A HUROIC MINER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2401, 20 September 1892, Page 3

A HUROIC MINER.

The bravery of a young minor at Eagle Hawk, near Bendigo, named Win. Rogers, has created an unusual amount of enthusiasm. He and a mate named Sampson Bray were at work in the shaft of the Virginia quartz mine. They had bored four holes in the bottom of the shaft, which is 860 feet deep, and charged them with gelatine dynamite. Then they sio-nalled to be hauled up to the 800 feet flat, so as to be out of the way of danger. After getting up 30 feet Bray slipped off the bucket on which he was standing, and fell down amongst the burning fuses at the bottom of the shaft. William Goad on the flat heard the fall, and also instantly heard Rogers cry out “Stop the bucket,” and then immediately call out “ Lower, quick !” This was done, and Rogers descended rapidly. Before the bucket touched the bottom he jumped off, and, in the dark, with great presence of mind, pulled out the burning fuses from three of the holes, but the fourth one he could not find. Bray was meanwhile unconscious from his fall. Ivnowinsr that the explosion w mid take place in a moment or so, he carried Bray into the corner of the shaft, were they crouched down in as small a compass as possible, awaiting the discharge of the blast. The three primers exploded without doing any harm, and immediately aftex’wards the charge in the fourth hole went off with a terrific noise. The hole being what is technically known as “ a lifter,” the action of the charge was upwards, and the rock so dislodged was thrown up the shaft, descending in a rocky shower on the two men at the bottom. Both men were cut and bruised by the stones, and Bray had one arm fractured.

Rogers says that Bray fell away from the bucket, which was spinning round, and tried desperately to clutch the rim of the bucket, but failed. As Rogers descended he thought that the bucket was going terribly slowly, and he jumped out of the bucket when sft from the bottom. He could not find the fuse of the fourth charge which had been covered over by a flat stone to keep the water off, and the explosion almost deafened him. However, he managed to get into the bucket and was hauled up to the flat, where he was lifted out by the underground manager, who went down the shaft and brought Bray up. The Minister of Mines has decided to pr?seut Rogers with the departmental certificate of bravery, and in all probability he will visit Bendigo to present the certificate to the brave young miner. The heroic incident will also be brought under the notice of the Royal Humane Society, while locally a movement to make Rogers a handsome presentation is being warmly taken up.