Mexborough & Swinton Times, July 27th 1912.
CADEBY DISASTER INQUEST.
Investigations Smartly Conducted.
Many Interesting Narratives.
Home Office Intentions.
Graphic Stories Of Second Explosion.
Remarkable Escapes.
Mr. Wilson´s Account.
A Discreet Jury.
The inquest proper on the eighty-seven victims of the Cadeby Colliery disaster was opened on Tuesday afternoon at the Denaby Main Hotel, and were presided over by the Doncaster District Coroner, Mr. Frank Allen, who at the outset explained that the proceedings that afternoon would be only formal, and that they were simply gathered together for the purpose of binding over the jury. ” I have arranged with the Home Office,” he said, ” to commence the real business of the inquest tomorrow. We shall next meet at 10-15 here, and the business will commence at 10-30 prompt. I have every hope that seeing a formal inquiry is to be held by the Home Office to investigate as far as possible the whole cause of the disaster, and generally the conditions of working in the South Yorkshire coalfield, that we shall be able to keep the proceedings here strictly within limits, and not waste time more than we can help. I have every reason to believe that the proceedings will not be unduly protracted and that we shall be able to go on without waiting for the evidence to be taken down in writing for the Home Office have sent down shorthand writers, and they could not have done anything to ease my mind more than that. If the representatives of the various bodies concerned will observe the request of the Home Secretary, the proceedings will not be unduly protracted.”
Mr. G. Poole, H.M. Inspector of Mines attended the inquest and after the following jurymen had been bound over to appear on the morrow the inquest was adjourned :-
Messrs. H.H. Wray, J.T. Asher, William Isaac Gibbs, W.H. Appleyard,
G. Appleyard, E. Dutton, G. Ellis, W.A. Lugar, A. Moody, J. Gillott, Edward Bell, and William Wilson.
Wednesday´s Proceedings.
The twelve good men and true appointed to serve on the jury charged with investigating the deaths of eighty-seven victims of the Cadeby Colliery disaster of July 9th , accomplished a great part of their duties on Wednesday when they went into the subject matter of the inquest, and returned a verdict on the death of the seventy-three men whose bodies have been recovered. Their burden was unexpectedly lightened by the request of the Home Office that in view of the separate inquiry that is pending, they should keep their investigation short of the actual cause of the disaster, and so the evidence was freed from scientific terms and much incomprehensible matter, and was confined to what the Coroner, Mr. Frank Allen, of Doncaster, called a simple and continuous narrative of what had occurred.
Business Expedited.
The inquest was held in the Denaby Main Hotel, and as every facility had been afforded for the expedition of the investigation, the Court rose with their duty done at four o´clock, Mr. Allen took his seat at 10-30 and among those present were the Home Office representatives ; Mr. J.R.R. Wilson, Leeds, Acting Divisional Inspector of Mines, with his two junior colleagues, Mr. J. Poole, of Doncaster, and Mr. H.M. Hudspeth, of Leeds ; and representing the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Collieries Limited, were Mr. W.H. Chambers, managing director, Mr. W. Wilkie, secretary, and Mr. H.S. Witty, agent ; and later, for they were some what delayed with a breakdown of their motor-vehicle, Mr. Herbert Smith, and Mr. Sam Roebuck, ( president and assistant secretary respectively ), representing the Yorkshire Miners´ Association ; while the Cadeby miners were directly represented by Mr. R. Marsden ( local secretary of the Cadeby Y.M.A. branch ), Mr. E. Humphries and Mr. Charles Johnson.
Mr. J.E. Chambers managing director of the Cortonwood Collieries, and father of the ill-fated Mr. Douglas Chambers, who himself bore a large part in the events of the day of the disaster, was also present throughout the inquiry.
The Jury´s Task.
The Coroner said he did not propose to outline at any great length the evidence that could be set before them. The witnesses would give a connected story of the disaster from beginning to end. It was common knowledge to all of them that on the ninth of July, between one o´clock and one-thirty in the
morning there was an explosion in the South district of the Cadeby Main Colliery.
The South district was presented on the plan now before them. The explosion was first noticed by a road-layer named William Humphries, who said that between one and two in the morning he was going on with his work in the South district, when he noticed a stoppage in the air current and then a puff of return air in his face. Anyone who knew anything at all about mining would know that that would be indicative of an explosion, because the air-current was sent from the downcast shaft through all the workings to the upcast shaft, and they could quite see that this puff of air indicated that something was wrong with the ventilation, and that would indicate an explosion.
How It Was Discovered.
Humphries communicated his suspicions to other workmen and shortly after they went round the whole of the workings and found, and found everybody within the scope of the explosion dead, and their bodies lying in the roads.
This was reported at the pit-bottom and at half-past-nine Mr. Pickering had arrived on the scene. Rescue parties were formed to deal with the emergency, and a large party of men went down. While they were in the workings a second explosion occurred, and brought down a large fall of roof which overwhelmed several of the men. Others were killed outright by the explosion or overcome by after-damp, and unfortunately the second explosion brought the death-roll up to eighty-seven, and we are told that there are now fourteen bodies in the mine. Steps were immediately taken to cut off the seat of the explosion, which was bound by the fourteens and thirty-threes levels, and brick stoppings were built. The first stopping was blown-out by a subsequent slight explosion, but it was rebuilt, and he was happy to say that the work of sealing up the area had gone on successfully, and that no further explosion had taken place, nor was any feared.
Home Secretary´s Intentions.
What happened after the explosion they all knew. The gentlemen of the jury had taken an active part in assisting in the work of identification, and they all knew the state of affairs that ensued.
This inquiry was for the purpose of ascertaining the cause of death, and generally speaking, the manner of death which overtook the victims. As to the latter part of the inquiry, he had been in communication with the Home Secretary, and as a result the scope of the inquest was likely to be considerably restricted.
There had been issued from the Home Secretary power to order an inquiry under the provision of the Mines Act of last year, and under the Coal Mines Regulation Act of 1887.
The inquiry would not only cover the scope of the present disaster, but would also be a general investigation of the conditions of working in the coalfield.
Further, they would see from that that the technical details as to mining practice would be fully gone into at that inquiry. While he did not wish in any way to hurt the scope of the inquiry which he ( the Coroner ) might wish to make, the Home Secretary thought it would be unnecessary that the witnesses should be questioned on technical matters affecting mining practice and he proposed to instruct Mr. Wilson to reserve for the Home Office inquiry all those points for the later investigations.
