THE DOBSON TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1926, Page 11

THE DOBSON TRAGEDY

INQUEST FORMALLY OPENS EVIDENCE OF THE DISASTER. STORY OF THE RESCUE WORK. By Telegr.pi>.—Press AuoeUtlpn. Greymouth, Last Night. The inquest concerning the Dobson tragedy was opened at Greymouth today by the coroner, Mr. W. Meldrum. S.M., Senior-Sergeant P. J. McCarthy conducted the proceedings, and Mr. J. \V. Hannan represented the Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd. John Smeaton, a miner, of , Dobson, said that about 2.55 a.m. on December 3 he left the bottom of the main haulage dip and eame to the top for another load of material. On reaching the top he said to his two mates that they could make it crib time, as they would not have time to go down with another load. They left the mouth of the mine and retired to a small cabin, where a coal fire was burning, about half a chain from the line of the dip. They had been si Wing in the cabin about, twelve minutes when they heard a terrific explosion, after a flash like lightning. A smaller explosion occurred a few seconds later. Witness went out to investigate after the debris stopped falling. He said to Ids mates: “I thing the boiler has blown up.” They found the boiler all right. Witness then wondered whether the powder magazine had gone. Nirnmo reached the magazine first, and sang out that it was safe. Witness turned in the direction of the mine mouth, and said: “Oh, God! The mine’s gone.” He then sent Niinmo for the mine manager and the underviewer. Acting under the instructions of the man. ager witness took charge of the minemouth and later led a party into the mine. Witness was tied on to the end of a rope with the manager, Nirnmo and Watkins next in that order. About half a chain from the bottom of the stone dip, witness heard men moaning. Witness released himself from the rope and went to the winch-house, where he found Ashton standing up against the drum of the air winch. He was fearfully burned and was groaning and moaning. Witness told Ashton that he would be all right and asked him to lift his leg over some timber in the road, as he was so badly burned that witness in handling him would give him great pain. The rest of the rescuers arrived and Ashton was placed on a stretcher and taken to the surface.

Witness then went a few feet into the eabin behind the electric winch aud found Driver Robert Hunter lying on his back, also terribly burned. Two feet further away John Lindsay and about four feet away James Richards, the mine deputy, were lying dead. The men were all in the winch chamber where they would have their crib. Witness later identified the four men, whom he knew. The Senior-Sergeant stated that he did not intend to call further evidence in the meanwhile, and the inquest was ad journed sine die. SYMPATHY FROM AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Dec. 6. The Minister of Mines, Mr. Baddeley, expressed regret at the news of the Dobson mine disaster. He said he had requested the Minister of Mines in New Zealand to convey nn expression of sympathy to the bereaved. THE DOBSON MINE. AREA’S RECENT DEVELOPMENT. Although the existence of a rich seam of coal suitable for “smithy” work had long been known, Dobson, situated on the left bank of the Grey River, about six miles north of Greymouth, is practically a new coalmining area. Operations were begun there in 1924 by a company formed for the industrial development of the field, and the quality of the coal and the convenient position of the mine for rail and harbour facilities quickly transformed into a busy mining town a settlement that once consisted of a wayside hotel and a handful of houses. The train passes it just a mile below Brunner, where, on the other side of the river, the passenger has a gloomy panorama of the ruined coke-ovens of the Brunner mine, which are a constant reminder of the terrible disaster there in 1890. Dobson has an historic interest in that it is named after a young surveyor —brother of the late Mr. A, D. Dobson of Christchurch —who was murdered there by the Sullivan-Kelly gang in the sixties. His grave is on a rise that overlooks the district. Boring operations were carried on at different times and for different purposes over a long period of years, but It was not until about six years ago that definite attention was given to the commercial development of the field. I .ate in 1921 a thick seam of coal was proved in operations begun by Mr. J. D. Lyneh, of Greyraouth, but his project was not proceeded with. Later the present company was formed, and developed this mine into an important unit of the extensive coal industry of the West Coast, providing a commercial fuel similar to that won from the old Brunner seam.

