THE MINING DISASTER.

Evening Star, Issue 9965, 27 March 1896, Page 2

THE MINING DISASTER.

scene. ; [Pfelß BHUIJNiSioN, March 27, „ „ ' , L#»»iri. ?b more bodies h&Ve bfeii reoovered yet. he men ■ aire still Wording energetically, and experiencing greater • difficulties owing to the foul air. Progress is very much slower, and the relieving parties are getting knocked up quickly. 2 a,m. The .relief parties have driven into the mine about a Mile, and are.how about ten chains from wheVe the meri were Working. Mr Seddoh is it the pit's (houth. and has expressed tote willingness to work in & shift if wanted. < Mr. Lindof, manager of'.the Westport mines, is expected by special boat with a batch of men to assist. * :'■ Several of those engaged in rescuing are being brought out almost dead. Hundreds of women still wait at the pit's mouth. 3.15 a.m. Shifts of sixteen men are now working fighting their way foot by foot. The shifts last one hoar, and the men being brought into the fresh air becomeunconscious. The ground gained is very slow. The reljef parties have gpt about a mile and a-half into the interior of the mine. Mr Bishop is still confined to his bed, and is in a serious condition. Telegrams are being received from all parts of the colony expressing sympathy. Hope of saving the men entombed grows fainter. Fragments of trucks have been met with. Business on the whole of the Coast is at a standstill. WELLINGTON, March 27. The Government' have Instructed Mr Gordon, Inspector of Mines, to proceed without delay to Brunnerton, and he leaves by the Grafton to-morrow, in company with Mr MacDougall, the manager of the company. WESTPORT, March 27. Many people left this morning by train for the scene of the Brunner disaster. Mr Lindop, the mine engineer at Denniston, left by the tug steamer last night to assist at the Brunuer mine. Twenty - five picked Denniston colliers went down by the Manawatu to-day to help in the rescue Work. Some tweuty others with relatives -at Brunnerton also went down. The feeling in the Buller colliery districts is one oi painful excitement. Many of the colliery employes have relatives at Brunner.

BRAVE WORKERS.

BRUNNERTON, March 27.

All last night the search party continuod their work with untiring.zeal. Mr Seddon arrived by speoial train in the evening and went to the face of the workings, but his offer to work one shift was not accepted. The warden (Mr Stratford) visited the mine under orders from the Defence Department, and placed Messrs' Daniels and Scott in charge until Mr Cochrane, the Government u.spector, arrived at midnight. DISTRESSING The scene atthepit mouth allnightwas one never to be forgotten, weary faces and the k.iden footsteps of broken-hearted men and vomen meeting one on every side, and asking: "Can they be living?" or "Poor Jack !" or " Where is ruy Harry ? " The air in the mine increased in foulness as the approach to. the level became nearer, and it was so gaseous as to knock strong men down. .. ■ ■ THE POPULACE UNHINGED. The whole populace seems unhinged. Passing along the street nothing but the piteous cries of women and children are to be heard. TWO HUNDRED DEPENDENT SOULS. Sixty-six miners are entombed, on whom 200 women aud children are' dependent. RECOVERY OF BODIES.

BRUNNERTON, March 27.

At ten o'clock this morning the relief party had fought their way to the bottom Wei. i At 11 a.m. the body of Heslin was wiyvered much charred. Shortly after-w-ids the bodies of J. Patterson and J. Watchman were brought out. Another rush to the pit's mouth was the signal that still another victim had been found—that of Paul Pellion, a Frenchman. These bodies did not seem much knocked about, and in the three cases their arms were in a defensive attitude, as if the poor fellows had been trying to beat the firedamp baok. The relief parties are at present engaged in working the lower.part of the mine. About noon!two more bodies were reoovered.

THE PREMIER REVISITS THE MINE.

KUMARA, March 27.

The Premier reoeivfld.the -following wire I from the Mayor of Brunnerton at nine otclook this morning:—" Three more bodies have just been recovered, but they are not recognisable. There is no -.hope for any of the entombed. Water rising in the dip. Energetic efforts are being made to reach the men before the water rises. Aid required at once." On this the Premier sent up to the miners on the lead, and arranged for a special train to take them from Kumara station. At 11.30 the special left with between thirty and j forty men for rescue work at Brunnerton. The banquet to Mr Seddon, which was to have been held this evening, has been postponed. This morning also the Premier received a wire from Mr Cochrane, inspector of mines, stating that he had entered the mine at 2 a.m., and saw that the rescue work was being rightly carried forward. Mr Cochrane felt the effects of the after-damp, and is now suffering. He states that all is being done that can be done. He said he urgently wished to see Mr Seddon if he could arrange to go to Brunnerton. On this the Premier arranged to proceed again to the scene of the disaster with plenty of rescue men from Kumara. * _i-—I _—- BIGHT MORE BODIES RECOVERED. GREYMOUTH, March 27. Eight ■ additional bodies have been recovered this morning. Mr Bishop has recovered sufficiently to go into the mine again. ' Work is being continued unceasingly, but the men engaged in the work of rescue are getting very much exhausted. Fresh men are shortly expected from Kumara and Westport. It is hoped that the ifrhole of the bodies will be recovered before night.,. The water is rising in the dip rapidly, all the pumping gear having been destroyed by the explosion. No hope is entertained of any of the men being got out alive. Practical aid is badly wanted. The Mayor of Grey mouth has started a subscription list. Mr Ziman gives £IOO and Mrs Millß £100; ' LIST OF BODIES RECOVERED. GREYMOUTH, March 27. The following bodies have been recovered to-day:— Thomas Heslin John Pattison John "Watchman PaulPellion Charles James - William Huater J. Morris >; W. Duncan. ■" * J. Geogehegan Jeffrey Gebgehegan.

EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY.

The Mayor of Dunedin to-day sent the following telegram to the Mayor of Brnnnerton :—" On behalf of all in Dunedin I tender to-Bruunerton, and especially to those deStrived of their bread-winners, our heartelt sympathy in your present calamity. I shall be glad to co-operate with you in any scheme of relief for those left unprovided for. J V- ' ;■'"■ ■ ■ ' At lost night's meeting of Masonio Lodge St. John Kilwinning, Nov U2, S.C., Northeast Valley,- it was resolved to forward to the Mayor of Brunnerfcon a letter of condolence with the sufferers by the colliery accident,"

~\ : , News pf the terrible disaster at Brunnerton has cast quite a gloom over the community, and the expressions of sympathy: aredeep and widespread.' r * This morning the Committee of the recent fire brigade demonstration held here tele-graphed-£!0fl to 'Greymontb .in aid of the Fund for the relief of sufferers by the disaster

The Mayor has telegraphed to the Mayor of Brunnerton :—" The citizens of Christchurch deeply sympathise with the sufferers from the terrible disaster. I propose to open subscription lists in aid of the distressed." The Mayor has called a publio meeting for Monday evening to consider what steps should be taken to raise funds.