The sun., 1873-05-16
TIE BURNING COAL MINE.
the FIRE sTILL RAGTNG As
EIERCELY As EYER.
Terrific Roar of the Flames smoLs and Fire
Siiti Issuins from the shnn-Tbe Cause OF

HALIFAX, May ia gentleman returned
from the burning coliery says relays OF men
have been al work since yesterday Cling up
slopes and air shafts with clay. The nre still
burns nercely az ever. He went within few
feet OF the mouth OF the shaft from which blue
sulphurous flames were ascending twenty or
thirty feet The roar from the burning mine
was something terrific. Dense volumes OF
smoke continue to ascend from several air
shaf,s. No adequate Idea can be formed Of the
terrible disaster, The computed loss OF property
Is enormous, hut Is nothing In comparison with
the loss uf life All the wood work In the mine
Is burned. and experienced miners say II Is one
mass Of burning ruins below.
The causes that led to tho disaster are not, as
stated, owing To the strike of the miners, but to
powder having been permitted to be used In
one OF the beds worked by n miner named
robert Mcleod who insisted upon using IL un-
less he received higher rates for cut ting with
out Il.
THE INQUEST.
At the inquest yesterday several important
facts came out In evidence which show reck-
lessness or carelessness In the work OF super
vision Of the miners In the dangerous parts OF
the mine. The inquest On the body Of John
Dunn. one of the miners who were rescued
from the pit, hut who died shortly after being
brought to the surface. MIR. Pool, Inspector OF
Mines. and Mr.. Carmichael Of New Glasgow,
assisted at the inquiry, and all the gentlemen
connected with the Albion, Acadia and NOVA
Scotia companies were present, watching the
The first witness. Thomas Lowther, foreman,
testified that the mine was carefully attended
| during the time the miners were out on strike.
| SO that there could have been no accumulation
! OF gas when the miners returned 10 their Work
| on Tuesday.
now rHE FnE MIGHT HAVE pEES STOPPED.
The second witness, James Dunston, who wa.
| In the mine when the nre occurred, testified
that he found nothing unusual in the mine wnen
mine was on nre ali hands were requested to go
! put IL out Those who refused to assist were
ordered to leave. as by remainins they w2n,d sd
the men obeysd the order when Il was found
possible to stop the hre there would
| The same level had been on nre before. A
man was always stationed In the cabin To give the
! miners information as to the condition OF their
| places. and 10 warn them Of dangers. These
I regulations were attended to, aS were also the
furnaces for ventilatini NE same sam, isVeii heTe
| these the use Of powder Was prohibited. The
bed where the lre occurred wa aired 10y lattice
| the face uf the bed but could do nothing in
| consequence OF the smoke and ire, and ne made
, Tor The mouth Of the slope.
THE FIRE CAUSED By POWDER.
Alexander Lorlmer was the next called His
| duty was to inspect the mine before the miners
go ~ work. He found the mine In the us isl
sS.q IN or"yr Tsr ward yS f but vi. E wa. % no, Unusual
lie found little gas In the lower level. hut none
/ IN McLcods ward Ilc went about niteen feet
/ In Mcleod ward. and reported the presence ~
som" testimony was here given about strange
! workmen going e. the mine and having lost
I their lives In consequence Of q disoheyng tie
equation warning them Of danger. hl, the gist
! /. powder had not been used by Mcleod the pit
would have been all right TODAY and there
| would have been no lives to mourn Tor When
I he heard the alarm given. he went to the pump
ing pit. having heard cries for help and assisted
. John Bonnell to tue surface. Mr.. James Hunter
went down with him and remained IN the bot
tom. Came M shortly IN tuh, bringing John
Dana Who was badly Turned ahn lnurn u, 'oS, ex,
after violent explosion occurred, aud the men
were blown out of the pit.
Dr. Perrin testified that John Dunn died
/ sh hOrt,, after he was taken out Of the PIT.
FIGHTING THE rIRF.
