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Leader (1850-1860), 28th February 1857, Edition 2 of 2, Page 5, February 28,1857.] THE LEADER. 197

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      , The Great Colliery Explosion. I The Pr...

      ¦ with the position of the urine , and to state that it was imperati-ve to close the shafts , as there was no probability of saving any more lives , and that it was the only chance to render the pit in a condition fit for working in again . He consulted with the men who had gone down with them . They were called in separately , and asked if they were of opinion that it was impossible to get any more bodies out of the mine . They concurred with them , and they acted upon their resolution and their own by covering- over the tops of the pits . In a few minutes

      after they left the mine , the cupola shaft was filled with fire , which reached fifty yards above the summit , and the sparks from tlat body of flame ascended one hundred yards higher . " BIr . Morton , the Government Inspector , said that was very strong evidence that they had nearly remained too long . Other gentlemen concurred in the conviction that the mouths of the pit had not been stopped up till every chance was over of the men fcelow being still alive ; and also that the measure was necessary as the only means of staying the progress of the fire .

      The proprietors of the pit have given 500 ? . towards a subscription for tlie relief of the wives and families of the men ¦ who have perished . Other sums from various wealthy persons have also been received . The heat from the pit began to diminish on Friday week , and this continued op successive days . An inquest was commenced on Monday , and adjourned to that day week . The principal witness was John Warhurst , one of the firemen , who gave some additional particulars of the visit of Mr . Webster and the others to the bottom of the pit after the accident . He said : — " We found fifteen or sixteen bodies in all , but only removed about half of them to the bottom of the shaft . We did not remove theni all to the bottom , because we were afraid the shafts would fall in . I went to the cupola and found the fire burning about

      twentvfive yards each way , and I went and told the other persons that the furnace would fall in . Indeed , I saw the arches of the furnace and some masses of burning coal fall from the sides of the drift leading to the furnace . I expected that if we remained we should all be killed , and the other men were of the same opinion . I saw the stables on fire . We could not get to both ends of the stables , for the gas fired in the lamps about thirty yards up the north board . We went up every board , both north and south , as far as we could get . We found inflammable gas up every board . The greatest distance we got up any board was about forty yards . "—The Coroner : " Can you form any opinion as to the cause of the accident ?"—Witness : "I cannot form any opinion , unless it be that some trapper had left a door open in one of the boards . Put this is a mere supposition . "

      It is doubtful -when it will be thought safe to reopen the pit . Steam has been forced into the pit , to facilitate the extinction of the fire . The number of bodies still in the pit is one hundred and eighty-two . " Anecdotes of painful interest , " says a communication from the spot in the daily papers , " keep coming to light in connexion with the shocking affair . A story is told of a man named Simmonds , who came to the bottom of the pit

      during the period of the explorations on Thursday , but , being delirious from the gas he had inhaled , broke away from the men -who endeavoured to hold him , and ran into the dangerous part of the pit , where lie perished . Among the victims is also a young man , the son of respectable parents residing near Holmfirth , who left home , and , after pursuing a career of recklessness , ivai driven by want to work at this pit , where he had just been discovered by his parents . He had promised to return home on Saturday evening . "

      February 28,1857.] The Leader. 197

      February 28 , 1857 . ] THE LEADER . 197

      Accidents And Sudden Deaths. The Eight A...

      ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS . The eight a . m . Dover express train met with an accident last Saturday , which was fortunately unattended with any injury to passengers . The break-van | next the engine left the road about one mile below Head ' corn station , and the last six vehicles in the train became soon after detached by the breaking of the coupling . The engine kept on the line . The van and five carriages that remained attached to the engine suffered no damage , but the others were overturned , and arc considerably broken . All the passengers reached London in safety about two hours and a half after time . A shocking railway accident happened at Southampton on Monday . Just as a London goods train was slowly starting , a brenk . smnn signalled the train to return for more waggons . In getting on the lino to couple tho additional waggons to the train , his foot got between the rails where a shunting commenced , and ho could not extricate it before the train came upon him , knocked him down , and nearly cut him in two . A man employed at the How Alum and Tar Works , Stepney , fell from a plank placed over a copper of boiling tar , which ho was creasing , and became inniK-rseri in tho scalding liquid . He was extricated and conveyed to the London Hospital , where few hopes arc entertained of his recovery .