The Cause.
The actual cause of the disaster was at present unknown. It was supposed to have originated in a gob-fire, and the seat of that gob-fire was expected to be found near thirty-three´s level, gob-fires are common enough in South Yorkshire mines, and when they occurred they had to be dealt with. There were certain measures to be taken, and, in a large measure, they were taken successfully, but unfortunately on this occasion the reverse occurred. There were certain indications given. There was a heating and a smell, and explosive gasses were given off. After the gas was exploded, they got the after-damp, which consisted largely of the poisonous carbonic acid, and the men who were compelled to breathe it died. They had an instance of this in the case of Mr. Charles Bury, the manager of the mine, who was very badly `gassed´, and who subsequently succumbed to the effects of the carbonic acid.
With this introduction the Coroner proceeded to the taking of evidence, and called :-
Humphries´ Story.
William Humphries, road-layer, of Annerley Street, Denaby Main, who said that on the morning of July 9th he was working in the south district of the Cadeby Colliery, when he noticed a stoppage of the air-current in the intake, followed by a wave of heat, which travelled past him into the number one pit bottom. That was the reverse way, and it was that which aroused his suspicion. It came back in a moment or two, and filled the level full of dust. When the dust had cleared away, he went into another district, and saw two men, named John Cookson, and Ben Wright, and asked them if had seen anything unusual. They said they had noticed that the top door in the slit had opened and shut, and that no one had come through. This was a ventilating door, which was held fast by the pressure of the air in the ordinary way. Witness could make nothing of it, and he went back to his work ; but, not feeling satisfied in his own mind he went to the south plane top to see whether the air was travelling alright or not. He threw some dust in the air, and the current caught it and took it along. That satisfied him a little, but not completely, and when an old man named Joseph Farmer came along he explained to him what had occurred, and his opinion was that there had been an explosion somewhere.
Early Signs Of Death And Ruin.
As Farmer had to go in the south plane, witness said to him, ” If you see anything unusual come back and let me know.” He came back shortly and reported to witness that dust and lids were lying about the road. Witness sent for a man from another district to go with him down the south plane, and shortly after a man named Albert Wileman joined him, and they went together. They examined the ventilation doors at thirty-three´s, and found them intact. They proceeded cautiously down the plane to the overcast, and they could hear air drawing overhead. Witness was satisfied that there was an air-current some where. Witness examined 166´s, found it intact, and then proceeded a hundred yards further down, where he called a halt, and waited for a man named Bullock. He returned to thirty-three´s, and still there was no Bullock, but in a minute or two Bullock came along thirty-three´s, and said he had been abut six hundred yards and had found nothing unusual.
The Big Smash At Fourteens.
Witness and Bullock then went down the plane until they came to fourteen´s level. There they came to a big smash, and found something like fifty tubs which were smashed together. There they thought they had better wait, and they sent one man for Mr. Herbert Cusworth, the under-manager, and another for George Fisher, the deputy of another district. After they had despatched these men they went a hundred yards further on until they came to a place where there was a smell. They waited here for Fisher, who at once tried the air with his lamp and found it better, so they proceeded along under witness´s instructions, because he knew where the men were working. Knowing that two men were working in nineteen´s cross-gate, they went straight there and found a door blown wide open, a dozen yards beyond the door they found a fall and immediately they had got over that they came across a body, that of Martin Mulrooney, a dataller. Knowing that a man named Boycott was working with Mulrooney, they came to the conclusion that he must be under a fall. They went on about a hundred yards, and then came back by the crossgate bottom, repaired the door, shut it to send the air along fourteen´s level, and then Fisher said, “One of us will have to go to the pit bottom to summon the rescue-party and the stretchers.” Witness went to the pit bottom and summoned the rescue-parties.
Vague Ideas Of Time.
Juror ( Mr. Raynor ) – What time was this reported to the pit-bottom ? – It would be close on two o´clock.
What, when you had been round and gone to the pit-bottom for the rescue parties ? – That would be close on six o´clock. I met Springthorpe and Cusworth going down as I came up for the rescue-parties.
Mr. Herbert Smith – Do we understand that the first idea you had about anything being wrong was between one and two ? – Yes sir.
And the nearest point at which you could let them at the pit-bottom was six o´clock ? – No, we let the management know about four o´clock.
With all this exploring did any of you intercept the return air to find whether there was anything in it or not ? – No I didn´t.
Did Cusworth intercept the return ? – Not while I was with him.
Mr. Wilson – About what time did you send for George Fisher ? – I would say between four and five. I could not definitely state the time.
In your evidence you say that Bullock and Nicholson came through the door at thirty-three´s. Therefore they had sampled the return air. Did they say whether there was anything unusual in it or not ? – No sir.
The Causes Of Death.
Dr. John Huey, medical practitioner of Mexborough, said he was called to the colliery on the morning of the 9th of July when the bodies were brought from the pit. He carefully examined every body that was brought out, and prepared a statement showing the cause of death in each case. That statement in tabulated form was before the inquest now.
The Coroner : Do you want to ask the doctor any questions, Mr. Smith ?
Mr. Smith : No thanks. I never try to ask doctor´s many questions. They are a profession to themselves, and I am unskilled in it.
In answer to Mr. Wilson, Dr. Huey said there were many indications to show that there was carbon and oxide poisoning.
The Old Man´s Narrative.
Joseph Farmer, greaser, of Denaby, said that at about twenty minutes to two he had a conversation with Humphries in the stable slip and Humphries told him that he had seen some dust, and the air-current had reversed for a moment. Witness told him he thought he thought it was an explosion, and he then went down the plain as far as thirty-seven´s, where he found the greasers, which were always sawdusted, as black as ink with dust. He proceeded to thirty-three´s and went through two doors to see if the ventilation was travelling down the return
airway. Outside the second door the air was very foul, and he shut the door and came back again. Coming to the point where the return air was carried over, he could hear it passing, and found everything as usual there. At one six sixes he found the ventilation door alright, but he also found lids and timber from the tubs blown away and collected about the road.
” My God, There´s No One Alive !”
