Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 18 June 1910
Pit Shaft Accident at Cadeby
Narrow Escapes.
On Sunday morning, while some channel irons over 30 feet long were being loaded on the cage at number 1 Pit, one of them by some means broke away and dashed down the shaft.
After catching the side of the shaft once, it alighted on the top of the outer cage, which was about 10 feet out of the bottom, smashing the cage top, and causing it to break away from the rope.
The hanger on, Walter Pashley, and his assistant made a dash for safety, but only got a few yards away from the shaft when the crash came, but they were most concerned about the gang of men who were working in a manhole in the sump, and as for a few moments they could get no reply from them, they began to get anxious, and were quite relieved on hearing these men say they were unhurt.
After examining the shaft to ascertain what damage was done, the cage was secured by strong chains and hauled to the surface, where a large gang of men set to work to exchange it for another, in readiness for work on the Monday.
But although the pit was idle on the Monday morning, the damage might easily have been far greater, and more serious.
The depth of the shaft is about 760 yards