The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-20

Fearful Coslierx ExpIoafan--I.oss q
btxtysNfne Lives TTarruSviurS Scenes
Harrow Eacapea or thc Explorers
From ahs London Standard, Sep tgmber I ] 4
About IL O'clock yesterday morning g
colliery xplosion.oceurred at Mesars. Pear
son and Knowles,s Moss Pits. situated or
Bryn Moss, In the township of Ince, and
Immediately behind the plot of land used %
cemetery for the borough OF Wtgan,
Messrs. Pearson and Knowles have long been
noted for the excellent manner in which
their collleries have been managed, and du.
ring the terrible succession Of disasters
which swept over the Wigan coalfield O few
years ago, their extensive works enjoyed an
immunity which was generally ascribed to
their careful management, and to the fact
that no expense whatever was spared to en-.
sure the safety Of the lives of their work
people. The news, therefore, which spread
like lightning through Wigan this morn
ing that an explosion had taken place at
one Of the collieries Of the firm, was at first
received with incredulity, but in q walk to
the Moss, through lower Ince, where the
worst vas feared, the sad tale was told only
too plainly by the excited groups round
Tue COLlStSS uOUFS, duu tuc Willing VI WIVES
and children. There was at once rush to
the pit, and the stream of relatives of the
workinen and spectators gradually In
creased until ut the time of writing Is
o'clock, the crowd at the pit bank number
ed several thousands.
At the Moss Pits, which have been In
working oSly q few years, the seams work
ed are the Wigan Nine-Feet Coal, which Is
about $50 yards from the surface, and the
Cannell, which is some hundred yards be.
low, and these seams are drawn to the sur
face solely by the down.cast shaft. Aparty
Of sinkers are at present employed in the
up;cast, working. down to the Arley mine,
which lies ut still greater depth.
AT II O'Clock this morning the men In tho
Niue-Fcet and the Cannell were Mt work,
and two Sinkers were descending the up
cast shaft to join their fellows below, when
from the down-cast came blast like the
discharge from q cannon, followed BY ter
rible discharge Of SCOT mud sluoke from the
up.cast, which lasted several minutes, and
was scattered by the slight breeze over the
the adjacent fields. At the Iirst-named the
cage, then standing OIL Il raised platform,
was whirled out of its position, aud the
broWman had an escape which greatly ter
ritied him, whilo at the second shaft such q
wreck was made Of tie gear that 1t Is won
derful how the broWman there, q man
named Cakes, came alive from tho chaos.
He did sustain severe bruises, and WAS
taken home in 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 numbers
OF the most practical men from the neigh
boring collieries, ready to lend all the aid in
their power, and many colliery managers
willing to advise and direct. MIR. John
Pearson, Jr., was on the spot at once. and
there were also present Mr.. George Gilroy,
Ince Hall; Mr.. Mercer, Park lane; Mr.
Brigham, Rose Bridge; Mr.. F. Crippin,
Mr. W. SmethurSt, kryp, and others. Mr..
Higs0n, mines Inspector, was fortunately
in Wigan, and he was at the pits soon after
noon, and MIR. William Richard, mines
agent, was also present, Messrs. Winnard
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 in setting the
winding apparatus in order so as to draw
up tho hoppet, which still hung in the
shaft. This was accomplished N about an
hour and half, and its. arrival at the
surface was anxtously waited by those
who hoped against hope that the sink
ers might still be aliYe; but the word was
"empty,N and there cbuld be no further
doubt Of the fate Of the men. The hoppet
having been sent to the bottom and brought
back again, thrse men entered and were
cautiously lowered to the Canneil seam,
whence it shortly returned with cargo Of
tive GOLFERS, who announced, to the joy of
many scores Of anxious persons and to tho
sorrow Of scores Of others. that all was
right there, and that the e4plosioG bad
taken place in the Nine-Feet. The winding
of the men from the Cannel was then
quickly proceeded with, and all efforts
were directed to the establishment OF COM
mqniaation with below by the doWn-cast
shaft, by which alone,,it appears, the Nine
Feet can be reached. The work was pro-
crossing fayorably, and descent was about
to be made when We left the pit. The
number Of men In the seam III question,
most of whom are at this moment believed
to be dead, is not accurately known, but Is
estimated at something over fifty. The tim
Der in the up cast shaft bas evidently
canght fire, as dense cloud of smoke IS
arising from it,
When the first exploring party descended
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 g. Nine-Feet, )"
where were number Of dead bodies, and
several golfers aliye, calling for water:
These were sent to the surf;rce and attend
ed to, and the explorers Continued their
work under the uperintendcnce or John
Brigham, mining engineer, and VIM. Pick
ard, miners agent. Pickard found the coal
to be On fire, so Pextincteurs were sent
down and buckets, but. shortly afterwards
the engineers Oh the pit-bapk were stertleG
by q second and a third explosion Of fire.
damp. At the greatest possible speed con-
sistent with safety the cage travelled from
the bottom to the surface, for: the winding
apparatus, happily, had not been damaged,
and the third journey all the explorers
were safe above ground, although several
had had very narrow escapes. A consulta-
ton was held, and 1t was decided to hrick
up the shaft, as there could DO no doubt
that all below were dead, aud that there
was the greatest danger in any further ex-
animation of the mine. The dead number
ed siXty-nine, OF whom siXty-two are col
liers, day laborers, and drawers in the Nine
Feet seam, six are sinkers in the up. cast
shaft, buried beneath the debris, and one is
collier brought out alive, who died an
hour or two afterwards. -&7a ~
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.-We learn from
reliable source the following particulars of
the melancholy suicide of Mrs. Sarah Fau-
cett, q very worthy lady residing in Martin
township, in Alamance county
Mrs. Faucet was lady of great respeeta-
bility, and highly esteemed in the neigh6or-
hood where che resided. She was q widow
with one child, and lived upon 9 fine estate,
uoxrr NV = no