of powder in that drift. I was
never asked about it, but if I had been I should
have allowed it. Mr. Woodhouse knows that some
drifts cannot be driven without powder. Mr. Dy,-
mond and I ordered drift to be made, but not the
particular kind of work. I ordered David rewart
to get it made as soon as possible, but the question
of gunpowder was not discussed. I had informed
Mr. Woodhouse about making the drift, but riot
about
heouttthe powder. Tewart never objected to me to
powder there. Powder had been used there
about four months. During that period I have
heard no objection to the use of powder there. I
did not object to it inyvlf. The persons who used
the powder there were John and Thomas Sugden,
contractors (both alive), and Richard Hunt, who
Sugden and his mate were the
eisonkitrlalecdto. jlohdno not know the names of any others
who worked in this drift, but will ascertain. Ido not
contract
and Mr. Tem art. I
was verbal or written.
It
tnlovwas whethermade
b yt the
r . p y
Dymond
am not aware that during the last few Months there
have been any mishaps with gas in that drift, and I
have been in it frequently. Ido not remember ever
seeing a naked light in the drift. There could not
be naked lights in other parts of the mine without
my knowing. The drift was to communicate with
the travelling road. The last time 1 inquired about
it they thought next day the drift would be through
into the regular travelling way,which was one of the
main fresh air courses. It would also pass a passage
which was Bft. under. The strata between the two

passages was stone-bind. No communication bad
beeu made by a bore hole or anything else with the

return air course.

All the passages, &C., connected

with the stone drift are delineated in the map. The

dip end of the drift is 100 yards from the nearest
goaf. I do not know that they had got the drift
through with drills or boring rods. When I went
down on Nov. 21 I could detect no gas in the lamp,
but there was a noise of gas hissing through the
water. I have been in the habit of examining other
places than the goaves, and tried to find gas, but
have not found it once this year. There was a great
deal of gas in one part in 1847, but none lately,
though thera has been choke damp in the rise part.
(The most likely places for finding fire damp were
here-pointed out on the plan.) The extreme dip
headings were the most suspicious. I thought gas
might prevail in extreme south levels, but never
found any there. We have no pit diary in the office.
the presence of fire damp was put down when it oc-
curre -I, but the book did not frequently announce
fire damp. The deputies made the entries after each
shift, but none of them are alive except Cadtnan.
The result of thoobservations recorded were not sent
regularly to Mr. Woodhouse, but I used to send a re-

port weeHyor fortnightly if t herewas anything to say.
The working goaves were examined every morning
for the purpose of finding fire. There were not less
than four or five morning fire-triers and deputies.
There have never been complaints of want of proper
examination of the works in a morning. I have
heard of one complaint, and only one, about a want
of air. It was a fortnight ago, and I heard it second
hand. The complaint would be in the pit diary. There
was a deputation of men at the colliery office about
it. I have no doubt it is recorded. I wrote to Mr.
Woodhouse, stating that I understood there was gas

in the banks in No. 12 district on the south side. I
received a satisfactory reply. I did nothing in con-
sequence of what was said to me, butt did not do
anything because of what Mr. Dymond did, and be-
cause I was not there. I did not go into the works
to examine them, because I was away, and the exa-
mination had been made. It was days after when I
came home, and the thing had blown over. I did
not see the deputation, but I was told it was about
gas. The steps which were taken were, I was told,
satisfactory to the deputation, and satisfactory to
me. Within the last six months we have had no
complaints of imperfect ventilation, or of dangerous
practices—not one, or of bad discipline, or of neglect
of duty, or not having a sufficient number of depu-
ties to examine the works. I have known of no
firing of cotton wool in the mine, or anything of
that sort. No return air touches the furnace,
but it might be brought there by smashing a
door which separates the returning from the
in-going air, and the door is always kept locked.
Tewart and the deputies had keys as well as myself.
The viewer only and underground viewer and the
deputies were allowed to go through this door. The
furnace was 70 yards from the upcast shaft, and the
smoke was carried up the drift, which was loft.
high by 6or 7 feet wide. From the bottom of the
furnace drift to the bottom of the upcast shaft is 18
yards. The return air was conveyed up the upcast
shaft by two roads. The nearest was 12 yards be-
low the end of the furnace drift. I have once or
twice seen the soot on fire in the upcast shaft. The
furnace was fired briskly. I think the distance was
sufficient from the bars of the furnace to prevent
the flames or any fiery material communicating with
the return air up the up-cast shaft. I have heard
no complaint that the furnace was too near the up-
cast. The fresh air supplied to the furnace on the
7th of December was 17,220 cubic feet per minute.
On the same day the air circulated through the
mine was 151,950 cubic-feet per minute. The mine
is divided into districts for ventilating purposes.
(Here the districts and currents of air were pointed
out.) The two down-cast shafts were 285 yards
deep. In some parts the goaves are partially open.
I have generally, but not invariably, found them
free from gas. Sometimes they suddenly fall in.
After such falls the mine was liable to be charged
with gas from the strata above. They generally
fall from 18 to 20 yards from the top of the coal.
The strata book will show whether at that distance
above the thick coal there is not a thin seam of coal,
but I will refer to the book and see. if there is
such a fall I know gas would escape. I have known
the floor of a mine burst up and yield a dangerous
amount of gas, so that Davy lamps would scarcely
be safe, but Stephenson's lamp would be a protec-
tion. There was a dangerous outburst of gas at the
Oaks Colliery in August last, in the second bank,
south side, low end of Engine-plain. Other explo-
sions of the same kind have had the effect of ex-
tinguishing Stephenson's safety-lamps, and making
Davy lamps red hot. I was at the colliery the day
before the first explosion, but from home at the time
it took place. On the day I was there I heard no-
thing of danger being apprehended. I got a tele-
gram on the 12th inst., saying that there had been
a great explosion, At 9.10 on Thursday morning I
found No. 1 and 2 shafts in their ordinary state—
fresh air going down. Mr. Matmnatt went on to
relate the steps taken by orders of the engineers
on Thursday after the explosion, and then went
on to say —At 1 o'clock I was taking observations
when I heard the signal-bell from the botto,n ring
several times in the engine-house. I ran to the top
of No. 1 pit, and found the carpenter and a police-
man shouting down the pit. We heard a man's voice
at the bottom, and then sent to Barnsley for the en-
gineers and viewers. Inspector Wethcrall and I in
the meantime let down to the man at the bottom a
bottle of brandy and water ; it was let down by a
length of signal wire, and it was taken off. After
describing the modus operandi by which it was ac-
complished, Mr. Mainwat described the descent of
himself and Mr. Euibleton, jun., down No. 1 shaft.
He added—We took three lamps and went slowly
down, so that we could examine the shaft sides. One
hundred yards down the shaft a stream of water as
thick as my body was falling down the shaft. Mien
we get to the bottom at first we saw no one. The
scaffold was blown off the sump at the bottom. The
sump was 9 yards deep, and it was full of water. I
shouted out, " Anybody here ?" There was a great
fire 40 or 50 yards from the bottom of the shaft in
the engine plain. It was full of corves of coal which
had been ready to come up which had been burnt.
They were all of a glow. At last we heard a voice
saying `Take me out ;" he was between the two
shafts, sitting in a heap of dirt. The distance be-
tween the shafts is 9 yards; the lamp cabin is there.
'The man had his back against the wall, with a bottle
ou his knee. I asked him where the others were, and
he said, No, there's no more ;I am the only one."
I saw no dead bodies, but he said there were two or
three close by. I called " Jeffcock," " Barker," and
" David," but there was no reply. In the face of the
fire it would have been death to have gone. The
man could not walk, and we had to help him to the
truck and tied him with ends. I then fell into the

