The New York herald., 1878-09-23
DISTRESS AND ANGUISH.
Scenes at the Mouth of
the Pit.
HOW THE MINE WAS WORKED
From the Dublin Freeman JournaLl

had their lamps handed to them, locked. be-
fore getting into the cage Before proceeding
TO the workings the lamps. n usual at this
pit, were again examined TO see that they we're
locked and thus the officials try to avoid having .
naked light exposed to the undoubtedly fiery black
vein seam. Nothing occurred out OF the usuai
routine except that half an hour before the fatal
explosion eighteen mon signalled TO the banksman
70 be drawn mp, when they told him that they had
refused to hn up some tubs with rubbish, work
which they considered was not according 10 con-
tract. To slight these men owe their
hvss for before they had left the pit heap rumbng
sound was heard, black smoke issued from the shaft
which they had just left. and with such force TOO that
the pumping engine foor upneavsd, and the en-
ginsman was knocked down and became insensble
The report was not loud enough. how
ever, to be heard in the houses OF the
poor miners whose fate Is sealed Tho men
who had so ortunately escaped however, carried the
dread tidinss to the whole nsighborhood. and soon
terrible scene enacted II was MONDAY, but
the black smoke issuing from the drst shaft threw
over the peaceful valley the shadow Of DEATH Every
lnhabitant In mining village, even the boy not out OF
his teens, knows that the black smoke may be the
death warrant OF some who near and dear to
him.
ANXIOUS HEARTS RESPOND.
Soon there groups Of anxious wives looking
for husbands aad weeping children. fearful lest
. father a brother should De doomed In the
pit below. The force OF the explosion mad been
terrible, and every one In direct communication
With the working Zone mile from the shafp
killed In Instant and some OF those around the
Abercarn shaft were mutflated. About f0rty yards
from the bottom sixty horses were stabbed and they
succumbsd. Happily Tor about q hundred men who
working IN some heading Al right angles with the
OF the and 500 yards from the SHAFT they only
heard the explosion, and thoy managed 10 reach the
bottom OF the shaft where the gear had not been SUI
neieutly damaged 20 prevent the car beng used tor
hAU had N
safety Wild confusion prevailed on tho pit
head. where hope and despair were alternately
trembling to know what fate had IN store for them.
In did would-bs comtortors hold out hope or try
who had come sock those VINO came moi
from the dark and dismal recesses OF the
were hsar.rsnding and many poor women
had TO be gently dragged and others carried away
dent manager; Mr.. Grsvor, Abercarn; Mr.. Row
bosham, general manager OF Ebow Vale; Mr.
G.f Mr. B:rr. roaisprdd; % NJ. Jones' jones'. South %.ie:
Coliiery manager; ana Mr.. Cadman chief Inspector
g. the ol E 1 M
ment Of exploring parties They found that tho
force o tho explosion had Knocked down all the arr
ways ana they never succeeded In getting further
than 400 yards from the mouth OF the pit shalt
PTrILEss FiRx.
A. six O'Clock they found that tho PIT was
on nrs and they ceased exploring shortly
Afterward the flames came osching up The
upcast shaft, aud then 1t was known that the fate
Of all within tho pit was sealed. Measures
then taken tor flooding tho mine with the view OF
extingusning the fire. Various suggestions were
made. and at last, the proposal OF Mr.. Patrick
o. Lewellyn, Aberdnre, the emoankment was cut
away, and the canal water lot down into the
downcast shaft through two aiteen-inch pipes,
throwing volume OF water down equal TO about
twelve tons por minute. This at o'clock
In the morning, and tho result made manifest by
che volumes Of black smoke covering the whole
OF the valley. II was not untl midday that the water
Tho OF upcast shalt, and OF course,
stopped the further egress OF the smoke When
the flames were seen issuing from the Abercam
nhaft faaP vare epl a
VINO had entered the Cwn Cam. and messenger was
sent OF IN hot haste TO spprse them OF ihe
danger OF a second explosion. They succeeded
bringing eleven near 10 the Cwm Cam
shaft, ana they got out of the pit in safety. Tho
afterdamp got very bad, aud consequently no moro
attempts were made To go down Inc shaft The
collisry Is now being flooded to put out the frs,
and 10 may occupy two or three weeks. Mr. Wales,
Government Inspector for South aies came about
midday, and approved OF the measures which had
eourss the sad fact comes directly homo
10 the relatives Of Tho sufferers ss they may never
OF those who fallen victims TO this disaster A
consultation will take place Tomorrow among the
mining inspectors and coiery engineers Ms 10 the
best mode ofoeslins with TINS dreadful calamity.
