American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-11-17

eNnlDIllnS neaFITenulHS eIQOIlOn. very
faint hopes are entertained that any of
the men in the pits have escaped, and
the choke-damp was at first so strong
that it is feared that all the 233 men
who descended the shafts in the morn
ing must have persisted.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
Further details respecting the explo-
sion at Blantyre make it only too sadly
evident that the disaster is by far the
most terrible that has ever occurred in
the annals of Scotch mining, and has
been scarcely less fatal to human life
than the worst catastrophcs of that kind
that have happened in England. The
cOlliery which was the scene of the eX-
plosion is situated not far from the left
bank of the Clyde, about three miles
from Hamilton, and perhaps ten from
Glasgow. The mine has been regarded
in the district as one of the best venti-
lated and safest, and it is only dine to its
owners to state that the unsolicited tes-
timony of Golfers who have worked in
the pit from the time it was sunk is that
no scientific appliance for securing
thorough ventilation and general good
working condition has been omitted.
ACCIDENTS FROM FIRE-DAMP
have been extremely rare and trivial in
the Hamilton coal-feld, and so great
has been the confidence engendered by
this state of matters that naked lights
as we'll as Davy lamps have been in reg
ular use in this as in other collieries in
the neighbcrhoOd. At present, since
there can only be conjecture concerning
the cause of the fearful disaster of this
morning, it is impossible to say whether
it has been brought about by the pres
ence of naked lights in the workings.
In accordance with the usual practice
at coal mines it has been customary to
send man down the High Blantyre
Colliery before work is commenced
every morning in order to see that all is
safe, and there is no doubt that the in
by the foreman, and he returned with
the report that every thing was in good
order. The miners accordingly de-
scended to their work about 6 a. M, los
men and boys going down by No. 2
shaft and 1913 by No. 3. Work was be-
ing chiefly carried on in the southwest
portion of the mine in the vicinity OF
No. 2 shaft. At that point the miners
were g working backward" as it is
termed, in the splint coal seam, and
taIy tho { cTnNTS11 nc fhnu aH
vauced. All went on as usual till about
9 O'Clock, when those who were about
the mouths of the shaft were startled
by hearing rumbling sounds, as of thun-
der, below, and almost Immediately af.
forwards
A VOLUME OF FLAME
shot up the up-cast, instantly destroying
the pit-head frame and knocking the
side of the shaft itself to pieces. Several
persons who were at the pit-head at the
moment, among them Mr.. Watson, the
manager, were badly hurt. At the same
time dense smoke was seen to be rising
from No. 2 shaft, and it became pain,
fully evident that a serious explosion Of
some kind had occurred in the work
ings, although, of course, the full extent
of the disaster was not yet realized. In
very short time dense crowd haC
gathered on the pit hill, including hun.
dreds of women from the neighbOrine
village, in a state of wild excitement
and anxiety as to the fate of their hus-
bands, fathers, brothers, sons, who were
down in the workings. Golfers and
viewers from the neighboring mines
soon gathered round also, and, with the
least possible delay, exploring parties
were formed. 1t was found to be utter
ly impossible to descend No. 3 shaft,
which was choked with shattered tim
bers and debris of all kinds, SO the first
gang descended the down-cast, up which
smoke was still rising. Before they
went down, however, the cage had been
drawn up, and fifteen miners who had
been working in what is known as the
+" north face''-the side of the facings
opposite to that where the stoops were
being taken out-were brought up, most
ly uninjured. The effect of the explosion
had not been felt in that quarter and
they had only been alarmed by the sound
of it, and had at once fastened to the
foot of the shaft. The exploring party
made their way for some distance into
the splint coal working on the southwest
face, where they at once perceived that
the explosion had occurred; but thei1
| progress was soon
ARRESTED BY CHOKE-DAMP,
and they had to withdraw, some of them
being drawn up insensible. There was
no lack of volunteers, however, to con-
tinue the gallant effort to save life. Ere
long another party descended, and in
the course of few minutes they had
brought six bodies to the surface. All
these bore terrible traces of burning,
and the condition in which they were
found BODIED ill for the prospect of any
more men being discovered alive in that
part of the workings. For more than
an hour attempts were prosecuted to
penetrate the workings at this point,
but at every descent the rescue parties
found the fatal choke-damp gaining
ground, until at last it met them at the
foot of the shaft, and then began to
ascend. Finally, however, it was found
necessary to close the shaft and to give
up all hope of saving the people in that
direction. A few more may be saved,
but at least 200, it is dreaded, are lost.
THE TERROR AND AGONY
exhibited amongst the wives and chill
dren of the imprisoned miners were of