Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-23

which YOU and The whole meeting, have thought proper
to express it may be well 10 remark, that shall, from
nv own conscious Of the proprety OF the measure
resign my public trust; and then shall be free to
press my political opinions 10 the Electors OF this Con-
GiessiOnal Dstrict
With very high respect,
Your obedient servant,
W. SELDEN
The Hon p V. DANIEL, Chairman of the meeting Of
Delegates, from the counties of Hanover, HeTucg,
New Kent, and the city Of Richmond
THE BLACK HEATH COAL NINE
The Black Heath Mine, worked by the Black Heath
Coal Company, is one OF The richest und most e1sa
sive in this country II is II miles from 0RIchmondI
nearly Western direction, and is situated IN the mc
Of buminOus coal fields Of unknown extent. The shl
from which the explosion Of Monday took place, has not
been long sunk, and we believe IS The deepest IN The
Union-bcng more than 700 feet 10 its bottom. Up
wards of 10 900 600 bushels Of coal had been explored
in The pit reached by il; and none conjecture how
much more a further xploraton would discover.
The Steam Engines and apparatus for hosting th
from this shaft exceeni and the system and i'c
lily with which the hosting process was conducted Pr;
duced an average of about 5UG bushe Of Goa! day
II is be regretted that these operations have been III
teruped-thfo~ing so much wei ght IN the scale OF COZ
productions, and aiding essentially to increase cur
capital and commercial strength they dId-and tbs
regret added to by the affecting event which has cau
ed the interruption However, the intelligent and acuTs
men who experimenting the Mine, say that 1t Vii
be reclaimed in short time.
The explosion was one OF q most VlOleHI Hulu!e-
How il happened there is telling But that II occGf'
red from neglect disregard Of positive orders and re
gulations of the pit, is beyond all doubt. The drhs
and "ay coasts" passages for the air from chamber
chamber arranged as to keep up constant ven
laton II is the general opinion, that OF the dcor
of the air have been closed, and that thus
the '.infammabe gas accumulated on Sunday 10 suc7
extent TO produce the explosion soon alter te H.
bo!ers entered the PIT, Monday morning. Sir Hum
phrey Davy's safety lamp was regularly used IN The
and ouhI pnfar mod Hut
used on Monday morning. 1t commonly carftl
forward TO test the presence of the gas II may have
been Of ORDER if slight rent should have been ms
wire gauze covering 1t would readily ignite The Gas
Other lamps used; and OF these may have Or"
taken into chamber drift where the safety lamp hal
not been presented Either OF these causes would rave
involved carelessress. The density and IntammaoI"y
OF The gas might have caused the wire TO have become
uxdated and fall 10 pieces; but that could no, have &C.
CURED till after indication by fame inside the gule CT
danger, in the face Of which 1t would have been mac
ness in the laborers 10 remain. Whatever may has:
been the immediate cause, the arrangements anc fH''
Of the pitt drawn from the lights Of science and eIpe
ence in mining were such 10 have ensured saey,
If properly attended 10. But would 1t not be we'll
order TO diminish the chances OF danger from even care
esSncsS itself, TO Days lamp elt"srdy IN al pr
where there has been any exhibition o cutouFetltd W
drogen or ''niammabe gas?'
One Of the superintendent OF the operations IN N'
pit who was below when the explosion took place y"
man of great skill in his profession, having been mah
years engaged in il in some OF the most famous Of m
English Mines. lie was Scochman, named !oAH
Rynard. 1t is hard 10 account for how he should h''s
permted the cause of the occurrence; but even IN "s
midst of an effort the omission neglect
Saturday night, the explosion may have taken place
Mr. John Hancock, native Of Chesterfield, OF e:
pectabe family, was the other unfortunate suPeE!IHh
ent. -
The luborers were all colored men. The supefn'sH
ents above the shaft say that about forty were bei0T
They cannot speak with certainty. Many bad gone
see their at distant plantations and It was w.
known how many had returned. Those who nae No.
do yet appear from terror at the ne VS. OF The ei
sion; but forty is the maximum. =;
The explosion powerful as TO blow pieces 4.
timber out of the shaft 10 distance OF hundfeo!'.
from it. Three were blown up it in coal ha-F'
to height Of thirty or forty feet above us 'P
two of them fell out OF the hamper in different U0
tions and were Immediately kIlIed-the third ErH'".
in it, and fell with it, escaping most miraculous!
his life, having both legs broken He is now cong ',,
we'll Much loose coal was blown from The diI'' 49,.
bottom of the shaft, and four Of the bodies as We w.
already stated, taken from beneath large O
there in mulilaed state. -Four taken Out s0'!
after the xplo-ion Monday-one Of whom o'''
The others are in fair way 10 recover -,
Every exer,ion has been made which could DC w.
consistently with safety, TO rescue The g:l
ings ltappeared upon going down the shalt, th''
carbonic acid gas (he product of combus,ion) "' ot
sent This is called at The mines black camp n.
though not infammable. is destructive to hula" ,.f,,
This, then, had first 10 be dispersed The ~
in the shaft, necessary for the ingess and
in the pit, were much torn pieces by the ..
had to be repaired the shaft was descended u
would have resulted to those who went down - Il,
These explosions formerly very con,no" ,oIsr
North Of England. One occurred ar The reI',.s III?
in Northumberland, England, on the 25h May, ' Dr.
in which 92 lives were lost. This is the Is5 %
tructon ever known from the same cause III 81
explosion occurred in mine at Durham IN - t.s!
persons were destroyed, and in anolhef' Inmon1,
in the same manner. The discoveries OF Sf
Davy and other contributors science ana II l5..
mankind have since rendered the avoidance H
destructive explosions certain. ,.,, has t':: H
In our mines, no explosion Of any eS ,e 80. sa
are as Certainly to be- guarded against as the 0'''