THE BULLI DISASTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2561, 31 March 1887, Page 2

THE BULLI DISASTER.

Additional particulars to .hand state that there is no duo to the cause of the catastrophe, ■ and though an inquiry will be bold in due course, it is believed nothing will be elicited as to the origin, as " dead uien tell no tales." It in presumed that one of the 'lately-em-ployed " blackleg", miners engaged near old workings had broken through, and with either a' naked light, or through lighting a match, had; daused an explosion on the hill end The force of the coneuaslon blew'"out and the foal air 'and black damp -were forcedanto the driyei, 5 : about fyght men were woi&ing at We tinie of tlio explosion, At' 2.15 p.m. before,, it is estimated there' .. M, band- "pd 20 blacklegs, at hOUnd taiaea,

Six horses wertfalsp entombed. Thtfi majority .of werfil married men with families^' 1 f 'i . Toes were curled and. shrivelled 'up, limbs stiflenetfand ey«s\ in some Thfi remains were shattered} and charred., horribly-. The scene round Itho mouth ■ of..' • tunnel' wajs ; and:cbildren were? ;in ;tojre»e went ": ' hb&lfeiatv' 'tfatf.'' teffAriiy - As thejdea i out able, The. remains wets|frßome.cases burnt to a cihder.'V heads were, smashed in, and arms and legs brokwj and fearful gashes •• appeared oa, the. bodies. " The ojotheSja many, caw were burned to ashes. The hair was' singed from, tho heads antljsces; the fieEsh.'roasted and' shrivelleioa ! crooked stiffened i was' {dtnoat itoposslble, aTiboajh- it. | was clothe®' o( tho69brought; ; south of.thelmm^ : kaw>| to aid-. s bam behind, which fcj Wwa-as tlb'a " Big fall." Mr McOaW* manager. :of'ihr.ll6iiai-iKeira, aiaey. inthe'iniae. - , J 'The : %ol» c{ the. hilled, of .ftej tnnnetis .damaged, : ; an.dvfor. ft eon* ■ siderable part.of ; its the. 1 in? is blocked, m''some places being covered-' by. Isffe to .16ft.,0f fallen earth. The bodies as . they, vers recovered were bprno to tio tnmj'el'» mouth by bearers on .stretchers, .and taken to a blacksmith's shop through ,a crowd of women who were eaji'fly waitjng for hews oftheoryrelates buried under .the ruins of .tlft mine|or lying dead in'jthe workings. Thiers was absolutely no hopo of'aiiy perskty • man or boy, being taken'ont'alive,;|ttj the poor creatures' at'' the remained hoping against .Bope; and praying fervently that, the im'rowof their .neighbors : might. nqt cpmb uwa .them, One distracted m she beat her breast and tore her b'air out by haudfulls," Ha iB uot^iii|ai(tiot be dead,"' They - will not;M&li«e the terrible: refused .to believe ] it, and turned savagely on those who ? approached them with a view of offering* consolation,' It is only recently that a strike ( at the Bulli colliery, was terminated,, and tbo mine resumed full;,work./;'The' full number of employeea iri 300 tnen. Bulii" is sixty from Sydney, ' and- is a ;mininjj'town." ship • situated "between 4heill|a;rarra : raounttins-ahdHbe ; co^et.-,,-TbB; : ■ Sail! Gom j>auy *b aifip. all a distance of about two, milM'from the. s'etf;' a: n>il e and a half from the mouth of tho-tuhneL