Connecticut western news., 1874-05-15
THE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
Details of the Terrible Calamity-Itl
 MECause and Results.

Details of the Terrible Calamity-Lts
 ECause and Results.
 The London Ne,os contains the fol- lowing account of the Dukinf1eld col fiery explosion
 "On Tuesday evening, shortly after eight. o'clock, an accident of most disastrous nature occurred at the Ashley Deep Pit, Dukinfield, the owners of which a1e the Dunkirk Goal Company. The pit is, with one exception, the deepest in England the downcast shaft measures 681 yards, and branch ing to the north and south from the bottom of the shaft the workings ex- yards respectively. The camel and what is known as the 'black mine are the only portions worked. Three years ago an explosion occurred at the same mine, on which occasion nine lives were lost, but the mine has always been considered very safe one.
 "Tho number of men employed in the mine is about four hundred, and the work is conducted by day and night 'shifts.' On Tuesday afternoon, about three o'clock. nineteen sets of eight men each descended the pit with the intention of working till twelve o'clock. In that portion of the workings known as the 'engine brow some repairs were being conducted, a small number of men being engaged in erecting sup ports to the roof, which had been damaged some time recently by fire, | which had smouldered. The work of the mine was continued, without any indication of anything being wrong until about half-past seven o'clock, when large portion of the roof which was being repaired fell in. The acci- dent generated large quantity of gas, and almost immediately an explosion took place, the force of which blew the workmen engaged in the repairs some distance in the direction of the pit mouth. The part of the workings where this explosion took place is about 700 yards long, and is known as the engine brow. About 60 men were at work here, and the effect of the ex- plosion was to imprison them, the I debris of the fallen roof blocking up the road to safety. The men at work in the other part of the pit, numbering 90, were greatly alarmed by the ex- plosion, and happily succeeded in mak- ing their way to the main shaft, whence they were rescued unharmed.
 "As soon as the news of the calamity reached the manager, MT. James Hil- ton, he proceeded to the pit, and to- gether with 8 number of men, who readily came forward to render every assistance in their power, he descended tLe mine, with 8 view to afording suc- COT, if possible, to the imprisoned col Hers. These consisted of men and boys and in addition to the difficulty 1aised to their gaining the main shaft by the fall of the roof and the engine brow, 8 further obstacle was caused by the stables having taken fire. Almost the only chance for the unfortunate men lay in their finding their way in the darkness to the return air-way,' a distance of six hundred yards. It very fortunately happened that many of the men found their way to the return air way, and were brought to the bank un- hurt.
 "The men who went to the aid of those who were confined in the pit had an arduous task before them, and a considerable time elapsed before any reliable intelligence of the extent of the calamity could be sent up to the rapidly increasing and anxious crowd of per- sons whom the tidings of the accident brought to the pit mouth. The work was continued without intermission throughout the night, cages descending laden with relays of willing rescuers or materials with which to carry out the labor necessary to reach the unfortunate colliers. It was found that the sides and roof of the pit were still falling in- wards and that the flames were ex- tending.
 "By seven o'clock the bodies of all the missing miners, with five excep. tions, were brought to the surface. I'm mediately after identification they were conveyed home in carts, and as each body was followed by @ procession ot weeping orphans, widows and relatives the scene was indescribable. Forty bodies lay together in the dead house most of them badly burnt and crushed whilst some seemed to have succumbe6 to the after-damp. Out of four of the injured taken to the in1irmary, three died directly after admission, and the coroner held an inquest upon the bodies. Tho deaths now number fifty one. At present no correct information can. be gathered as to the origin of the explosion. No fewer than eleven ot the killed reside in one street in Dukin field. In one instance father and so1 were killed together, and in another case two brothers" s-..- -...