The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-09

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disaster took place was only commenced
last October, with view of working
the Wigan nine-foot seam, or the six
foot seam, ms it is called in other parts
Of the country.
Although everything that skill and
science could accomplish to render its
working secure has been done, yet it
must be admitted that the miners go
down to work it with their lives literally
in their bands. The men, had, however,
great confidence in the management.
The ninc.ioot seam is worked at u depth
Of $50 ynrls, hut the depth Of the pit is
about 700 yards, Below the ninc-foot,
which travels moth aud south, is the
camel seam, which is some hundred
yards below. Both thes, seams are
worked by the downcast shaft, and the
owners are extending the uprast work
iu"s to the Arley seam, which lies to n
still greater depth, A party Of siukcrS
were ut work ut the time in the upcaSt
shaft The explosion occurred at II
o'clock in the morning, siXty-thrcc men
AM boys being employed in the nine
foot level, fifty in the camel seam, be.
sides six sinkcrs. Three of these sink.
crS were in the act Of descending the
upcast shaft to Join their fellows ut the
bottom, when from the downcast shaft
came that terrible sound, like the dis.
charge of n cannon, which told the fear.
ful tale Of the occurrence of another cX.
plosion. There followed almost i'm.
mcdiatcly fearful discharge Of SCOT and
smoke from the upcast, which hung like
pail over the surrounding district,
At the downcast SHAFT the stage, which
was standing on raised Platform, was
hurled from its position, and the banks.
man had most narrow escape, while
at the second shaft the gearing suffered
50 complete n wreck that the hrOwnmnn,
Oaks, isnt loss to know how he escaped
| from the wreck with his life, As it was,
| he suffered severe bruises, and had TO
be taken home in conveyance. Parties
rof workmen were quickly set to work.
| At the upcnst shalt the winding apparT.
tus was repaired, so that the "hOppett'
might be drawn mp, which was still
hanging in the shaft. 1t took over an
hour to accomplish this work. When at
last the cage was brought to the surface
many anxious eyes were directed toward
it, MS faint hope was entertained that
the sinkers mighthc still in it. 1t 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 to
have belonged to one of these men.
The "hoppcts" was then lowered with
great caution with three men ms far MS
the camel seam. After short interval
the cage was raised, and itbrought back,
amid the brcnthless silence OF the spec.
tators, five golfers, who announced, to
the relief of some Of the anxious re-.
latives who crowded the bank, that all
was safe in the camel seam, but that
the explosion had occurred in the
"ninc.ioot." The fifty men who work
ed in the camel seam were quickly
brought TO bank, and every ones cner
gics were then directed TO the establish
ment Of a communication by means Of
tue downcast shaft, by Which means
alone the nine.foot' could bG reach
ed. a short distance above the nine.
foot is the four-ioOt. 1t was believed
that there were no men in this part OF
the collery at the time Of the explosion,
Int when the first exploring party de-
seconded they found Mt the mouthing
the lndcrlOOkcr the iurnacCmln, aud
a bricksettcr. These were all alive,
and were ut once sent TO the surface.
The explorers then descended to the
ninc.ioot, where terrible scene was
presented. Here the inll force Of the
explosion appeared to have taken place.
FINDERS and broken curves We're strcwn
about, aud here and there lay the dead,
the majority Of whom were most fear
fully mutilatcd by the scathing force Of
the Grc.damp aud the violence Of the
projcctilcs which were hurled along the
cauSeways The living were crying
bitterly for water, which, with other 70.
stOrntives, was supplied to them by the
willing hands of the brave men who were
risliing their lives to save them. The
exploring party was in charge of Mr.,
John Bryham, son Of the manager Of
Rose Bridge Galleries, and Mr.. William
Pickarl, miners agent. The living
were at first sent up, and one Of the men
in the aaOnieS Of his dying struggles,
nearly threw himself ont of the loppott.
His agony was so acute that it took -four
men to hold him. lie died shortly
after lie got to the surface. Mr.. PiclMrl,
On coming to the surface reported that
the pit was on fire in both levels Of
the ninC.ioot, but especially in the
south level. II was then determined
to send down II number OF cXiincicms
and a supply OF buckets to quench the
fire, Up to this time te:. men had
been brought up, seven from the nine
foot and three from the iuur-foot one
Of the former having died. Everything
appeared to 60 on fnvOrbly for Il
further examination of The workings,
when, shortly after 3 o'clock, those who
were standing OH the bank noticed n
cessation of the smoke in the upcIst
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
ut the time, and it is needless to add
that the winding was carried on rs
quickly rs safety would permit The
excitement was now most intense. The
cage, amid n suspense in which minutes
seemed like hours, was quickly brought
to the surface, but it was not until the
third ascent that Mr., Brylnm appeared
in the hoppett. The entire exploring
party reached the surface in safety, but
some OF them had made some very mar.
row escapes. They reported that there
had been a great many falls Of roof, and
the blast had overturned everything and