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

1st December 1910

The Mining Disaster

The Inquest And Inquiry

Tuesday's Proceedings

The inquiry was resumed on Tuesday, into the causes and circumstances of the disaster at Wellington Pit on the 11th May last.

Mr. Atter, the coroner, has with him an assessor, Mr. Redmayne, H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines; Mr. S. Pope and Mr. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector for the Newcastle district, are for the Home Office; Mr. Richards and Mr. Smith, representing the Miners' Federation of Great Britain; Mr. Rigby Swift, K.C., instructed by Mr. L. T. Helder, representing the Whitehaven Colliery Co.; and Mr. W. H. Chapman represents Mr. Steele and Mr. Henry, the manager and underground manager of Wellington Pit.

ARTHUR D. NICHOLSON, H.M. Assistant Inspector for the county of Durham, was the first witness called. Previously he was one of Mr. Atkinson's assistant inspectors, and he had made 27 underground inspections in Wellington Pit. The last occasion he inspected the pit was in February this year. He made a partial examination of the high north district and made a report to Mr. Atkinson the same night. Since the 11th of May he had been down the pit on three occasions. He had been down twice since the re-opening. He expressed the same general opinion as to the cause of the disaster as had been already given by Mr. Atkinson.

By Mr. Redmayne: On his last inspection before the accident he was in the third north, No. 3 brake. He made a partial inspection of No. 3 brake. On that occasion the goaf was on the creep, uneasy generally.

By Mr. Pope: He had a fair knowledge of the ventilation of the various workings. The Colliery Company had been taking measures to improve the ventilation.

Do you think they were paying more attention to the ventilation in the 6th North than to that of the 3rd North? — I don't think so; I think it was a general improvement all round.

Witness admitted that the troublesome part was the No. 6 North, where they were working in the solid, and gas bleeds freely from the coal; and that the air of No. 5 North is almost entirely drawn from No. 6 North; and yet in spite of that they found that the explosion did not occur there but in No.3 North. He could not give any information as to the character of the ventilation in No.3 North level and up the third brake.

According to the present view the explosion has come from between the extreme right of No. 1 brake and up to the top side of the goaf where the dilly is? — Yes, but I was not along that part of the district in February. My attention was confined to a few workings; but if there was a log of gas, that is where it would be.

By Mr. Smith: There was certainly room for improvement in the ventilation of No. 6 North. It was a dusty pit, in parts, undoubtedly. No. 3 level was very dusty. I don't know that we have any power with regard to dust.

Isn't it your duty to try to prevent accidents of this kind by making recommendations? — Yes, but we have no powers with regard to dust.

Witness said that while he thought the source of ignition would be a faulty lamp, he did not know by its number any of the lamps that were found. The goaf is generally a reserve for gas. To take the air round by the goaf would give it more work to do.

Can you give a faithful conscientious report about the pit unless you see the whole of it? — It is impossible for anybody to see the whole of the pit.

Witness said the return airways were most important, but he did not think it was necessarily his duty to see to those more than anything else.

The Coroner said he proposed calling the expert evidence now, but Mr. Hanlon informed him there were a number of persons he desired to call.

Mr. Hanlon said he wanted to have Christopher Gregory and Robert McDonald called, and if it was necessary he could call 30 or 40 other witnesses to contradict them.

Mr. R. Swift said if these men's words were to be relied on it was extraordinary to propose to call 30 or 40 witnesses to contradict them. (Laughter.)

Mr. Smith submitted that it was the Colliery Co.'s duty, and not Mr. Hanlon's to supply these two witnesses.

Mr. R. Swift said the Colliery Co., had already said that anybody asked for would be produced. He would send for these two men. What he was objecting to was Mr. Hanlon saying he would call them, and then that they were not speaking the truth.

The Coroner said probably it was desirable that these two men should be called, and he thought perhaps the remarks of Mr. Hanlon were not appropriate. The jury wished that no evidence should be excluded; but he asked Mr. Hanlon and all taking part in the inquiry not to call any evidence except it was material.

Mr. Rigby Swift suggested that Mr. Steele and Mr. Henry should be the next two witnesses, and having disposed of matters of fact they might then call the experts.

