The Hawera Well Fatality.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1729, 9 June 1886, Page 2

The Ha wera Well Fatality.

FUETHEE . PAETICULAES.

- [Saturday's Hawera Stan\ iDuring Friday afternoon, strenuous efforts .were continued to reach the body of young Mc^illiams, , the fire engine plant proving "invaluable. : : A large portv able bellows, from the Sash and Door I factory, was kept constaiitly at work, forcing air to the bottom of the well through the delivery hose of the fire engine, and the engine itselt was similarly employed. Braziers of charcoal were also lowered m order to consume the carbonic acid gas which had caused the fatality, but the gas extinguished the fire time after time. Several resolute efforts to reach the bottom were made ; by Messrs Phair, Ellis, and Arnold, but with no avail, and the last-named was brought up'msensible, and only recovered after more than half an hour's treatment by Dr Alexander, who was on trie ground the whole of the time. By 'degrees,; however, the large bodies of fresh air forced down, and the charcoal braziers, began to tell upon the accumulated gas, and at half-past four Mr Phair determined to make one more attempt. Every pulse beat a little quicker as the rope was paid but, and Phair's voice announced r|rQiu. .time to .time that t!i he . was a|L right. At last he reached 7 the b'tittonVbf 'tnewell, and after a few minutes delay gave the word to be hauled up. He was quickly .'brought to the surface, aud announced that he had succeeded m fastening to the body tbe end of a rope which had previously been lowered. The head was lying m the water, and, as previously, suspected, there had been a slip, but it had taken place before deceased went down, There is little doubt that the slip exposed another vein of lignite, the gas from which caused the sad fatality. The body was quickly raised to the surface, and life pronounced extinct.