AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13874, 7 October 1908, Page 7

AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE.

. _ _—«■—— ——. THE DEADLY WHITE DAMP. ; :: [BT TELEGRAPH* — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DtJNKOtJf, Tuesday. 4 .'*■ OWING to the wholesale liberation of noxi- • ous. and deadly gases, the Allandale coal mine has been temporarily closed down. There has been trouble brewing for some .months, and yesterday it was found neces- ; sary to order all hands to remain above /ground. ' The men assembled yesterday for the first shift, but the manager decided that there was much too large a quantity of ' white damp to allow the mine to be safe, and work for that day was suspended. ■ The mrtnager (Mr. Westfleld) and two ' deputies (Messrs. Howe and Stevenson) • ■ then went down the mine to investigate, and had.an exciting experience. They set : to work to seal up the passage giving access to the area whence the gases came, but, after working for a while they were y affected by the white damp. The deputies were affected first, but when the manager suggested an abandonment of the task they demurred, and, eventually, had to be forced away. !|:i!;\ Bi: The manager was then confronted with the big problem of bringing a fresh supply *, ■ of air into the mine from the ventilating shaft, which was only a few yards away, and he might easily have sought safety ' there, but the poisonous gases were pouring into.the mine,.and men were repairing .:,' r; a'pump about half a mile away. By this time, the deputies were almost inert. The manager put both of his limp i companions into a truck r.nd by running . ' ~ t at full speed reached the other men. All were at once withdrawn &.A the mine %'. sealed up. ______„, /