June 11, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1237

had been experienced in procuring slack for the engines of
the quality required, and this, in conjunction with the high
prices of fuel, had operated somewhat seriously against the
Commission. There was, however, a prospect of less fuel
being needed, in consequence of a further reduction in the
pumping, and he trusted that their requirements in regard to
the quality'of the slack would be more fully met.

An inquest was held at Bedworth on Monday on Wm.
Asher, pit sinker, who was killed at the Newdigate Pit,
Bedworth, on Thursday, the 3rd inst.—Frank Moore, relief
deputy, stated that he went down in the cage with the
deceased and others. The cage was in the upcast shaft, and
there were safety rods at each end of the cage. All the
occupants had safety lamps, and there was plenty of light.
They descended as usual until the cage struck something
about half-way down. The impact brought the cage to a
momentary stand, and one end was tilted up a little. The
cage righted itself, and continued its journey. When it got
to the bottom the onsetter said something had gone down
the shaft into the sump. Search was made, and deceased’s
body was found. A rod was displaced by the impact.—Cyril
Frank Jackson, agent to the colliery company, said, in his
opinion, a slipper which was found to be missing might have
been overhanging. The slipper might have locked the rope,
and caused undue oscillation.—The jury returned a verdict
of “Accidental death, caused by the slipper being detached
by means unknown.’’ They expressed the opinion that four
guide ropes would minimise the oscillation of the cage, and
suggested that gates be used instead of bars.

Current prices for house coal (lumps) in the Cannock Chase
district are quoted 20s. to 25s. per ton, iron works coal 16s.,
rough slack 10s. 6d. to 12s., screenings 13s., and fine slack
6s. 6d. per ton. Hard furnace coke is quoted at 30s.,
pottery mine' also 30s., purple ore 27s., tap cinder 10s- per
ton, and flue cinder 11s. per ton.

Kent.

Under an order of the court, a meeting of the unsecured
creditors of the East Kent Colliery Company Limited is to
be held at the Cannon-street Hotel next Tuesday, the 15th
inst., at 2.30, in connection with the scheme of arrangement
recently approved by the shareholders. The creditors are
to have this scheme under consideration, with a view to their
approval if they think fit. By the court’s order, Prof.
Galloway or Mr. Arthur Wells (Canterbury) is to act as
chairman of the. meeting and report the result to the court.

Dover Municipal Electricity Committee have decided to
give a repeat order for coal from Snowdown Colliery, the
electricity engineer reporting in very favourable terms upon
the coal. The price quoted by the company was 24s. 6d. a
ton, being 7s. 6d. advance Upon the last contract.

Scotland.

Fire at the Carron Works—Export Licences—Shock Acci-
dent at Broomrigg Pit—Co-operators and the Ownership
of Collieries.

Considerable damage was caused by a fire which occurred
on the 2nd inst. at Carron Ironworks, near Falkirk. The
portion of the works involved was one of three “ bays,’’ or
divisions, of the grinding shops, 'and was of considerable
dimensions, and it contained, in addition to other equip-
ment, a dozen grinding stones. It is estimated that the
damage caused by the fire amounts to between .£2,000 and
£3,000.

A joint meeting of representatives of the Scottish coal
owners and coal exporters was held in Glasgow on Thurs-
day, the 3rd inst., to consider the granting of licences for
export of coal to foreign countries. Considerable difficulty
has arisen in connection with the granting of licences, due
probably to the want of full information with regard to the
position in Scotland. The view was expressed that at
present there is no shortage of coal in Scotland, and that,
on the contrary, gas works and public works and house coal
merchants are receiving larger quantities of coal than are
required to meet their immediate requirements. The
.restriction of exports, therefore, in these circum-
stances is, it was stated, causing considerable irrita-
tion, and the view was expressed that it is neither desirable
nor necessary from an industrial or national point of view.
It is understood that as the result of the meeting represen-
tation will be made to the Coal Exporters’ Committee on the
subject.

While at work in the Ell coal seam of Gilbertfield Col-
liery, Cambuslang, two miners, Joseph M‘Ghee and Patrick
Flannigan, were using the naked light. An explosion of
firedamp took place, and both men were thrown to the
ground. Both men received burns on the arms and face.