sump, but spreading my arms out I saved myself.
The man'sname is Samuel Brown, and he is aliright
again. As I was falling I said, " Hallos, what's
that ?" and Brown said, " There's three or four down
there." Since Friday there have been, many explo-
sions; six on Saturday, some on Sunday and Monday,
and 17 altogether. The last explosion of the 17 was
at 3.40 a.m. on Tuesday. On Saturday we began
to pile up the furnace sliaft, and yesterday afternoon
20 yards were He'd up, and the filling up has got
above the furnace draught. We also began to pile
up No. 1 shaft on Tuesday afternoon. We have
started the pumping engine, so as to prevent water
flowing into the mine. It is thought desirable not
to let water into the mine at present. From No. 1
shaft to the extreme dip the distance is a mile and
four yards. From the downcast shaft to the furnace
. _

shaft in a straight line is 18 chains and 50 yards.
By Mr. Blackburn—ln Mr. Tewart's book, found
at his house, under date Nov. 3, is this entry—
" The colliers left the pit idle, and said the south

level bank and straight places were full of gas.
When the banks were examined no gas was to be
found." The dip in the stone drift is lin 7, and it is

impossible gas could accumulate. I never heard of
gas in any stone drift. Using gunpowder in blast-
. _ _

ing that drift was not at all dangerous. If the ex-
plosion had taken place in the stone drift the blast

would have gone up the shaft. I was close by, but
bodies were found a great distance from there and at
the bottom of the shaft.

By the Jury—There have never been any explo-
sions in the engine plain. The state of the bars under
has a great deal more to do with the existence of
more gas than usual in a mine. Knew of the em-
ployment on a given day of more than the ordinary
number of workmen. Mr. Dymond could do no-
thing contrary to Mr. Woodhouse's orders. The
return air course could not have been fired by ashot
going through the 8 feet of strata between them. I
asked the men to push on with the air way, but no
premium was offered whatever. The stone wasvery
hard, and the men could not make money, and, as
they were getting tired of it, David Tewart offered
them a sovereign for extra work.
Here Mr. Morton said the Government had ap-
pointed Mr. Kenyon Blackwell to assist him in the
investigation. As the inquiry was looked upon by
Government as one of great weight and public inte-
rest, it was desirable that the inquiry be closed until
Mr. Blackwell had investigated minutely all the

circumstances, and until all witnesses who could

throw light on this painful subject could be got

together. He, therefore, hoped the inquiry would

be adjourned until after Christmas.
Mr. Blackwell said the colliery proprietors, for
whom he appeared, felt as deeply as other persons
with respect to this matter, and were anxious with-

out delay to examine witnesses who would clear up

certain points with reference to blasting and the use
of gunpowder. The learned gentleman called
John Sugden, contractor for making the stone
drift, and he said he left the drift at six o'clock on

the morning of the explosion, and no gas was in it

at that time. Two or three hours after the explosion
he went down and examined the face of the drift,

and then saw no signs of gas.
By the Jury—Tewart gave them orders to blast
by Morton. They had had no complaint about
blasting. Tewart told them there was sufficient