The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1886-02-26 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT EASTON.  FIVE LIVES LOST.  One of the most disastrous explosions that has occurred for many years in the Bristol coalfield toolc place on Friday morning at Messrs. Leonard, I3oult, and Co.'s colliery, Easton, and resulted in the deaths of four men and the serious injury of 13 others: The pit, which is well-known in the city and neighbourhood, has been worked for a long number of years; and, in conjunction with the mine at Whitehall, gives employment to a large number of men and boys, over 350 hands being engaged in the woikings at Easton. How the calamity was occasioned is not at present known, but it was most disastrous in its effects. The explosion was quite local, and only affected a limited area. There was no rush of smoke and dust up the shaft, the general ventilation of the mine was not interfered with, and for many hours after the sad event happened men working in different parts of the colliery were quite unaware of the catastrophe which had so suddenly hurried four of their comrades into eternity. Quite half an hour elapsed after the accident happened before any intimation of it reached those of the surface, and it was then reported by Albert Isaacs, the signalman engaged at the bottom of the shaft. Immediately on the receipt of the intelligence Mr. W. B. Monks, jun. (manager , Messrs. Moses Cook, Joseph Cook (overlo(ikers), John Ford (fireman), and Samuel Cowley, with the staunch heroism so characteristic of colliery men, descended the pit, and were joined at the incline leading to the "Fiery Vein" by Frederick Ford, another fireman, and the gallant band proceeded to the scene of the explosion, taking with them as assistants some men who, having heard of the disaster, had made their way to the bottom of the shaft. Fortunately, no falls had taken place, the roads were in good order, and though several doors had been blown away, the ventilation had not been materially interfered with, though the air was laden with the chokedamp which always succeeds an explosion. Lighted by Davy lamps and battling their way through the dense, suffocating atmosphere, the explorers pressed forward and soon came upon a number of men who had been struck down while attempting to flee before the fiery , blast. These poor fellows were quickly attended to, and carried to the bottom of the shaft, and it was ; well for many of them that the rescuers were as speedily at work. for the after-damp began to tell upon them, and had they not been aided when they were they would soon have succumbed to the poisonous gas. An immense crowd collected at the entrances to the colliery-yard, and great excitement prevailed, ...... but a strong body of the D division, under Superiiitendent Turner and Inspector Smith, preserved order At Exeter, on Friday, Frederick Day, shoemaker, amongst the assembly. The injured men were sent and his wife, Mary Jane Day, were committed for , up first, and on reaching the surface they were taken trial charged with the wilful murder of the daughter, into the bailiff's office on the pit bank, and treated by aged four years, of the male prisoner. The evidence i Dr. Grace and Mr. Day. A stock of flannel, lint, and revealed a shocking case of cruelty. : oil is kept in readiness for any emergency, and the  poor fellows were rapidly anointed with all, bandaged with lint, and wrapped in flannel, and conveyed, in cabs to the Infirmary. Several of the colliers were horribly burned about the legs, back, arms, and heads, and presented a shocking spectacle, the skin and flesh peeling if some of them, while others were slightly scorched, and were suffering more from the effects of chokedamp than from fire. As each sufferer was tenderly conveyed from the cage to the bailiff's office, , there was a deep manifestation of emotion amongst the people congregated around the colliery gates, and the weeping and wailing of the women and children who had relatives and friends in the mine moved even the sternest of the spectators to tears. The grief of the poor people who believed themselves bereft of their nearest and dearest was inast distressing to witness, and the sad scene will linger long in the memories of the spectators. After all the injured men had been conveyed to the surface, the bodies of the dead were brong4 up, and the lifeless forms were slowly and reverently conveyed to one of the out! buildings amid outbursts of passionate grief amongst I the sorrow-stricken onlookers.