REDDING MINE DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1923, Page 3

REDDING MINE DISASTER

REDDING .MINE DISASTF.I

MORE. AIEN EHI'ND DEAD

U-STRALIAX AM, N-.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION

LONDON. October -A

Th ■ Daiiv Chrouteh-'-'’ -pecad eorvespomlent at Falkirk state-: In cold, itriitzlinsi rain, groups ef miner.- stood waiting to-day near cm' ot the slotts ~f the Redding Colliery, where the :e----(„:e operations were being continued will, renewed vigour. 1 here "ere high hopes engendered by yesterday's ultraradons recovery of five men iron, a hvi,.., death. These were dampened' liv to-day's recovery oi the bodies of three victim-’, wh* obviowny

Iii•(.11 dr-ad for .-iime day-. \ppaienlly ! i hev bad i ecu drnti ned, : Nevertheless the!',, i- -I ill a l-hain-e ! that the Other enPimlii d miner- may l.e I tv.eueil alive. Wit.-it yesterday ’- re-nied miners lir.-t hear.l tin- -hots -ignifying that i-e-'i-ne oat tie- v ere ldasting. they coituted the -hots Pv throwing stones into a tin. They saved their oil by burn- : mg only on,, htmj, at a littm. I.ventn- j ally all the oil gave out. and the men v.'<>r<‘ left in ccmph-te darkness. One of the i", cited men. said : ■ “We were not worried about hunger, but we were auxin'.’.- to get into touch with ri-s-eiiers and escape. Once the water :-o>o to our waist-, im: we groped our wav to higher w-.kings. Our clothing v.-a- -naked, hut we dried it as best

v.-e could. Alter the lighm tailed, out tnh.-iei-o gave eet. M'o sought solace hv

chewing the remnants oi tin- tobacco from our i ires. We own .-hewed match sticks, not through hunger, hut to occupy our-elves. We also prayed. As a .Minister oit'ered thanks in "f-" ef the rescued men’s homes, the miner said; “We prayed too! Wo thought ii. was Hie usual thing to do. AA e were

facing death and we knew it. .John .Wilier, aged No. who has a wire and a young baby, and who is one of the rescued men. said: It was an :twtnl time of anxiety. The misery, darkness and the long silence were terrible to tear. We kept ourselves warm by huddling together. Owing to the strife of flic floor, only the upper parts of ons Ladies vtyrpiiiued wane