Durham Mining Museum - Newspaper Articles (original) (raw)

8th June 1885, Page: 3, Column: 4

The Colliery Disaster In Durham

All The Bodies Recovered

On Saturday night, after four days of persistent labour and ceaseless energy, the band of explorers at the Margaret Pit, Philadelphia, succeeded in overcoming and surmounting the many serious obstacles placed in the Maudlin Seam by the inrush of water to that place on Wednesday morning last, and reaching the first of the bodies of the twelve men who lost their lives in the mine on that terrible morning. The work of exploration had progressed to a place some twenty yards from what is known as the sixth "gateway" or branch working from the main way. This distance was traversed during Saturday, and about six in the evening the sixth gateway was reached. Here the explorers found the clothes and tools of some of the men, but no bodies. They proceeded with the work of cutting through about four feet of coal, and having accomplished this, they gained an entrance to the cross-way between the sixth and seventh gateway. They had not gone far along this place when they came upon the body of James Gray lying in the middle of the way. A short distance further on they found the bodies of Thomas Sanderson and Joseph Robson, also lying in the crossway. Proceeding to the seventh gateway they discovered the body ofJacob Robson. All these men had, judging from the position in which they were found, apparently received some warning of what had happened, and they were making their way as fast as they could to the bottom of the shaft when they were attacked and overpowered by the noxious gas. The bodies having been removed to the bottom of the shaft, the work of exploration proceeded, but nothing further was found till the ten o'clock shift went down on Saturday night under the care of Mr. Smailes, the overman. This party proceeded to explore the sixth gateway, in which the accident had occurred. Near the "face," or furthest point at which the coal has been worked at this place, are two "juds" or small workings branching off about twelve yards from the gateway. Going into the jud on the left hand side of the way, the party discovered the bodies of John Bailes and John Calligan, hewers, and John House, the back overman. They were all lying within a short distance of each other, Bailes being partly buried under a fall of stone. They apparently died instantaneously, without having any time to attempt to save themselves. They were found about midnight on Saturday. No further bodies were found till about five o'clock yesterday morning, when the exploring party under the charge of Mr. Stokoe, of Lambton, and Mr. Gilchrist, of Durham, whilst exploring the jud on the right hand side of the sixth gateway came upon the bodies of Joseph Carr, William Davison, and George Lowrie, three hewers. From the position in which they were found it was evident they had been struck down by the deadly gas before they had an opportunity of saving themselves. About five o'clock last night the explorers found the body of the boy George Kirtley, who was lying in the water at the landing in the mainway of the New Maudlin Seam. During yesterday a quantity of iron pipes were sent down the pit in order to drain away the water, and it was hoped that this would be accomplished some time last night, there now being a great deal of water in the mine there. The remaining body, that of Joseph Laidler, the shifter, will not, it is feared, be recovered for some time yet. The work of exploration was carried on actively all the night. During the time that has elapsed since the accident there has been no lack of helpers, and too much cannot be said in praise of those gentlemen who have come forward and given their services in endeavouring to reach the entombed men. Prominent among these have been Mr. Stokoe(Houghton), Mr. Robson (Lumley Thicks), Mr. Tate (Philadelphia), Mr. Baxter (Lambton), Mr. W. H. Patterson and Mr. John Wilson (Durham), Mr. John Smailes, Mr. Joseph Smailes, Mr. Dagleish, and Mr. Tyrrell (Philadelphia), as well as many of the men employed at the Margaret Pit. Mr. Lishman, the general agent of Lord Durham's collieries, has been in constant attendance at the pit since the disaster, and to that gentleman is due especially the thanks of those representatives of the Press whose duty has taken them to the scene of the calamity.

The bodies of the unfortunate men on being found were carefully wrapped up in flannel and tenderly conveyed to the bottom of the shaft. They were each lashed to a stretcher board and conveyed to bank separately, the board to which they were tied being fastened in an erect position on the top of the cage to the wire rope. On arriving at the top of the shaft they were placed on ambulance stretchers and taken to the joiners' shop to be identified and coffined prior to their removal home. The work of identification was naturally accompanied by some sorrowful scenes, the relations of the poor fellows surveying them with hearts too full to speak. Dr. Park, of Houghton-le-Spring, who has scarcely left the pit mouth since the accident happened, examined all the bodies before they were removed home. Speaking to our representative he gave it as his decided opinion that death in every instance (except that of the boy Kirtley, who was apparently swept away by the water and drowned) had been caused by the foul air, or, as it is better known, afterdamp, which, rushing from the old workings as soon as the breach had been made in the coal which separated them from the men, speedily overpowered them, causing in his judgment instantaneous death. The features of the men were very placid, in some cases even a smile was on their faces, and there was not the slightest indication to show that any struggle had taken place. There were small bruises on some of the bodies, but these had apparently been caused by falling stones and other debris which the rush of water carried along with it. The bodies had been in water, but that element had in no way contributed to their death. The whole of the bodies were those of robust and stalwart men, one of them, James Gray, being over six feet high.

During Saturday there were very few people standing about the pit, but at night, when the news got about that some of the bodies had been found and were being brought to bank, the number of spectators greatly increased, and large crowds remained about the pit bank till a late hour. Yesterday there was also a large number of people assembled about the pit, watching the arrival and removal of the bodies, and discussing in subdued tones the accounts which were circulated respecting the work of the explorers. On all hands the deepest sympathy was expressed with those who had lost their bread-winners by the catastrophe. The Earl of Durham again visited the Margaret Pit on Saturday, and expressed the great sympathy he felt for the bereaved. — The Rev. T. F. Paterson, preaching at the New Herrington Church yesterday morning, alluded in a few well-chosen words to the great calamity which had occurred at the Margaret Pit. References to the disaster were made in most of the places of worship in the vicinity of the colliery yesterday.

Bodies Recovered

Our correspondent telegraphs that the body of Joseph Laidler was recovered this morning.