ROBERT STEELE was then sworn. He said he lived at Woodhouse, Whitehaven, and was manager for Wellington and Ladysmith Pits. He had been manager of these for seven and a half years. At Wellington Pit, Mr. James Henry was the under-manager. Witness was down the pit on the 11th May last. He got to the pit-top at 25 minutes past nine and went down about a quarter to ten and remained there until about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 12th, when he was sent for to meet Mr. Atkinson, the Chief Inspector of the district. He was at home when he received the message to go to the pit. The message was brought by the watchman at Ladysmith Pit, John Pickering. A telephone message from Wellington Pit had come to Ladysmith Pit for witness, and the watchman came over the fields to witness's house. The watchman told him that there was something wrong at Wellington Pit, but that he did not know what it was, and witness had to come at once. It was a telephone message from the low yard to the office. Witness was not informed who had sent the message. Witness went straight over to Ladysmith Pit and jumped on to a locomotive and got down to Wellington Pit in about five minutes. He found the fan man standing at the door and asked him what was wrong. He said he did not know. Witness asked him if the fan was all right, and he said "Yes." Witness asked him for a lamp and went in to the fan chamber and found everything all right there. He then came out and got his own lamp to go down the pit. He met the roadman between Saltom and Benks' Turn, who told him there were two men lying dead at Benks' Turn. Witness said, "Perhaps they are only stunned and unconscious; I'll go and get some refreshments." When he came back he was informed that Mr. Henry and others had gone down the pit. He made inquires, and was told that Mr. Henry had gone down the pit at five minutes to eight. Witness went down about a quarter to ten. He walked in to the fan site, which he reached abut 25 minutes after ten. He found Mr. Henry trying to break a hole through the stopping to short-circuit the air; but he was obliged to come out owing to the dense smoke and the heat. They thought the matter over, and Mr. Henry said, "We will try the back dip." Witness met the two men who had been found unconscious; they were being brought out in a tub. He gave them some refreshments, and they were able to walk home with some men linking them from the pit top. He saw Wear and Kenmore come out. They seemed alright. Their lamps were burning brightly, and they told him that they come through the smoke, but that there was not a very large fire when they had passed. They went back with witness, but witness said they might be a bit exhausted, so they went out-by to go home. Witness approved of what Mr. Henry had done. The only thing to be done when they could not get down the back dip was to short-circuit the air. Graham was not there then; he did not come for an hour after that. Witness did not speak to Graham, nor Graham to him. The first time witness heard of Graham's scheme was after the Government Inspector came, at four or five o'clock or, Thursday afternoon. If he had heard of it he would certainly have considered it; he was prepared to consider any scheme, but that scheme he would not have adopted at any price, because if was impracticable. Witness was down the pit from quarter to ten on Wednesday night until four o'clock on Thursday afternoon. Then he went down at seven o'clock, and again at eleven, and got home at six o'clock in the morning on Friday. There were a number of persons down the pit to do anything that was required, and witness was quite satisfied that everything was done that could be done as regards the recovery of any bodies.

Were you present at any meeting where it was resolved that the pit should be closed? — Yes.

Where was that meeting held? — It was held in my office at Wellington Pit.

When was it held? — I cannot tell to five minutes, but it was on the Thursday night, about eight o'clock.

Have you the recollection who were present? — Yes, I remember a good many there. There were the Inspectors, Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Abbott, and Mr. Leck; Mr. Turner, the manager of William Pit; Mr. Andrew Millar, the manager of Harrington Colliery; Mr. Thom, manager at Moresby; Mr. Thomas Banks, the manager of Oatlands, Mr. Hanlon, Mr. Blair, and I think Mr. T. D. Marsden was there as well as Mr. Henry and myself.

Was Mr. R. W. Moore present? — Oh, yes, and Mr. Moore, of course.

Was the conclusion a unanimous one? — Mr. Moore said he thought we might make a final attempt of something else; but it was agreed to wait until the rescue men came from Newcastle. The men came at 11.15, and we all went down the pit together — not all who were at the meeting, but a good number of us. The rescue men went into the smoke at nine minutes to one, and they came back at one o'clock. They could not bear the heat. I was quite satisfied nothing more could be done without risking more lives. I am quite satisfied that the men in the pit were then all dead.

What is your opinion as regards the cause of the explosion? — It must have been caused by flame in the first instance. That would ignite the gas, and then the explosion would be extended by coal dust. In my opinion the source of the flame must have been a defective or a damaged lamp.

