THE WAITEKAURI MINING DISASTER.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 76, 27 September 1898, Page 6

THE WAITEKA URI MINING DISASTER.

[BY TELEGEAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, Tnis Day. The dead body of Graham, recovered from the burning Jubilee mine on Saturday evening, was found banging over a slab three feet from the bottom of the man-hole leading from Christie's drive into the Queen's drive. The unfortunate man had evidently known the means of exit, but was suffocated before reaching the pure air in the C^ueen levels. Wallace's body could not be recovered, and it is thought he must have endeavoured to escape by the same level as he entered — namely, Christie's — and was overcome by the smoke. Messrs. Coutts and Ryan, Mining Inspectors, were on the scene all Saturday afternoon and night, and everything possible was done to discover Wallace, but without avail. Search parties got up to the second rise and into the level where the men had been working, but found it impossible to get along Christie's level towards the fire. In •any case it is probable that both men discovered the smoke long before it was felt by the engineer below, and endeavoured to escape before the alarm was given below. Wallace's true name is Stevens. He was about 36 years of age, and hails from Tasmania. He has no relations here. Graham was a single man, 21 years of age. A brother resides in Waihi, and his parents in Otago. Graham had been working in the district for two years and at the Jubilee mine for a month.