rHs CAUSE UNKNOWN.
As to the cause Oh .he sxplosion no one ventures
der allowed aud no firing OF Shots and cd lamps
were used, Is difficult to hazard conjecture, and
ns every trace OF the Whereabouts OF the ex-
plosion has been o0iterAtsd 1rst by the explosion
Itself and next by the flooding OF tue mine, there is
vas . fortunate circumstances that the midday
men, between one and two hundred, due at one |
O'Clock. did not get down the pit aud add TO the awful
catastropnc A lampman who duty tho |
time distinctly heard three shocks In succession.
Of The houses in the village Everyone knew
What had taken place, and then for a long |
crying .hoir husbands and children fathers
Directly ator the explosion took place exploring par
ties entered the pit Men came from all part to vol.
nntsoS Tor the service but the work was
very dangerous, and lnaily had to be aban.
donsd. Henry Powell. however, went down and
hrnn haAu nj I'm Lad
sadly ipJuried and died this morning. Another
pitman tells that he was at uotil last night
went with Joseph Maxwell, one of the "oyer
men," down Cwmcarn. In which explor-
with Abercarn by means OF o draughl While this
party was at work ne saw danes dart from out the
out the veDtlatora Ihey thea went into the
Cwmcarn, aud warned Mr. Fond OF his danger, and |
psilsd 10 retreat; but ,he measures which were
taken 70 clear the pit were very prompt At the time
crowd The sigh, OF the first corpse being brought
caused an immense amount of weeping, and haa II |
no, been for tho exsrtons Of tho police on daty Is
most likely that the utmost disorder would have pre-
vailed.
CURIOSITY ON srnPArnr,
Eech train that has arrived from Ebbw or from |
Newport has crowds Of strangers, and they |
VINO shall never again those wuo |
and dear to them have closed their |
doors and sorrowed In private II was my lot to |
see some OF the sufferers. One woman has lost |
husband and three OF her sons, whio another |
informed me that tnan thirteen men living in
her house dead. All day long the Rev Mr.. |
Jenkins, curate Of Ebbw, and other cervymen |
have been going about among the bercaved, aud |
now, after giving tnem spiritual consoatiop, Mr.. |
Jenkins has shown his practical sympathy WITH the
sufferers by eodesvoring to start a subscription on
tbsir behalf IL appears that trade Ia TINS district
has recently been very bad. Men who formerly |
earned nity-two shiilinEs week have now /
been barely making nine, so that those who were |
tbrhty In prosperous times have exhausted ,ne III.
te store they had put by Gentlemen who are well |
acquainted with the ncighborhood state that tbe |
families of the who been lost must either |
etsrve or al once TO the parish, Tor they have
means whatever OF subsistence At the time OF tho /
explosion Ia tue Black Vein mine Rlsca there
plenty Of work gong on thai the death Of l4T
Was felt much as this calamity 10 likely TO |
be. Tnc suspense ere the bodies will be rscoy- |
cred 10 inceecribnbie. In the streets Of Absrcarn
several persons contributed small money /
20 members Of q hastily formed committee, a few |
pounds beng now absolutely required In order 10 /
relieve I'm mtnscIste necesstlea Duripg the day Mr..
Can. In.n nj hnnn