The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-08-13

From the European Times.l
Terrible Colliery Explosion in Eng
land--One Hundred and Ten Lives
lost.
An explosion occurred on Tuesday,
the 18th ult., in the collieries of Messrs.
Inslee & Co., at Cymmer, situated in
the Rhoudda Valley, ard about IA miles
above Caadiff, which has produced con-
sequences hitherto unparalleled in the
melancholy history of c%ollicry accidents
in South Wales.
1t appears that on Tuesday morning,
I16 or liz men and boys went down in
to the Cymmer pit, little anticipating
the horrible catastrophe about to occur.
The two fremen, whose duty it was to
examine the pit, to ascertain if there
was any foul air or gass in it, re-ascend-
ed at about six o'clock, ~pronouncing the
pit safe. In less than an hour after-in-
deed before some had stripped off their
cloths to commence Work-the terrible
gass exploded, and the afrighted people
rau hither and thither for a few moments.
Then one fell in the dark, and others
staggering along stumbled On their dead
companions 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 sidiDgs
or nitches in the level, men had set
down to await their fearful doom,
and had died with their elbows resting
on their knees and their faces buried III
their hands. Some had struggled for
ward, no doubt hoping to reach the air
ways aud possibly escape.
When the report of the explosion was
heard on the surface, it was too well APP
pretended what had occurred. Rumor
says that for a day or two previous, in
dications had been given of what was
about to occur. Blowers" or casual
explosions ofgas, had taken place. Two
door-ways had been blown down only on
the previous day, and there were too
many reasons to believe, from the guam
tity of electricity with which the air had
been charged, that an explosion of a
more extensive nature might take place.
This was too fully verified aud of the
two hundred golfers who worked in the
Cymmer Colliery more than one half
were at q moments notice swept into
eternity. One hundred aud sixteen hu-
man beings went down into the pit of
death that morning, aud OF that host
only six returned alive.
The screams OF the wives and the
mothers at the mouth cf the pit-thosc
women conglegated there to await and
recognize the dead-as during the long
interval that ensued between the period
when the first intelligence Of the expto-
si,Y, --,.oI On H'rr1ct.,y DfnrpTnn All thu
last body was brought out on the morn
distressing. All day long the brave fell
lows who Ventured down, almost i'll the
face of death, to bring Up the dead sent
up the bodies of the unfortunate men
and boys who persisted, and when these
we're brought to the surface the recogni-
ton of q beloved husband or darling
child awoke narrowing cries. On We'd
nesday morning the 1I0th body was
brought out, and it was left to conjecture
whether any still lay in the pit of death.
1t was supposed, however, that all who
had persisted we're now brought up.
Workmen were Immediately put on to
supply cofiEs for the dead. There they
were, working hastily with the saw and
plane, to construct rude shells in which
to deposit the unfortunate lead in their
untimcly graves, amid the crowds of ca
ger people, still waiting to see the last
of the dreadful catastrophe.
An inquest was opened on WedneS-
day, and adjourned for a fortnight.
Many years have elapsed since any
accident Of a very serious nature had
occurred in this valley, which 10 celebra-
ted for its cooking coal, and from which
the Great Western Railway derives the
supply for its locomotive power. The
last explosion of a sweeping character
was one in 1853, at the Middle Dyfryn
Colliery, near Aberdare, when Ga men
were killed.
At present, Of course, nc cause eau be
assigned for the explosion, but the bar
ometer at the time was falling-a cir
cumstance which has attended every for
mer occurrence of the kind, and which
should impose on the everlookers extra
caution whenever atmospheric altera-
tsons may be expected.