The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-13 00:00:00

DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

SUPPOSED LOSS OF TIIREE lIUNDRED LIVES.
BARNSLEY, Wednesday.

About 1 o'clock to-day the inhabitants of Boyle
Mill, a hamlet of about a mile 'and a half distant
from Barnsley, were startled by a loud explosion,
which shook the ground around. Accustomed to
the causes of sudden reports as the population are—
being of an entirely colliery character—all eyes were
at once directed to the Oaks colliery, where a dense
body of smoke was seen issuing from one of the
shafts. A rush was at once made to the place, and
in the course of a few minutes the pit bank was
covered with a large crowd, the greater part of which
was composed of women and children in a state of
distraction, crying and vociferating wildly.
Under the direction of Mr. T. Dymond, the manag-
ing partner, preparations were made to descend the
second shaft, the one which felt the force of the ex-
plosion having had the wire rope destroyed, and con-
tinuing to emit a great deal of smoke. A large body
of the county police were speedily on the ground,
and it was with some difficulty that a clear road
could be kept, as the number of persons about the
works could not be less than from 2,000 to 3,000.
The party which.first descended brought out several
persons, all of whom were very badly burnt ; but as
the colliery is one of the largest in the district, em-
ploying about 400 men and boys, and the works
extending to a distance of nearly two miles from
the shaft bottom, only those in the vicinity of the
bottom could be reached, while those at a distance
cannot be got at until the works are opened out,
as the air courses will doubtless be blocked up. Up
to about five o'clock upwards of thirty bodies, men
and lads, were got out, several being dead, whilst
most of the others were so severely burnt as to
leave but slight hopes of their recovery, Several of
the boys, averaging from 12 to 14 years, on being
brought up, could scarcely be recognised. On being
taken to the cabin, scores of anxious eyes examined
them. In some cases the features could not be re-
cognised, so that their clogs and the buttons on
their clothes were minutely examined so as to give
a clue to the wearer. Some of the men ap-
peared to be in the greatest agony, but most
of them appeared to have lost all power of
expression. On the catastrophe being made
known the stewards and viewers of the
neighbouring collieries were promptly on the
ground rendering assistance and prepared to exa-
mine the workings, but it is expected that a great
deal of work will have to be done before any great
distance can be explored. In the meantime every
exertion is being made to recover the men and lads,
but it is feared that the loss of life will be very
great indeed, owing to the vast extent of the work-
ings, and it is more than likely that some consider-
able time will elapse before the extreme parts can be
reached ; much, however, will depend on the
amount of damage done, and whether the stoppiugs
have been entirely destroyed. Without any desire
to create alarm, we may say it was the opinion of
many of those acquainted with mining operations
that the catastrophe will be of a terrible character,
and cause a great deal of distress, probably exceed-
ing anything of the kind which has yet been known
in the district, where colliery explosions have been
by no means of rare occurrence. First will be re-
collected that in 1857, at Lundhill, by which 189
lives were lost, and those recently in December,
1862, at Edmond's Main, when 59 persons were
killed.

The Oaks Colliery, which is the property of Mr.
R. Micklethwaite, of Ardsley, and leased to Messrs.
Firth, Barber, and Co., has before been the scene
of similar catastrophes, one of which, in March,
1847, resulted in the death of 73 persons. It is
about 270 yards deep, and has been worked for a
great number of years, all improvements with re-
gard to ventilation, &c., having been introduced,
as the managing partner, Mr. Dymond, is a practi-
cal mining engineer. On leaving the ground the
scene was one of the most distracting character,
which was in no degree lessened by the gloom around.
To give additional safety to the men descending a
new rope had been put down as the old one gave
some indications of being ready to give way. The
men wia be continued working during the night in
relays, and no exertions will bo spared in bringing
out the unfortunate men and boys, but whether
they will be brought up alive is a matter of ques-
tion. Ten of those who have been brought out
living are expected to survive. Up to half-past
seven o'clock about 32 bodies, meu and boys, have
been got out, and it is expected that the number
remaining in the pit is about 363 more. One of the
last drawn up was the cupola tenter, George Tasker,
who was very little hurt, and on reaching the top
had the dead body of a cat in his hand.
The greatest excitement prevails, and the ground
continues crowded by a very large number of men,
women, and children, many of them in the expec-
tation of identifying relatives.
BARNSLEY, Wednesday, 9.30 p.m.
Mr. Wilson and his party, on examining the new
level and drift, counted no fewer than 38 dead
bodies within a space of some 50 yards. All the
horses are no doubt dead. The opinion of the min-
ing engineers is that there is not a man left alive in
the colliery, so that the loss of life in all probability
exceeds 300.
The explosion has not extended so far as to set
fire to the coal, so that, unlike the explosion at
Lundhill, the workings will be easily cleared and
the bodies quickly recovered.
The pit-bank is crowded, and the excitement is
great.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

(lIY TELEGRAPH.)

GRAAESBND, Thursday Morning.
Arrived, Doc. 13.--Contend, from Vyborg; Provi-
dence, from Gravelines.
Saiied—Triton, steamer, for Boulogne.
DEAL, Thursday Morning.
Anchored—Wellington, for Demerara ; Medina, for
Kanagawa —both from London.
Passed—Susan, for Drevvin ; Lightning, for Plymouth
both from London.