Have you formed any opinion where the explosion occurred? — Yes, I am quite satisfied in my own mind that it originated on the south side of the level of No.1 brake, where the Reeds are supposed to have been working, though it was not their regular working place.

Witness continued to reply that he was down the mine five or six times a week — sometimes twice a week. There was no unusual reading of the barometer on the 11th May; it was a steady barometer. As regards the withdrawal book, it had not been used in his time — in fact, the last time it was used was ten years ago. The ordinary report-book was the one witness had kept.

Has that book ever been produced before the Coroner? — I don't think so.

Mr. Helder said it was Mr. Chapman who said it had; and he had himself had a distinct recollection of that report-book being produced at the inquiry with regard to the William Pit explosion. Mr. Atkinson was present at the inquiry; he might remember. The inquiry lasted three days.

Questioned by Mr. Redmayne as to the system of giving out lamps to the men, Mr. Steele said that each man knew the number of his lamp and asked for that number. The lamp man knew most of them. If it was a new lamp man and a man made a mistake as to his number, a wrong lamp might be given out. They had no check on such an error, and witness quite agreed it would be better to have one, and he dare say that would be adopted for the future.

Asked as to air-splits, witness said if they had too many splits the air would become sluggish.

Would not you say that was proof-positive that the ventilation was bad? — No. I would not.

You have heard of an half inch cap being found in the air return from the No. 6 North which form the intake of No. 5? — I never heard of it and never found it. I have tested for gas and never found a trace of gas there.

How do you account for two of you colleagues saying they have? — Well, it was not put in the book. Had it been put in the book it would have come to my knowledge daily. It was improper if they found gas not to report it.

Witness said that being about to re-organised the air ventilation, Mr. Blair and he went to several colliers in the East to see auxiliary fans working, and Mr. Meredith was down upon one occasion. Mr. Meredith did not advise the putting in of the two stoppings in the third north of which they had heard so much; but that was done because they wished to utilise all the air they could.

Wouldn't it have been better, supposing that was the right thing to do to wail till the fan was ready to run before putting those stoppings in? — I think not.

Why? — Well, for this reason. We were robbing those pillars. Had we delayed those stoppings and robbed the pillars, how could they get the stopping in?

If you wanted to stop that road it was necessary to put a stop in there? — Yes.

But you fully realise that that was a drainage? — To a very little extent.

Would not you suppose that there would be always gas in the goaf? — No. I have been up there several times and we could not find any gas there. Since the pit has been opened out, gas has not been produced in those brakes, it is practically at a standstill.

Witness said he thought it would be better to have a separate report-book for withdrawals of men owing to gas; but he thought the rules had been observed by the keeping of the report book they had.

Asked as to the time spent by Mr. Henry and those who were with him with the two unconscious men, whether if they had had others to leave with them who were capable of rendering first aid, and they had been at liberty to proceed in-by at once, whether they would have got to the fire before Wear and Kenmore got through, witness said he did not know.

Mr. Redmayne: Well, I have been making a balance-sheet of the time, and I think they would.

Witness said he did not think Mr. Henry would have been able to put the fire out if Wear and Kenmore could not.

Mr. Redmayne: But that they came through in that condition, is not that evidence that it was then a very small fire? — Well, it is either very small or they have not told the proper story about it. But I cannot see how it was a small fire when they walked 300 yards and then returned with me and found the smoke and fire such that we could not bear the heat.

Mr. Redmayne said no doubt the fire would make rapid progress. Did the witness think that every colliery should be provided with a rescue brigade of men trained in rescue work who could be summoned at the shortest possible notice? Would not such a rescue brigade have been valuable in this case? — They would have got past the fire and saved the men. They might have got past the fire. I don't know about coming back again. It is all a question of time.

By Mr. Atkinson: Witness did not think gas exploding in a lamp would be sufficient to smash the lamp glass. He had found gas in No. 6 a short time before the accident, but No. 3 was free from gas any time he had examined it. On the 10th May he found the airway up the narrow bord drift in very good condition. When witness got to the fan site on the night of the 11th May no bratticing had been done. Graham was not there then. Henry went down the back dip and got about 30 yards and came back to say the smoke was coming up there as strong as on the main dip. There was a less current of air forcing it back in the south dip. Henry and witness discussed the question of going down the back dip, and they came to the conclusion that if they could get to the fire at all it must be by the main dip. What influenced him against the back dip was that it was a very bad road, and they came to the conclusion that the air would not force the smoke back, and then there was the difficulty of stoppings. Considering all points, they came to the conclusion that the front dip was the road to go down. This was all before any suggestion of Graham's scheme, which he did not hear of till next day. Henry did not say Graham had proposed this scheme to him.

