BIG COLLIERY DISASTERS

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 482, 13 July 1912, Page 5

BIG COLLIERY DISASTERS

IN A YORKSHIRE MIN^^H SEVENTY - ONE BODIES COVERED. Wy Telegraph.—Press Association. — London, A dreadfully colliery disaster is ported from the Codby Pit, at brough, Yorkshire, where two sions occurred in rapid killing 35 miners. It was a day of rejoicing in brcugh. Their Majesties the and Queen, while travelling Doncaster to Earl Fitzwilliam's at Wentworth, stopped for tea at Yarborough's Conisbrough's Castle. < - To-day Conisbrough is plunged in gloom, as a result of the disaster. Five hundred men were down the mine, including 35 in isolated work- i ings, when the explosion occurred, and it is believed that all in the latter portion of the mine have perished. A hundred others were absent owing to the festivities connected wtih the Royal visit. ' The reports were heard for a distance of two miles, and were followed , by a rush of the men's wives to the J pithead. |

The rescuers descended under Mr Pickering, Government inspector. Many returned exhausted, but fresh volunteers came forward.

The bodies already recovered were found in a shrinking posture, with the arms covering the eyes. Most of them were shrivelled by the heat, while one was blown to atoms.

The bodies of Mr Pickering and Mr Chambers, manager of the pit, have been recovered. The death roll now totals 74 include ing 45 rescuers. Despite the disaster, the King descended the Elsecar mine to a depth of 1000 feet

EXPLORATION WORK STOPPED.! London, Thursday, j Another explosion occurred in thej Codeby mine to-day, but, fortunately, without further loss of life. The explosion brought crowds back to the pit. Thirty rescuers suffered seriously from gas poisoning, and the Government inspector then stopped the ex-| plorationjjof the mine for bodies or •Survivors. In all 71 bodies were brought to the BUrface, many being so mutilated as to be unrecognisable. It iB believed that the disaster was caused by gas being ignited by a fire in the gob—the waste left in old workings. The management are emphatic in the opinion that the disaster was nut due to shot firing or faulty electricity. The second explosion yesterday killed 33 men.

Mr Murgatroyd, who was with Mr Pickering's rescue party, narrates that when he reached the scene of the explosion he was the only wearer of a respirator. Mr Murgatroyd staggered through the thick darkness, and realised that he was lost. Then came a great fnil,| and he was so exhausted that lie col- ( lapsed. He found a telephone afterwards and rescued Mr Bury and Mr Witty, a sub-manager. They were brought to the surface. Both are in a critical condition.

In addition to the men kileld, mnnyi have been injured. I