New-York daily tribune., 1866-02-10
Terrible Colliery Explosios.
From The Manchester Guardian. Feb. 2s;


An appalling calamity occurred on Tuesday
in the Wigan alheld. The spot was Messrs Merces
& Evanss Highbrook Colliery, situated aboat mile
from the hsh.road leading from Wigan to Ashton-in
Mackereld and three miles from the boundary oil the
borough.
The Highbrook Collery consists OF two shafts knowl
as Numbers | and ., aud both sunk to the Orrcl
Five feet Nine which here lies at distance Of ~
yards from the surface. As the workings have ex
tended, tho number of men employed has gradually in
creased, and on Tuesday morning somewhere about 81
cOers. drawers day aborers and others descended u
follow their employment. The fireman. William Marsh.
reported that the workings were perfectly free from
gas-in fact, that the pit was as clear bell"
All went well till noon. mt which hour the fireman,
who had not left the pit during the morning proceeded
the pit eye to get something to eat His repast over
he started to to the further workings, but h
had not moved than few yards away when there
indications Of terrible exposona blast OF wind
coming along the road with such strength as to lit the
hooker on at the mouthng off his feet and whir his
cap into tue shaft where il was carried upward with
cloud of dust The underlooker Henry Ashcroft. wss
down the other pit at the time, In the hyo-ieet seam
and information OF the explosion being promptly con:
yeyed to him, he joined Mash in few moments and
an of the workings was at once commenced
under his direction. They hrst explored a slant 70
the right OF the liz brow bat 1t was sson eyident
thst the gas had fred there, as the men-soout
dozen in numberwho had been working In this dstries
were met running toward the mouthng.
They then proceeded along brow running straighs
from the pit eve until they reached tunnel which 70
cut through q number o. faults until the seam Is strucs
again and in this tunnel three lads were found TWO al
most in the last stage Of suocation. They had SUE
tapei some bruises bnt these did appear 70 be OF
serious character they quickly revived on being con-
yeyed ints the fresh air II was soon pacsd De!ona
doubt that all who alive in the pit had now beea
recovered; for shoe. dstagce further in the tunnel
il was found tist an arch the return az and
forming part Of the eor OF the tunnel had been blown
down BY the explosion and the ventilation Of the mine
was therefore completely impeded.
Between and clock the first dead body was found.
n few yards from tho top of the jig brow, which y
formed by the tunnel We baye already mentioned %
running through ths faults. At the .op Of the brow.
three or four mora living, probably drawers, wno
had brought fall tlbs Of coal to the SPOT but even ths
cannot be- stated 18th certainty az their seorcnea sne
baokened corpses rot to be ,suized In TIE dn
Iight of the mins Beyond this lay the working pacse
and the discovery Of the remansr Of the bodies nov
progressed slowly but steadily ss the places could d
ventilated IA
As each bod. was fsand 1t vas forwarded 10 the p2
eye where shortly after 10 occck when tie whole oI
Me mine had 1easn examined iAy grim row OF thift
oorpses On tho pit bank had been witnessed the heart
rendins scenss which always accoml any cafasropns
of this descrAion but towprds evening the crowd W
,hinned by rse who. lear ming that there was nos ta
slightest hopaof their relatives being aave et the sac
spot to molrr at home ,.a a.
The csussf the explosion is at present envelopsa ~
mystery arsi Is ely expected that the Coron
inquest illthrov any strong light upon IL