Shocking Fatality at Hawera.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1728, 8 June 1886, Page 4

Shocking Fatality at Hawera.

? MAN SUFFOCATED TO DEATH. FURTHER PARTICULARS. [Hawera Star of Friday.] > A shocking fatality occurred on the ; farm of Mr A. A. Fantham, near ' Hawera, by whioh Joseph McWilhams '- brother-in-law to Mr Fantham, lost his > A well has been m process of sinking , for some tiirto past, and has reached the depth of 80 feet, at which ignite was struck. Above the lisnite is a seem of rock, and above that again .a vein of gmvel, which is water- bearing. The work of deepening the well has been proceeded with regularly day after day, without any indication of danger. This j morning Jhe deceased, who ia but 22 , yenra of asre, was lowered down without '* taking i\\» precaution of being tied. The men at the winch, conceiviug that they had paid oat enough Tope, called down to afk wh'th^r deceased was low enough, but without petting any reply, and then suddenly the rop» went slack. The men at (lie winch then called again, and getting no answer, knaw that something was wrong, and hauling np tins rope "^ proceecM to M; a lighted, candle down, but it had not decendsd more than half way beforw it was extinguished. This clearly pointed to choke damp boing the cause of th« accident, but a man was at once fafiluiifd to the ropo and lowered iv .the hope t*»at ho might bo able to ivach f McWil.liams. It wjib of no avail, for he had not yon" d own ■ more thau 50ft before he was compelled to be asked' to be raised again, and when he reached th« top of the well ho was quite fxhausi-d. A long pipe was then lowered to. the Bottom, and :i pair 06 bellows attache i to it, by Which me-'ins air was forced dovyn, a sack, distended with swpplejac,ks briasc at the same time rais'wd atid lowered, so r.s to auitnte the gas as much aB possible, ;w\ cause it to risrs to " r theoppn air 'Further nfttMiipts were then »Hfde to snnridowu l H>K # c:{;nr, but np to th<- time of writing, 1.30 'fl.m., all eflorts have beon nn availing. Dr Alex--1 ander was p.trly on the swot, but he has nolinKitatiori m saving thnt there is not , tb<> l<?'-st hope of. iliH df'oeas'jd hiving ]ivod.:n«ire than three o»- four miiutes alter, bni^if lo.ycred. Tlicve is aboatfour foot of water m the well, nnd one of tm.* n.en vvho was at w(?rk there says tliat after lowering the - ,deceas.^d he distinctly heard enith' fall- " /ing into the water. It is, therefore, sup- \/ posed that some of the gravel vein ' slipped, and has liberated s;as from > another vein of lignite. The fire engine hasjuat c»onp out to pump out the wat»r, ■nd'ft blacksuiith's portable bellows has also been s»nt out to force down a larger ' quantity of air than has hitherto been possible.