Huntly Mine Explosion

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 22, 14 September 1914, Page 2

Huntly Mine Explosion

LIST OF INJURED AND SURVIVORS. NO HOPE FOR THE REST. I[Peb Press Association.] Auckland, September 12. The following injured from Ralph's shaft were removed to the hospital : A. Peckham. J. Wackson. A. Izatt. Tho fololwing were also rescued from tho same shaft: — J. O'Brien. | G. Norton. | J. Brownlee. A. McGill. D. Weir. D. Hughes. Rescued from the Taupiri west shaft were: — Mitchell. Mcintosh. Farrar. Wilkie. Fletcher. Early. Richards. Young. Healy. Follan. There are still 32 men entombed, but practically no hope for them is held. It is reported three bodies have been recovered, but are unrecognisable, from the Taupiri west shaft.

TWENTY-ONE BODIES RECOVERED.

TWENTY-ONE RESCUED ALIVE.

Auckland, September 13

Up to time of the closing of the telegraph office this evening (Sunday) at 5.30 p.m., a total of twenty-one bodies have been recovered from the Huntly colliery. Twenty-one miners were brought to the surface alive yesterday, including nine men from the station shaft, and one, William Brocklehurst, from the same shaft. Twenty-four are still entombed. Seven bodies were recovered from the west shaft, and brought over to the township la*6 night. Four more bodies were brought over from Taupiri West at 7 a.m. to-day.

Another body was recovered from Ralph's shaft, that of Jacob Thompson, aged 17.

No hope is held out for the 34 men still to be accounted for.

SAD AND SHOCKING EXPERI-

ENCES.

Huntly, September 13

Experienced miners state that the mine is still full of fire damp, and that it is quite possible that further explosions may occur at any time .Rescue work is greatly hampered by want of safety lamps, while there was no provision in the way of respirators or patent head-gear such as is used in rescue work on the other side of i'io world. A number of canaries were released by the party at the west end of the shaft, but onl yone of these returned, and that in an almost dying condition.

The seven bodies recovered on Saturday were not raised to the surface until nightfall, in order to spare the eager waiting crowd the terrible gruesome spectacle. All night through 'mall knots of people hung ahout the entrances. Many of the women,, trhobad sat there since early morning, were when darkness fell, pale and haggard from the long suspense, while the'r eyes, in which the tears had long since dried, now hore a look of tragic despair, and it was with difficulty that 'they were persuaded to leave. ; Parties working iroin each end succeeded in forming a junction this morning along the main tunnel. The raising of the bodies to the surface was a gruesome occupation, as frequently when touched the skin stripped from the flesh and the clothing crumhled to ashes. During Sunday morning a special | train arrived from Waihi, bringing a rescue party with patent self-contain-ed breathing apparatus, hut as a through ventilation had by this time been secured their services were not utilised. A large number of coffins arrived during the afternoon, into which the dead men were placed, fully dressed as they were taken from the mine. Rescuers state that some of tho men were found sitting with their arms folded, some reclining on heaps of debris, others lying on their faces, and a further one kneeling as though having made an effort to escape. All were bleeding at the mouth and nose. THE INQUEST OPENED. The inquest opened at four o'clock, before Mr Rawson, S.M., and after formal evidence of identification had been taken, was adjourned till the 23rd inst.

The list of (load is fls follows (married) : John Whorskey, aged 3G. Samuel Jackson, aged 54. John Robinson, aged 37 William Henry Pockhara, senr., aged 45. Jas. Darby, aged 58. William Kelly, aged 37. John Steele, aged 40. William Pattersu/i, aged 38. James Holden, aged 58. Single:—William Burt, aged 26. Hutchinson Burt, aged 19. Jacob William Thompson, aged 18. William Slavin, aged 18. Robert Munsie, aged 08. 1). Lyons, Alexander I/att died in the Waikato Hospital on Saturday night. Huntly, September 12. The first rescue party that entered the mine-head returned, being unable

to force more than a few hundred yards. Members state that the scene in tbe vicinity of the loot of the shaft is one of (devastation, skips steel ropes and rails being scattered in all directions, while two horses in one of the stables aro completely incinerated. There is an almost entire absence of ail', and very little hope is entertained for the remainder of the men entombed.

