Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-05-29
ANOTHER RRO

Terrible Calamity in n Nova Scotia Coal
Minc-Fifty to One Miners
Killed by an Explosion of Fire Damp.
A telegram from Westville, N. s., dated May
Il gives the following additional details of the
disaster:
From 10 o'clock last night until daylight this
morning, the fire at the Drummond colliery
ragged with intense fury, gathering volume and
violence each moment. The sky in the vi
cinity of the calamity was Illuminated with
flames issuing from the air shaft, to the height
of nearly 100 feet. All through the night
there were explosions at intervals. They were
preceded by a rumbling noise, resembling
thunder. The weary watchers who remained
around the pits mouth and the air shaft, and
labored to subdue the flames, were obliged to
seek shelter in the adjoining wood, as stones,
debris, ETC., thrown from the pits mouth at
each explosion were being scattered around in
all directions, and threatened instant destruc-
ton or injury to every one within reach.
About 2 o'clock this afternoon these OK
blossoms were followed by one which for terrific
violence and destructive force dwarfed all the
rest. All the wooden works in and about the
main slope were instantly destroyed; stones,
wood and burning embers were driven high
into Nthe air the smoke, flame and horrible
noises accompanying the explosion giving the
beholdcr vivid idea of a volcanic eruption.
The earth for miles around was shaken with
the violence of the explosion.
The scenes in and around the villages are
saddening. Westville and the village at the
Drummond colliery are in mourning; the
shops are closed. and men and women wander
about in groups, their addened countenances
betokening the great grief that has befallen
them. No pen can correctly picture the har-
rowing scenes when the terrible truth was
conveyed to the mourning wives, sisters, and
friends of those who were SO suddenly hurled
into eternity.
The utmost excitement. prevailed, and for
hours it was impossible to ascertain who were
and who were not in the mine. Women, many
of whom had husbands, brothers, and sons
working in the %colliery, made the air dismal
with their crying.
One of the rescuing party killed by the OK
plosion on yesterday was driven into the air a
distance of 100 feet, and fell into the woods
near by, where his dead body was picked up.
The list of killed, as far as known, COM
prises &c men leaving a wife and family, and
% single men. The total number killed will
probably reach rs. The wounded number six,
of whom two are fatally injured. The men
who have escaped with great difficulty from
the slope report that on their way up they
passed the bodies of their comrades, who had
probably become Supplied by the smoke since
the explosion.
The coroner's jury have returned the follow
ing verdict:
"We find that the miners came to their death
on the 18th inst. by an explosion of gas in the
colliery, caused by the derange-
ment of the ventilation of the mine arising
from a fire in Robert McLeod's ward" They
say considerable care was exhibited in the
management of the mine, but express their
regret that powder was permitted to be used
in the ward worked by Robert Mcleod.