I suppose the operation you attempted was to so restrict the air of the main road that you got a swifter current and forced the smoke back? — That is what we were trying to do.

And at the same time short-circuiting the air into the return? — Yes.

That would keep the air off the fire, and also I suppose you would get a stronger current of air by short-circuiting and get a stronger pressure? — Yes.

Witness replied to other questions that the only way to put out the fire was by excluding the air. It would have taken weeks to have drowned it out. They escaped a second explosion because all the air was being consumed at the fire. After the pit was closed up three reversals of the air were observed, which it was thought indicated explosions; and the blowing down of bratticing that was found after the pit was re-opened proved that this had been so. The downhill system of ventilation was not desirable if it could be avoided. The area of the goaf in Mather's place was large; but he had seen larger goafs than that in other pits. He had seen eight or nine pillar lengths standing without falling in an 8 ft. seam. But this was a pretty large area of goaf. By way of precaution, where a fall in goaf was expected he would tell the men to keep a close watch on their lamps and would warn the deputies when she starts to work to take the men out into safety. But when it starts to work it rumbles like thunder, and he thought the Reeds came out because the roof was working and not because of gas at all. They had the evidence of Graham, the overman, that there was a very large fall a week before and there was no gas. They were all agreed as to the origin of the explosion. In the William Pit explosion there was no doubt it was a blown-out shot that caused it; and in that case the evidence was this at the point of origin there was not much force in the explosion, which gained force as it proceeded.

On the resumption of the examination of Mr. Steel, witness on being questioned by Mr. Atkinson as to the damaged lamps witness said that the indentations on one of them looked as if they had been caused by some sharp instrument. Examining a lamp found by Mr. Smith, witness said that the finder pointed out a peculiar fracture in this lamp and he daresay that Mr. Smith thought that this lamp was the cause of the explosion.

Did a report of that lamp go round the news papers? — Yes, some of them.

Did Mr. Smith get the reporters round him and dilate upon this lamp? — I didn't see that.

By Mr. Pope: He was satisfied that the lampman was a capable man. From what he heard said at this inquiry he had gathered that the colliers took rather an easy view of gas in the workings. Continuing, witness said that probably had it not been for the dust there would have been no fire at the friction gear. There were collieries in which, without waiting for statutory pressure, attempts were made to deal with the dust question. Those would be collieries in which shotfiring took place in the coal.

By Mr. Richards: Witness said he had examined the air of the return where it left the No. 6 workings, from there round until it entered the No. 3 level, and had found damp there in one small place, about an eighth of an inch of cap. He considered there was a great difference between one-eighth, a quarter, and a half an inch of cap. When a man had been engaged with a lamp which he had probably been using all day and it had got smoky and dusty he would be able to test to an eighth, witness thought. Considered, Graham was perfectly accurate when he said he saw an eight of an inch of gas in that return.

We have had it in evidence that notwithstanding the finding of half an inch of cap in the intake of No. 5 district, the men were still allowed to continue work. Are you surprised an explosion did not happen until then? — Witness said he was surprised at the men being allowed in at all.

In reply further to Mr. Richards, witness said that his opinion was that a small seam of coal had been uncovered by a fall in the goaf and that the gas causing the explosion had come from it. On the 10th May he was in the goaf and there was no gas there. With regard to Blair and Graham there was gas in the goaf.

I think you will find both of them gave it in evidence there would be gas in the goaf.

Mr. Rigby Swift: That there would be. That is that in their opinion there would be. Neither of them ever said that there was gas in the goaf.

In reply to a question from Mr. Richards whether there should not be some examination as to the qualifications of overmen and deputies, witness said although they might be practical men they might not be able to pass an examination. As far as the work of a deputy was concerned, that might debar a good man. A man might be perfectly capable and not be able to pass a written examination.

In the future if you had an appointment to make after re-opening this colliery, as you will don't you think it will occur to you not to accept even Mr. Henry's recommendation of a deputy without, as responsible manager, finding out for yourself whether he has the knowledge requisite for acting in emergencies of this kind? — Oh, yes, I dare say some test of some kind would be very useful.

