The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-20
: --HA'UoAi .aas ne BeeomspeYola....

ffoha, shs bL Ring coliiery,E near .HSlifux.
N.fS., ssys the fire still burnst as fiercely
| as ever. He went within few feet Of
the mouth OF the shaft from whioh blue
sutpharoas 4 .mes were ascending 20 or
30 feet. The roar from the burning
mins was something terrific. Dense
volumes of smoke continue to ascend
from the several air shafts. No ade.
qnste idea caD be formed of the terrible
disaster. rheScomputed loss Of pro.
perty Is enormous. but is nothing in
oomparison with the loss OF life. All
the woodwork in the mine was burned.
aud experienced miners sny it is one
onrn'ug mass OF ruins. To give some
lues OF explosions from the several air
| shafts. 1t may he stated ut an old one,
close to q miuer's residence, and distant
from tue mine some 600 or 700 yards,
huge pieces of timber were driven
| through it up in the mir, ome falling on
the house and crushing through them.
1t ls truly heart-rending to pass through
tue s4uarc Of buildings where the fami-
| lies OF the lost miners reside. The Door
widows mourn necessarily and pite-
ously.
The chuse that led to the disaster ia
not. rs stated, owing to the strike of the
miners. but to powder having been per-
mltted to be used in ono OF the beds
worked by miner named Robert Nc.
Leod. who insisted upon using it unless
he received higher ratios for cutting
without it. Powder was used elsewhere
bat this bed was regarded as dangerous
on account Of the accumulating gas.
rhe miners attribute tic direct cause of
the calamity to the refusal of the mana.
ger To give extra price 10 Mcleod for
getting out Goa! IL his ward, thereby
enabling him to dispense with the use of
powder. The nse Of powder, rs stated,
was prohibited i'll that ward. Then it
vas the duty Of some one to see that the
regulations We're strictly enforced.
At the inquest, yesterday, several i'm.
portant facts came out in the evidence,
which show recklessness and carelessness
in the work OF supervision in dangerous
parts Of the mine. Andrew Mcleod tes.
titled that he was in the ward cutting
coal where the fire took place. They
always worked their place with SULPHUR.
Cant say how much gas was in the ford,
Always used powder aftor the third shot
Had fired two shots, and was preparing
to fire the third when he discovered the
fo1d was on fire. He endeavored to put
1t ont by tue ordinary means, with wet
bags, but after working over fifteen
minutes and the FIRE gaining Oh them,
he called for assistance aud two men
came exhausted and made for the slope.
All OF them went ont to the landing.
shnitinE the door behind them. Joe
Richardson then came down ond directed
the men to get at the fire, but he aoon
| returned and gave directions for all the
| men and horses to Come out. Witness
then started for the opening, aud scarce.
~ reached the mouth of the slope when
the mine exploded, throwing him out on
tue bank. There.were-s some men behind
him and one before him. -s1Gs
Director Pool said tho witness te sti-
naony relating to firing. the shot had a
most important bearing on tue cause of
the disaster. 1t is evident the first and
second ehots had decided effect and
blew down the coal. The third shot,
however. was only blown out shot. It
opened q crack In the bench. which then
became reservoir for accommodating gas.
The latter Immediately ignited and set
fire to the coal, which burned with great
rapidly, epgendering intense heat and
smoke. making it impossible for the men
to work. Robert Mcleod, who fred the
shot which evidently caused the disaster,
escaped, but ID too i'll to attend the in.
quiry.
Two or three witnesses were examined
to-day. whose evidence went to show
that most of the men were in the slope,
endeavoring to get out, when the explo.
sion took place.
Adam Lorimer testified: He was in the
mine when the fire took place, and made
his way out as fast as possible. When
he got to the slope, he found it obstruct-
cd with boxes and rubbish. There were
over thirty men lying down at this point,
all evidently Injured, 80 they we're groan
ing Some Of them could neither move
nor speak. Lorimer was obliged to step
and crawl over their bodies, in order to
make his way out. On tho way up, ho
passed several men, who were living
down, crying and groaning, but unable
to help themselves. He was the last
man alive out Of the pit. md was helped
out by his brother. Passed u man dead
on the top Of tho landing.
The jury returned the following YER
dict: We find the miners came to their
death by an explosion of gas in the
Drummond colliery, caused by q derange.
ment in the ventilation OF the mine,
arising from fire in Robert Mcleod 3
ward. They say considerable care was
exhibited in the management OF the
mine, but express regret that powder
l "A.