THE WALLSEND COLLIERY DISASTER.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1590, 25 March 1879, Page 4

THE WALLSEND COLLIERY DISASTER.

("From tho Sydney “Morning Herald,” March I.] Information reached Newcastle on the 27th February that a serious pitfall had taken place at the Wallsend Coal Company’s mine at Wallsend, and the news quickly spread that a number of men working in the pit had been buried alive. Tho pit, which is about ten miles from Newcastle, was started to wsrk at the usual hour, and everytning proceeded quietly until shortly before seven o’clock, when a violent shock was felt throughout the entire workings, followed immediately by a blast of wind so terrific as to indicate only too plainly that something serious had happened in the mine. Throughout the greater part of the town the concussion was also plainly perceptible. The explanation was soon forthcoming, and in a little while the townspeople began to swarm in the direction of the pit, where an eager crowd was quickly assembled to learn from the men working below, who began to hurriedly make for the surface, the particulars of the cause of alarm. It seems that a portion of the company’s estate, extending along a creek at the back of the pit, and running near to the Chinamen’s gardens, known as Walker’s flat, forms part of some of the oldest workings of tho company, and it was in this locality that the disaster of to-day took its rise.. These old workings were very nearly used out, but a few men were kept on here, taking away what little coal remained. In fact, it is calculated that in about a month this portion of the mine would have been abandoned. Two of the “ bords ” or drives in this place adjoining each other were being worked this morning, the one by a man named George Oughten, and the other by an old man named G. Ridley, and at this time Mr Neilson, sen., father of the manager of the colliery, was also in the neighborhood, in his capacity as underground inspector. The particulars that follow of the occurrence are gathered mainly from Mr Neilson’s experience. He had examined most of the workings, in order to see that they were ail safe, and was nearing the main heading from which the bords branch off, when the first shock of the fall reached him. Tho rush of wind that followed was so violent as to hurl him down, his light, of course, being extinguished : but this he lit again, and managed to make his way to Ridley’s bord. They afterwards found Oughten, and supplied him with a light; but after a few minutes’ consultation, Mr Neilson and Ridley decided on making an attempt to get out in one direction, Oughten apparently following another. After working their way for a long time they heard the relief party at work nearing them, and at length, after three hours’ confinement, were reached and safely taken to the surface. Gangs of men were kept on in relays throughout the whole day searching for Oughten, and though the place where he was working was searched, and a portion of his clothing found, up to five o’clock in the evening no other traces of his whereabouts had been discovered. The first fall of earth was followed shortly after by a second, and it i surmised that he must have been buried amongst some of the falling heaps. All day the roof has been continually cracking and falling in fresh places, but notwithstanding the danger by which they are surrounded, the relief gangs have heroically and unremittingly stuck to their task and persevered in the search. All day the greatest excitement has prevailed in the township and near the pit, over the occurrence and the probabilities of Oughten’s fate. In other parts of the pit the effects of the fall were manifested in a singular degree. The drivers and wheelers of the pit usually begin work at seven o’clock, and already several of them had commenced in the main heading. Tho heavy fall occurred on the main horse road, and so violent was the air displaced by the immense fall of earth that several of the skips were blown over, whilst the horses were overthrown and the boys violently driven against the wall, all of the latter being more or less injured about the face, hands, and body ; and one of them, E. Fade, had one of the small bones of his leg broken A lad named Walker says the horse he had in his charge was bodily blown past him. The fall, after commencing in the horse road, continued to move on in tho direction of the bords, where a number of other men were working, but they were fortunately able to make their escape through other bords, the stones and earth, however, falling all round them, and some of them being up to their waists in water. Persons working on the pit-top say that the air escaped up the shaft in a perfect roar, carrying quantities of light material with it. The force given to the wind will be accounted for when it is understood that the fall has extended oyer an area of about twelve acres of ground. The surface of the ground displays indications of the nature of the fall below, by innumerable cracks and fissures running in every direction. These fissures extend over the bed of the creek already alluded to, and by this means the waters cf the creek hare been steadily pouring into tho mine below. Men have been set to work to divert the course of tho creek. The colliery manager, Mr J. Y. Neilson, has been on the spot throughout the day, personally superintending the operations that are being carried on.

The damage occasioned by the fall will amount to something considerable. In addition to the blocking up of the workings, the company will lose heavily by the damage done to the skips and the blocking up of the iron roads. The miners in this part oi the mine lost all their clothes and tools ; and one man, Gibbon, lost a valuable silver watch. The affair is altogether of a most serious nature, and quite unprecedented in the district. The man, George Oughten, who is missing, is married, having a wife and a family of six children residing at Wallsend.