I understand you say Mr. Henry went down the pit at 7.55, five minutes to eight? — Yes.

Now Mr. Blair told us when he was giving evidence that it would take him half and hour to walk from the bottom of the shaft to the fan site? — To run, not walk.

I do not suggest Mr. Henry ran. Suppose we add ten minutes, do you think he might have done it in forty minutes? — Walking direct.

Yes I am only putting it walking direct. I am not putting it for the moment to find fault with what Mr. Henry did. He might have got there in forty minutes. Well we are told he had to make some examination which was necessary — I am not going to argue about it — in the return to see whether things were all right on his way down. Give him another ten minutes for that? -Yes, it would take that, and more.

If he did we give ten minutes more walking time and ten minutes to go to the return and make an examination, that should take him to the fan site at 8.35, should it not? — No, more than that.

No, I beg your pardon, that should take him to the fan site at 8.45? — 8.45.

It would take Mr. Henry in a time of stress and strain to the fan site — with nothing to stop him on the roadway, I am not suggesting that at the moment — it would take him to the fan site at 8.45. Ten minutes would take him to the friction gear? — Yes, or say a quarter of an hour.

Yes, a quarter of an hour; that would make it nine o'clock.

Do you know what time Wear and Kenmore left their friends in No. 5 district? — 9.25.

From where these men were to the friction gear was 15 minutes, and they would be going under stress and strain, very anxious to get through the smoke as soon as possible. If we do that we have Wear and Kenmore passing the friction gear at 9.40, and we have taken under a very generous computation Mr. Henry down there at nine o'clock. So that had Mr. Henry gone right away down to the friction gear, he could have gone there easily could he not 40 minutes before Wear and Kenmore passed? — Yes, had he not met anything on the road.

Had he gone direct, leaving out the two men that he met and the time that he spent with them, had he gone direct from the pit shaft down to the friction gear not only could he have gone past the fire, but have been in with these men and come back with them and still passed the friction gear before the time they passed. He would have 20 minutes to go in and 20 minutes to go out if he had gone right in to where there men were congregated together? — Yes.

In reply to further questions, witness said Mr. Henry would know from the air being reversed that something serious had happened. When Mr. Henry went down there were eight workmen at the bottom of the shaft. There was nothing to prevent them accompanying Benn, and Mr. Henry, but witness did not suppose they had ever been in-bye in their lives. They were simply men at the pit bottom.

With regard to future precautions, you, as manager of the mine will always take care and take it that your workmen will be instructed to know what to do in emergencies of this kind. Supposing it had occurred to the men who were coming out of the mine on the previous shift when the explosion occurred that something serious had happened and they had immediately turned back would not they have rescued the 87 men? -Yes, I dare say they would have had a good chance.

Don't you think it is time the Government should insist upon some elementary precautions now being taken to protect the lives of the men in the pit from fire, more than is taken at present? — Yes, I quite agree that would be a step in the right direction.

In reply to further questions, witness said it was pure assumption in any case as to the condition of the lamps which had been found and how it had been caused. Mr. Smith and witness had smashed several lamps since the explosion, and the lamp broken had always gone out. He believed the fire was arrested by the wet areas and by the portion of the road which was clear from dust, and that it would be a wise precaution to have similar wet areas in all important roadways, and especially in haulage roadways.

The inquiry was adjourned to the usual hour on Wednesday

The Mining Inquest.

(Continued From Page 2.)

Yesterday's Proceedings

The Court resumed at half-past ten yesterday (Wednesday) morning at the Town Hall.

Mr. R. STEELE the manager of Ladysmith and Wellington Pits, again took the witness's chair and was cross-examined by Mr. Robert Smith. He said he would not say that if Wear and Kenmore on coming through the smoke were calm and composed that showed that there was not much danger at that time. After stopping the sixth north they improved the ventilation by widening the return. He was not aware that the return was now at any point narrower than it used to be. He would let men stop to work when in a high place and within a few inches from the face there was half and inch of cap on the safety lamp. If there was half an inch at a yard from the face he did not think he would. A man's head would not be within two feet of the face. He considered that prior to the explosion there was adequate ventilation going round the pit. Their reason for putting in the auxiliary fan was not because they were short of ventilation, but in view of future developments. He heard the Inspector say that six north was pinched for ventilation. The Inspectors had their opinion. He repeated that before the explosion the ventilation of the pit was adequate. Mr. Henry did not tell witness when they together tried the back south dip that Graham had suggested that method of getting to the men. Graham had been in the pit about 40 years.