A large and representative number of the officials and
workers of Bowhill Colliery met recently to do honour to
Mr. William Barr, colliery manager, on the occasion of his
leaving the district. Mr. James Mathieson in fitting terms
asked Mr. Barr to accept of a handsome bedroom suite, as
a mark of esteem in which he has been held during his five
years’ stay in Bowhill. Mr. Barr has left Bowhill to take
up an appointment as mining agent at Dennyloanhead,
Stirlingshire. .

At a meeting of the Cleansing Committee of Glasgow Cor-
poration, held on Friday of last week, there was considered
an offer by Messrs. John Watson Limited to lease the
minerals on Robroystone estate, exclusive of the hospital
grounds. It was agreed to recommend acceptance of the
offer, the terms of which are an annual rental of £400 for
the first three years, and £600 per annum for the remaining
period of the 31 years lease, or alternatively a royalty of
6d. per ton on all coal and dross extracted, wTith payment of
separate royalties on other minerals.

In the Stirling Sheriff Court recently, Sheriff Moffat and
a jury held an enquiry into the death of John Stirling, coal-
cutting machineman, Haggs, who was fatally injured in
No. -3 Broomrigg Pit, Dennyloanhead, belonging to the
Banknock Coal Company, on April 19. In the course of the
enquiry, David Todd, certificated colliery manager,
Dennyloanhead, and Wm. McCallum, chief electrical engi-
neer to the Banknock Coal Company, were warned that, in
view of possible future proceedings, they need not answer
questions which might appear to prejudice them. Sheriff
Moffat, in addressing the jury at the close of the enquiry,
said it was quite apparent from the medical evidence that
all the appearances were consistent with death resulting
from electric shock, and there was quite plain evidence that
at the time of the 'accident deceased was grasping a highly-
charged electric machine, which was in a defective condi-

tion. The chief electrician (McCallum), who was a most
reliable witness, said the machine was defective owing to
the non-use of the bolt, which caused the connection of the
cable not to be tight. This in turn brought about the
leakage of electricity into the frame of the machine, and
naturally was the cause of death. The fact that the coal-
cutter became alive might also be due to the defective state
of the leads through the body of the machine. He did not
think any fault or negligence could be atached to Mr. David
Todd, the manager. He was not an electrician, and did not
examine the machine. Then it was quite apparent it was
not Mr. McCallum’s duty to personally examine the coal-
cutter, as he stood more or less in the light of an adviser to
the company. It was unfortunate that Mr.. McCann, who
was the electrical engineer at the pit, had been absent
from the enquiry. Indeed, it was most awkward that the
principal person, who had the supervision of the machine,
had not had the opportunity to give evidence. In the cir-
cumstances, it would not be proper to say that any par-
ticular individual was at fault, but they could say that the
coal-cutter itself was faulty. The jury returned with a
verdict that the ’accident occurred through the faulty con-
dition of the machine, caused by want of proper insulation.
There seemed to have been some negligence, but the jury
added a rider to the effect that they did not feel called upon
to lay the blame of such negligence at the door of any
particular person.

Fire broke out last week on the pithead at Carmacoup
Colliery, near Douglas, in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire.
Flames were belching forth before the outbreak was dis-
covered, and at that time had g‘ot such a hold of the
woodwork that the fire had practically to burn itself out.
The pithead frame and scaffolding, the shaker and bar
screens, as well as eight railway wagons, two of which were
full of coal, were demolished. The damage is estimated to
be at least £25,000, and is covered by insurance. The
origin of the fire is unknown. The work of the colliery so.
far as the digging of coal is concerned, is proceeding as
usual by means of the three mines, and the coal is being
binged meanwhile.

Mr. Dugald Baird, from Lugar, has taken up the position
of works manager to Messrs. Wm. Baird and Company at
Muirkirk. He succeeds Mr. John Angus, who retired a
week or two ago after 45 years’ service. Mr. Baird has
long been prominent in the deliberations of the Mining
Institute of Scotland.

