Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-10
THE COLLIERY HORROR.

Addition6l Details OF the Seaman Mine
Explc sion-The Search for the Victims
Being Actively Prosecuted-Loss Of Life
Very Great.
LONDON, September 9.-4 4. M.-The
accounts OF the number OF men in the
Seaham cOlliery pit vary. The pit con-
sists OF five seams, one below another
The shallowest seam is 400 feet below
the surface. The total depth Of the col
liery is about 600 yards. The nineteen
men in the top seam merely felt rush
OF air, but on proceeding to the shaft
found it blocked by debris The air
coming up the shaft was exceedingly
foul. Communication with the top
seam was opened at one O'Clock yester-
day afternoon, but because of the dam
age to the shaft the men could only he
hoisted out singly by chairs and ropes
Nearly all OF them therefore elected TO
remain in the pit go as not TO delay the
explorers in clearing the way to the
lower seams whence knockings and
shoutings were audible. About
o'clock in the evening the up cast shaft
was sufficiently cleared to allow the ex-
plorers to use it; also enabling the bring
ing up OF victims to proceed more rap
idly. Several men near the furnace at
the bottom OF the up cast shaft were
found to be shockingly burned.
Fire in the Mine.
1t is thought the explosion originated
in the lower seam and that gas was
driven over the furnace. The explorers
for time had to suspend the work OF
bringing up the survivors, in cOnse-
quence oi the stables being on fire. One
woman dropped dead, on hearing OF the
death OF her brother, in the pit. The
store room has been cleared Tor the re-
ception OF the cOrpses.
The latest published telegram from
an inspector Of the mines, dated from
Seaham, at 8 o'clock last evening says:
Fiity-nine men have been rescured and
l3O are vet to be accounted for. The
explorations has been stopped in
consequence OF the fire in the
two middle seams. Great anxiety
felt for those still in the pits. There ia
plenty Of assistance, with a relay oi
workers every four hours.
1t would appear from the above dis.
patch from the Inspector, that there has
been a later outbreak OF fire in the
mine.
Tho Loss of Life.
LONDON, September ., } \. MI now
seems dead in the Seaham mine, num-
ber between 1870 and ll0. There are
some corpses in the lower seams which
are supposed to be lyinga mile from the
shalt. The air there is So foul that II is
thought impossible that any can have
survived.
The Work of Rescue Continued all Night.
LONDON, September 9.-l:3O p. u
The exploration ofthe Seaham mine was
continued throughout the night. The
statement made in a dispatch from Sea-
ham, last night, that GG mch had been
rescued alive, is now confirmed. Inc
number of men in the pit is uncertain,
but 80 lamps were given out Tuesday
night. No hopes are entertained Tor
those still in the mine. Three fires were
discovered IN the mine during the night
and extnguished. Every effort is max
ing to clear shaft No. and get the cages
at work.
Reports from Working Parties.
LONDON, September 81 +. M.-A
dispatch from Seaham dated l0:3D 4. NJ.
saws: 4 party OF explorers have inst
ascended the shalt. They report the fire
TO be near the engine room IN No. >
shalt. This will shortly be cx,ingulshcd.
At present the relief party can get no
further oo
A dispatch dated Seaham, ii 80, says:
A party oi mining engineers have Just
ascended. They report that the bodies
of the furnace men at the bottom OF the
shaft are quite shriveled up. The other
bodies they saw were fearlullv scorched
and all they clothes were burned oil.
The coal is on fire near the engine house
hut the hose will be lowered and the
flames possibly subdued promptly.
Anxiety for the Explorers.
LONDON, September "a dispatch
from Sealiam at noon says: The fire oc-
casions anxiety as many explorers are
i'm the pit. Vague hopes are entertained
that some OF the men may have escaped
to the distant workings, but one oi the
agents OF the Durham Miners Union,
who has been down, expresses the orln-
ion that not a man or horse in the lower
pit survived the explosion. There were
$50 horses in the mine. The cOrpses
collected at the bottom of the shaft Will
be raised tonight.
LONDON, September 9.-The fire IN
the Seaham pit has been suOdued.