He proceeded further until he found two or three tubs blown over the clips. Here his foot sank so deeply into the dust that he was a little alarmed and drew back for seven or eight yards, but then proceeded forward. The condition of the air here was good, and the first point at which he smelled anything of an explosion was at thirty-three´s doors, some hundred yards from fourteen´s landing. It affected his head a little, and he returned to find Humphries. He shouted several times, but all was silent as the grave. When he got to the top of the plane, he met a man named Senior, who asked him what he had found. Witness replied, ” My God, there is not a man alive down there !”
Then Humphries came up, and Senior was sent to tell Bullock to come. Wildman was despatched to fetch Cusworth, and Nicholson was sent for the deputy. There was also a man named Sylvester present. In the meantime witness and Humphries went down the plane again, and when they got to the second door, there was Nicholson and Sylvester coming up from thirty-three´s. Witness said to them, “You are lucky you are alive !” After they had examined the doors they proceeded in the direction of fourteen´s level, walking in Indian file at intervals of twelve yards. At fourteen´s level witness picked up some clips and a five inch bolt that had been blown off the rails. There was a twenty foot girder out, but there was not much muck down. He could not describe the position of the tubs. They were all piled up and smashed to pieces, it would be between three and four when they reached this point, Humphries, Bullock, and he. Here they had a consultation and agreed that it would be wise to look over the top of the tubs. Eventually Bullock and Humphries went, while he remained there. Shortly they returned and said he explosion had blown the road up. The deputy Fisher came up, and while they were witness looked into the battery hole and the ambulance hole to see if deputy Richards was anywhere about, and he also looked into the depot to see if he could find traces of men, but he found nothing.
A Solitary Post.
Then Cusworth and Springthorpe came up, and witness, took their clothes and put them on one side. Springthorpe said, ” Stay here, Joe, wile I come back.” When Springthorpe returned, Cusworth was seated on a tub, and he said to Springthorpe, ” How´s the ventilation as regards a second explosion ?” Springthorpe´s reply was that the current of air was working towards the men. Witness had told them that that the nineteen´s door was blown open and the crossgate door was shut.
Mr. Wilson – Had that door been shut when the two men went to thirty-three´s, they would never have come off thirty-three´s ? – That is my idea.
Continuing his story, witness said that Mr. Cusworth sent him to thirty-three´s to prevent anyone entering those doors. Springthorpe accompanied him, and when they got to thirty-three´s door Springthorpe wanted him to go further with him, but witness declined, saying, ” No I shall not go, I have had a fair turn. I have had my stomach turned. I will do anything to assist, but I will not go on there.”
Springthorpe went on a little way, then came back and told witness to stand at the doors and see that no one came through that way, but direct everybody to go
down fourteens. He drew two empty tubs across the road, put a sleeper across them marked ” No Road,” in several places, and stood in the centre of the barrier to bar the progress of anyone who came that way. He thought it was wise.
Mr. Bury´s Appearance.
The Coroner : What time did Mr. Bury come down ? – My watch stopped and I could not say what time it was. But it was early, and he came down with all his clothes on. I put them to one side.
Did he tell you whether you were to keep the road closed or not ? – No, he asked me various questions, and went through the doors with me. Then he asked me whether that door was closed when I first came, and I said,” Yes,” and that the air was ten times sweeter then than it had been. He then said that no one was to go through that door, and I held that place until eight o´clock in the morning, directing men to go down fourteen level.
Did William Humphries and Fisher afterwards come round to relieve you ? – Yes, they came through and said they had been right round the workings. And Bullock said he had come across twenty-two dead bodies and five dead horses. I told them I was sorry. It was a sad tale to tell, and that I didn´t think we should be needed as there were already twenty-two dead men accounted for and five horses, and the others, making the total up to thirty-one must be at the far end. I stayed there until ten minutes past eight and then we were relieved.
A. juror ( Mr. Raynor ) : What time did Mr. Cusworth send you to look after this door and prevent anyone coming through ? – Twenty-five minutes to six.
A juror ( Mr. Wilson ) : Who did you expect was going to try to come through
the door ? – Oh the men with the rescue apparatus and the workmen who were knocking about.
Mr. Herbert Smith : You tell us you examined one six sixes door and it was alright ? – Yes.
Have you seen it since, and was it alright the second time you saw it ? – There had been a new one put up. The old one was damaged I think in the second explosion.
I noticed several times in your evidence that you were not sure about the times ? – My watch had stopped at five o´clock, and at a time like that we were busy looking after men´s interests rather than bothering about the time.
Did you, in your travels, intercept the return airway at intervals ? – Certainly not, I went there with Mr. Bury and stuck to my post.
I am not talking about your post my friend. This is before you were put to a post. Did you at intervals intercept the return airway to find out the condition of the return air ? – I went through once at thirty-threes.
I want to know whether you tested the return air ? – I went through once to see if the air was running in the return once.
If you got any foul air, wouldn´t you get it in the return ? – Certainly.
Didn´t it occur to you that this ought to have been intercepted and tested ? – Well it was tested by Springthorpe and Mr. Bury.
Mr. Wilson : You think it would be four o´clock when Fisher arrived ? – Yes, sir.
And he would be the first official to go down ? – Yes, sir.
Another Account.
John Bullock, 79 Firbeck Street, Denaby Main, road-layer, in the west district of Cadeby Colliery, said that at about four o´clock on the morning of July 9th a dataller named Senior came to him, and told him to go down the south plane
as there had been an accident there. He went about six hundred yards on thirty- threes level, and found no one there. The places were in good condition. He then returned to the landing with Nicholson, and the pair of them went down the south plane, and passing through the doors the came upon Humphries, Wildman and Farmer. Three of them went down to fourteens level end. He went first, the others followed at intervals of twelve yards, at the level end they found tubs smashed, and piled on top of one another. There was no fall of roof.
Deputy Fisher came up, and tested the gas about twenty minutes later, and in the meantime they waited for him. They tested their lamps and then went on to nineteen´s crossgate bottom, at the end of which they went through a door and came upon a fall of roof. When they got over this they found the body of Martin Mulrooney some thirty yards past, and then Fisher sent Humphries to the pit-bottom to the under-manager Cusworth, and the ambulance men and the stretchers. The other two closed the door and went on to fourteen´s, where they found the body of a boy and a horse, and further on the bodies of two men. They came to the coal-face at sixty-four´s, and there Fisher again tested for gas. He raised his lamp to the roof and lost his light, and so they decided to return, as they came back they came across the body of Martin Mulrooney again.