      Mr . Favell , coroner , concluded on Monday along inquiry jit South Shields ) into the cause- of tho dcat . li of I ' raucit ) Maeso , who was killed , and three other . seamen badly injured , by an explosion of gas coal on hoard tho

      Prince Philippe , of Gstend , as she was leaving- the Tyne for Trieste . The explosion has done extensive injury to the vessel , and the evidence proved that it was occasioned by the mate , Eugene Kestile , taking a lantern into the forehold , at which the gas exploded . Eugene is fearfully burnt , and Maese and Jacob Holstein , another seaman , were blown over the vessel ' s foreyard into the Tyne . The coals with which the vessel was laden were of a very fiery nature . The hatches were closed ; ventilation was impeded ; and a light carburetted hydrogen was created , which took fire . The jury returned a verdict that the death of the seaman had been caused by the explosion . Earl Fitzhardinge was thrown from his horse last Monday while following the fox-hounds in Berkeley Vale , Gloucestershire . The injuries he has received are said to be serious .

      While a man of weak intellect named William Smith was willowing cotton and wool together , in the teazer , or willow room , 06 a mill at Kirkheaton , the friction of the machinery ignited the cotton . Smith drew the burning cotton out of the machine and threw it upon a mass of wool and cotton lying by , which was thus ignited . The flames spread with great rapidity , and , before they could be extinguished , damage to the extent of about 200 O 7 . was done . The charred and burnt body of Smith was found crouched behind some oil-casks . Miss Maitland , daughter , of Captain Maitland , the commander of the gunnery ship Excellent at Portsmouth , has been thrown from her horse , and received some severe fractures of the arm . She is going on favourablv .

      About half-past ten o ' clock on Thursday morning , the whole of the extreme eastern portion of the metropolis was startled by a terrific explosion at the fog-signal factory of the Eastern Counties Railway , adjacent to the works at Stratford . Only two of the workmen were in the building when the catastrophe took place ; these were a labourer and a lad . They were engaged in the process , it is supposed , of packing the signals , when the latter exploded . The roof and walls of the building , which was of substantial brick , were blown into fragments .

      Several of the company ' s workpeople' were immediately on the spot , and search was made for the persons who were known to have been in the factory . The remains of the lad were found sadly mutilated . The body of the man was also much disfigured . Both were , no doubt , instantly killed . The corpse of another sufferer was also found . It was that of a blacksmith , living at Stratford . He was in the act of crossing a field on the opposite side of the line when the explosion occurred , and he was struck on the head by a piece of brick ; and killed on the spot . Some other persons were injured .

      Ireland. A Difficult And Courageous Akre...

      IRELAND . A Difficult and Courageous Akrest . —The police have just effected an arrest under very extraordinary circumstances , which remind us of some of the exploits of freebooters in former times on the Scotch border . The details are thus given by the Kilhcnny Moderator : — " A warrant has been out since last September against John Fitzpatrick , of the Slate-quarries , in this county , for a felonious assault on a deaf and dumb girl ; and he has ever since baffled the police , although frequently hunted through the counties of Waterford , Clare , Tipperary , and Kilkenny . However , constable Crowe , of tlie Slate-quarry Constabulary station , acting on private information . as to the delinquent Leing at work in his

      father s quarry , a distance of about two miles from the barracks , laid an admirable plan for his capture , and subsequently carried it out with success . The quarry is on nn eminence , from which all approaches arc visible for a considerable distance , so that no policeman could come near the spot unobserved by one on the look-out . The constable sent two men in plain clothes by a circuitous route to place themselves at a given point on the Tippcrary side of the quarry , and two more , similarly attired , by another devious path , to place themselves also at a specified place at the Kilkenny side of the quarry ; while he himself with two men in uniform , fully armed , proceeded from tlie barracks direct . Tlie moment the latter party came in view , an nlarin was

      { 4 iven by a woman , posted for the purpose , on which Fitzpatrick started on" towards the county of Tippornry , pursued by the police from the three i > ointfl , those at the Tippcrary . side being close to him ; but he soon left all behind except sub-constable ISurke , between whom and the outlaw tins race entirely 1 ,-iy , both taking their fences in sporting style , for a run of about two miles across n *¦ still ' country . ' After a . time , Hurko was closing on his man , who , like- 11 juried fox , made 0110 rie . sper . ate cflbrt to escape by leaping into a river , with a view to cross it ; however , littrkc also sprang ; in , mid secured his oliject

      until the constable and his party emno up , hiuulouneri , rmd brought off the prisoner . ( Jn tho march to burrocks " , a formidable mob of qiiurrymen collected and gave evident , signs of sin inclination to rescue , whim Crowe ordered his men to load and lix bayonets , and told the mob lo diMpor . sc , as the Hliglitost approach to an attempt lo rescue would be in . sta 11 t . l 3 ' followed by a deadly discharge nf musketry . Tlii . s had the , desired effect ; and on Saturday Mr . llanun , R . M ., committed Fit / . pat rick to the county gaol for trial at tho next Assizes . "

      The Irish Viceroyalty . —A rumour prevailed during part of last week that it was the intention of Government to abolish the Viceroyalty ; but the report was denied by the Lord-Lieutenant himself at a banquet given by the Lord Mayor of Dublin .

