FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WIGAN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1027, 10 November 1871, Page 3

FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR WIGAN.

About 11 o'clock on the morning of the 6th September, a colliery explosion occurred at Messrs Pearson and Knowles's, Moss Pitts, situated on Bryn Moss, in the township of Ince, and . immediately behind the plot of land used as a cemetery for the Borough of Wigan. Messrs Pearson and Knowles have long been noted for the excellent manner in which their collieries have been managed, and during the terrible succession of disasters which swept over the Wigan Coal Field a few years ago the extensive works enjoyed an immunity which which was generally ascribed to, their careful management, and to the fact that no expense whatever was spared to ensure the safety of the lives of their workpeople. The news, therefore, which spread like lightning through Wigan, that an explosion had taken place at one of the collieries of the firm, was at first received with incredulity, but in a walk to the Moss, through Lower Ince, where the worst was feared, the sad tale was told only top plainly by the excited groups round the cottage doors, and the wailing of wives and children. There was at once a rush to the pit, and the stream of the relatives of the workmen and of spectators gradually increased until the crowd at the pit bank numbered several thousands. At. the Moss Pits, which have been in working only a few years, the seams worked are the Wigan Nine Feet Coal, which is about 480 yards from the surface, and the CanneU, which is some hundred yards below, and these seams are drawn to the surface solely by the down-cast shaft. A party of sinkers are at present employed in the up-cast working down to the Arley Mine, which lies at a still greater depth. At 11 o'clock on the 6th, the men in the Nine Feet and the Cannell were at work, and two sinkers were descending the up-cast shaft to join their fellows below, when from the downcast came a blast like the discharge from a cannon, followed by a terrible discharge of soot and smoke' from the up-cast which lasted several minutes, and was scattered by the slight breeze over the adjacent fields. At the first-named the cage, then standing on a raised platform, was whirled oat of its position, and the browman had an escape which greatly terrified him, while at the second shaft such a wreck was made of the gear that it is wonderful how the browman, there, a man named Oakes, came alive from the chaos. He did sustain •evere bruises, and was taken home in a cart. In the wreck was found a cap, presumably belonging to one of the sinkers then descending the shaft. , Along with the poor people who had been alarmed by the report came numbers of the most practical men from the neighboring collieries, ready to lend all the aid in their power, and many colliery managers willing to advise and direct. Mr John Pearson, jun., was on the spot ai once, and there were also present Mr George Gilroy (Ince Hall), Mr Mercer (Park-lane),* Mr Brynam (Rose Bridge), Mr F. Crippin, Mr W. Smethunft (Bryn), and others. Mr Higson, mines inspector, was fortunately in Wigan, and he was at the pit soon after noon, and Mr Wm. Kickard, mines agent, was also present. Messrs Winnard and Hall, surgeons, were also in attendance to lend aid if necessary to the sufferers. At each shaft parties of workmen were at once employed at the up-cast in setting the winding apparatus in order, so as to draw up the hoppett, which still hung in the shaft. This was accomplished in about an hour and a-half, and its arrival at the surface was anxiously waited by those who hoped against hope that the sinkers might still be alive, but the word was "empty," and there could be no further doubt of the fate of the men. The hoppett having been sent to the bottom and brought back' again, three men entered and were cautiously lowered to the Cannell seam, whence it shortly returned with a cargo of five colliers, who announced, to the joy of many scores of anxious persons and to the sorrow of scores of others, that all was right there, and that the explosion had taken place in the Nine Feet. The winding of the men from the Cannell was then quickly proceeded with, and all efforts were directed to the establishment of communication with below by the down-cast shaft, by which alone it appears the Nine Feet can be reached. The number of men in the Beam in question, most of whom are at this moment believed to be dead, is not accurately known, but is estimated at something over 60. When the first exploring party descended the down-cast shaft, they found three men alive at the furnace, which is placed in an upper seam, known as the Four Feet. They then descended to the Nine Feet, where were a number of dead bodies, and several colliers alive, calling for water. These were sent to the surface and attended to, and the explorers continued their work under the superintendence of John Brigham, mining engineer, and William Pickard, miner's agent. Pickard found the coal to be on fire, so Vextindeurs were sent drwn and buckets, but shortly afterwards the engineers on the pit bank were startled by a second and third explosion of firedamp. At the greatest possible speed consistent with safety the cage travelled from the bottom to the surface, for the wind apparatus, happily, had not been damaged, and at the third journey all the explorers were safe above ground, although several had had very narrow escapes. A consultation was held, and it was decided to brick up the Bhaft, as there could be no doubt that all below were dead, and there was the greatest danger in any further examination of the mine. The dead number 69, of whom 62 are colliers, day laborers, and drawers in the Nine Feet seam, six are sinkers in the up-cast shaft, buried beneath the debris, and one is a collier, brought out alive, who c'ied an hour or wo afterwards.