The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-02
FROM the OLD WORLD.
From the Glasgow Sentinel, Dec. s,

fkUM Ins Wv WuhlWs
From the Glasgow Sentinel, Dec. 5th.
TERRIBLE CoLLIERY CALAMITY NEAR wIGAN
PRESTON, Thursday night.-At half pas
eight o'clock this morning an explosion tool
place in Apley Mine, Aindley Green, nea
Wigan. which destroyed 81 lives, and seri
ously wounded 10 Of the workmen. AT si1
O'Clock in the morning the foreman made al
inspection of the mine, and reported all safe
Both foremen were killed. The working
extend east and west. On the east side o
the mine $50 worked, and on the west 80 OF
70. all the men on the east sde escaped
but nearly all on the west side Of the work
ings were killed. The cause of the explosion
is not known. Several of the men escaped
with burns, a few penetrated the choke damp
and one was restored BY artificial respira-
ton, but 56 were suffocated, aud one died
from burns. The extremity OF the workings
was not reached till six hours after the ex.
ploslOn, 81 of the bodies lie in the workings
near the pit. Mr.. Higson, the Government
Inspector, was in the pit at noon, and re
NAMED there several hours.
FgRIHER PARTICULARS.
The Manchester Courier of Thursday, in
describing the accident, says The scene
was that usually witnessed upon such occa-
SONS. Crowds of men, women, and child
rem, ANXIOUS for the safety Of their relatives,
who had gone to work but two hours before,
throDged the pit-heads, and were with diff
Guilty restrained from impeding the progress
OF the ATTEMPT now instituted to rescue those
who were known to have made their way to
the shaft, and were awaiting the cage by
which to be drawn to the surface. Mr.
Southworth, the managing director Of the
company, aided by many and willing hands,
forthwith commenced the work of rescue !;
but to the great alarm of those assembled at
the mouth OF the snaft, it was instantly per
ceIved that the explosion Rad completely re-
versed the usual current of air. knowing
the ultimate eject OF this If not promptly
readjusted-well aware that the deadly az
ter damp, which would succee' woul con-
pleteiy permeate the various scenes Of ope-
-ru=tSzI go -sFs .au--nv x -n-ra@s -s-s 60 n
Southworth AM his aids Instantly COM
menced TO effect the remedy. A local fire
engine which had hurried to the scene was
brought into requisition, and copious sup
ply Of water being directed down the down
cast shaft, the proper direction Of the cur
rent was At length secured The current Of
air, it should be explained, had commenced
to descend by the up cast shaft, whilst the
'do~n-cas' had ceased to be of use as .
means of ventilating the workings The
cage then descended, and speedily brought
to the surface those who had effected their
escape, and it was ut once learned in what
portion of the workings the explosion had
occurred. Singular enough, the disaster
had been confined wholly to one locality =
that known as the north west level. Be-
yond this, the force and effects of the calam-
ity have not extended. Whilst here, where
the greater portion Of the hands had been
employed-the majority of them boys and
yonths-many were killed and all the others
more OF less MANNED, vet in other portions
OF the workings, men, unconscious Of the
disaster, were working without having ex-
perienced anything more than hearing, as
some Of them remarked, a slight noise like .
fall of stone.' Many OF the golfers who had
been thus employed in the workings some
distance from where the explosion is said to
have originated, continued their work until
sought out by those who had gone in search
of them. Those, however, who had been
near the west level when the occurrence took
place, but who had made their escape from
the dreaded after damp or choke pre-
sented, when brought up, an extraordinary
and pitiable spectacle in many instances.
Bereft Of clothes and hair, hands ana face
often severely burnt, they were hurried away
by their friends in the directions of their
homes. The conveya ance OF the sufferers up
the shaft having necessarily engaged some
time, it was between ten and eleven when
the first Of those who had perished was
drawn up the shaft. The charred mass was
scarcely recognizable as the remains of q
human beng, and having been simply COW
cred over with canvas, was removed to the
adjacent workshop, where Mr.. John Lewis,
Dissenting minister, from bis residence in
the locality and Acquaintance with many oi
the miners, was enabled 10 render great serv-
ice in the work of Identification. Soon {, ,
workshop was filled with the mutlated bo-
dies of 81 colliers, 10 Of whom were dis
figured to such degree rs placed them a.
most beyond recognition. Identification,
however, in some cases was singularly
proved. The brass clasp of q clog . piece
Of cloth, or sorne such slight token was fire.
quently worn to bv relatives and friends
and the name Of the deceased was duly re-
corded. The workshop having become filed
with the deceased, the 'smithsy,' an ad
joining compartment of the workshop, wa,
next prepared, and here II bodies wer'
placed. At a late hour on Thursday even
ing the engines Of the colliery were employed
in pumping the water out of the shaft, iE
order 70 ascertain whether there was any
truth in the statement. Nothing, 30 far, ha'
been advanced as to the origin Of the ex
plosion. The coroner for the district ha
been communicated with, and it was ex
pected that the inquest would be formally
opened yesterday.
The TRADES UNION REPoRr.-The repor
> of the Trade Union Commissioners wi
shortly, our London correspondent. inform
US, be presented to Parliament. IL wi
not he writes, be unanimous, iDasUuc
as there will be minority report, represent
ing the more advanced views Of the dissent
/. ing members Of the Commission. | hav
reason to believe that bin IN accordanc
!, with these views has been prepared, an
will shortly be laid on the table in the Houa
Of Commons.
: From the Bss Hive.
TEE trades delegates Of Bristol, are con
/. sldering the suhject Of establishing psrml
] Dent board TO take part IN the selectlon Z
!. failure Parliamentary candidates for the city
! RsDUcr1es or WozKxss's WAeEs In MAE
!, RiD.-A circular Of Senior R,vsro, the Ma,
. | or Of Madrid, orders the daily wages OF th
o workingmeu employed BY the manidpalit
. to hs reduced one real. This alteration va
1 to taksipIace on the 7th inst It is als
' therein stAtsd that workingmsn Who are nf
j. domicilsd citissus Of Madrid shall hencsfort
4 De excluded IRON Gach employment In
: workmen struck in consequence Of she n
. ductson made. The NsfioDal Guard, whio
d'vas cpllsd together, showsd svs1 dsspe