The Whitehaven Pit Disaster

Relief Fund Opened

(From our correspondent)

Whitehaven, Feb. 16

At the Haig Pit to-day a temporary brick stopping is being constructed in front of the present stopping of bags of stone dust, sealing off the area where the explosions occurred on Sunday. The view in local mining circles is that the Haig Pit will not be reopened for work for four or six months, but the adjoining Wellington Pit will probably be ready at an earlier date.

The Mayor has opened a relief fund for the dependents of the victims of the accidents which occurred in December and on Sunday. There are 15 widows and about 50 children, and in several cases the need is very urgent. Lord Lonsdale has headed the list with a donation of 100 guineas, and a native of Whitehaven has cabled £25 from Australia. The Bishop of Carlisle is also supporting the fund, which now stands at £174.