The New York herald., 1871-03-12
DREADFUL CALAMITY IN WALES.
Explosion in Col!iery and Thirty-eight
Lives Lost-The Shock Felt Miles Distant
Scenes Around the Pit-Rec0very Of the
RAGica.

Lives L0st-The Shock Felt Miles Distant
Scenes Around the Pit-Recovery Of the
Bodies.
From the London Times, Feb. 27.l
Another has been added to The list of terrible col
liery explosions which have made the coa1eld OF
South Wales notorious. Following the Cymmer ana
the two Ferndales, and In the immediate neighbor-
hood of each-for all lie in the same valley-rhere
has occurred ut Pentre-Ystrad, In the Rhondda
Valley, calamity OF the same kind, which, II it
does not equal those named in Its fatal effects to
life, mas been lar more destructive property. The
working OF the fiery steam coal OF Wales seems to
be attended by greater risks than follow mining
operations IN any other parts Of England, and no.
where in the whole coal basin have these risks been
felt with greater force, and nowhere have accidents
been more numerous or more deadly than In that
portion OF which the RhOndda Valley forms the CEN
tire. These calamlties seem to occur at periodical
intervals OF about two years. To go further than
five years back the first Ferndale explosion followed
some Two years after the last OF the Gethns and
years. by that second explosion IN the sequestered
valley which Is still remembered. Now, two years
alter that, occurs another explosion within haif
dozen miles OF Ferndale, and in pit sunk 10 the
same seam OF COAL the famous two feet nine inches
Welsh steam coal.
The scene OF this catastrophe is at Penre colllery
situated just above the bilurcatIOn Of the Rhondda
Valley ana between Treherbert and Newbrloge.
The co!ilery belongs to Messrs. Cory Kelly Ware,
OF Cardlf, and has hitherto borne good character
regards ventilation and management. The ex-
ploson occurred on Friday night At about half
past nne O'Clock terrific shock, which was 1elt for
upwards OF mile, was experienced by those in the
shower rot Of bricks I stones and Ie earth eane s was
shot through the up-cast shaft into the air,
failing in a heavy ram upon the roofs and
III the gardens OF the houses near. IL was at once
known that there had been an explosion, and the
most serious results TO the men in the pit We're
pOyed in the pit In the day ytme but at night there
are seldom more than i've or six road men, hauers
and others engaged IN repairs ana putting things
rlgnt. On Friday night, however, there Is always
larger number engaged, and on the night Of the eX-
plosion there were thirty-siX men III the under
ground workings, OF whom five were haulers ana
the rest Golfers As soon as possible alter the accid
ent AN exploring party, consisting OF Mr.. William
Rosser the manager, his son, confer named Joseph
Thomas, and two Otner men descended the pit. They
found the workings much shattered; the roof was
broken down in several places the road and airways
were opstructed and ventilation was considerably
impeded The air was, In fact so charged with
sulphuretted hydrogen that the men could scarcely
breathe. They were unable TO proceed lar from the
shalt, or to recover any OF the bodies Three Of
them resolved 10 return and called to the other two
the managers son and joseph Thomas, who were in
advance. TO return also. They, 1t Is supposed had
advanced too far INTO the vtialed atmosphere and
had been oyertaken by the fatal after-damp. At all
events they did not return, and all Efforts to find
them proved unavang until ten O'Clock on Satur-
day morning, when their bodies were discovered
some distance from the bottom OF the shaft both
having died from suffocatOn.
In consequence OF the pad air no further explora.
tions could be made. During FRIDAY night ana
Saturday morning strong party were at work re-
pairing as far as possible the roadway and remov-
ing the heaps OF rubbish to restore current OF air
1t was not until late Oh saturday night that their
Iabors ended. At eight O'Clock the pit was so far
free from choKedamp and the road SO Tar cleared of
obstruction as to allow or an organized attempt to
recover the remainder OF the bodies. During the
morning the bodies OF five men who were working
l., the exploded part OF the pit were brought TO
John Miles, collier, 40 George Day, collier SO:
William Lewis, nueman, 6S; John Griifitns collier
%; Thomas Griffiths, foreman, A. There are now
thirty-One bodies remaining the plC and II "a not
considerable alarm was caused by a report Uhat
the workings had taken fire, and 1t was feared that
the underground connagratiOn which followed the
second Ferndale explosion would be repeated. This
broken out IN the woodwork at the bottom of the
shalt over the ''sumph,n but 1t was discovered in
time, and by the eXertion OF body OF GOLFERS was
prevented from extending to the seam of coal and
much damage was dOne
All Inquiry into the circumstances was opened nv
Mr.. George OvertOn, the County Coroner at Ystrad
on saturday afternoon. A Jury, mostly composed
ceeded to vieW the bodies OF the deceased
men, Some OF these bodies presented a frightrn
appearance, and most OF them had been more or
less terribly burned. one man was literally blown
intense was the heat that the silver watch winch
the latter carried was melted in his pocket
Mr.. I. e. Wales, her Majestys INSPECTOR Of Mines
visited the pit on SATURDAY evening, the three pro,
an early hour IN the morning. Work has been aus
pended in all the pits in the valley, and indeed in
the nelghborlng valleys, and thousand OF persons
have visited the spot. There was but little lamena-
very few seemed to feel acute grief or ANYTHING hut
curiosity. All the public houses were crowded bv
men and boys. who found in this lameniabe acci
dent an excuse for holiday.