Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-10-04
FRIGHTFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
| Loss OF sixty-nine zLfves-Harroyving
scenes-Narrow Escapes of the Elk
/ ninrpra.

FROM the London standard, Sept. I.
About II o'clock yesterday morning
4 colliery explosion occurred at Messrs.
Pearson and Knowles, Moss Pits, site
uated on Bryn Moss, in the township
Of Ince, and Immediately behind the
plot Of land used as cemetery for the
borough of Wigan. Messrs. Pearson
and Knowles have long been noted for
the excellent manner in which their
colieries have been managed, and dur
ing the terrible succession of disasters
which swept over the Wigan coal-field
a few years ago, their extensive works
have enjoyed an immunity which was
generally ascribed to their careful man
agenent, and to the fact that no ex-
pense whatever was spared to ensure
the safety of the lives of their work
people.
The news, therefore, which spread
like lightning through Wigan this
morning, that an explosion had taken
place at one of the colleries of the firm,
was at first received with incredulitv,
but III O walk to the Moss, through Low
er Ince,- where the worst was feared,
the sad tale was told only too plainly by
the excited groups round the cottage
doors, and the wailing of wives and
children. There was at once a rush to
the pit, and the stream of relatives of
the workmen and spectators gradually
increased until, at the time of writing
g o'clock, the crowd at the pit bank
numbered several thousands
At the Moss Pits have been in
working only few years; the seams
worked are the Wigan Nine Feet Coal.
which 10 about four hundred and
eighty yards from the surface, and the
Cannell, which is some hundred yards
below, and these seams are drawn to
the surface solely by the down-cast
shaft. A party of sinkers are at pres.
ent employed III the up-cast, working
down to the Ariey mine, which lies at a
still greater depth.
At Il o'clock this morning. the men
III the Nine feet and the CAMEL were
at work, and two sinkers were descend
ing the up-cast shaft to Join their fell
lows below, when from the down-cast
came q blast like the discharge from q
cannon, followed by a terrible dis
charge of SCOT and smoke from the up-
cast, which lasted several minutes, and
was scattered by the slight breeze over
the adjacent fields. At the first-named
the cage, then standing on a raised
platform, was whirled out Of it's posi-
ton, and the browman had an escape
Which greatly terrified him while at
the shaft, such wreck was made OF
the gear that is wonderful how the
broWman there, man named Cakes.
came alive from the chaos. He did
sustain severe bruises, and was taken
nome IN q cart. In the wreck was
found cap, presumably belonging to
one OF the sinkers then DESCENDING the
shaft.
Along with the poor people who had
been alarmed by the report came num-
bers of the most practical men from the
nelghboring collieries, ready to lend
al the aid IN their power, and many
coI1ery managers willing to advise and
direct. Mr. John Pearson, Jr., was on
the spot at once, and there were also
present Mr.. George Gilroy, Ince Hall :;
Mr.. Mercer, Park Lane; Mr.. Bryham,
Rose Bridge; Mr.. T. Crippin, Mr.. ".
Smethurst, Bryn; and others, Mr.
Hlgson, mines inspector, was fortu-
nately IN Wigan, and he was at the pits
soon after noon, and Mr.. VIM Richard,
mines agent, was also present. Messrs.
Nhlnard and Hall, surgeons, were also
IN attendance to lend aid if necessary
to the sufferers.
At each shaft parties of workmen
were at once employed at the up-cast
III setting the winding apparatus in OF
der SO as to draw up the hoppet, which
still hung III the shaft. This was ac-
compilshed III about an hour and a
half, and It's arrival at the surface was
anxiousiy waited by those who hoped
against hope that the sinkers might
still be alive, but the word was Temp
ty, and there could be no further
doubt OF the fate of the men. The
hoppet having been sent to the bottom
and brought back again, three men en-
tered and were cautiously lawered to
the Camel seam, whence it shortly
returned with cargo of five golfers,
who announced, to the Joy of Many
scores OF anxious persons and to the
sorrow OF scores Of others, that all was
right there and that the explosion had
taken place in the Nine Feet.
The winding OF the men from the
Cannell was then quickly proceeded
With, and all efforts were directed to
the. establishment OF communication
with below, by the down-cast shaft. by
which alone it appears the Nine Feet
can be reached. The work was pro
crossing tavorably, and a descent was
about TO be made when we left the Dit.
Ihe number of men in the seam in
question, most of whom are this mo-
ment supposed to be dead, is not acc11-
rately known, but is estimated at some
thing over fifty. The timber in the
up cast shaft has evidently caught fire,
as dense cloud of smoke is arising
from it.
When the first exploring party de-
scended the down-cast shaft, they
found three men alive at the furnace,
which is placed in an upper seam,
known as the -Four Feet. They then
descended to the Nine Feet, . where
a number OF dead bodies, and several
golfers alive, calling for water. These
we're sent up, and attended to, and the
explorers continued their work under
the superintendent of John Brigham,
mining engineer, and William Packard,
agent. Pickard found the coal
to be on ire, SO pextincteurs were sent
down and buckets, but shortly after
ward inc engineers on the pit bank
were startled by second and a third
explosion OF fre-damp. .
At the greatest possible speed con-
slstent with safety the cage travelled
from the bottom to the surface, for the
winding apparatus, happily, has not
been damaged, and the third Journey
all OF the explorers were safel above
ground, although several had had mar
row escapes. A consultation was held,
and it was decided to brick up the
shaft, as there could be no doubt that
all below were dead, and that there
vas the greatest danger IN any further
examination Of the mine. The dead
So, Of whom 81 are golfers,
day laborers, and drawers in the Nine
Feet seam, six are sinkers in the up
cast shaft, buried ceneath the debris,
and one IS collier, brought out alive,
but who died in an hour or two after