Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-10-06

68 persons lost their lives. These col.
lieries have only been at work few
years, and the pit in which the frightful
disaster took place was only commenced
last October, with view Of working
the Wigan nine-foot seam, or the six
foot seam, aa II is called in other parts
Of the country.
Although everything that skill and
science could accomplish 10 render its
working secure has been done, vet II
must be- admitted that the miners go
down 20 work ID with their lives literally
in their hands. The men, had, however,
great confidence in tho management.
The nine-foot seam IN worked nj a depth
Of $50 yards, but the depth Of the pit IL
about 700 yards. Below the nine-foot,
which travels north and south. is the
camel seam, which is some hundred
yards below. Both these seams are
worked by the downcast shaft, and the
owners are extending the upcast work
ings 10 the Arley seam, which lies 10 a
still greater depth. A party OF hinkera
were at work at the time in the upeast
shaft. The explosion occurred at III
o'clock in the morning, sixty-three men
and boys being employed in the Eine-
foot level. fifty in the camel seam, be-
sides six sinkers. Three Of these sink
ers were in the act Of descending the
upcast shaft 10 join their fellows at the
bottom, when from the downcast shaft
came that terrible sound, like the dis
charge Of a cannon, which told the fear
fnl tale Of the occurrence Of another ex-
plosion. There followed almost im-
mediately fearful discharge OF SCOT and
smoke from the upcast, which hung like
a pail over the surrounding district
AZ the downeast shaft the stage, which
was standing on a raised platform, was
hurled from It's position, and the banks
man had a most narrow escape, while
at the second shaft the gearing suffered
SO complete a wreck that the brownman.
Oaks, is at loss 10 know how he escaped
from tho wreck with his life. As il was,
he suffered severe bruises, and had 10
be taken home in "A conveyance. Parties
Of workmen were quickly set to work.
AT the upeast shaft the winding appara-
tus was repaired. 80 that the "hOppett'
might be drawn up, which was still
hanging in the shaft, II took over an
hour 90 accomplish this work. When at
last the cage was brought 10 the surface
many anxious eyes were directed toward
il. as a faint hope was entertained that
the sinkers might be still in il. II was,
however, empty, and no further doubt
could be entertained OF the fate of the
men. A cap which was found in the
gearing above the shaft was supposed 10
have belonged 10 one OF these men.
The "hoppctt" was then lowered with
great caution with three men as far as
the camel seam. After short interval
the cage was raised, and il brought back,
amid the breathless silence of the spec
tatOrs, FIVE colliers. who announced, to
the relief of some of the anxious re-
lAtiyes who crowded the bank, that all
was safe in tho camel seam, but that
the explosion had occurred in the
"nine-fOot." The fifty men who work
ed in the camel seam were quickly
brought 10 bank, and every ones ener.
gies were then directed 30 the establish
ment of a communication by means Of
the downeast shaft. by which means
alone the nine-foot" could be reach
ed. A short distance above the nine
foot is the four-foot II was believed
that there were no men in this part Of
the collery at the time of the explosion,
but when the first exploring party de-
scended they found at the mouthing
the underlooker, the furnRcgman, and
brickSctter. These were all alive,
and were at once sent 10 the surface.
The explorers then descended 30 the
nine-foot, where a terrible scene was
presented. Here the full force Of the
explosion appeared 90 have taken place.
Timbers and broken curves were strcwn
about, and here and there lay the dead,
the majority OF whom were most fear
fully mutilated by the scathing force OF
the tire-dAmp and the violence OF the
projectiles which were hurled along the
causeways. The living were crying
bitterly for water, which, with other re-
s,ontivcs, was supplied 10 them by the
willing hands Of the brave men who " ere
risking their lives 20 save them. The
exploring party was in charge OF Mr..
John Bryham, son OF the manager Of
Rose Bridge Collerics, and Mr.. William
Pickard, miners' agent The living
were at first sent mp, and one OF the men
in the agonies of his dying struggles.
nearly threw himself out Of the hoppett.
His agony was so acute that il took four
men 10 hold him. He died shortly
after he got 10 the surface. Mr.. Pickard,
on coming 20 the surface reported that
the pit was on hre i'm both levels Of
the nine-foot, but especially in the
south level. II was then determined
to send down number OF exhncieurs
and supply of buckets 10 quench the
fire. Up to this time ten men had
been brought up, seven from the nine
foot and three from the four-foot, one
of the former having died. Everything
appeared TO go on fayorably for a
further examination Of the workings,
when, shortly after 3 o'clock, those who
we're standing on the bank noticed n
cessation of the smoke in the upcast
shaft, followed by two gusts Of wind,
which indicated that another explosion
had occurred. Great fears were felt for
the safety of the exploring party under
Mr.. John Brigham, consisting OF about
ten persons The cage was in the shaft
at the time. and il is needless to add
that the winding was carried on as
quickly as safety would permit The
excitement was now most intense. The
cage, amid suspense in which minutes
seemed like hours, was quickly brought
to the surface, but il was not until the
third ascent that Mr. Brigham appeared
in the hoppett The entire exploring
party reached the surface in safety, but
some of tham had made some very mar
row escapes They reported that there
had been great many falls of roof, and
the blast had overturned everything and
extinguished the lights. Mr.. Brigham
was, at the time, examining an opening,
and he might have been lost il he had
not been in company with some one
conversant with the workings. The
matter was anxiously debated, and the
engineers came to the conclusion that
they would allow no more explorers to
go down in the pit, as il would be run
ming a serious risk to life. 1t was felt
that there was no chance of any more
men being alive in the pit, and it was
determined TO stop the downcast shaft,
in order to extingIish the fire which was
now raging in the pit. The number Of
bodies in the pit is sixty-nine, of whom
six are sinkers.
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The American Institute Fair.