Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-12
From the European News
Explosion of q Coal Mine.

An explosion occurred on Tuesday. the
10Th ult., in the collieries OF lnslee y Cos
at Cymnur, situated in the Rhoudda val
ley, about Ii miles above Cardiff, which
has produced consequences hitherto UNI
paraiieled in the IN, lanchoiy history OF
colliery accidents Of South Wales
Itappears that on Tuesday morning,
116 or III men and boys went down into
the Cymnur pit, little anticipating the hor-
rible catastrophe about 10 occur The
two fireman, whose duty 1t was TO exam
Inc the PIT, 10 ascertain If there was any
foul air or gas IN it, re-ascended al about
O'Clock, pronouncing the PIT safe. In
less than an hour aiter-lndeed, belize
some had stripped of their clothes to COM
mence worL-the terrible gas exploded,
and the affrightened people ran hltiler
and thither for a few moments. Then
one fell in the dark, and others stagger-
ing along stumbled on their dead coinpan
ions, and fell dead also. Here some were
struggling amid the fortunes Of the fire.
There a tram full of boys, all dead and
IN other places, IN sidmgs, or nltches IN the
level, men had sat down 10 await their
fearful doom, and had died with their ell
| bows resting on their knees and their IA
ces In their hands. Some had strugg led
forward, no doubt hoping to reach the air
ways and possible escape.
When the report of the explosion was
heard on the surface, ii was 100 we'll APP
pretended what had occurred. Rmnor
says that for day or two previously, in-
dications had been given of what was
about to occur. 80 Blowers" or casual ex-
I plosion of gas, had taken place. Two
doorways had been blown down only on
the previous day, and there were too
many reasons 10 believe, from the guam
uty OF electricity with which the air had
/ been charged, mat an explosion OF d more
extensive nature might take place. This
was too fully verified; and OF the 200 COL
! hers WHO worked in the Cymnur Colliery.
more than one-haif were at moments
: notice SWEPT into eternity. One hundred
and sixteen human beings went down IL
( to the pit OF death that morning, and OF
/ that host only SIX returned alive.
/ The screams Of the wives and mothers
at the mouth OF the pit, these women con-
gregated there to await and recognize the
/ dead-as during the long interval that
ensued between the period when the first
/ intelligence of the explosion spread, On
Tuesday morning, till the last body was
! brought out on the morning of Wednes-
! dav, were frightfuf and distressing. All
I day long the brave fellows who ventured
7 down almost in the face Of death, TO bring
7 up the dead, sent up the bodies of the ua-
/ fortunate men and boys who had persisted,
and when these were brought to the sur
. face, the recognition of beloved husband
Or darling chIld, awoke borrowing cries.
/ On "Wednesday morning the one hun
( dred and tenth body was brought out, and
+ i was let 10 conjecture whether any still
/ lay III the pit OF death. II was supposed,
however, that all who persisted were now
| brought up.
Workmen were Immediately Put on to
! Supply&ofiins for the dead. There they
were, working hastily with the saw and
plane, to construct rude shells IN which TO
deposit the unfortunate dead in their IN
/ timely graves, amid the crowds OF eager
/ people, s.iI waiting to see the last of the
dreadful catastrop1e.
An inquest was op-ned on v ednesday,
and adjourned for fortnight.
Many years have elapsed since any ac-
/ cident of very serious nature had occur
ed in this valley, which is celebrated for
lis cohling coal, and from which the Great
Western Railway derives the supply for
/ It's locomotive power. The last explosion
OF d sweeping character was one III 1888,
at the Middle Dyfryn CoiIiery, near Alb
erdare, when 81 men were killed.
+ At present, Of course, no cause can be
assigned for the explosion, bu, the baron-
/ eter at the time was falling circam-
stance which has attended every former
/ occurrence Of the kind, and which should
+ impose on the overlooI<ers extra caution
whenever atmospheric alterations may be
/ expected.