The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-05-25

Il
isrsher and fo1nd him % lie knees and torehesdv
| Nnd hfs hands ard arms Iiltie spread out We
then brought him ont soon - possible aad came
ur, having fousd III The bodies. AZ 4 REGARDS ne
ssppping were out except tho temporary st9ppings
which We hadput nto enable 10 10 get the men cut
that bad been Killed.
1lth oueetion.--Were all the poaies iouno where
,Answer.--Aii except syrsh and VIM. Elliott
3yrah being found IN the north shan level where
no work was going on, and Elliott having fallen
down the incline where we found MIN.
18th ouestion.--To what de you attribute the ex-
Answer Il think Syrsh must have fired some gas
Ia the old furnace DRIFT, which came in contact with
some gas which was damd of In some old drifts
above the north shait, aud the powerful shock be-
ieve, forced some gas out which may have lain
la the back Of woodworking which was inaccessi
blet rs upon the lamps-ligLt of the men a. they
sat at dinner.
18th Question. why do you think that there
was an explosion OF gas both rise and deep Of
shaftsl
Answer.-I attribute the first from the furnace
being blown to pieces; and Cd, the two men, Elliott
and syrah being burnt worse than the mea at the
bottom OF south shaft incline; and 3diy, the men
being burnt worse on bottom OF south mule in
cline, appears that there was discharge Of gas
which must have come from the south side old
workngs
Cross.questioned by Mr.. .Joha Farrar.-How
sumedl &sF
Answer-About three or four weeks.
Question.-What will be the probable cost to de-
fray the expenses of damages done in the pitt
mules. ...t-> =
Question do you apprehend any difficulty in
entering the pits when again opened.
Answer-No.
10 the space left by the falling of the rock on the
south side of mule inclne7
Answer-I do not know hut know the space
worked out that side of - 10 incline, the back
q e.; Cd stall DO f. BY "a r. On second level the
size Of back stall about 81 e. BY e1 f.; the next
about 1s f. by 90 f.; the next about 26 II. by 40 t.;
next about % fl. by DO r. On Sd level stall about
Questioned by Mr.. A. F. D. Clifford.
Observation-Disclosures to the explosion. did you
ever End gas on that slider
Answer.-Yes. sir; me and Tompkins went round
morning usual, and found a little gas on the
rise side OF first level: the same night we sent Wm.
Harrison and Matt levitt and Albert Branch to
remove some slate from the mouth OF same level,
which obstructed the passage OF air; and when we
went next morning We found the gas all gone.
Question-How do you assume VIM Elliott
reached the spot where he was found alivet
Answer.-T presume, being alive, must have fal.
len to the place where he was sitting erect.
Signed, GEO. ScHoEFIELD.
Matthew levitt being next sworn, deposeth as
LIST Question.-How long have you been working
in the pitt
Answer.-Ever since Mr.. Hopper left.
end Question-What were your duties 10 the
pitt
Answer.-Digging coal, timbering, or anything
else required.
Bird Question.-Was your attention ever drawn
to the state of the pit and it's freedom from gas1
Answer.-My opinion as to the place that was shut
out, there was no infamable gas, but plenty OF
choke damp and as it regards the working, never
observed any whatever.
4th Question.-Were you not instructed by the
overseer to assist to remove some slate which had
caused the accumulations of gas in the then work
ingsf s,s
Answer.-Yes.
9Th QuestioL.-Did you assist to remove iti
Answer.-Yes sir; and after removing the slate
tried the lamp. but found no gas.
9th Question.-Have you formed any opinion as
to what caused the explosion
Answer.-My opinion is, that if there were any
gas in the back old workings on the Southside and
when the rent of air went think if a tumble
took place it would force the gas on the mems open
lamps, al the bottom OF the mule incline.
7th Question--How do you account for VIM.
clinei
Answer.-My opinion is, that he was at the fur.
mace eating his dinner, and may have crawled over
there. he being still alive.
9Th Question.-(By James Briggs )-How large
was the space which the current OF air could not get
atl
Answer.-There was one pillar taken out, and
the width of an upset taken off the other side
Signed. MATTHEW JEwIrT.
George Jones being sworn. deposeth as follows:
LIST Qaestion.-How long have you been working
in the pitt
Answer.-Since January last ..s
End Question.-What was the general state ofthe
pit as regards ventilations
Answer-First rate
3rd Question.-What do you attribute the explo
sion tor
Answer.-I think it must have occurred from
tumbles in the old workings forcing the gas on the
men while at dinner; for have never seen any gas
in the present workings.
Signed, GEO. JONES.
Thomas Wakeam being first sworn, deposeth az
follows:
Let Question.-How long have you been working
in the pite
Answer-since January last
End Quesdon.-What are your duties in the pitt
Answer.-A coal digger
ora transformation your own observation, how
would you state the condition Of the pit was prey
GUS to the explosionl
Answer.-very good have been from the age
OF seven miner, and this is the sixth explosion
instant and think this pit is ventilated az well as
any ever was in. s+-s .stF SO
4th Question.-To what do you then ascribe the
late explosion
from a tumble of rock, because was in the levels
half an hour before the explosion and could see no
gas ia them.
5th Question.-Describe when you think these
tumbles NUT have occurred?
Answer.-On the Southside of mule incline.
Signed, TIIos WAKELAM
William Harrison being next sworn, deposeth az
follows:
LIST. Question What was your observation pre-.
vious to the explosion! -fz -
Answer think the pit was in healthy state
as have frequently gone round with Tompkins
and others
sl,ln
plosionl ''0 20
g. answer think it may have occurred partly
ION an explosion OF gas from the north level at the
oouom OF the north shaft, and partly from tumbles
on 'he Southside OF the south mule incline
,u,u. signed, VIM. HARRISON.
follows S"oi"' uoPose'n %
ia Question-Were you a coal digger in the pitt
ma Question. you consider the pit safer
In. ~ F's e''' "oiAoo
ord Question-Have you formed any opinion as
to what caused the explosion ofN-' &c
Answer.-i suppose it occurred from some ,um.