New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-13

".
On the 2Cth of February an e1plc sion occurred in
che OF the chats OF The Lundhiil Colliery, situated ia
The tgbbtrbood of the town of Bsrnsey South York
shire BY which between $50 and 10 lives are supposed
TO have be en Loot.
The Lundb CollieIy is situate about half mile
north Ct the village Ct Hfming6 field and belongs 10 the
finn of Taylor, Mapdell i Co., who have recently
Assumed the title Of the :" Luudhll Coal Comoan7.
were teeuD ard hesily two yesrs since coal yettiog
operations were commenced The shafts were 2O0
Yards dep. The bed Of coal ia very rich one, and
TIC work Are proporonatsly extensive and complete
There ore tao working shafts aud one air SHAFT the
latter berg bu. few yards from the principal working
shafs. The drausht down the working and up tue ar
shafts was promoted by fan of unusual magnitude
spJ the workings ventilated in the ordinary way
by msn rsmways 10 and fro, In opposite directions,
" it'll stopppgs IN the 0erke, &c, to force toe air
into the &c parts where the were at work. About
$50 en- anu laos employed a. the pl., and soout
20 dfscepded TO work Thursday moralng. OF this
Iuu Der about ~ sscended at dnner time, leaving the
nun Der in the pit at the time OF the explosion about
$50.
TIE explosion occurred at h.ltpast twelve O'Clock,
and when at four clock IN the afternoon the apps
ratus At the mouth OF the pit could be repaired from thu
damage it sustained, sufficiently to ALLOW persons 10
dee ID nineteen miners we're founded c. Eded shout
TIE bottsm Of The shaft waiting to be- drawn up Tney
vere ths fortunate who bad been working the
foot tf the shaft. One OF these died two days after
from the II uies he received but the N .ority escape
without baIm
pit PEI eirsed 100 or $50 yards along the main tram
ways 70 ascertain the STATE Of the niue and were then
forced TO recede by The density OF the sulphur Taey
Iicked up 'hiteen dead bodies 10 the tram Ways
Of them figh fully nutilated. SO far as they could
ascertain tie force of tie explo ion hsd extended
the Wise TIE worn irgs They fou' The vsnts'on
,oppngs" with tie "benks' aud bordxays all
blown out and the earth and coal torn down in large
msssts TO tfectuay stop the course Of vsn'la-
ticp in tbose parts OF the pit where tie miners had oeen
at work. Tbeconsequence tn the workings we're
70 charged wi sulphur thst i. was utterly imp sub,
p.retrsie them ard any Of the men who might no.
be- kiLtd by the primary e cts OF the explosion were
sy left to perish nisraby by tue noIious gass
While there measures were being taken in t1e hops
Of Iescupg the poor fellows in the pit, feature 10 con-
nec'ion with the catastrophe OF an usual ch.rac'er
developed It's IT, IA sre sdy stated tho air snait Is oS
30 or 10 yards from he principal working shsit. Is
snrm. unied oy a capscious chimney some 20 feet in
tight. From ID o'clock volumes OF smoke were
observed TO issue from the air shat, add tbs % 'uc
cetoed at later hour by sn immense vo'un' OF ntms
so Tremendous had been the acc imuiatlon. 81 lonan-
able case. in tie pit that they had 70; TIE coal oa
6re sId it was blazing from depth OF more than w
feet right out Of the chimney top. fact from when
some idea may be gathered OF the mazoi ude aud In
t,psy of the fir. The ia mes increased Ia voltns
ub abe Ut o'clock when they rose to the hish' OF ~
90 feet above the top OF the chimney, ma nins'ng
The whole negbborhood lsrge qusnhty OF wood
had been used the lining OF be air shai, ana the ne
threw up TO tire hight Of hundreds OF feet an IN
epse shower of sperks aud burning pieces OF Woo,
ytible FOR miles round. L "a flames bece ne 50 hsrce
as TO threaten the destruction OF an sccu nua,lon Oh
cool Id timber about the pit hill and teesrsphlc mes
ssces were forwarded 10 Sheffield Tor hieengnss 10
prevent stch an txterti0n Ct the fire. but mea'a'e'
wee il TIE mesn'ine adopted which re ldefed tnen
services unnecessary.
70 cut off the Iraugt by which the sm,. were being
blown n'o tie noIpen ATTY Increasing ilry uie ne
mus spresd IL the tier al pttt OF the pN WI
repidy L. his state Of siiairs conference OK 'n7
,ef.sg, o,.I u hi
u.irtd a. cree 20 clcse the mouths OF me N0Fklog
u ats through which sir vas dTntn INTO Toe pi la
resolution uss csrisd into trec' 10 t1e mos pr) mp
nsIn'r Plarks Of wood having oeen p'aced over tae
ouibs Of The stslts osds OF gravel were cafso - the
spot al besped upou the plsnks BY icres OF busy
fsros So " CERT was this siep hist l. was not even
DELAYED 70 raise the oorpses which hsd econ carried 20
tie bottom Of tie principal SHAT loe Success Tue
h1sie arcs' before i was completed and by hS-pfs;
o'clock bad Altogether disappeared rom so'Ye the
suifaCe.
Alno.t sin ulisneously with the opening Of the pit
long rovs Of cottage boIs. sprupg up in fs Immediate
yitr NV ard are Inhabited chiefly by miners AMI thsr
ftmil,s The sound. If weeping aud wiillrg which
i-sued rom these dwellings, on the evening OF the ex
IIotoB, when it bscsms m.niies toat me persons si
let in the Dit were hopelessy cs' were truly hart
rsndipg -
Tie distrsfs caused by this c.amiy will not be con-
fptd 10 the relatives Of those killed The remain1er
OF the en- employ ed 10 tie PIT VIII Be tarown out Oh
ploy emit for some weeks q. sast There largo
Lurter OF widows and children left totally unproviisd
FIR. 1t is satisfactory TO learn that the prope'ors OF
the cclery gres. Is will be their own loes are not IN
ni,d ful Il tbese suffesirS- They have originated
cub 1r,op for TIE bene4 OF the widows and orphans
Of these killed, and have headed the list with the
munfcsnt donation Of t5CO.
On the 22d q CoDferetce OF Mtnioy Engneers wa
held at The Ceupsnys office, at which Mr. n Wood, Of
Nevca,tle The eminent engineer, who was specially
sent for, va. present. After long AMI so1ous
dehbefaiiou II was decided TO recounend 70 tne pro-
ptetoys that st Of seam be thrown into the pit, and