He would be expected to know more about the working of that pit than even you, his manager? — Well, I don't know about that. I don't suppose he would know anything about the pit that I didn't know.

I am not reflecting on your qualification, but would it not be natural that Mr. Graham, a man who had been continually working in the pit all these years, would know more about details than you would? — No. I don't think he would.

Mr. Smith: Well, I am certain he would. Do you think that his scheme was not more practicable than yours was? — It was not. His scheme was to put a stopping across the intake, which would drive the fire on to the explorers.

Don't you think there had been some laxity in the supervision of that pit as to gas? — I don't.

Educating the men in that direction? — Educating the men?

Yes, if laxity is the schoolmaster wouldn't that have a bad effect on the men? — Witness said there was no laxity although there might have been in a particular case in finding gas and not reporting it.

The manager relieves himself of responsibility thrown on to the under-manager; the under-manager throws it upon the deputies; and the deputies throw it upon the men? — I don't think that happens.

I am putting it to you that the manager can put a large amount of responsibility on the under-officials? — Certainly.

And ultimately the responsibility comes to the worker? — No, no.

Questioned as to the way lamps should be used, witness agreed that lamps should be hung up. When he caught a man with his lamp on the floor he checked him. There should be a rule that no lamp should be placed on the floor.

Cross-examined by Mr. Andrew Sharp: There had never occurred a case under his experience of a man being compensated for his lost time and labour, who had been withdrawn from his working place owing to gas.

No, but we are here to prevent accidents for the future, and Mr. Redmayne is here, and I would like him to take particular notice of this: If we are going to prevent accidents in the future would not it be well that the workmen should have a knowledge that they would be compensated if withdrawn? — I think it would be much better to make the place safe and not have them retire at all.

Yes, but if a workman goes about four miles in-byes, he has to spend three hours out of the eight going in and out? — Yes.

Now if he finds gas and goes home, he gets no compensation, and no wages? — No.

Is not that a great temptation to a man to work in danger rather than come out and lose his wages? — Well, I think not, Mr. Sharp; a man will consider his life.

Well, but, if he has to go home, his life will go by hunger. It does not matter whether he is killed one way or the other. But don't you think if there was an understanding that in cases of this description a workman should be compensated, he would not work in gas? — No, I think it might lead to a lot of unpleasantness, one way and another.

I don't' agree that it would lead to unpleasantness. It would be some satisfaction for the workman. (Laughter.) We are going to have some new legislation on this matter, and we want to know the causes of this explosion. Now if you bring a man back for an hour, or you remove him and send him to another place, there are generally difficulties in cleaning up and starting the other place? — Yes.

Is there compensation for that? — There is not.

Witness went on to reply that the deputies had strict orders when they found gas to report it. If they did not report it and a man left his working place without orders he would get no compensation. That was the rule of this colliery, and he dare say all over.

Cross-examined by Mr. Hanlon: He was not aware that two colliers told Mr. Henry on the night of the explosion that there was something seriously wrong and that they stood by and waited for an invitation to go down the pit and were never asked. He had not heard that men had told Mr. Henry this mine was in a dangerous condition.

Mr. Campbell said he thought they should have the names of these men; and Mr. R. Swift supported this.

Mr. Hanlon (to witness): Did you have any report that Ritson and Ben Cowie withdrew the dilly men and brought them back to a certain place to work in safety, and that the under-manager sent them back to the place they were sent from? — I have not.

Mr. R. Swift: If we are to have names, let us have the names of live men, not of men who are dead.

Mr. Hanlon: John Heslop and Jacob Moore told Mr. Henry there had been a serious accident.

The Coroner: Are they available to be called?

Mr. Chapman: I understand one of them's in Canada and the other in Sheffield. (Laughter.)

Mr. Hanlon: Well, I could not keep the men here; they had their living to get; but we have their evidence.

The Coroner: Well, we will leave it there.

Mr. Hanlon (to witness): With regard to the supposed conference on May 12th, do you say I was in your office? — I do.

Was I asked to attend? — No, you attended of your own free will.

Just accidentally dropped in? — Accidentally, if you like.

I have got my living to make in Whitehaven, and I have got myself to clear of this. I say that conference was to consider Tom Graham's scheme? — No, it was to seal up the mine.