Mr. Smith : Have you ever been in the district prior to this explosion ? – Yes, I have worked at the colliery seventeen years, it is four years since I was in the south district before.
Mr. W.M. Gichard ( for the Colliery Company ) : I understand you to say that you first heard that something was wrong at two o´clock ? – It was three o´clock and then I didn´t know definitely that anything was wrong.
Mr. Wilson : When Fisher put his lamp he was testing for fire-damp you think ? – Yes, sir.
And it was fire-damp that put his lamp out you think ? – Yes, sir.
How do you get at the time ? – I cannot say exactly, my watch had stopped.
What time do you have your `snap´ ? – At two o´clock.
And had you had your `snap´ ? – Yes, some time and had put down a pair of rails. It must have been turned three o´clock when I got to know about it. Then I had to travel into another district and to send into the west district for an official.
You are quite sure that when you went on thirty-three´s you got as far as the stoppings ? – Yes. They were on the left hand.
Deputy Who Lost His Light.
George Fisher, deputy, of 24 Tickhill Square, Denaby Main, said that on the morning of the accident he was on duty in the west district, when he received an intimation from Fred Nicholson that something had happened in the south district he proceeded to the south district examining the doors as he went, and came upon Humphries, Farmer and Bullock just below thirty-three´s. They got the return air on the other side of the doors and found it in a bad state. They proceeded down fourteen´s, and from this point Humphries and Bullock went with witness, they went to fourteen´s crossgate, and through an open door there, on the other side of which there was a fall and the body of Martin Mulrooney.
At this point he sent Humphries back to tell the south deputy, Mr. Springthorpe and the under-manager, Mr. Cusworth, to send stretchers and an ambulance party.
Witness and Bullock proceeded to one two one´s crossgate, and on the way found bodies. The state of this place was very bad. Ultimately they got to sixty-four´s, and he tested the air, which he found very foul on the top side. He raised his lamp about eight inches from the roof and the gas put it out. They fenced off this place, and proceeded in the direction of seven´s, the next stall. Here they found an electric lamp burning on a partly built stopping, and they found two places which were very foul. They returned by way of fourteen´s crossgate. In fourteen´s they found Cusworth, Humphries, Hulley and Springthorpe, and two or three more men. Witness and Humphries proceeded along the south plane, and found Mr. Bury at fourteen´s landing. There were no bodies there at all.
Mr. Bury and witness went along to the coal-face and made an examination, after which they returned by one two one´s, witness reached the surface between nine and ten o´clock.
After The Second Explosion.
After the second explosion, he descended again at three-thirty, and was proceeding to nineteen´s crossgate, when he met a man named Mills. There was a considerable number of there, and he returned for men and stretchers. In fourteen´s stall he found the Wath rescue party, and they said they had been all around without using their apparatus. The rescue party proceeded along the level and he went back to sixty-fours. He afterwards saw Farmer, who reported that there was a fire in thirteen´s, and he tried to let the rescue party know, with a view to having it put out, but he now understood that Farmer got some assistance and put it out. Witness was looking after bodies up to between eight and nine o´clock at night.
The Coroner : What places were working that night ? – I don´t know it wasn´t my district.
Mr. Smith : How long have you been a deputy at Cadeby Main ? – Since 1901.
Have you held a similar position before that ? – No, sir.
Report Of Gob-fires.
Have you had any experience of gob-fires ? – Yes.
Have you had any report about this district prior to the explosion ? – Yes, they had a gob-fire some years since.
Have you had any reports concerning a smell in the south district just prior to the explosion ? – No.
You report in the same book as the south district deputy don´t you ? – Yes.
And occasionally you look at these reports ? – Yes, occasionally.
Have you seen any report as to a smell, the Friday before the explosion in that particular district ? – No, I cannot say that I have.
Mr. Wilson : You have said that after the second explosion you again went to sixty-fours and found it as on the previous visit. What do you mean by that ? – The top side was foul.
You found it just the same ? – A little worse. I could not get through at all the second time.
Answering Mr. Wilson further, witness said that when he tested for gas in sixty-four´s on the first visit, as soon as he got a cap on his flame it went out.
It may have been that he was a little shaky and nervous on that occasion, for on his second visit he went to test for gas, he managed to keep his light. He did not put it so far up into the roof.
South Deputy Broken Down.
The Coroner announced that James Springthorpe, the deputy of the south district, who had lost a son in the second explosion, and had himself narrowly escaped, was too ill to appear and give evidence, and Mr. Wilson had taken a statement from him, which he ( the Coroner ), would read aloud.
Mr. Smith : Of course, I take it that he will come to the Home Office inquiry. He is one of the most important witnesses.
The Coroner : Oh! Certainly.
The statement was that James Springthorpe resided at 143 Tickhill Street, and was deputy in charge of the south district :-
He stated that he went down the pit at five o´clock in the morning of July 9th, having heard that something was wrong. He went straight down the south plane and was overtaken by Cusworth at thirty-three´s level end. Witness had an electric lamp as well as his own safety lamp. They saw Farmer lower down, and he said that he did not think that there was anyone alive. They could see what had happened. The tubs were tumbled about at fourteen´s level end. Humphries said, ” I don´t think anyone is living.” Witness sent Humphries back to fetch Mr. Bury, and the rescue party. They were told that Fisher and Bullock had gone forward, so Cusworth and he followed. On fourteen´s they passed several bodies, which were stiff and cold. They came across a closed door at nineteen´s crossgate, and following footsteps in the dust, passed several bodies of men and horses. They went by one two one´s, coming onto the face at nineteen´s. Getting back onto nineteen´s level they sat down, their heads were thumping. Witness asked what was knocking, and found it was his own head.
The Second Explosion.
They went on to sixty-four´s, and in seven´s they found three dead bodies and three more in sixty-four´s. Some of the party went on, but witness was getting bad. Mr. Bury had found them at the bottom of the crossgate, and went with them along, sixty-four´s, one two one´s, and nineteen´s. Mr. Bury had sent a party round by the gate, and he, Murgatroyd, and witness went below one two one´s. Witness was stupefied, Mr. Bury sent him away as he was ill, and went on himself. Murgatroyd brought witness out and he was given a drink by his ( witness´s ) son. Witness stayed at fourteen´s level, Littlewood was there, and a lot of men came, including three Inspectors, conducted by Charles Prince, who was taking them to Mr. Bury. Several bodies had gone by and witness was alone with Littlewood, when suddenly they heard a rush and a clap, and he said ” Look out Herbert.” He was eight or ten yards above the level, and his lamp was knocked flying. Charles Prince had gone by about three minutes when it happened.