A large party of men are engaged making brattices of sacks for tbo purpose of introducing and directing air into the mine.

Another party descended at 3 o'clock with a pump and hose to try and extinguish or reduce the fire. Among these was Inspector Bonnie, Government Inspector of Mines. A third body has been recovered, that of John W. Whorskey (deputy). LIST OF THE ENTOMBED. A list of the men entombed, gathered from comrades on the surface, include :—W. Gowans, deputy mine manager; James Darby, John Whorskey, William Smith, H. Peckham, senr., John Skellern (deputies) William Burt, W. Brocklehurst, D. Lyons, J. Holden, J. Greener, S. Jackson, W. Hinsches (shiftmen), H. Burt, W. Mitchell, J. Bowler, J. Martin (truckers), W. Brocklehurst, junr., W. Mayland, juur., J. Jackson (clippers), W. Kelly, W. Patterson (Contractors), S. Molesworth, F. Taylor, S. Berry (win. chman), W. Allen (machine-driver), J Steele, D. Patterson, H. Ransome, J. J. Jones (roadmen), W. Blinkinsop (shooter), J. Thompson (horse-driver), J. Gilbert (filler). The latter is doubtful.

THE GOVERNOR'S SYMPATHY.

The following message has been received by the manager from the Governor :—"Only just heard of the terrible accident. Will you convoy to those employed at Ralph's mine and relatives of those injured expression of Lady Liverpool's and my own deepest sympathy. We sincerely trust those who are still in the mine may soon he released. Please telegraph progress of rescue work." MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT VISIT THE SCENE. Wellington, September 14.. The Minister for Mines left for Huntly last night. The Prime Minister fully intended to go, but in the absence of the Minister for Defence it was impossible for him to get away. Mr R. F. Bollard, member lor the district is at Huntly. Messrs Robertson and Webb, M.P's., also left Wellington for the scene of the disaster last night. A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.

How the accident happened is a mysterv. The Huntly mines are considered to he umongst the safest known. In fact, the mine has always been regarded by experts as free of gas, and it has been a customary thing for the men to work with naked acetylene gas lights. In this connection, Professor H. B. Dixon, Professor of Chemistry in the University of Manchester at present on a visit to Auckland, points out that it has l>cen proved that coal dust in the atmosphere is as highly danger, o«s an explosive as coal gas itself. Two years ago the mine was examined by Government experts and was then declared one of the safest in the Do-; minion. In the last -Alines Report to [Parliament, Mr Boyd Beimie, Inspector of Mines, remarked: "The general [equipment of this most important colliery in the North Island is botli efficient and modern." For a considerable distance the workings run under the river, in the direction of Taupiri, and the further outlet exists at what is known as Taupiri West shaft, the best part of a mile away from tho main shaft. From this outlet eleven men during the morning made their escape, but thev, like those who came up the main shaft, had no tidings of tho mam hody of the men entombed.

NINETEEN COFFINS IN ONE FUNERAL. Auckland, September 14. The funeral of nineteen of the bodies takes place this (Monday) afternoon. It will probably be a combined funeral of a military character.

"THE FATAL GROTTO.'

Hamilton, September 14

The King's Hall, Huntly, in which the bodies were placed on Saturday night, is ordinarily used as a picture theatre. Curiously enough the star picture billed for Saturday night Mas entitled "The Fatal Grotto."

RESCUE PARTIES AT WORK. Huntly, September 14. Communication was establishes on Sunday between the two mam shafts, a mile and a-quarter apart, establishing a good current of ventilation, making the main roadway safe for exploring parties.

Considering the violence of the explosion the damage to property is not serious.

To-day's exploration is expected to effect the recovery of most of the missing men. Some may be under debris. There are evidence's that the fire blast has gone pretty well round the workings. , One of the last bodies recovered was Bowler's. Although in the main air shaft Bowler had apparently not sufferod from the lire as most of the other dead had done.

David Patterson's body was found in the same locality in a sitting posture. Before going to Tluntly Patterson was a mine manager on the West Coast. RECOVERY OF THREE BODIES. Auckland, September 14. The dead bodies of Bowler (trucker). and Mavland (clipper) were recovered a| Tluntly this morning.

