Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-29

that two outlets, al least fifteen yards
apart, shall be provided 10 every working
seam when more than twenty persons are
employed below ground. Az the official
inquiry doubtless we shall hear reasons
alleged for the departure, from the statu-
tory regulations, but although final judg-
ment must be deferred IL is with our pres
ent knowledge impossible to conceive any
sane explanation which did not make nom
sense IT the act Of Parliament. The act
might have been framed with special eye
TO this very disaster. yet IL has proved no
better than waste paper"
Further than this, there have not been
wanting those warnings which seem inevi-
tally 10 be heard UNDECIDED previous TO
awful disasters. Three years ago fire oc-
Cured in one Of tho shafts which was hap
PLY extinguished without loss of life. But
before, and especially since then, the skill
cd workers have complained repeatedly
that they were not provided with means OF
escape in case of accident. Among these
was John Davidson, an engineer. His
knowledge of the mine was thorough and
he always carried with him set OF draw
ings Of the various tunnels. Nosooner had
the fire begun when everybody nPenicuik
remarked:
John Davidson is below, and by. his
knowledge Of currents and shafts the lads
will be enabled to escape"
This Davidson had a large family and all
were booked TO sail for Queensland, Aus
tralia, week from tomorrow. The pas
sage money had been paid and his Maso mic
brethren had given him a farewell recep-
ton. His work was done, but, yielding 20
the desires OF the managers of the work
ings. hekept on, for tho managers depended
considerably upon his knowledge and skill
II was only Wednesday that he referred to
the dangerous condition Of the mine when
he CHANGED to meet the steamship agent
from whom he had secured his tickets.
John Davidson's body has not yet been re-
covered.
BRING UP THE DEAD.
II was about 2 o'clock this afternoon
when the rescuing parties succeeded IN
bratticing the shaft so as TO get near the
lower levels. Bratticing consists IN d.
viding the shaft into two sections, so that
fresh air may be driven down one and the
smoke driven up the other.
Soon after there began series Of the
most melancholy funeral-knells man ever
heard. Three bell-strokes each. family
heard above the rumbling of the engine
and buzzing of the fan which kept up the
circulation of air in the shaft. These
meant that bucket was coming up with
men. Ave, men, and with each ascent for the
following two hours came one lifeless VIC
tim of o corporations neglect. In group
of four hardy men bearing llfeless BODY
TO the death-cart saw one with black
pipe in his mouth / caught a rough like
ness of him and asked who he was.
F, Hos got brother down below" was
the reply. "and he's been working here,
looking for him nigh fifteen hours"
Since Queen Victoria began her reign
upwards OF IL 900 lives have been lost in a
similar way in the mines of Great Britain.
This has been one Of the worst but not
the worst, for only two years ago, within
fifty miles af Peniculk, seyenty-three
men lost their lives az UdstOn.
AT the hour Of closing this letter twen-
tv-seven bodies have been recovered. All
hope of finding any alive was abandoned
long since. and the fire in the mine Is still
raging.