Witness further replied that he never knew a man turned off because he refused to work in gas.

Questioned as to the raising of coal after the accident, witness said whatever had happened they wanted the place clear, and that was the right thing to do.

HENRY LOUIS, Newcastle, mining engineer and professor of mining at Armstrong's College, Durham, was the next witness. His evidence referred to a number of samples of coal dust taken from Wellington Pit by Mr. Atkinson, and which he analysed in his laboratory at the College. He shifted it with a mesh of 150 to the lineal inch, as it was only the very fine dust which was active in coal dust explosions. The weight of dust per square feet of surface of No. 1 and No. 2 brakes respectively was 3¼ and 4 ounces. This contained about 20 per cent of ash and 23 per cent of volatile matter. M. Taffanel, a well-known French authority, had experimented with coal dust raised by an explosion of a mixture of fire damp and air; and he found that an explosion is possible and he found that there is more than one-seventh of an ounce of coal dust to the cubic foot of air-space. In this case there was something like three or four times as much dust as we required to produce a dust-explosion. Taffanel found coal dust was explosive if it contained 18 per cent of volatile matter; this contained 26 per cent; and that if there was not more than 40 per cent, of ash (and this contained about 20 per cent.) it lent itself to explosion. So that there was ample evidence that the dust of these two brakes was of a highly explosive character. This dust analysed was what settled down after the explosion, and it composition was very much the same as that of original coal. He came to the conclusion that the coal dust active in the explosion was altogether destroyed. A great deal of carbon dioxide results from the explosion of gas and air; and the incandescent particles of the finest dust, as carbon would combine with this to form carbon monoxide. So that the gas which results from an explosion of fire damp and air with coal dust is probably far more poisonous that that produced by an ordinary gas explosion, as they had a large amount of carbonic oxide.

By Mr. Pope: A small percentage of carbonic oxide is poisonous. From what he saw when he went into the pit after the pit was re-opened appearances all pointed to the explosion having arisen on the right hand side of No. 2 brake. Witness could not suggest any practical remedy against coal dust to diminish its explosive effect.

By Mr. Redmayne: Carbonic oxide is a product of incomplete combustion. The fire itself would give off a tremendous quantity, and the poor fellows in Nos. 5 and 6 would not be long alive. Poisoning from monoxide is painless. It is indicated by the pink colour of the flesh and the altered character of the blood taken from the body. A rule against a lamp being placed on the floor would be very proper. If a lamp stood on a slope so that the flame could strike the gauze, the gauze would become red hot in a very short time and might pass flame, and so be no longer safe.

GEORGE CARRIGAN, collier, Wellington Pit, called by Mr. Hanlon, said he had had to work where there was gas. He had found a shovel left by the deputy in his working place chalked "gas," to indicate that there was gas in the place. He remembered on Thursday night, 12th May, Mr. Hanlon speaking to him at twenty minutes past nine and telling him he had just come from home.

EDWARD MASON, collier, check-inspector, examined by Mr. Hanlon, said he had been sent into gas scores of times.

By Mr. R. Swift: He told Mr. Hanlon that years ago. Witness corrected himself, and said it was only on Monday that he told Mr. Hanlon men were working under conditions that they should not work. That was when they were asked to give evidence.

THOAMS BRAY, colliers' delegate, said he had worked in gas and objected. He had seen a shovel with "gas" written on it by Robert McDonald, deputy. He had been "punished" for objecting to gas. The under-manager told them he would stop them going in any more until it was put right, and they were off work for five days. The inspectors found nothing wrong in the mine, because they knew they were coming and made preparation for them.

JOHN BRENNAN, collier, gave similar evidence as to shovels marked "gas" in places that men went into to work.

By Mr. Pope: He took that for a warning, and he lowered his lamp and tested for gas to see what cap there was. Sometimes he got a quarter of an inch choke up to the foreheads, a foot from the roof and a foot from the face. They would be working about a couple of feet from the face. That was when they first came in after the place had been standing for a couple or three hours.

WILLIAM BEWICK, collier, said he had been sent to work where there was gas. He had got as much as half an inch on his lamp. He had seen the gas standing n clouds.

The witness was not cross-examined.

Mr. Hanlon, said he could not call any more witnesses if they were not cross-examined.

Mr. R. Swift: I won't cross-examine a man who says he has "seen" gas. (Laughter.)