Andrew Mcleod. brother Of Robert Mcleod.
testified that lac was Ia the ward cutting coal
when the hrs took place. They always work ed
their place with sulphur. He couldn't say
whether he found much gis Ia the ward. W
always used powder after the third shot. lie
cred two shots aud was preparing to FIRE the third
when he discovered that the mine WAS on FIRE.
He endeayOTed to put 1t out by ordinary nlct ms
with wet bags. but after WORK ing II over nfteon
minutes and the IRE gaining ON III m, called for
Assistance ana two men came. lie was eI-
hans ed and made for the slope. All Of them
went ont to the landing, shutting the door hc
hind them. Joe Richardson then came down
aud directed the ntn To get a the nrc, bat he
sOoo retained and gave dlreCtions Tor all the
men and horses To come out. witness then
started Tor the opening ana nau scarcely feat ird
the mouth OF the slope when he lne exploded
throwing him ont on the bank. Ihrs, were
some men behind and one before him. He met
Mr. Dunn, tHc manager, going down.
EXPG-AINING the CAUSE or THE FIRE.
At this stage Inspector OF Mines Poole ques-
| toned the witness In reference To the eject OF
having the door oi the ward open; witness was
an inexperienced miner and could give no inf, r
| nation.
The Inspector said the witness's testimony
relating To nring shots had most importan M
bearing on the cause Of the disaster. II was
evident the first and second shots had a decided
effect, and blew down the coal there. The third
shot, however was only a blown out shot Ii
opened a crack In the bench. which then be
latter Immediately ignited and srt nre 10 the
coal, which burned with great rapidty, encen-
derns intense heat and smoke, maAine 1t inn
/ possible for the mon 20 work,
At o'clock the inquest was adjourned TO
| meet TO-DAY at II o'clock.
Robert Mcleod, who fred the shot which
| evidently caused the disaster escaped but II
too III to attend the Inquiry. The miners sp-
pear to attribute
THE DIRECT CAUSE OF THE CALAMITY
to the refusal of the manager 10 glv. an extra
/ price to Mcleod Tor getting out the coal in his
ward thereby enabling him to dspense with
stated, was prohibited in that ward, Then II was
| the duty OF some one to see that the regulations
! were suiciIy enforced,
The names OF the men who volunteered to 20
| down the air shaft t. explore the mine after tho
HSi Bnrn. t6SiS9 6oma S1S ASF4Sp .ag GSy EdTaa
att, all Of whom lost their lives. Guy was above
! the surfaco when the first explosion occurred,
and when his terrible fate was made known to
his wife, the unfortunate woman rent the air
! with her screams. To give some idea Of
THE EXTENT OF THE EXPLOSION
! from the several air shafts. 1t may he stated Of
| an old one close to the miners residences, and
distant from the mines some 800 or 700 Yards that
| huge pieces OF timber were driven through IL up
| into the air, some Telling on the roofs Of the
| houses, and crashing through them. It. was
| truly heartrending to pass through the square
! Of buildings whore the families Of the lost
! miners reside. The window blinds are drawn,
| and the stiffness Of death is over the place No
| merry tune is TO be heard. the prattIe Of little
ones is hushcd. and there is nOthin! but Weep
| Ing and walinR. Poor widows Of men whose
chaTred remains are far down In the burning
| sepulchre mourn necessarily and p.teously the
| loss Of those who have been so suddenly snatCl.-
| ed from them. As YOU pass close TO the sad
| dencd homes OF these families YOU can hear
them sObbing and crying.
| THE INQUEST
! was resumed at II O'Clock. The flfst witness
| called was Robert Mcleod, who testified: | was
| at work al the bottom Of No. . level on the
! south side, when went into the ward found
only six inches Of gas, and that on The high side
The mine was all clear as usual nred two sh OTIS
| nut neither caught. At HAS hred the lower
bench, but II did not blow we'll Tried to disludge
| the coal, but did not succeed. Was Obliged TO
| retire - minutes after In consequence OF the
! coal catching hre. After getting fresh aid
! endeavored 10 return but could not get INTO the
could 20 In the Judgement way Went after him
! lf ha fraA hnFlR ~ B