THE SAD, WASTING HOURS. EYE-WiTNESS'S TOUCHENG NARRATIVE OF PIT-HEAD SGEWE3. SUNDAY'S SAD PROCESSION. Auckland, September 14. Describing the scene at Huntly on ounday, a correspondent .says: "There was a mournful crowd around the shall waiting patiently hour alter hour for news of the missing men. The miners not accounted for now numbered 40 to 50, less seven who had come up the main shaft, and eleven who had found safety via the western outlet. Of that 40, at least 25 were married men. Late in the afternoon the rescuers began to get nearer to the scene of the explosion, which was about an hour's walk from the western shaft. At haltpast four o'clock two men came up and took away■a number of .stretchers which had been hastily improvised from sacks and rails. They remarked that they had found a man alive. At

five o'clock the cage shot up a tail fellow, whose clothes were in tatters and his lace black as the Ethiopians. He' staggered out supported by two rescuers. "Its Billy Brocklebank" shouted some one, and the crowd broke into cheers. Brocklebank was sent,off horn" in a motor. Darkness fell, and palefaced women, cheered somewhat by the sight of Brocklebank, went away to their lonely homes. "Then the men brought to the surface that which they had been hiding mercifully at the botiom of the shaft —seven corpses, blackened with fire and battered and torn by flying coal. These were the bodies of Hinchco, Robinson, W. Burt, Skellern, S. Jack, son, Whorskey and Beckham, senr. These bodies were brought up singly in the cage, and carried to waiting trucks and sent into the township, where they were laid side by side in the 'Oddfellows' Hall. "A new gang of rescuers was formed, and all night a crowd of miners waited at the western shaft, anxiously oross-questioning every man who came to the surface to replenish his lamp or obtain a breath of fresh air. "Found two boys," was the curt information given by two men who came up about midnight; "No. wo can't recognise them" was all they said. "Half an hour later another man came up and reported-that a third body had been recovered. Then came a long woary wait and daylight was breaking, when at 4.30 a.m. a lad who came up for a supply of tea said that yet another body had been found. Just when the rising Sun was bathing all the hilltops, four bodies were brought to the surface. The minors, gaunt and heavy-eyed after many hours struggle with the fumes were forced by the narrowness of the cage to bring up each body standing upright between

two or three of them. Four corpses were laid in it row near the pit mouth, aiftr 20'or 30 minors who had waited about all night in the hope of joining the rescue party, and who had slept fitfully in corners of the engine shed gathered round and tried to identify them. The bodies were brought i» oil th'o Taupiri Company's private railway, and in tho early morning a sad little profession 'of miners carried their mates through the main street to the Oddfellows' Hall, where twelve bodies were now laid out. "A couple of hours before, the body of Jacob Thompson had been found by a party working in the front of the i,lain shaft, and was conveyed to the ball. "ThV i"!ii' latest arrivals w.'i'v identified as C. Maloney and W. Slaviu (two lads), and !?. Munsey and John Koldon (two shiftsmen). Those trying to 'elucidate trie mystery of the explosion made inquiries about the positions in which, the bodies were found, but the resnuers could give little .information. The bodies, it appeared, were discovered in all positions. Some bad simply fallen forward on their faces; others had been thrown backwards and lay with their arms bent as if they had been trying to shield their heads; others lay against tho wal's as if, they had been swept

aside by a rush of air and some were buried beneath a fall of coal. Coal dust, essentia! evidence 01 a mine explosion, lay thickly everywhere." PAINFUL EXPRESSION ON THE DEAD MEN'S FACES. RESCUE WORK CONTINUED. Hamilton, September I !. One man lies in his coffin with his hands raised to his head as though he had lifted tho mto stifle sudden pain. Intense agony is written on many ol the faces of tho dead, these, no doubt, being the men who struggled for their lives. Two bodies were discovered beside a big heap of debris, and it is thought probable that somo others of the missing may be buried beneath it. The men who descended on Saturday morning were generally recognised as amongst the most respectable and steady men of tho town.