The New York herald., 1869-04-15

Hiehbrooks Coiiery. belonging to Messrs. Mercer d
Evans, and situsted IN PARK lane. Ashton Aaeker-
borough OF wigan, had "nred." aud the news spread
with startling rapditv even for coliiery EXPLOSION
.nroagno9t the district 10 ina. Inc p,. psnH rsa
tives Of the men who were employed at the PIT.
seventy men worked at the place. Oi these aDous
0ne-haH were brought TO bank unn. ured; some
fifteen others recovered fearfuy burnt, or SUI
fering from the effects OF the choke-damD ana the
INJURED IL The worslnss, where the slowly advaneing
exploring party are discovering their podies ono W
A more unfortunate oolliery than the Hghbrooks
does not exist In the neignborh0od lt stands about
mile from the high road from Ashton to Wlgan, at
central oiices il ii'- was here that in 1858
one hundred colliers were imprisoned seye-
raj days by the brssSage OF 1ho mac oc
CURED by which thirty persons lost Their lives.
An adjacent coiery, belonging to the firm, was on
fire for many months, so that Mcssr5 Mercer ana
Evans have OF recent years been very considerable
sufferers. The Highbrooks Coliiery consists OF two
shafts-an uDcast and a downcast-b,ta originally
sunk to work the Orren fve-feet seam, which is
found In the upcast, at distance OF
2so yards from the surface. In the downcast,
however, 1t was found that u 1ault occurred
which had the effect OF throwing the orrell four
feet, or Arey mine, and which should lie sixty yards
ut least 20 feet out of its ordinary position. The
winning OF thus fOur-feet seam has been a mat
has gone on faait alter iaslIt has obstructed lis
progress. The seam, too 80 notably gaseous one.
has had to be got with the greatest CAUTION, and
every means have been adopted which could be
suggested TO secure the safety OF the worKmen
All the lamps were locked and examined
q shot except the fireman had first examined
his place and given him permission. and care
was taken to secure the services Of the most com
petent men as under0okers and their assistants. IT,
with all these precautions, an explosion has Oc-
Cured as Is believed, at the firing OF shot unoer
proper superintendent, tile fact VIII far to prove
the desirabilIty Of the entire abolition or blasting
IN q seam with SO fatal reputation.
morning made his customary Examination Of the
four-feet seam, commencing his examination at four
O'CLOCK, and afterwards returning TO the pit eye to
lock the lamps OF the colliers When they descended
the Shalt to thor work. several shOs IL Is stated
were made ready for firing on the previous evening"
and Gortlcy asked to supernend the ignition Of
these as soon possible. He went to consult with
brother fireman on the pit bank, ana, then descend
ing again. he LETT the pit eye ana proceeded TO the
examining the places in order to give the neces
sary sanction to the firing. Immediately after this
told for the whole OF the men and boys engaged In
the district into which Gortley went, as well as
dead the force OF the blast does not appear to have
been felt at any great distance, but IN the imme
diate neighborhood Of the s0utherly workings the
stoppings have been blown down. and much OF the
roof has been loOsened.
The explorers. who descended as soon as possible
after the occurrence frst came upon number OF
men who had been burnt severely, and shortly
afterwards they found two dead bodies and one man
almost exhausted, who was immediately sent to
bank and Is now recovering. They are now pro-
ceeding with their arduous abors but there are not
the slightest hopes that any Of the sixteen or elgh
teen sti IN the pit can be alive
still later account says that the whole OF the
workings have been explored and twenty-six bodies
have been found. These, with the two brought up
this morning. make the total twensy-eight zine last
brought up were couple Of lads who mad fallen er
pony in the attempt to escape. The bodies were
carried to an adjacent shed through lines or specta
tors. Few have as yet been Identified, but several
families have suffered terribly. In one case a
father, three sons and brother are oil dead. 1t is
believed tDat the accident has occurred DiOWfl-
out shot, as was the case at HaydOck. There has
been, 1t Is sad, little fre-damp. One Of the men
barncd reported to be dead. -Four others fear
fully burned. lhe government inspector mas been
down this afternoon.