The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-29

stil red on the matter, quo the following
from an editorial in the Edinburgh Dis
patch, published this evening, at q time
when it could not be said that all the men
would perish:
Meantime one important point will not
be allowed to escape the attention of the
public. Mauricewood pit h s but one exit.
According to the coal mine,' regulation
act Of 1887 double shafts are made obliga-
tory in all pits where over twenty men are
employed, so that in cases Of emergency
the men may not find themselves entombsd
in living grave.n
And this again from "Scotti.h LEADER:
when we turn from contemplation Of
the victims to the causes of tragedy,
sterner feelings are aroused. BY what
fatal overlook Of the intelligence, by what
act of criminal neglect, has this waste of
life and wrecking of homes been brought
about! These are questions men
are neutrality-suspicious. to whic1 sufi-
cisnt answers must quickly DO found. At
the pithead itself all responsible lips are
ominously sealed, and information as TO the
uuderg round plan has had to be extracted
from workme / who have been below. But
of the dam ing fact of the a1sence of q
second shaft for egresi in moments of
peril the disaster itself is witness.
The terms OF the statute are clear and
precise. Trey apply to nletaliferou5 as
well as to coal mines; and they demand
that two outlets. at least fifteen yards
apart, shall be provided to every working
seam when more than twenty persons are
employed below ground. At the official
inquiry doubtless we shall hear reasons
alleged for the departure from the st .tu-
tory regulations; but although inal judg-
!nent must he deferred, 1t Is It'll our pres
ent knowledge impossible TO cJneoive auy
sane explanation " hicA did not make non
sense OF the ac5 of parlia enf. Rae act
might have been framed with spec al eye
t. this very disaster, yet it has proved no
better than the waste paper"
Further than this, there have not been
wanting those warnings whicd seem levi
tably TO be heart unheeied previ Jus 10
awful disasters. Three years ago fire oc-
Cured in one of the shafts which was
happily extinguished witnoat loss of life
but befora, and especially since thea, the
skilled 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 a set OF draw
ings Of the various tunnels. No sooner had
tue fire begun When everybody in PeIlculk
roma ked:
"Johu Davidson is below, and by his
knowledge of currents aid shafts tie lads
will be enabled TO escape"
This Davidson had large family and all
were booked TO sail for Queensland. Aus
tralia, a week from tJ-mUrrow. The pa =
sage money had been pald aud his Masonic
bre. hren had gwen him farewell recop-
tion. Ills WORK was done, but. yielding to
the desires of the managers Of the workings,
he Kept on; for the managers dope ded
considerably upo, his knowledge and skill.
Ii was only We ineslay th t he referred 10
the dang srous condition or the niue when
he canned TO meet the steamship agent
from whom be had secured his tickets.
John Davidson's body has no. yet beeh
recovered.