The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-05-17

OEn =, y THE PIT.
a Tsrrlbl{ q Ssimity At ves.tynl.,
~ so'''', /.
Explosion Of Fire Damp in Drum
nond Colliery.
= HALuax, N. g., Msy 13.-This
community was startled to night
with the intelligence that q terrible
explosion had occurred in the Drum
noad Collisry, Pictou county, at l
iociock Manager Dunn, Assistant
Manager Richardson, and forty Of
4hs worknen were in the pit when
the explosion took place The
greatest excitement prevailed after
The fearful occurrence, and crowds
ofpeopae for miles around came t,
lsarnithe latest particulars. 4
DE TERRIBLE SCENES.
They witnessed one Of those
heartrending scenes which is de-
scribed BY an eye witness 40 some
thing narrowing beyond all concep.
lion, the recollection of which will
never fade from memory. Mothers,
wives sisters, children, and friends
crowded around the burning pit,
mourning pitifully the terrible fate
Of those below, their heartrending
cries being heard for q long dis
lance. ~ s9
Nrw YoRx, May lathe New
York Herald's special from Halifax
locates the mine, disaster at the
village Of Westville, county Of Pic
ton, 103 miles from Halifax, where
there are three large collieries in
full operation, exporting large
quantities Of coal; Navigation havi
ing recently opened, the workmen
demanded increased wages, and
several strikes occurred One Of
the largest mines called Drummond
Colliery, owned by the. Inter Colo
NAL Company, Of Montreal, has been
closed several days, but to- day the
men returned to work. At IL 80 .
shotin the coal set fire to the slope,
and in half an hour afterward .
fearful explosion took place, caused
by. IN accumulation of gas during
the time the mine was closed.
About 2 o'clock second explosion
occurred, coming up the slope air
shaft, an old trial shaft, with terri.
BILE force, and it is believed s
KILLING EVERY ONE IN THE NINE,
variously estimated at from forty 70
one hundred, including men and
boys Soon after the first explo-
sion cries were heard at the foot Of
the air shaft, and men were imme-
sdistely lowered with ropes and four
Of those below brought up. Two
men were going down the shaft tc
render assistance when the second
explosion occurred, and they were
blown TO pieces. There WAS such
. small supply of water that little
could be done to quench the flames
which are still raging fiercely. Al
10 o'clock TO, night dense masses o
smoke are pouring out Of all th,
openingsand threatening to,destroy
al the surface buildings. There il
no hope Of saving any of those nov
below, - all escape was cut of b,
the explosion. Many of the lost are
married men, with families.
L. fHALIrAx, n. S., May 1.-THE fir
ct Drunmond colhery continues
but is slowly abating. All opening'
have been filed up and stream O
Z wAter has been turned into an oil
shaft lately worked The list o
| killed as far as known comprise
twenty-six men leaving wives and
families and twenty-five single men
The total number killed viii proba
bly, reach seventy five. The wound
ed number six, of whom two ar,
fatally injured. The men who hav'
escaped with great difficulty from
the slope report that on their wa,
up they passed the bodies Of thei
comrades, who had probably becons
stupefed by smoke since the explo
sion. OF four men who volunteers
| to 60 down the shaft shortly befor'
| the second explosion three wer'
/ killed. Several violent explosion
took place last night, one being per
ceptibly felt four miles distant A,
inquest was commenced yesterda,
| and adjourned until this evening.
From 10 o'clock last night unit
daylight this morning the fire a
Drummond colliery ragged with in
tense fury, gathering volume an,
violence each moment. The sky il
the vicinity OF the calamity was il
Illuminated with flames issuing fron
I the air shaft to the height Of nearl
one hundred feet. All through tn