Eventually, witness caught the rails and crawled. He saw a flame as well as the smoke and dust. There was such a rattle and clatter, but not much of a boom. Littlewood was just top side of him, and they were feeling their way among the hot black dust. He got to sixty-six´s and met a lad who gave him a drink, next he met one at thirty-three´s. He was scorched and his head smarted. Mr. Basil Pickering helped into the chair at the pit bottom. Mr. Pickering knew that his father was down there. Witness´s boy was at nineteen´s crossgate with Fred Horsefield. Mr. Wilson divided the lamps amongst them as he met them coming up. There were three gates in nineteen´s crossgate, the first was called the `snake hole´. There were two stoppings there and one in the course of being erected. In number two an electric lamp was burning when he went up there, and there was a stopping being built, in number three they were getting ready to build a stopping, no one was working in number three stopping and there was no stink there, though the three holes had connection with an old fire. There was a stink in number two and witness had been there with Mr. Bury all of Monday morning.
A Rescue Man´s Tale.
Harry Hulley, 18 Tickhill Square, deputy in the east district of the Cadeby mine, said that on the morning of July 9th he was warned that he was wanted for rescue work, and he went out of the pit and fetched his rescue apparatus. Returning, he joined other members of the rescue team, Humphries, Carlton and Stribley, Murgatroyd and Farmery. While the party was being got ready, some messages were sent summoning Mr. Witty, Mr. Bury and to the Wath rescue station requesting more apparatus. The rescue teams arrived at fourteen´s level a little after six, and at nineteen´s crossgate they met Cusworth, Springthorpe and Fisher, who said they had been round the workings, and that everybody was dead. The rescue team proceeded then to make a more complete inspection. They found they were able at that time to go without apparatus, and found no bodies.
Mr. Bury asked them to go down fourteen´s gate and meet him at the face. They inspected the low side workings including every gate. They assembled at the bottom of nineteen´s, where the main party were, and there met Humphries and Fisher, who had made a complete circuit.
The Coroner : I think you made a suggestion to Mr. Cusworth and to Mr. Springthorpe, that seeing everybody was dead you had better leave things for the inspection ? – Yes.
Did you feel any signs of fire ? – We could see no smoke.
Did Mr. Bury give orders that the bodies were to be collected and that the sides were to be chalked at points where they were taken from ? – Yes.
Where were the most signs of explosion ? – Sixty-four´s and then down nineteen´s into fourteen´s.
And right along fourteen´s to the plane bottom ? – Yes.
Was that the end of the damage done by this explosion – the broken tubs at fourteen´s ? – Yes.
What state were the bodies in ? – They were burnt and mutilated.
The other bodies on the top side of the nineteen´s turning in the crossgate did not show any signs of violence ? – No, sir.
Witness, continuing, said that at nine o´clock he was told to go home as he had been on all night, and there was plenty of help at hand. He got out about ten o´clock and reported himself to the office, Mr. Pickering and several Inspectors had just gone down.
Subsequently, he was down again in the afternoon from three to half past five, helping with the bodies after the second explosion, and also helping with the stoppings.
On Wednesday morning there was another slight explosion in fourteen´s which blew the top part of one of the stoppings out. This stopping was 14 inches in thickness. The stoppings were at once rebuilt, and late in the morning he reported to Mr. Chambers, Mr. Redmayne, and Mr. Wilson on the work done.
Replying to Mr. Smith, witness said he had had previous experience of gob fires, and had worked on them, but not in this particular area. He did not know anything about any particular report that was given concerning that district just before the explosion. He had drawn Mr. Pickering´s attention to the fact that there was a fire in the pit.
Mr. Wilson : You judged there was a fire by the fact that your eyes smarted ? – Yes, that is what I told Mr. Pickering.
Are you prepared to admit that there might have been a similar effect on your eyes without fire ? – Yes.
A Remarkable Escape.
Percy Murgatroyd, filler, of 42 Maltby Street, Denaby Main, said he went to work at Cadeby on the morning of July 9th at six o´clock and Humphries came to him and said, ” Come on you are wanted.” He was a member of the rescue team and he went to the pit-top at once and got his apparatus, joining the rest of the rescue team, and they set off immediately for the scene of the accident.
They proceeded to fourteen´s landing, which they found in a state of disorder, tubs were smashed, falls were down and girders were out. They proceeded to the bottom of fourteen´s crossgate, and a quarter-of-an-hour later Mr. Bury had arrived, he accompanied Mr. Bury on a round of inspection. Mr. Bury said he would have one rescue man and his apparatus, not because he thought it would be wanted, but there might be places which they could not get into without it. On nineteen´s landing they came to a wall partly built, and there were appearances that it had been left in a hurry. An electric lamp was burning and was not damaged, but a safety lamp near had been put out. In sixty-four´s they found four bodies, but he only knew one of them, and that was Charlie Fletcher. He noticed that the props were scorched, and had about an eighth of an inch coke dust. They gave no indication of the way the explosion had travelled, for they were scarred all round. The coalface was more like a stone face, Mr. Bury made an examination of other places they went into, and found things practically in the same condition. They proceeded along to one two one´s, Mr. Bury making observations all the time. At one two one´s they found the temperature very high. The air current was practically normal.
Mr. Douglas Chambers Met.
In nineteen´s crossgate they met Mr. Douglas Chambers, who wished to accompany Mr. Bury round the whole of the affected area – witness supposed in order to see if they could come to any conclusion as regarded the cause of the accident. In sixty-four´s they found a watch hanging hard by a body, and it was stopped at half past one. When they were in seven´s old gate he remembered that Mr. Douglas Chambers threw a handful of dust in the air to test the current, and, though he followed it with a powerful electric lamp, he could find no motion whatever. It was practically stagnant. Mr. Bury and Mr. Chambers remained in nineteen´s and consulted for a few minutes. They were not quite sure under which of two falls a certain body unaccounted for was located. Whilst the falls were being cleared away Mr. Pickering came up with two other Inspectors, and that would be between half past ten and eleven o´clock.
Havoc Among The Officials.
