MINE MANAGER’S STATEMENT

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8495, 29 July 1933, Page 2

MINE MANAGER’S STATEMENT

STEPS TO RELEASE INJURED MEN TRIBUTE TO WORKERS An account of the accident was given by the mine manager, Mr J. L. Gilmour, who was within a few yards of No. 2 shaft when it occurred. Mr Gilmour stated that a loud noise drew his attention |o the fact that something was amiss, and he looked up and saw two pieces of timber flying above the shaft. On his way to the shaft-head he met Mr W. Morrison, the shift-boss in charge, and was told that the cage, with its human freight, had broken away. Mr Morrison stated that the engine driver, Mr H. Mills, had applied the brakes, but that the cage had fallen at a terrific speed; the wire rope had wound itself off the drum and had fallen down the shaft, probably coiling on top of the cage. Fearing the worst regarding the safety of the men, said the mine manager, he despatched two men down another shaft. The engine driver had told him that the cage had fallen to No. 15 level, at the bottom, but after inquiries had been made as to what had happened to the western cage in the shaft, and when its position had been ascertained, Mr Morrison and he went down No. 4 shaft, several hundreds of feet away, to No. 14 level. There they met the shift-bosses who had climbed up the ladders in No. 2 shaft. It was then found that the eastern cage, with the 12 men, had not gone down to No. 15 level, and that the western cage was 30 feet below No. 14 level. In this cage was Mr E. Shergold, who was spoken to by a shift-boss and who said that his knee had been hurt. Shergold was taken out within a quarter of an hour, and was found not to have been seriously hurt. Plates which had been dislodged by the oii er llart falleu through the hood and hfuT SUi-? Shergold on the knee and aqkle.

REASSURING NEWS ' ’ The first intimation that those in the eastern cage had not all been killed was received when Mr Morrison called out up the shaft and received the reply that all the men were alive, but that most of them had broken limbs, said Mr Gilmour. The cage, after having fallen about 1000 feet out of control, had stopped at a point 25 feet above No. 13 level. Rescue work was then undertaken and it proved a difficult job. Stage boards were obtained from No. 4 shaft and Drs. E. H. Bridgman and L. R. Hetherington descended and yvaited for the injured men to be released, while a'rigger, Mr T. Hartwell, and some shaft ‘repairers constructed tackle, Tjhe injured mien were then lifted carefully though ah aperture made in the cage and lowered in a “bosun’s chair” to No. 13 level, where the doctors applied splints and handed them over to the stretcher-bearers to be taken to the surface. Great difficulty was experienced in freeing Mr W. J. Taylor, who had both legs broken and could not have beeu removed from the cage without suffering considerable pain.

This the rescuers were anxious to avoid, and the difficulty was solved by Dr. Bridgman, who climbed up the ladder and, with the assistance of the shaftsman, Mr Harry Grady, applied splints to both of the injured man’s legs. Taylor was then carefully removed. High tribute to Dr. Bridgman’s action was paid by Mr Gilmour, who also said the miners considered the doctor had performed a remarkable and plucky feat for one inexperienced in mining life. Mr Gilmour also referred to the splendid work of all who took part in (.he rescue. He especially mentioned Messrs J. Berryman, S. Zenovich, R. Coffee. G. Cooper, J. Cooper, Grady, Hartwell and Lindsay. CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT Referring to the cause of tho accident, Mr Gilmour said everything was at a standstill until the Mines Department’s inspector had examined the equipment. About 25 men would be unemployed until the shaft was in working order again. The appliances at No. 2 shaft were steamdriven. The engine-driver, Mr H. Mills, told Mr Gilmour that the clutch which held the loose drum had come out and that he heard it clicking as the cage passed No. 5 level. He applied the brakes, and then he did not know exactly what happened. The speed of the drum round which the hawser connected with the cage accelerated, and became so great that the brake was unable to hold the cage. The hawser ran out and fell down the shaft. It was not clear what caused the downward rush of the cage to slacken and finally come to a halt. The cage probably tore the guides away and then it might have become jambed in the shaft timber.