The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-25 00:00:00

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LArl'E COLLIERY EXPI.OsIO:
DUDLEY, Faioa MORNlNO.—Yesterday afternoon se,
' was held at the Itz.se and Crown Inn in this town, bel.'
Robinson, Coroner, upon the bodies of James Northwest
Northwood, Samuel flingley. Edmund Evans,
and Edward Fletcher, six of the unfortunate colliers win
killed by the explosion of firedamp at the Tividale works as
day last.
The works where this disastrous calamity occurred
Messrs. Wagstaff and Skidmore, and are situated et
about a mile and a half from Dudley.
A Oi
Before the men descended iota the pit It was ustfie
" doggy" to examine the chambers or galleries of the We'
• a " Davy lamp," but on Monday morning this duty eit
ferred to a young man named Hateley, who enjoyed thepen'
fidence of his fellow-workmen. About six o'clock the
(24 in number), after one of them had inquired whether to
was right, descended the shaft, and, with three except°
erected to work. Three other men, one of whom lee'
finding that the ground was fuliy occupied, returned to tbs
of the pit, with the intention of taking theit turn of duty
The men had not been at work many minutes when three
reports were heard, and a body of flame rushed along the
where the 18 men were at work. Of these 18 men eirl;o
already dead, and eight not expected to recover. The
described by one or two of the survivors as truly awful. ,
In the first instance, great blame was thought to SOP.,
condom of Hateley, but the jury acquitted him et any critic;
conduct. It appears, however, to be pretty generally bel.
he inadvertently forgot to tr 7 the chamber over the
where the explosion took place, else it is scarcely to be
that in so short a time after the men commenced work se
volume of foul air could have accumulated in that posit°.
The first witness called was
James Cartwright, who deposed as follows :—I am It
work in a mine at Tividale, belonging to Messrs. Wag'
tij
Skidmore. I have been in their employ but a new nutelln's
sionsly worked in Lord Ward's mines. At six o'clock on
morning I went to the pit's mouth and weot down with
band. James Hateley and some others went down in the
It was the duty of Hateley to go down every morning
the pit for gas with the safety-lamp. On Monday morninlit •I
David Skidmore, the " burry, " told him to try the worts
y
went down. When I reached the bottom I found 1.10"
the lamp in his fraud. I asked him if he had tried all
He said he had ; he could find nothing where he had
11
then unscrewed the top of the lamp, and I told hint le
again, and try a hole in which I was going to Or et
0
both went in together; he went in with the latePri6
sat at the entrance. He returned in a few twiina:
said he could find nothing. I asked him rePP'to
he had tried every place. He said he had He then we
shaft. The reason of his leaving the pit was that he Oily
to do. Only three could work at holeing. The rest of too
were filling skips about 30 or 40 yards from me. l_cpl
remained below he would have been idle. I ml"'- 10,1
oat
with Hateley near to the part where the explosion
could not find any gas there; this, as near as I can tell, -„,/
15 minutes before the explosion occurred. When the euiP,„"
off I was working a good way from the other men, and I
were at work only a few minutes before the explosion WTos
It made a noise like the roaring and rushing of wind.
flames coining towards me mixed with smoke anti dud.
blew out the candles, and before the flames reached Winoi
myself down on my face and escaped with a slight singe_ngl
I was insensible for a short time after the flame bad r
and lay for a few minutes. When I got up I couldono
stand, the sulphur was so strong. I groped my way to tbe
the drawing shaft and got a little fresh air. When I fellsi
I returned to search for my comrades. The first 11400
James Northwood. He was lying on his face. 134 On
get up :but he said he could not. I raised him uPtost
could, and his skin peeled off in my hands. I staglee7;eol
him and returned for more. I found Buxton next.
upon his hands and knees; he is still alive, thank Ti,
others I assisted to get out, but it was a long time be
search properly, because the sulphur made us so wed' I
horses were burnt. I remained, in the pit until the IP"os
been a miner 30 years. lam now 60 years old. I 'hint,
means were taken to prevent gas from collecting. Jen' eio
was appointed to examine the " works " by the ..huttb,oor
consent of the pit's company. It is the duty of the" cloglP,flif!
but we had every confidence in Hateley. We all placed 17,01/
his hands. I cannot tell how the gas ignited. 0/ tit 0,
that such a body of foul air could not collect from Oil
Hateley said he had examined the works to the snrl
plosion took place. I think he must have forgotten t j
‘hamber
10°1
James Jukes, an old man who has been a miner 040 ji
.He was once .t his life, deposed that he had seen sulphur gather 0,9
burnt by an explosion that
had gathered in as short a time. The explosion pole/
into did not take place until about eight o'clock.
must be mistaken in saying that it took place abet OPP 01,
they descended.
