The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-24
TINE WALES colLIERy EXPLOSION.

One Hundred and seventy Lives Lost-.TLe
PH SIN en Fire-t;hastly scenes In the
village.
Prom The London shipping and Mercantile Gases'e
November Ill
The collsry explosion already briefly reported which
happened o. the Ferndals Coliery Friday afternoon
thai bcfeli South Wales The Ferndals Oolsry II
situated ~ the top Of the Rhonddavach Valley small
dnsls branching out OF the Rhondda Valley. - Posh
on the Tan Vale Railway and extending for about I'VE
miles by railway. IL Is large coisry, belonging
% Messrs. Davis son, The coal owners, Of Absr.
dare, and gives employment 10 three hundred hands
men and boys The pit was sunk about eight years ago
70 the four feet seam, which is the famous Msrhyr
nS nc coal three hundred yards from sns surface
about two hundrsd and any houses, Including
considerable number OF wooden shantes Of the Amer-
can type but better constructed and FAR more comfort
abls Every house 10 inhabited and most houssboldsrs
have ledger ne gross porusoa OF the village being
ON Friday morning, and for several mornings pre-.
vce.Iy there Was dense FOG. dense In fact that
condition OF the atmosphere had lie Sssterious efst
upon the ventilation Of the mine About one hundred
and seventy men nnd boys went down 20 work on that
morning but u does DOT appear that snv misx,ylpss
wers entertained "a 10 the feiy Of the pit and things
went On . usual until shortly alter ONE o'clock when
frighnl erroson Of IRE damp tc place, and In n-
slant the whole pa wss 10 blaze The blast swept
along the main drift and estsndsd into al the
those employed 10 hitch ,hs trains on he
cags-wre blowa sway two or them being
Killed. ana tns thrd escaping In the most
extraordinary manner without much injury The blast
then sscendsd the shan with tremendous roar ana
dsose the men a the top from their posis II was
oncs evident that ihsrs had sen great explosion ard
me.snEen were sent "a for The propnsson aad 10
nsIghbcring pits for assistance. a'm 1851 sra
The report spread Ike vli6rs and Il was not long
before the pits mouth wss besiegsd by anxcus and
excited crowd @ psepl. who had dear friends
y the nine. ~ vas impossible 70 70 dewn
The cir had cleared ssyloSing
party went dows, and returned with Che intel.
ligcncs that The workings had bssn terribly damaged
and the vsnuIasicn Interrupted Measures were then
taken for CARVING The cir forward and after painful
delay several bodice vse found including that OF Mr..
Williams The manatsr Of tho pit who wG amoness the
killed. vas found thai enormous falls had besn
effected By the srpesicn, and Orion the Communication
wss entirely cut % By RUBBISH which had srenovUd
before the bodies could b roe a. The clearance q
thses fails cceasonsd vast amount Of delay and 3
corresponding amount Of distressing ssspenss 10 tho
friends Of the fnpsss vorkmsn ~ the bank. =
"A hve O'Clock on Friday Only twenty bodies ha1 bsea
recovered and although working parties we're ncsansly
engaged IN exploring The workings up 10 ave o'clock on
saturday msrnpg only nifty three had been Ga Qua
AZ the bodies OF NE unforunas men we're one ~ one
brought 70 the pits mouth. men ana women whe had
relatives werxins IN ths c0lieu rrseral torvaxl "