The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-27
KILLED IN TIE COAL NINE.
CLOUDS or DUsT AND SMOKE POURING
FROM Tffk UPCfsT SHAFT
Tho Terrific I>p,o.,en zoo feet BeIew the
surrscs scenes nj the rue M"uth-Rss-
eue-s smotheped by the sheL damp.

irp., nc f..,.4 Tc"'o,h
The King pit, l"mitrt"u II about ~ mile
and "A half from WiruB. II was fret opened to-
ward the end ~ 1907 with the object -! working
The famous Wigan s,amt known ~ the King.
the Camel. and tnc Orr'n. Tbs shafts are GAO
yards deep. Tired through, ut with fire clay and
fitted with ridges Of railway metal grippcd 10y
shoes fixed on the cages. Ia the arrangements
Of the mine neither expense nor trouble has
been spared and 70 sound were the works that
despite the violent nature ~ the explosion. the
shaft itself has been hardly. il ut nll damaged
Tho first gallery ~ u distance ~ go yards from
.he mouth oi tie upcasi shaft Then ~ 800
yards comes u second gallery; 81 yards lower
down are the hing and Camel galleries while
The Orrcll seam ~ lower sill. ThcrC is. how
eyer perfect 'ommuhiiuIon between h9th
shafts for the purpose of ventilation. and II
large fan 40 feet in diameter and 10 in width.
driven 10y two engines. and calculated To pro.
constantly ut work Indeed. there is no mine
In the whole disir", wh"rc the provisions Of
HE Mines Regulation act nr. more cumpl,t rly
carried ont, or which hns been in the hands OF
managers more able and competent
ON Thursday. afternoon. shortly after l
o'clock. u vast cloud ui due; and smok" rose
from the mouth Of the upcast shalt, conveying
only too certainly the terrible lntrlligcnc" that
ing also was heard from lel9w. and immediate,
~ the Gag" was low"rcd II was then found
that ia ia" ninc-foOt soon. 500 yards below tn"
mouth OF IN" ut. IL fearful hlHrt had taken place.
A few men and boys were rapi,ilv drawn to the
surface, srurch.d burned. and wounded. and,
a. best they could told til, tale Of whnt had
happened. They had been at work when the
explosion occurred and for some few minutes
had been rendered ins"nsiblc 10y the noise. the
which they had received. OF the extent Of the
calamity they could. vf cours". form no idea.
All they were certain oi was tina, the loss ~ life
must have becu very great
Within a few minute an NY vAnl2rinG party was
Z, ,h gSnsVpe 1 Mr w., Ma'sn f@ ln@er
sger and M.ssrs. Lcvcrck, Crossloy. Wood.
AShur-t Simpkir. and steven, engineers, IN
icrioul.rr-, and surv' yors. Several other oil
,iuls Joined the group. and the cagr WAS ROT
ready 10 lower them 70 the nine.fpot s"nin.
Meanwhile the men In the other galleries. to the
number II some GOO were heinz rapidly drawn
up to the surface 10y the cages ia the other shat.
and all work was suspended. To those who
eual mine. II will be- intrlligihc that an cNplo-
sion in particular gallery need not in any
way AFFECT The safety ~ the miners at work in
he galleries abOy, and below H. Tn" danger
whatever might l.. liz extent. was In the nine
loot seam. and the men in tn other workings
were known To- Il" not only uninlurcd. but IN all
probability ignorant oi IN" disaster that hal be-
ALLEN within u few yards Of them.
Unfortunately the gallant company Of cN-
olorcrs found almost inn racticahlf obstacles in
heir way. The ilr-t examination from the
iowncns shaft showed that progress from iii
% the seam WHORE the "Nplosior had occurred
wreck and ruin. Air doors and hraiticng had
been blown down; ventilation WIS interrupted
the road- were blocked with broken tubs. doors
snd huge misses Of fallen c,Hl: and all rN-
ploration was stopped 10y the fatal burst Of
In a short space Mr. waikin. the manager !:
Mr. Cook, his lieutenant; AMI lcvcri"k, tho
senior uudrrookcr. len the remainder ui thrir
company nj the mouth of the seam. and boldly
fought their way into the working in the hope
of recovering some AZ least II the hands Aitrr
waiting while, tn. party who remained behind
became alarmed. and n second search rNpcdi-
ton was orsnnlr"i on rcachins a spot about
200 yards from the mouth ~ III" workings and
at u distance of about 100 yards only from the
main airway; ne eAporrrs found u" brave
the earth with their lives Ia their hands. lying
dcud. Mr.. Cook wac foremost. whiic tn other
two wcrr on shcr Iis,ance 'hinI. Tn,
chokcdamp Ind ovor'aken them, StrnnElrd
them. and kft their bodic- prostratr on the
path. Slowly and mournfullyt lifrrs remains
were drawn TO Tho surface, and for s"mc
time all work wa suspended In q spirit
OF NUT" hcirl"sen' s~. oth"r as Stance. how
ever Was brought 10 the spot. Mr. Holland. thu
engineer Of ia" Ninstanlry 90 Nlcry. immediate
~ adnlccnt, cam" and ursani1"d a r.rh search
party. and. before ia, day was over. one or two
survivors ana several bodies We're brought To-
the surface. Sin men and boys were rescued.
al bruised. mutatcd or otherwise hurt. Two
the explosion. and had fallen 10 the bottom ~
tho pit. We're drawn up. disilgur"d out Of all
rcsenllance to humanity. Two other bodies.
burned. charred and nangl"d beyond r.. ognl-
ton. wrrr recovered lGt'rtn the dnv The full
number II men IN III" working Is not known.
but there ran be- Little doubt TINT some thirty
five Or forty lives have boon lost. The seam
itself Is on ilrc, unh. until the burning mass is
s\,n ,S,. 10y or.rIine ny the "dits to it,
Il yet remains To- bc discovered how the catas-
H pho o. urr.d
1t any moment n volume Of gas may leap
forth from the surfac" Of the cuttings and cN-
podc with tn" violence ~ a military mine. The
only lroteO ton hitherto found available il that
Afforded 10y the safety lamp and whenever a
fatal accident occurs II L. customary in
deed. not unrcaAunhhl to as-umc that the
mon have tempered with their safety humps.
In Justice. however, to the miners. II may fairly
y questioned whether IA" safety emp affords
that complete protection with which il IL COM
monty accredited. when iir"lamp l. about in
minute quantities the itlr !es Of flame that
play Ike summer lightning round the mmp
give the miner warning. AMI often enable hiiu
b escape II ~ possible" n'Nerth' lo--. t. inn
agino AN outburst ~ iir,danp 80 sudden and
fierce rs T. sweep everything hrior" il. melting
IN moment the gauze frame Of the lamps. II
Is n singular and significant fact that all great
explosions are totally unexpected. The seam
II iull ul Workers. everything il going on as II
should. ana no danger II suspected, when sud
denly. from the mouth oi the shaft. Il haze Of
Dire aud smoke. followed by thick cloud Of
ASHES. j. shot into the air. telling only too
plainly the awful story OF what has happened
below.
WIlO Is POsTHfSTER- GENER fLy