They consulted for a minute or two, and stood on one side to let a stretcher party pass with a body. Witness was stood with Mr. Bury, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Douglas Chambers, Mr. Hewitt and Mr. Tickle. He had his apparatus on, and that was what saved him from what followed.
The Coroner : Just describe the second explosion.
Murgatroyd : Those who work in a pit will know what the sound of a door being closed with a lot of air-pressure behind it is like. The first shock was similar to that, but the roar that followed was like the blasting at a powder works. It kept up a continuous roaring. The ventilation was stopped for a time, but I saw no flame. The gate got full of dust and smoke and after-damp, and in a short time it was thick that, though I held my electric lamp straight in front of my face, I could only just see it. After it happened, Mr. Bury and others
knew in a minute what it was, and Mr. Douglas Chambers and Mr. Bury and others shouted, ” Down on your faces lads, and keep cool,” or something like that, and we all went down.
The Coroner : And how long do you think it was before you were able to move ? – Not so very long, I am sure, because as soon as I was able I had my tubes in my mouth. It could not have been long, because if I had not been so quick in getting them in, I should not have been here.
Continuing, witness said that after the blast had passed, and he got the tubes in his mouth, he got up and went in the direction of the crossgate, which was the wrong way, and ran up against a girder, which pulled him up. His apparatus was working very satisfactory, and he turned in the other direction towards the door, which he reached after crossing two small falls. He could not tell what was the condition of the atmosphere, for he had lost his goggles, and was using his hands to cover his eyes. In fourteen´s landing he stumbled over some bodies, and he was so weak that he could not rise for ten minutes to go on. There were bodies all the way, and he met with a very large fall at the junction. He could not get over it, so he rang the pit-bottom from a telephone which was near, and then lay down, and knew no more until someone came and told him that he did not need his apparatus, and that the air was quite good. He then took out the tubes and put them in the mouth of a man lying near, but without effect. He met Mr. Witty about two hundred yards beyond the fall, and told him where Mr. Pickering, Mr. Bury, Mr. Chambers and the others were lying.
Mr. Bury´s Policy.
Mr. Smith : When Mr. Bury made these examinations, what policy did he adopt ? Did he just try to find the bodies, or did he attend to the safety of the mine ? – I did not see him examine every place.
A Journey Among The Dead.
After a short interval for lunch, Benjamin J. Hadfield was called, and said he was a deputy at Denaby Main Colliery , and resided at 115 Tickhill Street, Denaby Main.
He was returning from work at twenty-five minutes past six on the morning of July 9th, when he was informed that there had been an accident at Cadeby, and he proceeded to the colliery in order to take part in the rescue work if required. He met Mr. Witty there, and was told by him that he had telephoned to Sergeant Winch, and had received a message from the pit that twenty-two bodies had been located, and that the ventilation had been restored.
Witness waited for Sergeant Winch who arrived shortly after seven o´clock with apparatus. Sergeant Winch proceeded to the offices for orders, and during his absence the other Denaby rescue men, Ward, Summerscales and Lawrence arrived, and they all descended the pit and proceeded down the south plane. They reached fourteen´s level about eight o´clock, and found seven bodies on the road. At fourteen´s level they met the first rescue party under Harry Hulley who told them that they had made a thorough inspection of the district and understood there was no fire. The Denaby party were proceeding towards the face to help with anything that they were required to do. They met Mr. Bury, and reported themselves to him. He told them there was no need for the rescue apparatus, as the ventilation had been restored. He was asked about fire, and he said there was no fire from the explosion. He also told them not to interfere with three bodies near a stopping, because he wanted the inspectors to see them, they looked so peculiar, and their attitude suggested that they had been
running away from their working places. He told them to reserve their electric lamps for fear they would need them.
A Ghastly Inspection.
They proceeded under the leadership of Mr. H. Williamson to the bottom of nineteen´s crossgate, where they found Fred Horsefield, who was taking notes of the dead bodies. They also found another party, including Mr. Cusworth, and they had a dead body there waiting for the stretcher party. Their party went forward into one-two-one´s where they found the dead body of a horse which had it appeared, been killed while in the act of turning round towards it´s tub. Just behind the tub they came across two dead bodies. One appeared as if he had been killed as he was having his `snap´, for he was seated with a bottle in one hand and a basket across his knees.
The Coroner : Were you able to notice the sort of expression he had on his face ? – I didn´t.
If the man had his bottle in one hand and his basket across his knees, he would not have any attitude of fright or horror ? – No, it was just as if he had fallen asleep over his `snap´.
Did you note his position ? – Yes, and Cusworth also took it down in his pocket-book.
There was, continued the witness, another body near. It was laid on it´s right side, and both bodies were slightly burned. After removing the bodies they then proceeded into fourteen´s gate, and there they found Richardson´s stick and lamp. They found nothing in fourteen´s stall and turned into one-five-three´s, there they found two safety lamps on the ground, extinguished, but otherwise unharmed, and they marked the position of these lamps on the roof. At one-three-one´s turning they found a body lying with it´s heels towards the face, having apparently been blown forward. Just by the turning they found the body of another man. He was lying with his head towards the stall, the opposite way to the other man. They moved two tubs at one-two-one´s junction to allow passage for the stretcher parties, and here also they found a body seated astride a box. Going forward to the face they found three bodies together. One was burned slightly, the other showed no mark of any kind, but the third was burned frightfully, and he returned with the stretcher party with this one, for he did not want them to see the body as he thought it would upset them. He left Williamson, Humphries, Cusworth and Jackson behind in the stall. There was still one body left there, and two watches were found hanging near. One was stopped at half past six, and the other at half past one. At nineteen´s junction there were stretcher parties with several dead bodies. They met first Ellis and Evans and then Mr. Pickering, Mr. Tickle and Mr. Hewitt, who were being conducted by Charles Prince, and later Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hudspeth. He reported himself to Mr. Witty and told him with the exception of a few, the bodies had been located. He then left the pit having been on all night.
Answering Mr. Smith, witness said he had been a deputy since June 1911, and had had all-round experience.
Mr. Smith : When Mr. Bury told you that ventilation had been restored did you inspect it yourself and see ? – No, when a man like Mr. Bury told me, that was quite enough for me.
Mr. Smith : You were liable for your own life you know.
Another Second Explosion Witness.