The CORONER here remarked that there was one 04
evidence to him by no means satisfactory. If the in,,en
11
working near the spot where the explosion took Plsd octi
the gas ignite ? It appeared that the men 0') 00,41
the principal sufferers were engaged In leauling,4ol"(o,l
Lonsiderable distance from the chamber over the
~.}OOl
and he should like to know how the gas came in
be candles
be
t
A gentleman in the room here handed a' note to -id 0 ?:
who then said that the information he had just roost!{
010.
measure removed the difficulty. The note stated
writer) had that morning waited upon Buxton,one of Woe Jo! 0
and found him lying in great agony. The surgeon °foe tin
death,lo,
him to prepare for death, and with this prospect be 01 11
said that Juhn Northwood and several of the other 00°. to
the skips to the chamber, where the explosion took P1an7,0001,00
a shot. They had just stuck the candles in some Yenta
the sulphur caught, and he was struck down. Ile nai
also impying censure on Hateley, bt 01/
The CORONER now observed that if the jury thougg
light could be thrown en the matter by an adjourawe' '
willingly concur in that arrangement. with the etr
The jury intimated that they were satisfied
Death.
_i
adduced, and returned a verdict of Accident"!
ble r
The CORONER impressively cautioned }DWI" " to
#,OO
conduct.
•
The bodies of the other men lie in another parish
,
and will consequently come within the jurisdiction
coroner.

clos‘
DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLO-;;0104#
SOUTH SHIELDS, FIit.DAY MoDNING. —Yesterday e F4ll
formation reached this town that an explosion had tel-foitto
an early hour in the colliery at Jarrow, a small roinint..
the river Tyne, and about two miles from South Stt-pil iP
reported that about one hundred men were down tr1;000:
time of the explosion, and that these, with the excenhei.,fl/
men who were at work in the Bensham Seam, had Pe"- liOr
report naturally caused the greatest sensation th net It
I
district. lu it,N
Owing to the confusion and excitement which
tremely difficult to ascertain minute particulars. A`;0061,10
took place about two o'clock yesterday afternoons n_/..007
ninety men and boys were at work. The explosion 7 soy
the low seam, and its cause it is as yet impossible
The Davy lamp and candles were used by the intn`;reo2,rj
tice having been blown down by the explosion, the
hol r,
was destroyed, and upwards of forty individuals Peneo an"pf
after-damp. The greatest efforts have been mato AV
bodies to bank, but up to this period (*ght o'cl.ck) 0,0 Di
been brought out. The pitmen made almost am:Whitlow, eel.,
to rescue their fellowmen, and one noble-mended (elate ele,
man, named Jacob Deity, lost his life from the after of 0417,
tempting to save the lives, or to extricate the todie.rotoloir
rades. A great number of men are now emploTed bo4'
brattice, and it is expected that during the day all as ir
offf ,o
be brought out of the pit. 1
* 0 lie.
This colliery has been in operation since 1804, 5Dd
jq,, e
superintendence of Mr. Joplin. Drewitt Brown,
fel aides in the neighbourhood, is the proprietor. el°
(Yaws • CORRESPONDENT.) Of tt;
NEWCASTLI.ON.TYNE, AUGUST 22.—1 t 15 tn '1"
duty to record another of those dreadful calamitielaboott,
quently take place in the coal mines of this neighnoutp',oll:;
',ireful catastrophe occurred at Jarrow Colliery, neeliol .0' OA,
on Thursday afternoon, at about two o'clock, And
,„--beir eh; e
tursied from the spot, the best account of the ne-tigat 'Le 1::
perished by the explosion, as far as it could at that psi
tained, is about forty men and boys, six of wlltee,,,pol °oleo
from the pit. and four of them dead. The ,-taehrst•
brought out, seeing that the blast had broken dm" fontrio,'
wooden partition that divides the 'bait into two con:LP:00 pe.,
appears that two seams of coal are being worked e.hiebast 10
—the Bensham seam and the low main—and from
&co io
tion I could gather, the explosion must bare - overcsio
low main; but not being very well assured of the tgben_ddlei.Yl
it did occur, I refrain from stating anything the
shall not fail to make due enquiries, and forward I.
ei v
The bodies of the other unfortunate sufferers Win n
before to.night or to-morraw morning.