PREVIOUS DISASTERS. BRUNNER AND HUNTLY RECALLED Not since the terrible explosion at Huntly on the morning of Saturday, September 12, 1914, however, has there been a colliery fatality of such dimensions as that ■which occurred last week. That disaster occurred in Ralph’s colliery, Huntly, owned by the Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., and the Royal Commission which inquired into it found that it was caused by the ignition of fire-damp by a naked light which a miner had carried in the old workings of the mine when proceeding to his work. The ignition of the gas caused a concussion which raised a quantity of fine inflammable lignite-dust, by which the explosion was intensified and carried to the top of the upcast shaft, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. Experts had declared the mine one of the safest in the world, and practically free from all forms of dangerous gases, .Vet the misadventure of one man led to a holocaust that brought about the second greatest mining disaster New Zealand has known. The roar of the explosion was heard for miles around, and only 19 men, some of whom died later, escaped alive from the mine. There

were scenes of remarkable heroism, the rescuers being beaten back for hours in their fight against the deadly gases with which the shafts tver§ charged. The greatest explosion was that at Brunner on March 26, 1896—about a mile from the scene of the present disaster. Although rescue parties worked for three days, not one of those working in the mine at the time escaped alive, the death roll reaching 65. The evidence' at the Royal Commission was that the primary cause was a “blow’out shot,” fired by a person unknown, and contrary to the rules of the mine, in a part where no work should have been in progress. A previous disaster was that at Kaitangata, in Otago, on February 21. 1878, when 34 lives were lost. In 1923 the Blackball mine caught fire, but the only serious result was that there was no work for some months and a town totally dependent on mining activities was largely deserted until the mine was in a fit state for the resumption of operations. The fire occurred during the night. PROBABLE CAUSE OF DISASTER. ELECTRICAL DEFECT SUGGESTED. One of the many theories advanced as to the cause of the explosion, the one most accepted is that it had its origin in a defect in the electric installation The Dobson mine, like other mines on the Brunner field, is described by miners as a gasometer. Miners state that when cutting out preparatory to firing shots in the Dobson mine, the sound of gas hissing can be heard like a steam engine. A reporter was told by several of the miners that it was quite a common thing for men to become dizzy and sick in the mine through gas fumes. When affected this way the usual course was to rush to the mouth of the drive for fresh air, which quickly restored them. Another old miner on the Brunner field stated that prior to the Brunner disaster, over 30 years ago, a common practice of miners was to flick the gas away with their coats before entering the working places. He expressed the opinion that the miners on the Brunner field required extra ventilation shafts on account of their gaseous nature. FLOODING OF THE MINE. RELIEF OF THE DISTRESSED. Greymouth, Last Night. The pumping of water from the Grey River into the Dtfbson mine has proceeded since yesterday afternoon and oilice the second pump was started 50,000 gallons per hour has been pumped. It is estimated that eight million gallons will be required. Soon the water will rise to the level of the foot on the main dip, stopping any air entering therefrom and lessening the combustion within. In the meantime volumes of emoke continue to issue from the fan on the air shaft, indicating the meeting of the water with fire in the burning portion of the mine. Some fear that when the water seals the main dip a fresh explosion may result, but the only damage likely therefrom would be. below. Normally about 160 men are employed n (he Dobson mine, of whom 141 are in Hie meantime rendered idle. To-day the president of the Grey Valley Miners’ Union, Mr. J. SineSton, wired the Minister of Mines asking it temporary employment could be found for the idled miners at State collieries and elsewhere. A relief fund has been opened, a donation of 50 guineas coming from W. D. ..nd H. 0. Wills, New Zealand, Ltd. Messages of sympathy from the Australian miners’ organisation, the New Zealand unions, Mayors and many others are being received. It is anticipated that coal production at Dobson will not be resumed for about :< couple of months. Three directors, Messrs Hogarth, Catchpole and Kirkealdie, are visiting the mine, they stating that it is impossible yet to make any statement on the explosion until the mine is again opened and an investigation made.