MINING FATALITY IN VICTORIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1133, 18 January 1884, Page 3

MINING FATALITY IN VICTORIA.

{Tovm dnd Country Journal, December 29 ) 'IW Maryboj-oqgh correspondent of the Melbourne Arf/us telegraphed as follows on Tuesday . —A shocking iicci ; ont occurred this* morning fit the Duke claim, Timor. When the 8 o’clock ahi't was going on at the No. 3 shii t four miners stepped into the cage. Directly they stood upon the iron structure the signal was given to lower awdy, when, to the surprise and alarm of all present, the engine-driver commenced to haul up, Draconian' Doyle repeatedly pulled the alarm to warn the driver that he was making a. disastrous mistake, but with no effect. The cage with its terrified oceanauts, passed the br»co and was hauled to the poppet-heads, in spite of the vociferous cries of Doyle. The chain snapped, and the carriage with its living burden, dashed down the skids with a fearful momentum to the bottom, a distance of 328 ft. Immediately the news of the tregedy became ftnown the hands of the mine collected from all parts, and following them crowds of anxious and tearful women from the township to ses who was hurt, aud whether their near relatives had been among those taken away. The scene at the mouth of tho shaft was heartrending. Everyone was deeply affected and watched the preparations to bring the injured men to the surface with an intense nervous expectation that became more and more- intolerable as the time passed. It was not lang, however, before the news came up that the four men were all dead. Three of them were named William Jones, James Kogan, and, CharlesWhitely, hut,the name of the fourth has not yet been ascertained. Then the;bo lie-, mutilated beyond recognition, were sent to the surface bruised and hacked by brokrn pieces of the cage. Four trucks full of broken bones an I ghastly looking lirnlw were delivered at the mouth of the shaft and taken to the changing room, where they were arrang d as well as possible and placed Under the care of Constable O’Farrell When the engine-driver, whose name is John Jones, was interrogated by Mr Griffiths, the mining manager, respecting the occu- renco, hb seemed unable to speak coherently on the subject. All he could say was that some man hail walked before tho window whioh commands a viaw of the shaft at tho time the cage should have been lowered, and this confused him and caused him to make the mistake. Ho does not say anything about hearing Doyle’s signal or cries. He seems terribly shocked that such a calamity has happened through his carelessness, and has gone to Ills home at the township Another driver now relieves him at the mine. Most of the men seem to think that Jones’s mind has been affected through the ministrations of the Salvation Army, of which b idy ho is a strong partisan, and as such has taken a prominent part in its deraonst rat ons. Mr Griffiths says ha always looked upon tho man as the best dricer in the employ of the company. He never knew him to make a mistake before, and it was only the previous day that he had remarked uponJonc’s careful driving. What seems most inexplicable, however, is the fact that, although tho engine could have been stopped by a powerful brake that was within Jono’s reach, and notwithstanding all the cries and signals that were made, lie did not use it. The unfortunate victims were all young men. William Jones was a now arrival from Wales, and had only been working in the claim about a month. Jas. Hogan was tho principal support of his mother, sister, and brother, his father being able to earn very little, being a sufferer from chronic rheumatics, Charles Whitely leaves a young wife and five children in Maryborough. The most eager interest is shown for tho details of- the calamity. The cage ■ used by the miners was fitted with A 1 tain’s patent hook and grippers. The hook acted splcn'i lly, but the grippers failed altogether—in fact, there only one place where they made a mark on the skids, aud that was 100 ft below the surface. Work at the mine was suspended for tho day, out of respect for tho deceased,aud tho company’s flag floated on the staff at half-mast. The miners, however, did uot dispciseto their homes,but remained on tho ground, taking concernedly about tho accident and its causes.