The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-08-25
ggZEIls NEWS
SHOCKING VENT-TWENTY-S SIX
CHILDREN DROWNED

We copy the following from a late
number of the Leeds (Enghsh) Mercu-
ry:
On Wednesday last the southern part of
Yorkshire, and part of the county Of Ian
caster, were visited by a terrific storm of
thunder and hail, which not only did very
great damage by the breaking of glass and
the destruction of trees in the gaidens, but,
mostunpreceuented height, has caused I'M
mense damage to property, and also far
greater loss OF life than we remember ON
any similar occasion. The following par
tIculars are sent by OUR Barnsley correspon-
dent:
81 have this week to give YOU the most
disastrous account of loss of life and proper-
ty that ever fell to my lot to record. On
wednesday afternoon most violent thun-
der storm took place in this part, when
large pieces of ice fell, which had not dis
solved on Thursday, and which broke near
y all the glass in the gardens of +. V.
Wentworth, Esq. Wentworth Castle, doing
much damage, to the amount of about g5O0,
The sudden rush of water caused one of
Messrs Field, Cooper g. Co.'S coal pits to
be nine yards deep, as well as washed a
great part of their rail way up. The flood
has done great deal of damage along the
valley from Little Houghton TO silkstone.
Windows have been broken in nearly all the
houses from Round Green to Silkstone. bv
the large pieces of ice. Such flood has
not been known since 1907 at Sikstone,
where the houses were from four TO five
feet deep in water. In many gardens not
only the crop but even the soil, also, has
been carried away. Large trees were root
ed up and taken down the stream.
But by far the most dreadful part Of The
account is that twenty-six lives have been
lost,-l obtained the following particulars
on the spot: as the water was seen TO be
running down the shaft of coal-pit belong
ing to Mr.. r. G. Clarke, at Silkstone. t6e
person in authority at the top sent man into
the pit 10 order all to put out their lights,
and come out as soon as possible. COnse-
quently all made the best of their way 10 the
pit bottom, expecting to be drawn out i'm
medlately; but lanentable to relate, on ac-
count OF so much water having fallen, the
steam englne.could scarcely keep the steam
up, and they could not be drawn out
About forty of the smaller children then set
of 70 the day-hole, the horizontal shaft bv
which persons may walk.m or out of the
pit, without going up or down the perpen-
dicular shaft. Having got through trap
door that is set few yards up tile day hole
boardgate, and about ten or twelve wards
below what is called "a Slit" driven in a
top bed of coal, full of dirt, they were ma
king the best of their way up the road,
when the water burst into the day-hole,
met the children, and forced twenty-six of
them back to the door, where they were af-
forwards found all quite dead, within the
space of elevenor twelve yards between the
the door and the slit Fourteen of the
largest children escaped by getting into the
old Sits ends. The sufferers from the ace
OF seven years to seventeen. II was the
most heart rending sight that could be wit
messed to see the carts, with the bodies in
them, going through Silkstone, leaving a
corpse or two nearly at every door; the wo-
men, in state of distraction, tearing the
hair from their heads.