Joseph Pairson, 3 Melton View, Denaby, dataller, said he volunteered for service in the Cadeby mine on the day of the accident, and went down the pit at ten o´clock. He met Harold Booth, an assistant deputy, and helped him with some trams. The endless rope had stopped running before the second explosion occurred. Their lamps went out and they were in the dark. There came a flame before their eyes, but whether it was the flash of the explosion, or the light of their flickering lamps he could not say. They heard a report which was like the rumble they heard when they had been drawing timber and the roof was cracking. They got a lot of dust and small stones in the wind, and were knocked down. He scuffled to get out and they were knocked down again. They got by thirty-three´s landing before they saw a light. His usual place was the north district, but he once worked in one-two-one´s.
Asked by Mr. Smith whether the flame he saw might not have been breaking out of the gob-fire, he said he could not tell.
The Agent´s Story.
Harry Sykes Witty, of Denaby Main, agent to the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries, said he was at home when he received intimation, by a telephone message, of the accident. He got in communication with the pit, and then got in touch on the telephone with Mr. Pickering at Doncaster, and also with Wath rescue station.
After that he proceeded to the pit-head, and found that Mr. Bury, Mr. Cusworth and the rescue party had gone down the pit. By this time a large crowd had assembled on the bridge and the police had arrived. He made arrangements to receive the bodies, and had the pay-shed converted to this purpose, with Josiah Westby in charge. He sent for all the stretchers from the headquarters, about twenty in number. He had a message from the pit-bottom that twenty-two bodies had been located, that the ventilation had been restored, and that the rescue parties were going round the workings without apparatus. The message also said that a lot of men and stretchers were required to remove the bodies.
Mr. W.H. Chambers was not home at the time, and witness telegraphed for him. Mr. Douglas Chambers, the manager of the Denaby Main mine arrived at Cadeby about seven o´clock. Mr. Hewitt was the first of the inspectors to arrive, and Mr. Pickering and Mr. Tickle came about half past nine. Mr. J.E. Chambers the managing director of the Cortonwood Colliery, and Mr. G.B. Ashwin, agent of Wath Main Colliery, also arrived early.
Before Mr. Pickering descended the mine witness asked him whether he wished him ( witness ) to go with him. He said, ” Please yourself, but I think you had better remain here.”
Mr. Wilson came with Mr. Hudspeth shortly after ten o´clock. Shortly after eleven o´clock, witness received a message from Wentworth for Mr. Pickering, and he tried to get through to Mr. Pickering at the pit-bottom. The reply was,
” I cannot get Mr. Pickering. It has gone off again, You had better come. All on that district are behind a big fall.” Mr. J.E. Chambers was present, and he and witness went down the pit together. Witness asked for twenty men, and he got them at once. He met Booth, Sergeant Winch, Springthorpe, H. Williamson, and they told him what they had seen.
They were on the plane at the time the second explosion occurred. They proceeded down the south plane to the scene of the disaster. They examined the return air, and found it foul and gassy. They met Murgatroyd, who told them where Mr. Pickering´s party was. Murgatroyd appeared very dazed. When
they arrived at the fall the men had just cut a road through it.
The Coroner : And where was Mr. Wilson the Inspector ? – He was on nineteen´s level attending to some of the injured. I think he was giving them a drink of water.
Shortly after he again met Mr. J.E. Chambers, who told him he had found his son.
Witness proceeded along fourteen´s level to one-two-one´s, and passed several bodies on the way. He counted twenty-three at the bottom of the crossgate, and proceeding down fourteen´s level, he found a waistcoat burning at one-two-one´s crossgate, and here the air was very thick and foul.
The Coroner : Were you able to proceed further ? – I didn´t do. At fourteen´s crossgate I found Mr. Wilson and a man named Morris.
Was the door open or shut ? – It was slightly open, I opened it to get through.
Murgatroyd said it was off the hinges ? – When I came back it was.
Passing through the door, what was the first thing you saw ? – A tub, and a fall and a body.
Where The Officials Died.
Proceeding to describe the spot where Mr. Pickering´s party met their fate, Mr. Witty said, ” Mr. Bury was lying with his legs under Mr. Hewitt´s head, and there were two other men on top of him. He was bleeding, and so was Farmer, and they were the only two who had any signs of life in them. I pulled them out into the fresh air.
The Coroner : Did the atmosphere produce any impression on you ? – Yes, it made my head thump a bit.
When you had pulled Mr. Bury and Farmer out to fresh air, did you return ? – Yes, Sergeant Winch came with me and I directed him to go with the stretcher party. When I was proceeding to fourteen´s and nineteen´s, I thought there was one among a group of bodies which showed some signs of life. I heard one breathing, but could not tell which it was, though I felt them all. When I came back the breathing had ceased.
On Mr. Chambers arrival, did you return to the mine with him ? – Yes.
After a consultation were orders given to cut off the affected area with brick stoppings ? – Yes.
Was that done ? – Yes.
Witness, continuing, said that at about three o´clock on the following morning he had information that another explosion had occurred and that the brick stoppings had been blown down. He went down the plane and examined the place, taking with him some men who rebuilt the stoppings and proceeded to increase the thick -ness by putting up further walls, and now the thickness of one of the stoppings was fifteen feet and of the other nine feet. They had since been watched at intervals and had been found to serve their purpose.
A juryman ( Mr. Wilson ) : Did Mr. Pickering take supreme command of the rescue work on his arrival ? – That is automatic sir.
Mr. Smith : if any reports are made, do they come under your observation ? – Yes.
Can you tell me whether anything was reported in that district prior to the explosion as to any smell ? – Yes.
Can you tell us what day it was reported ? – Yes, I got to know about it on the previous Saturday morning.
Did you get any other report ? – Yes, Saturday night.
Any better ? – No, simply gob `stink´.
Did you get any on Monday ? – Yes, no better and no worse.
Did you have men working at it ? – Yes.
You have had a wide experience here, Mr. Witty, and there have been several gob-fires. Aren´t they generally preceded by the sort of smell that is reported here ? – Generally, almost in every case. We were cognisant of that fact that something might be developing. We have these smells and nothing serious follows very often, but we always take notice of them.
You tell us that in one-two-one´s crossgate, it was foul air. Before you got to one-two-one´s did you, as a responsible person, go into the retain airways and test them ? – I went into thirty-three´s level through the doors into the return and tested the air, then I went straight down the place.
