The Colliery Accident In Durham

The band of explorers who descended the Philadelphia Pit at 11 o'clock on Wednesday night came to bank yesterday morning, and reported that the water was subsiding in its course. The water, nevertheless, was causing the bottom of the way to heave, which renders the work of exploration one of very considerable difficulty and danger. The men who are in the pit are believed to be near the sixth or seventh gateway, at a point not far from where the rescued men were found the previous night. The following are the names of the 12 men who were rescued at a late hour on Wednesday night :— John Allison, hewer ; John William Henderson, putter ; John Middlemiss, putter ; Joseph Pattison, hewer ; Edward Wheeler, hewer ; John Wheeler, hewer ; John Daglish, hewer ; Thomas Daglish, hewer ; George McLaren, hewer ; Henry McLaren, hewer ; Joseph Lewis, hewer ; John Wilkinson, hewer.

At 9 o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Lishman, the head viewer, Mr. Stobart, Lord Durham's agent, and Mr. Robson, of Lumley Thicks, headed an exploring party, and came up again about half-past 10 o'clock, reporting that satisfactory progress had been made towards the face of the workings. The volume of water had diminished by one-half, and hopes were entertained that the imprisoned men might be reached within the next 24 hours. The fate of the entombed men is unfortunately hardly doubtful.

Mr. Crofton Maynard, Coroner, opened an inquest yesterday on the body of Rennison Carter, deputy overman, who succumbed after being brought to bank. Only formal evidence of identification was taken, and the inquest was adjourned. As soon as possible after the accident a telegram was sent to the Miners' Permanent Relief Fund, Newcastle, and measures of relief were at once taken by the officials.

Should the 13 men in the colliery be lost the liabilities of the Miners' Permanent Relief Fund will be — 11 widows, £1,716 ; 23 children, £730 ; legacies, £113 — total, £2,559. It was ascertained yesterday morning that the number of men entombed in the pit was 12, and not 13 as previously reported, a hewer, named Joseph Adamson, supposed to be in the pit, having been rescued. A sad incident is reported in connexion with the disaster. The wife of a hewer, named Grey, gave birth to a child on Saturday, and yesterday she died from the shock on learning that her husband was buried in the mine.

At 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon an exploring party came to bank. Mr. Atkinson, Assistant-Government Inspector, stated that they had got six yards nearer the face of the coal where the bodies of the men were expected to be found, but they were still 14 or 15 yards away. There was no possible chance of reaching the bodies for several shifts yet.