The Inquest.

Colonist, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8533, 15 April 1896, Page 2

The Inquest.

The adjourned Coroner's inquiry into tbe Brunner mine disaster was resumed to-day before Mr Stratford S.M. The Couit was crowded. Mr Harman appeared for the Crowo, and Mr Beere repiesemiog Mr Guinnrss appeared or ths Company. Ths following evidenoe wis taken : - William Griffiths, sworn, said: lam a oral miner. I have worked in tne Brnnner and Wall Bend mines 18 years. I cannct give any idea of the explosion. 1 was a rescuer in tbe mine on the evening of ths 26. h inst.. and discovered the body of Heslin, By Mr Harman : I ha*e had previous experience in mines before coming here. I know whai it meant by a fiery mine. Ido not oall Brunner a fiery mine. 1 have never seen anytbi.g to nuke me afraid. I\ is nine months fince I worked in the mine before tha evening of the 26th. I worked down in the dip. I never saw g&s in the dip. I bave seen gas in some of the bords. It was some years eiace; it was not in dangerous quantities. My ex-, perience dates haok tbree cr foor years.. I thought the mine safe, and there was p'e -ty of air, and, as far as I oan see, I oan give no opinion sb to how the explosion ooourred my-3-lf. It was supposed tobe gas. and occurred at tbe Walhend mioe. I can give no opinion, as lam not an expert. By tbe Coroner : If one place was blooked, I c;uld oome out of another. Tbere are two ways into th 9 mine besides tbe main tunnel. Enoch Hartshorn, Bwom, sa : d; I was one of tbe resouerß. I went mo the mine at 11 a.m. I have been a miner 45 years. I bave worked ia the Brunner mine. It is four or five years sinoe I wtrked in the mine. I consider the explosion was due to ga*. I did not oc mnienoa rescuing until 4 o'clock in the aftrrnoon. Tbe after-damp which I eatre across tcld me it was a gas explosion. By Mr Herman: I Eay tbat aiter damp oan be str elt I bave bad experience of after dump in the Old Country. After an explosion choke damp fills tbe mine wh re it has occurred. I have a slight experience of Just, : nd have known explosions oaused by ablo.vn out shot. I mean a shot that had not dose its woik, lt occurred ia the Ctalpithcath mioe. A b'owoout ehot wi 1 travel fjr a little dittance, as fire damp, its own f.l inputs it out ; ii is not co strcug bb gas. Tnere is always a quantity of du-t. I hate only worked in tbe low levJ of tbe Brunner mine Down the main dtp there seemed to be a lot of dust far mora than tbere wa= in the Coal pitheatb. After the exploeion, jou wi 1 find duet in all mince ; tbe air will mke co difference to it, I sbould say if it was oarried n the air the la r £.e/ would be tbe explo:ion f ' ooneider the greater the ourrent of air th c

- — — — — ■-•» larger would be the explosion. 1 was on ground manager for four yearß or more . don't consider the Brunner ,a fiery mine, Wben I found ga?; I took s'tepß to remove it by brattice, in order to bring a current offair in it. Coal dußt oannot be igni'ed to tbe sime extent as gas. I think ftr-) dust in the late explosion was cmied by the foroe of the - explosion. The mine wa^ inspeoted regularly by Inspeotor Binns. The air ways were examined by tbe Inspector, and the old workings. He was alwaya eogompani dby me, and sometimes by Mr Bisbop. Mr Binn", j Inspector, would measure the quantity of <<ir jand the air ourrent. By Mr Beer" j When I waa r jscuing, I had a Davey 'amp. I believe it possible for a blown out shot to oauße disastrous results. The Mine Manager would make regular visits of inspecti 3n. Bis visits cams nnder my notioe. I did not o nsider ihe mine badly managed, although a few comp'aints were made as -to tbe quantity of air. By the foreman: If the Act is fuUy complied with, it must ba removed, and co ohe ihonld be allowed in until it is removed as soon as possible. The lamp cabin in my time was kept in tbe mine. Mr Wm Sheard was looking after the lamps. He was lamptrimmer. The fireman is expeoted to examine them, loo\ and trim tbem befora tbe men take them. The fireman is expeoted tn go in and examine the mine before the men go to work. No barometer was kept at tbe mouth of the mine, Wbilet I was under* ground manage* I endeavored to carry out the Aot. I consider thtf explosion ooourred on tbe left-hand side of the dip. I have been through the main air course. Had not the explosion ooourred ihe men oould have got out of the pit two ways. James Rooney, on oath sworn, said; I have worked in the Biunner mine some months. I was getting the lamps ready for the reßouers. Mr Joyoe, who appeared for several of the re-atives of those who were lost in the mine. Cross-examined the witness stated as follows: I remember noticing indications of gas. I have seen it from two to five feet. I have seen gas in No 1 incline in No 1 level. I have also seen gas in Nc 2 incline. Tbere were the usual precautions taken. Sometimes the brattioe would be suooessful In olearing the mine of gas. It was written up oa a board "Danger." Men oould get in wi.h naked lights. There wes nothing to prevent their going down or being discovered by the underground manager. I have seen plaoeß gain gas in fire mioutes equal 16 seven fe6t. lam speaking of seven years ago in the Brunner mine. After the first spring out [ the gas kept accumulating it was on tbe rise works. I consider some of the plaoes in the Brunner mine were not s&f e to work in , with naked lights. There is a retnrn ourrent in the Brunner mine, I have never been along it. It would be impossible for the men to ' find the way out. It was never shown to i the men. A man could get through the air ' oonrse in the return current in tbe Brunner mine partly by walking and partly by creeping. On the applioation of the jury, the inquiry 1 has been adjourned to the 15th of June.