The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-07-16
ooLL1ERY DISASTER.
OVER ONE HUNDRED LIVES RE.
PORTED LOST.
A Terrific Explosion In CoiIIcry nj
Monmouthshire, England = Distress.
ing scenes nj the Mine-one OF
the Worst Disasters In the
History OF Mining.
ANOTHER coLL1ERY HORROR.

LONDON, July l0.-An explosion oc
Cured at 1:90 this morning in the Londol
and South Wales Colliery Company's nev
block vein pit at Risca, six miles from
Newport. The shock was violent. 1t /
supposed one hundred and nineteen mel
were in the pit at the time, and there i
scarcely probability that any will b.
saved. One body has been found at the
bottom Of the shaft. Ventilation Is beini
restored TO the mine with view to ex
ploring for the bodies.
A dispatch from Cardiff says that one
hundred and twenty-eight men were in tht
pit OF the London and South Wales Colliery
Company's mine at the time OF the explo.
sion, and it is believed all have persisted
1t is thought that two hundred collierl
were In the mine. At 5 P. N. only three
bodies had been recovered. The pit Il
two hundred and eighty yards deep. All
the machinery. was new. The block vein
seam Is an old one, aud is well known in
connection with previous explosions, one
Of which, in 1880, killed one hundred and
torty.fve persons.
An examination OF the company's books
shows that one hundred and twenty men
descended into the pit for the night shift.
Sir VIM. Harcourt, Home Secretary, re.
plying to an inquiry in the House oi
Commons to-day, said he believed one
hundred and eighteen men perished by
the explosion.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE DISASTER.
LONDON, July 15.-A dispatch from
Newport, Monmouthshire, states that a
fearful explosion occurred this morning in
the new Block Vein coal pit, by which not
less than eighty lives are believed to have
been lost. At present all is excitement,
horror and confusion, and It is almost i'm.
possible to procure Trustworthy details OF
the calamity. Itappears, however, that
there is nothing new in the character OF
the great disaster nor in the cause which
produced 1t. The gas In the pit, which is
very deep and Winding, became ignited
aud the explosion occurred. The plain
fact is oil that 10 yet known.
Later dispatches Just received state that
the ventilation OF the Block Vein pit has
been partially restored, and preparations
are being made TO send down an explor-
ing party. This Is most hazardous SER
vice, as the gas may be still lingering in
the workings in dangerous quaint ties, but
volunteers have freely offered and the
party has been organized. The crowd
around the mouth OF the pit Is immense
|. is regarded as fortunate circumstance
that no signs Of Gre have as yet appeared
Alter an examination OF the liat, over
seers Of the mine express fears that the
loss OF lie ia much greater than at first
supposed, and that probably 120 miners
have perished. Nothing can be surely
known respecting their fate until after the
return ot the exploring party. Old miners
at the mouth OF the pit, who are familiar
with the galleries and passages, say that
'he chances are all against the hope that
any ot the miners will be found alive, and
that those who are not killed outright
have probably been imprisoned hopeless.
ly by the mass Of fallen rock and coal, and
sutfocated by the foul air. The excitement
throughout the neiehhorhood was intense,
and the authorities and constabulary are
at hand to prevent any violent outbreak.
have perished shall prove only approxi-
matelY true, the Block Vein disaster must
be set down as among the worst that have
recently darkened the annals OF coal
mining in England.
Newport, Inc scene OF the casualty, is
situated on the usk river, and is q parlia-
mentarY and municipal borough and river
port town OF about $4,000 inhabitants, on
the line Of the Monmouth and Cardiff Rail-
ways, twenty-iour miles southwest OF
Monmouth. The violence OF the explo-
sion Jared the earth and was felt some
distance from the pit. As soon as the
dreadful tidings reached the cabins OF the
miners, the whole above. ground popula-
ton rushed psll.mell TO the mouth OF the
pit. Nothing could then be seen, howev.
or, but the dull smoke which issued slow
" from the mine. The wives and relatives
Of the men known to be in the Block Vein
rent the air with lamentations, but no
help could be offered them save the sym
psthy OF the bystanders. Many denouac-
ed the owners OF the mines for not pro.
viding better ventilation and for all man
ner OF real or presumed offenses, but 1t is
probable that the Block Vein was as safe
as the majority OF mines.
THE LATEsT.-1t is now certain that ll9
persons perished in the Resea colliery.