The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-03-07
TERRIBLE COLLIERT DISASTER.
Eighteen Dead Bodice itccovcrcd---.A Heart.
r%CnSiinp Sccuc.

rcnaing Scene.
correspondent of the London Times
writes from Bolton: In the course of
their exploration Messrs. Dickinson and
Martin came across the whole of the
eighteen bodies OF those killed by the
terrible colliery disaster fifteen of them
were huddlcd together in a group some
We're kneeling on the ground with their
hands clasped as if in prayer; others
We're seated Oh the wagon way, and
had apparently awaited death with com
posure, while others again were lying on
their faces, with their fingers deeply I'M
bedded IN the earth, testifying to the des-
perate efforts they had made to crawl out
of the suffocating smoke. Mr.. Dicken-
son states that if these poor fellows could
only have managed to battle their WY
for forty yards further they would have
been safe. Two others were found within
twenty-five yards of a working that was
clear from smoke, while the eighteenth
was discovered within nineteen yards of
what would have been a haven of safety.
The flow of water into the pit was stop
ped, II about seven o'clock the whole
OF the bodies were conveyed to the pit
eye, and placed in tubs, and covered
with sheets ready for removal. The
rumor TINT the bodies Ind been found
spread rapidly through the district, aud
some thousands of persons DOR congre-
gated around the pit bank. In order to
al!ay the excitement which prevailed the
police adopted a very parlonable raisc,
and informed the crowd that the deceas-
ed would not be brought to the surface
till night-a hint which had the effect
of considerably thinning the numbers of
those present. The winding up of the
dead bodies commenced at eight o'clock.
They We're brought ont of the pit in
couples and propelled along a tramway
into the colliery yard, where they were
placed on stretchers and carried into the
%jo;ncr's shop. One of the tirstt to he depos-
ited on the bare ground was Daniel
Walker, the heroic fireman. He was in
q partly nude state, with his hands folded
over his breast, and his features as calm
and peaceful as though he had been
sleeping. The faces Of the majority Of
the dead We're not much swollen, while in
not a few instances blood oozed from their
eyes, nose and ears. All died from
asphyxia. There was net the slightest
sign of a burn on any one. One poor
fellow had been stricken down while in
the act of putting on his shirt. He had
one arm through the sleeve, but the 9TH
er portion was still on his head when he
fell, apparently ~lifeless, to the ground.
The poor boy Shorrocks, who was found
in his fathers arms, had apparently
passed into eternity without Il pan& of
pain, Judging from the happy expression
on his features. He was il fine looking
lad, even in death, and when he was
lifted out Of the tub and placed on the
ground with his safety lamp beside him,
there Was Z univ, rsal expression of SYM
patty. BY nine O'Clock the whole OF the
deceased had been placed in the work
shop, and a number Of women were at
once introduced into the place for the
purpose OF making the necessary prepar-
atoms prior to tile bodies being placed in
collins. The faces and feet Of al the I'M
fortunate men were washed, after
which a few Of their bereaved friends
were admitted in order to testify as to
their identification. The scene was most
heartrending, sufficient to Try the nerves
of the strongest present.