Isn´t it wise to test the return air ? – Of course it is wise, I did all that was possible, I went into the only return there.
In cross-examination by Mr. Gichard, Mr. Witty produced a report book containing the reports of gob `stink´ in one-two-one´s old gate.
Mr. Wilson : When you telephoned to Mr. Pickering, did he say he would send Mr. Tickle ? – Yes, he did.
I am very much surprised. As a matter of fact it was arranged that Mr. Tickle should accompany me into the Barnsley district that day, and I am strengthened by the fact that Mr. Tickle booked to Barnsley from Doncaster that morning.
Mr. Witty : I do not know about that sir. I know that that was what was said.
The Surviving Inspectors.
The last chapter in the connected story promised at the outset by the Coroner was supplied by Mr. John R. Robert Wilson, of Leeds, Senior Inspector of Mines, who gave his evidence in the form of a report.
He stated that at about seven-thirty on the morning of the 9th of July he was called upon the telephone by Mr. Pickering, who informed him that he had been trying to get in touch with him since half-past-six, and told him that there had been an explosion at the Cadeby Colliery, and that he was afraid a few men had been killed. He explained that he had to meet his Majesty the King at ten o´clock that morning and he was anxious that he ( witness ) should go and ascertain what had happened. He said he had telephoned Mr. Hewitt, who would probably get there before witness. He took with him Mr. Hudspeth and when they reached Cadeby they learned the magnitude of the disaster, and that not only had Mr. Hewitt arrived, but Mr. Pickering and Mr. Tickle, and that they had gone across to the colliery. When Mr. Hudspeth and he got across they found that their colleagues had just gone down. Mr. Witty explained to him that all the men on thirty-three´s and fourteen´s had been killed, that the district had been completely examined and that no gas or fire was now to be found. Mr. Basil Pickering, manager of Wath Main, who knew the district well, offered to conduct them, and Mr. G.H. Ashwin asked to be allowed to go in the party, and he was invited to do so. They went down at eleven o´clock.
A Graphic Story By The Inspector.
They waited, continued the Inspector, at the south plane, to take off their clothes, and were proceeding towards fourteen´s level when they were met by a sudden blast of slightly warm air, and they turned and ran. They had only gone a few yards, however, when witness noticed that the air turned and resumed it´s normal
course, and he called a halt. One or two men joined them in the darkness, some suffering from burns and bruises, and witness apportioned the lamps amongst the combined company, and they made for the level once more. At fourteen´s level they encountered a huge fall of roof which blocked the road way, and going through the second door they encountered smoke and after-damp. They sent to the pit-bottom for assistance and settled down to wait, but searching about, Mr. Hudspeth, who had an electric lamp, found he could squeeze between a fallen girder and the wheels of an overturned tub. They heard a faint voice at the other side. It was Murgatroyd who was saying that he did not know what the air was like. He was wearing an apparatus and he was too weak to get through the fall. Witness´s lamp was behaving strangely, and there was gas on the top of the fall. Mr. Hudspeth got through and assisted witness to get through and then they assured Murgatroyd that he was quite safe as the air was good.
Mr. Chambers Finds His Son.
Then they came across a group of nine bodies, only two of whom were alive. A little further on they found twenty-three bodies. Mr. J.E. Chambers and another man came up and Mr. Chambers asked witness to follow him and keep his light in sight. He did so for a while but he lost Mr. Chambers as he got to nineteen´s crossgate. In the bend of the crossgate a man was lying badly injured but alive. As witness´s eyes were smarting and his heart throbbing he returned to enquire for Mr. Chambers. Mr. Chambers returned shortly afterwards, having found his son and witness persuaded him to go out of the pit. He also came upon Mr. Witty, who informed him that he had found a prop and a waistcoat burning. Mr. Witty went forward and found the bodies of the three inspectors and two managers near the top of the nineteen´s landing. Witness went up the crossgate and watched the effect of the pulmoters on one or two of the men until the rescue party arrived and reported that there was no fire.
Connected Chain Of Narrative.
The Coroner said the inquiry would terminate here for the present. They had had ample evidence to assist them in finding out how the men died, and also sufficient evidence to enable them to come to a conclusion as to by what means they died. It was not within the province of the jury to go further than that. They had heard the eight witnesses. Their memory was probably quite as good as his own, and they were not likely to forget for many years to come, the story of the Cadeby disaster. They had endeavoured to give a connected chain of narrative, leading from the first explosion, which was terrible enough, to the second, which was much more serious in it´s consequences. He did not think there had ever been an explosion which had involved the death of so many highly-placed officials. All human life was valuable, but the very fact that three inspectors, two managers and a number of deputies, had been taken from them had rendered it rather more difficult to present the story to them than it otherwise would have been.
He thought they ought not to attempt to express an opinion as to the cause of the disaster.
Mr. Smith Scarcely Satisfied.
The jury retired and consulted for twenty minutes, at the end of which time they returned, and Mr. H.H. Wray, the foreman, announced that they returned a verdict of :-
” Accidental death, caused by two gas explosions in the
Cadeby Colliery on July 9th 1912.”
Mr. Smith : Is that all the finding of the jury ?
The Coroner ( surprised ) : Yes, that is all. You don´t suggest that it is murder do you ?
Mr. Smith : But isn´t something to be said about the people who prevent us from having enquiries ?
The Coroner : I think it is a very proper verdict.
The Foreman : We have tried to keep clear of any further inquiry that may be made.
The Coroner : They don´t say that anybody is either to blame or is not to blame.
Gratitude To The Jury.
The Coroner said that before the present inquest was closed ( there would have to be another on the remaining fourteen victims ), he must thank the jury for the services they had rendered, not only to the West Riding, but to the inhabitants of their own district. They had all cheerfully assisted him day and night for the purpose of expeditiously dealing with the bodies that were brought to the surface to avoid any delay in identification : but, further than that he believed all of them had rendered valuable assistance to the relatives and friends of the dead. They were there at the pit-top, doing what they could, and performing the last offices for the dead, and if the county at large knew the splendid nature of the work they had done, they would heartily support what he had to say on that head. When it was realised that it was all done outside their ordinary duties and to mitigate the horrors of the disaster, they would all agree that the few words he had spoken were well merited, though the performance of a duty well done carried it´s own reward. He did not think there was need to say anymore on this point.