(11/
FURTHER PARTICULAB°' lejilt, 0.
The subj.dned is a list of the sufferers, It
whose bodies have been recovered:--
Benjamin Robinson, left a wife.
James Stewart, aged 60, wife and family.
Thomas Liddell, 42, wife and six children.
William Walker, 25, wife.
I homas Wailes, 60, wife and family.
Thomas Love, 45, wife and family.
John Burder. 60, family.
- Wamlesw, 40, wife and family.
Ralph Arrowsmith, 30, wife anj family.,
Joseph Agf soi
Stratton, 22, single. jaw-
L)lin Musgrove, 50, and John Illuigrore, 21, brow
John Culhoun, 27, and Jams, Colhoun, 2°,
men).
Mark Willis, 33, wife and three children.
George Willis, 24, married a few days SinCe•
Cuthbert Bell, 25, married recently.
Ribert Rainshan, 20, single man.
- Hills, 37, wife and family.
Joseph Bainbridge, 40, wife and four children_' bap br"
John Forster, 20, and William Forster, 17, orP
Peter Peel, 60. wile and large family.
William Heddell, 30, wife and family.
James Hall, 24, wife and child.
William Chorlton, IS, single. (OUP
John Charlton, 30, deputy-overseer, wife and
William Charlton, 30, wife and three childrell•
John Macleod, 40, deputy-overseer.
George Atitinson, 10.
John Elliott, 20, and William Elliott,
16, brothel.
WilliamClastoun, 33, Aire and three children.
George Claw, 30, wife and five children.
Robert Bird, 12, and Robert Fangrieve, 12.

rptlfii;
el 1
—..----------...,-.
We have been for some time aware of 101°10°1
stance which, though it may not be wb°lll Idol 00
the authorities, we deem it, nevertheless, °`l,r eo_,,,i prie,
thus publicly to notice. We do so, not frfreb,
...of' 10"
givings as to the precautionary measures wloo llfi
swuemhet,lpmeubs)t, have been taken in the matter,
.t toree,
this open allusion to the ellbjet'or fecold
certain parties who, for the meanest molt 1t el
~A
profit, foment a delusion which may rem these ,°, j'
profit,
qiruiesnhc
nesobtiheemmano,strdesisidasintrgouiisi.LoTnhdeonf,achtass sirelop.retrijo
b;
is et e
bouring under the absurd delusion that be - he 'sco"
of unremitting persecution on the part fa. the °,(o9°
personages in the State. He believes tbloti, sesot;
stantly watched by their emissaries--tWiaret° atijet
are bribed by them to drug" his food; n
bitterly''— tbs.- th..;
him. lie has, moreover, complained ouctilir
Majesty has estranged his wife from bit, to fotg;
she has actually gone so far in her enre.itfoleiPililAti
two little girls, illegitimate children of his,',Ej e °A;10"0,
to be corrupted. Not long since he conse'niine","oe;j
tailor at the west-end, as to the most bee°-00' licg)
for his " guard," as he said matters must 5 filifleolcil
an issue. He hesitates to take even a glass'? 513° 0°
t,t it ore fie
some other person tastes it before him, t- ion .4 1/74,
" drugged ;" and yet, if this unhappY dehls foll° ftio
in its-lf sufficiently deplorable, person happy i'rey 0510b.eg
tn(ligh to feed the madness of the unhaPPci sir ecto
so E g g
Stories of their having seen her AigiestY 4.0 lel is - iii:
Peel, and ascertained the truth of Ills t,erpe,..fertto
their designs against him. Thus his exo" 1,000-ed 0
their proceedin-s ;
stantly stimulated. We greatly Illistskeviut °is!" 0
ehis public notice of such conduct will
011°:4„.t..tb!rritoedf,:yie
g and we have only t i . 010,4,
the ,tithorities not already be sutlicientlt reser-
the subject, we shall, without the slightes
all the facts before them.—Observer.