National Republican., 1880-09-10
TIE GRE1iT COLLIERY DISASTER.
No More survivors-worls Delayed by Fire
in tho Mine.

in tho Mine.
LONDON, SEPT. 9.-Thc accounts of the
number of men in the Scaham coiliery pitt as
usual, vary. Tho pit consists of five seams,
one below another. The shallowcst seam is
ago feet below the surface. The total depth of
the collery is about 600 yards. Nineteen men
in the top scam merely felt n rush of air, but
on proce eding to the shaft found IL blocked by
debris. The air coming up the shaft was eX-
ceedingly foul. Communication with the top
cam was opened at l o'clock yesterday after
uoon, but because Of the damage to the shaft
the men could only be hoisted out siugly by
chains and ropes. Nearly all of them there.
fore, elected to remain III the pit so us not
| to delay the explorers in clearing away to the
| lower seams, whence knockings and shouts
| were audible. About o'clock in the evening
| the upeast shaft was sufficiently cleared
to allow the explorers to uso it, also en-
ablng tho bringing up of the victims to
proceed more rapidly. Several men near the
furnace at the bottom of the up.east shaft were
found to be shocllngly burned. 1t is thought
| that the explosion originated in the lower
seams and that the gas was drawn over the
furnace The explorers for n time had 10 sus-
pend the work of bringing up the survivors,
in consequence of the stables being on fire. A
woman dropped dead on hearing of the death
of her brother in tho pit. store.room has
been cleared for the reception of the cornses.
The latest published telegram from the in.
speCtor of mines dated from Sclham, at 0
o'clock last evening, says; "Fiiiy.ninc mcu
have been rescued and 1870 are yet to be ac-
counted for. Tho exploration has been
stopped, in consequence of fire in the two
mddls seams. Great anxiety is felt iOr those
still in the pit, There is plenty Of assistance
| with relays of workers every four hOurs.' 1t
would appear from the above dispatch from the
inspector that there has boon another outbreak
of fire in tho mine. 1t now seems that tie
dead in the mine number between l30 and
40. There aro some corpses in the lower
seams, which are supposed to be lying mile
from the shaft. The air there is so foul that IL
| is thought to be impossible that any can have
survived The number of meu in the pit is
still uncertain, but 2JO lamps were given out
on Tuesday night. No hope Is entertained for
for those still in the mine Three fires were
discovered in the mine during tho night and
eStinguished. Every effort Is noT making TO
clear shaft No. ! aud TO got the cages ut work.
4 party Of mining engineers have just asccndgd,
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
iearfully scorched aud all their clothes burned
OF
A dispatch from Seaham, dated at l:03 a. M,
says \ party of explorers has just g.Ceuded
the shaft. They report the Dire to be near the
engiuc.room in No. 3 shaft. This will shortly
be oXtinguished, At present the relief party
can get no further.
LONDON Sept. 1880 y. ma dispatch
dated Seaham at IL o'clock noon says; The
fire occasions anxiety, as many explorers are
IN the pit. Vague hopes are entertained that
some Of the mon may have escaped to the
distant workings, but one Of the agents Of the
Durham miners union, who has beeu down,
expressed the opinion that not q man or horse
in the lower pit survived the explosion.
Thore were $50 horses in tho mine. None Of
the bodies Of the victims have yet been
brought up. Many Of them are manglcd and
disdgured. The corpses collected at the bot.
tom of the shafts will be raised tonight.
LONDON, Sept. lO,--Iho fire in the Soaham
pit has been subdued after great efforts.