The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-20

directions, and one to 60 into the pit, with
an aid that was allowed him, at o'clock
A. NJ, and that no man should 90 into the
works until he reported "all right" and
that he should not leave the pit until re-
lieved by the second deputy, who should
remain in the pit until ali the men had left
at night. Now, it is in proof before me
that on the day of the explosion the air in
the pit was good, even beyond what was
required, and that the whole of the pit was
an air-course, except No. 8 upset. A
door which was placed to throw the air up
No. had been by John Weale Ia victim
of this disaster) taken away. On Monday
before the explosion on Wednesday the
attention of Mr.. Owens, the superinten-
dent of the company, was called to the
fact, and he sought Mr.. Marshall, Sr., and
advised him to have it replaced. Mr.. Mar
| shall gave orders to his son, Thomas Mar
snail, Jr., to do so, which he omitted, be-
| leving there was no necessity for it.
1t is also in proof before me that Thos.
Marshall, Jr., in visiting the pit on We'd
nesday morning, did not go into this upset /;
and furthermore, when Weale, the other
gasman, met him at 10 o'clock, he stated
to Weae that call was right Weale, no
doubt thinking Marshall, Jr., had exam
ined the whole workings, failed to do so.
In the mean time the gas had collected
there until it reached the level, and set
fire to the lamp of the mule-driver in the
level below. Whatever report, however,
Marshall, Jr., had made to Weale should
not have prevented him from personal
examination of every part of the pit, as his
orders were to perform that duty as soon
as he descended at 10 o'clock A. NJ.
The fire could not have taken place
where the men were at work, because be-
| fore there could be any large accumulation
of gas it would fire from the lamp and
burn man, but would produce no explo-
sion. No such explosion as happened
could occur without vast accumulation
of gas, and that accumulation could have
occurred at no place in the pit except at
No. upset, for there was no other place
in the pit for its collection. The door
could have been replaced in fifteen min
utcs, or the upset could have been exam
ined in five minutes. If the door had been
replaced, gas could not have accumulated
in the upset; not being replaced, the up
set could have been examined with the
Davy lamp, and, if found to contain gas,
might have been relieved without danger
to men or property. This being the case,
why did the gasmen, when their own lives
were at stake, fail to replace the door at
once? 1t was because, when the door
was taken off, the weather was cool and air
buoyant, and was in the pit in such guam
tity that the level, being narrowed at the
place where the door stood, could not give
vent to all the air that passed the wide part
of the level, and sufficient amount neces-
sarily passed the upset to keep it free of
gas. The day before and the day of the
accident were warm and sultry; and the
air SO lessened in weight and elasticity that
all passed the narrow part of the level
where the door had been-none going up
the upset. If the door had been in place
all the air passing the level would necessa-
rily have passed through the upset. Why
was the upset not examined that morning
with the Davy lamp? This can only be
accounted for from the fact that the upset
had been examined the day before, and no
gas was found there.
The price of liberty is said to be eternal
vigilance. In gas pit the price of safety
is certainly eternal care and vigilance.
Deputy gaSmen Wcale and Marshall,
Jr., were each fully competent to the dis
charge of the responsible duties de-
volved upon them. The first (whosc life
is Il forfeit to his imprudence) was a
sober, Industrious, and skilful miner.
! The other is timid and cautious man,
and had the full confidence of the men
whose lives were in his keeping.
/ was so thoroughly acquainted with the
condition of the Bright Hope pit and the
completeness of the system Of ventilation
, that on any day, if satisfied that competent
gasmcn had performed their duty, would
have attended divine service in the pit
with as great a feeling of security as /
would in any church in your city, or |
would have enjoyed dinner party there
with as little thought of danger as in my
own dining-room. When the pit is re-
opened and ventilation restored, | should
have the same feeling Of security as be-
fore the accident. In fact, the feeling OF
safety would be greater, because the late
warning would produce greater diligence
and caution in the gasmen.
THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE WORKS AND
FUTURE PoRsPECTs OF THE COMPANY.
The sad accident that | have been de-
scribing must temporarily cast gloom
upon the company, as it has upon the
country, but there is no cause for dis
couragemcnt. The quantity of coal in the
Clover Hill field is not lessened by the ac-
cident. The Bright Hope can and will be
reUpcncd and brought to its original pro-
ductivcness. 1t will require time and
money-that is all. Inthe present openings
at Clover Hill we estimate twenty mil
lions 20,000,0O0) bushels of coal as ex-
plorcd and in command of these openings
and the field is yet in its infancy.
When the Glover Hill railroad was built
the coal-fcld was but partially explored
and it was somewhat a matter of specula
tion whether future explorations would
develop coal enough to justify the building
of the road. The original stockholders
know that speculation has been successful
: beyond expectation. There can be no rea.
| son to doubt, with our shafts sunk and paio
, for, and twenty, aye, forty times the GUAM
, titv of coal explored now as in the begin
, ming of the enterprise, that vigorous ant
united action on the part Of the compsn.
must lead to results even more successful
5 and gratifying than have heretofore at
) tended its efforts. The company has
road, twenty miles in length, leading fror
the mines to tidc-watcr, where vessels
= large burden may reach their wharves. I
r feed this road, they can rely not only upo
| the vast amount of coal explored in thej
, workings, but may expect other parties
3 who own large districts of unexplored co;
t lands, soon to be pouring the products
) their lands over this line of communics
4 ton from this mining district to tide waite
l 1t is no speculative anticipation to pre-
: diet that in five years from this day ther
L., hn mi a coal fa q