TRAGIC MINING INCIDENT IN DURHAM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1182, 23 September 1885, Page 4

TRAGIC MINING INCIDENT IN DURHAM.

A singular incident with reference to colliery disasters has been recalled by the proceedings at the inquest on the bodies of the men killed in the Margaret Pit at Puiladelphia a few weekß ago. This latter accident arose from the plans of the old workings having been incorrect ; and in giving evidence before the Coroner, Mr Lisham, the manager of the colliery, speaking of old colliery plans, mentioned that generally they were very accurate, one indeed, showing the position of the body of a man which had been sealed up in the workings for a period of over fifty years. The hiatory of the unfortunate miner was as follows :— About fifty years ago two "marrows" were working together in the Jane Pit, Philadelphia, when one of them, by some means or other, released a quantity of gas, which exploded and set fire to the coal. The man who had caused the outburst of gas made at once for the mouth of the shaft, first shouting to his mate that gas was in the pit. The mate, however, whose name was Barrowfield, and who had frequently been made the victim of many practical jokes by the lads in the pit shouting ont to him that the mine had fired, believing tlm to be another attempt to frighten him, made no attempt to get away, but sat still on a little stool with his pick in his hand. The fire in the mine spread so rapidly that it was impossible to reach him, and the workings were sealed up with stone to prevent the air getting to the fire, the pit being afterwards abandoned. After a lapse of over fifty years the pit was re-opened, and a party of explorers , descended into the workings. The party, guided by the plans which were accurate to the most minute particular, reached the spot where the explosion had occurred. Going in with the first influx of freah air, some of the party found ihe poor fellow still sitting bolt upright on hii stool, with his tools, bait, etc., around him, and just as if he had only beea killed half an hour previously, instead of having been seated there for over half a century. The effects of the fresh air were soon speedily apparent, for the body collapsed and literally orutnbled to pieces. The body was brought in pieces to the mouth of the pit, and was interred with the usual observances.