The Tudhoe Colliery Explosion

Durham, Wednesday.

The loss of life and the damage caused by this accident are much greater than even the best informed officials at the colliery ever thought. The number of killed, originally set down at 23, is now known to be 37. Moreover, Joseph Patterson, aged 16, died about 3 o'clock this morning after suffering great pain. He was the first person rescued from the ill-fated Brockwell seam. Of the five wounded men brought up alive, two or three are not expected to recover.

The explorations were carried on continuously during the night by relays of volunteer workers. Their work was much retarded by the heavy falls met with in the Shieldfield way, which was reached about 3 o'clock this morning. The explorers divided themselves into three parties, six being engaged in putting up stoppings to increase the ventilation, another six in traversing the west way, and another party in pushing forward into the Shieldfield way. In addition to the heavy falls, there was a large number of dead horses and ponies to be cleared away. The fact that some horses were not killed shows that the explosion was not of equal force in all places. In one instance a horse was found totally uninjured, though others were lying dead on either side.

During the night six more bodies were recovered, chiefly from the Shieldfield way. It may be mentioned that the boy Sloggett, who was the last one recovered last night, was found under the drum of the west hauling engine. Early this morning William Thomas, aged 47, was brought out of the pit. His body was found in No. 4 North-east Pit, at the lower part of the landing. He had died from after-damp. A few minutes afterwards the body of James Rymer, living at Tudhoe Colliery, was brought up, having been recovered from the Shieldfield way. He also had died from after-damp. The next body was that of William Lambton, 26, living at Tudhoe Colliery, found in the Shieldfield way. He was not burnt. No more bodies were sent to bank until half-past 11 o'clock this morning, the explorers having encountered a very heavy fall in the Shieldfield way. By noon eight more bodies had been found in the workings, and were sent on to the bottom of the shaft. Two of these bodies were found at the Croxdale Curve, about half a mile distant from the bottom of the east shaft. They were the most disfigured of the bodies yet sent to bank — a circumstance which gives rise to the supposition that the explosion originated in the Croxdale workings. That the force of the explosion at Croxdale curve was terrific is horribly demonstrated by the position in which the body of William Smith, 17, was found. He had literally been blown upwards, and his body was sticking to the roof when found. After midday more bodies were sent up in the following order :— Robert Artus, 45, married ; Joseph March, 59, Mount Pleasant ; Thomas Cook, 58, Mount Pleasant ; William Smith, 17 ; John Brown, 37, hewer ; James Witter, and Thomas Jeafferson.

The west shaft is now clear, but no bodies have been brought out this way, the arrangements of the east shaft being found adequate. The agents of the Northumberland and Durham Miners' Permanent Relief Fund have so far completed the list of the dead. The call upon the funds of the society will amount to £5,000. The secretary and the agent yesterday distributed £250. The inquest was opened this afternoon at the Black Horse Colliery Inn and, after formal evidence of identification had been taken, was adjourned.