      Australia. The Official Opening Of The N...

      AUSTRALIA . The official opening of the new Parliament at Melbourne took place on the 25 th of November , with a great deal of state and ceremony . The day was observed as a general holiday , and the streets were hung with flags . Dr . Palmer , the former Speaker of the Legislative Council , has been re-elected to that position , and Dr . F . Murphy has been elected Speaker of the Assembly . His Excellency the Governor delivered a kind of royal speech to the Houses , in the course of which " he pointed out that it would be their constant duty to watch the operation , and to amend the defects , of the fundamental law from which they derived their existence and powers . The circumstances under whicli the charter was prepared and granted rendered it likely that many changes would be necessary ; but lie should only call upon them to adopt those which actual experience demonstrated were

      necessary . While he . would not recommend a recasting of the electoral division of the country until the results of the census , proposed to be taken during the summer , were ascertained , their attention would be drawn to the patent imperfection and inequality of the electoral franchise , and they would be asked to extend the basis of the suffrage , and to amend the law regulating the registration of electors . He should submit to them a measure founded on the same principle as that adopted by the Home Government , for tlie reorganization of the civil service , by which the admission to the junior grade o . f the ordinary civil service would he determined by competitive examination . " Ilia ISxcellency afterwards touched upon various topics of social interest , and then retired . An address , coinciding-with the proposals and recommendations of the Governor , was afterwards carried imanihiouslv .

      " Melville , the man concerned with other convicts in the attempt to escape from the convict guard , in the course of which two men were murdered , " says the Times , "has been condemned to death . His fellowprisoners were acquitted . Melville , after being sentenced , delivered a long harangue on the horrors and cruelties which the convicts had to suffer daily . His address has gained him many sympathizers , though the evidence showed him to be an atrocious villain of superior ability . " Tlie supply of gold from the diggings continues to be excellent , and a great trade is expected to spring up in a mineral called " black sand , " which appears to contain a large proportion of platinum and tin . Trade is reported as being in a healthy condition .

      The Ollient. China. The Steamer America,...

      THE OllIENT . CHINA . The steamer America , from Alexandria , which arrived at Trieste on Wednesday , has brought a few items of news from the i ' nr East . No change had taken place in the position of affairs in China . The Chinese had made an unsuccessful attempt to retake Tea Totum Fort . The Europeans on board the steamer Thistle , in all eleven persons , had been treacherously murdered by assassins in disguise among the native passengers . Tho steamer was carried off , and abandoned after being dismantled . The Government of Hong-Kong liad increased the police force , and were taking precautionary measures against incendiarism . Prices of tea had advanced , and freights were depressed . The Mandarin , Syh , Governor of Shanghai , has died suddenly . The lower classes of the population attributed his death to the 'Europeans , and serious disturbances were apprehended ; but tlie presence of tho English and French ships , and the on orgy of the commandant of the Tartar troops , who co-operated with them , had the effect of maintaining , tranquillity . I'KltHIA , & C Tho intelligence , from Hush ire is to the 17 th of January . Tho / roops were still unmolested by tho enemy . An attack had been marie by a detachment of osivulry and horse , artillery on a depot of Persian stores and ammunition twenty-two miles from the camp . Tho object was attained without loss . Tho despatch of reinforcements had been commenced , and the Government had opened a new Five jicr Cent . Loan for three crores . The Hank of itcngul had rained its discount to eleven i > er cent , on private billa

      America.. Concjukss Has Rejected Tho Dal...

      AMERICA .. Concjukss has rejected tho Dalian-Clarendon Treaty , by rocomu lit . ting it to the Committee on Foreign Relations . Various statements are . f ^ iven as to the extent of tho majority . The Washington correspondent of the New York , Journal of ( Jommevcv , hiivs that tho opposition was mainly directed to onis point—" tho large boundaries which Great , lSriluin , or rather Lord l'almerston has heretofore ! claimed for tlio Mosquito kingdom , and which may bo claimed again under the present treaty , as tho senators understand it . " Another authority stutca that

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 28, 1857, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28021857/page/5/