ROBERT McDONALD, deputy in six north level, said when he found a cap of a quarter of an inch he prevented the men working until the gas was cleared away by a joiner coming and putting some brattice up. He left a message for the incoming men by writing with chalk the word "gas" on the back of a shovel. If there was much gas he would fence the place off at once. He never saw a half inch cap in sixth north, even when examining after the workings had stood for some time.

By Mr. Pope: He did not think men went in when he told them not to till the deputy came. They never went in with witness's approval. The chalked message might be a good thing or a bad thing according to the intention. He had seen men rush right in to the forehead for want of warning and out goes their light at once.

By Mr. Sharp: Perhaps it would have been better to have had a place fenced off when any gas at all was found.

By Mr. R. Swift: Under the rules each workman had to satisfy himself of the safety of the place before commencing and entering the continuance of his work. Under rule 54 it was "inflammable gas" they had to report. He had not reported a quarter of an inch cap. The custom of marking shovels had been in force all the 47 years witness had been at the pit. All the men knew of it. Mr. Hanlon must have known about it, and during the whole 17 years, until now, he had never said there was anything wrong about it.

The Court rose at a quarter past five and adjourned until half-past ten this (Thursday) morning.

[We regret that last week by an error in transcription the report on the disaster which was read by Mr. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector for the district, was attributed to Mr. Redmayne, whereas it should have been stated as Mr. Atkinson's own report. Ed., W.N.]

Body Found

On Thursday morning another body was found in Wellington Pit, of the 136 men and boys who lost their lives by the disaster of May 11th. It was that of William Mulholland, aged 64 years, a roadman in the pit, whose duty at the time of the accident was to have charge of that portion of the haulage road from the friction gear to the endless rope wheel along No.3 main level. The body was found between the friction gear and No.1 brake. It had evidently been blown a considerable distance by the force of the explosion, for it was found almost denuded of clothing, and lay upon a fall of coal and had then been covered by a heavy fall of stone. There was no difficulty in identifying the body, which was brought to the surface in the course of Thursday morning. There was one stocking left on it which was easily identified by the fact that it was so very much darned; and besides the pronounced high cheek bones that deceased had, there was the peculiar fact that he had only one tooth, and that a back one, in his jaws. Deceased was the oldest man who was working in the pit at the time of the disaster.

Mr. E. Atter, the Coroner for West Cumberland, and his jury, assembled at the Magistrates Court-house, on Thursday afternoon to take evidence of identification. Having viewed the body at the pit-top, they returned and heard the evidence by two witnesses, which was accepted as conclusive.

Mrs. Elizabeth Mulholland, an aged woman, who was much affected when giving her evidence, said she lived at 45, Back Row, Newhouses. She was the widow of William Mulholland, who lived with her and was 64 years of age. He was a roadman, in Wellington Pit. She last saw him on the day of the tragedy. He left home between five and six o'clock. She was at the pit-top this morning and saw the stocking taken from the body there. She was perfectly sure it was her husband's stocking. It was a well worn stocking, and she told the man before she saw it what it was like.

Did you see anything on the left wrist? — Yes, there as a cord. He was not particular. Sometimes it was a cord, but he always had something on the left wrist — sometimes a strap, sometimes a tape. There is a cord on his left wrist.

Have you any doubt that it is the body of your husband? — No, I have not a bit of doubt.

Who was with you when you identified him? — My son, John.

Did he identify him too? — Yes.

When have you thought of having the funeral? — On Sunday.

When do you want to have the coffin? — Well, Saturday evening I would like the coffin.

You won't open it again? — Oh, no, I don't want to see any more; if I saw it I would not forget it again.

John Mulholland said he lived at 65, Back Row, Newhouses, and was a collier. He was the son of William Mulholland. He had seen the body. He identified it as that of his father as soon as he saw it. He identified it by the cheek bones, and one tooth away back; he had no teeth in front. He did not see the stocking, but he had no doubt about the identification.

Did any of your brothers identify him? — Yes, I had another brother with me, and he saw him as well.

Where was the body found? — About 50 yards from Ray's brake.

Was that anywhere near where his working place would be? — Yes, the road he was working on is the road from the friction gear to the wheel of the endless rope.

I think this is the oldest man we have had yet? — Yes, he was the oldest man working on that shift.

Newspaper transcript kindly provided by
West Cumbria Mines Research.