The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-11-15
aHisfeAaneoAs.
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
ThG Recent Dreadful Explosion in a
Scottish COlliGrY.
A Loss Of Fully Two Hundred
Lives,
Distressing Scenes at the Mouth
of the Pit.
Llondon standard, Of oct. gad and 2llh.I


damp explosion resulting in the destruc-
ton of upward of two hundred lives, oc'
cured this morning at the coal pits Of
William Dixon (Lmited), Upper Ban'
tyre, Glasgow, There are three pits with
in distance of about quarter OF mile
connected with each other underground;
and it was in No. pit (the iarthest east
that the explosion occurred.
The men went down this morning, az
usual about 6 O'clock, aud at that time
and for some time afIerWard everything
appears to have been all right. The
ov9rman went over the whole workings
with naked light, and there was no In
diCation of the presence OF fire damp
About S:45 o'clock sharp explosion was
heard, and from the mouth Of No. pit
a stream of fire and a large quantity OF
debris, cloud of dust, boards, and coal
we're shooting into the air. Among the
rubbish Was found a mans leg. The
noise of the explosion was heard q long
way of, and crowds Of people soon col
lected round the mouth Of the pits. The
greatest CONSERVATION everywhere pre-
vailed, and for some little time nothing
could be done. Bands of rescuers were
soon formed, for everybody seemed most
anxious to get something done for the
safety of the men below. 1t was found,
however, utterly impossible to proceed
down the shaft of No 3 in the face of the
volume of choke damp which came roll.
ing up. Every effort was made TO re-
sl,t, l. t,l ha ,Ippinn
had stopped, but more than an hour
elapsed before the current of air was
flowing as it should do from No. 3 pit
along to No. g Before this time a party
of explorers had succeeded after great
difficulty in getting some distance down
into No. 2 pit, but the choke damp was
too overpoweriHg to admit Of their re-
manning down long, and they were forced
to return without having asCertained
anything They called as loudly as they
could, but no answer was returned to
their cries, and they were unable to pro-
eeed any distance into the workings.
When the rescuers returned, however,
they had one dead body with them. Six
several times they returned at great risk
to themselves, and on each occasion they
managed to bring up dead body. The
Choke-damp eventually became so bad
that they were forced to desist; some Of
the party indeed very narrowly escaped,
and so overcome were they all that they
had TO be covered with earth to free
them from the choke damp ere they re-
covered full consciousness. In order to
provide a current of air streams o. water
were poured down the shafts, but long
time elapsed before there was much i'm.
provement in the atmosphere below.
The bodies that were recovered were
terribly scorched and blackened, and the
men who were down state that there is
every appearance of the explosion being
q terrible one. Dead bodies are strewn
about, and everything is III confusion.
Joseph Gilmour, the overman of pit No.
9, was found dead near the engine at the
shaft; had he survived, it is said he
would have been able to explain the |
cause of the explosion. AS yet there is
no definite information on this point, but |
il is surmised that some Of the stoops |
must have fallen in, or been taken down |
"a work which is always attended with |
considerable danger, from the likelihood |
of choke. damp having collected.
Monday p m.-Ihe work ofreIief is |
still being proceeded with, but on ac-
count of the difficulties attending such |
occupations it is necessarily SLOW. Be-
fore going further it may be as we'll to
explain the position of the three pits
They are situated close to the village Of |
High Bantyre, about eight miles from
Glasgow. No pit is in the center, hav-
ing No. to the east, distance of about |
l50 yards, and No, to the southwest, |
about 100 yards of. No. 9 is 1870 fathoms |
deep, and No is l55 fathoms, the two |
being connected by workings aud air pas |
sages. No. 2 has also communication |
with No. l. In all the pits the men have |
been working the splntell and main
seams. In No pit, however, which |
was opened in 1873, portion Of the |
splint seam has been exhausted, and for |
some time past the men have been work |
ing back ward, and removing the soops |
as they retreated. Although no definite |
information can be obtained as to the |
cause of the explosion it is supposed that |
the foul gas which exploded came from
the exhausted works. AS has been al
ready explained the current Of the ex-
plOsion was to No. 3 pit.
When the relief party went down at |
first they found little difficulty in pene.
trating a considerable distance into the |
mine, but gradually the Choke-damp, |
gathering force, drove them back. Six
bodies were found near the bottom Ofthe
shaft, one Of them being that of Joseph
GlmOur, the underground manager.
When found his leg was broken, being
under the body of bOrse. 1t is stated
that but for this occurrence he might |
have saved himself, as he asked one man
to assist him in getting rid of the inCum
branCe; but, although assistance was
given, 1t was Of 10 use, and the man said,
swell, Joseph, must either leave you
or lie down and die beside you" The
poor man said, "Wel, go and leave Inc,
and save yourself" This body, like the
other five, was brought to bank, when all
the bodies, as soon as they were identi-
fed, were removed to the bones of their
relatives. Another attempt was then
made to pierce the mine, and other seven
bodies were ultimately got out.
Shortly after 2 o'clock the foul air had
30 accumulated that i. was impossible to
continue the search, and the explorers
were forced to leave the pit. After wait
ing an hour another attempt was made,
but again without success. consulta-
ton was then held as to what other
method should be adopted to improve
the ventilation, and the result was that
it was resolved to put down an air shaft
This work was at once proceeded with
hut II rpog a la hor pf h. bot,ru on1 a otoR rf
men were busily engaged
Only one man has as yet escaped,
namely, James Stephen, who at the very
outset passed to the bottom of No. 2
shaft, and was only aware of tie severity
of the explosion when he came on the
dead bodies. He then sought for his
brother; but not finding him he was
forced to fOrego the search, and crawl TO
the bottom OF the shaft, injured as he
was. r