The Colliery Disaster

Sixteen of the bodies recovered after the West Stanley Colliery explosion were buried yesterday afternoon. All the business places in the town were closed as a mark of respect. Messages of sympathy have been received from Lord Durham and the Rev. J. Scott Lidgett.

At a meeting of the Stanley Urban District Council yesterday morning Mr. Fairley was appointed chairman and treasurer of the relief fund committee, and Mr. J. G. Ridley, clerk of the council, was appointed secretary. The fund has reached £2,552.

There were still four bodies in the mine last night. The total number of deaths has now been calculated definitely at 168.

Mr. John Wilson, M.P., addressing the crowd in the cemetery yesterday afternoon, said that the saddest feature of the great loss of life was the large proportion of young men killed. There were 59 under 20 years old, 40 between 20 and 30, 32 between 30 and 40, 19 between 40 and 50, 13 between 50 and 60, and five over 60 years of age.