At the annual meeting of the Scottish Sectional Board of
the co-operative movement in Scotland, consideration is to
be given to a proposal, emanating from the Barrhead Society,
for the co-operative ownership of coal mines. Mr. Joseph
Sullivan, of Harthill, one of the agents of the Lanarkshire
Miners’ Union, is to introduce the discussion on the
question of coal mining. It is understood that the views of
Mr. Robert Smillie, president of the British Miners’ Federa-
tion, and Mr. Kirkwood, of the Fife Miners’ Association,
have been ascertained in regard to this question, which once
again appears to be emerging into prominence. Both
gentlemen, it is said, are rather sceptical of co-operative coal
mining, the latter mentioning that, as a large .percentage of
the miners, who were also co-operators, received coal on
favourable terms from their employers, this factor would
require to be taken into consideration.

THE EFFECT OF THE WAR UPON COLLIERIES.

Mr. Pease on Export Restrictions.

On Wednesday the annual meeting of shareholders of
Pease and Partners Limited was held at Darlington. Mr.
A. F. Pease, who presided, said up to the present 2,257 of
their men have joined the Colours. Of .the directors, 25 per
cent, have gone, 30 per cent, of the head office staff, 26 per
cent, from the iron works department, 19J .per cent, from
the mines, 16 per cent, from the collieries, and 8J per cent,
from the quarries. The cost of the concessions to the men
and their families for the past nine months had been £9,890,
and the allowances the company are now making works out
at the rate of £18,000 per annum. Mr. Pease said their
expenditure at Thorne during the past year had been £25,570.
Special expenditure was £9,000 in respect of Eldon Colliery,
£6,000 for new plant at Esh, £9,180 for new pithead at
Lingdale, £7,000 at Normanby, and nearly £3,000 improve-
ments to houses. Their gross profits on minerals raised,
including coke and coals, had been 7-29d. per ton, or, after
deducting depreciation and special expenditure in respect of
the quarries and mines, a net profit of 3-05d. per ton.
Putting it another way, compared with the previous year, the
profits on coals were down 48| per cent., ironstone and lime-
stone 30 per cent., chemical works 17| per cent., and blast-
furnaces and foundry 63J per cent.; while, on the other hand,
interest on dividends and rents had increased by 28J per
cent. His feeling was that they got an exaggerated idea of
their profits by not taking off depreciation before showing
results, and he would discuss with the auditors whether they
should not show their profits in .a net form. Discussing the
fluctuations in prices, the chairman said that a large number
of firms who took coal from Durham used up their stocks
rather than pay the enhanced prices for freight due to the
Government commandeering the railways, in the expectation
that freights would go down. Others had bought German
coal that could not be delivered. Some firms in inland
towns, having missed the market, hoped to squeeze the
owners, and went whining to the Government, asking them
to put pressure on owners to reduce their prices arbitrarily.

. The owners had to supply large quantities to people who
were wise enough to buy before the rise took place. The
total number of their employees on April 30 was 11,441.
They had decided to put down benzol plant at Bowden Close,
and an entirely new pithead at Eldon Colliery, at an expendi-
ture of £50,000, spread over a number of years. Works
extension will take place at Normanby. They had concen-
trated their men in the thickest seams, in order to maintain
the output. It was of the utmost importance not to take a
short-sighted view of things at the present time, said Mr.
Pease, and to maintain as far as possible their export trade.
It seemed to him a very short-sighted policy to limit the
output of coal hy licence or any other means, except in so
far as to prevent it getting into the hands of the enemy.
The present system of licensing coals was creating a great
deal of disorganisation in the coal trade. Personally, he
would prefer to see an 'arrangement such as an ad valorem
duty on all coals exported, than to have the trade upset as
it is by the Government system of licensing. He believed
nearly the whole would be paid by the consumer, and the
Government would derive considerable benefit from it.

Mr. J. A. Pease, M.P., said he wanted to put in a
caveat with regard to the suggestion that they should tax

exported coal. He did not want to prejudice a question of
that kind, but he did want the shareholders to realise that
a tax of that kind was unduly oppressive to the industry of
Durham and Northumberland. South Wales exported a
great deal of coal, but it was nearly all for Government
purposes. Other coalfields in Great Britain did not export
to anything like the same extent as the northern counties,
and consequently it would work very unfairly upon them.

COLLIERY ACCIDENTS.

Fryston.

About 4 o’clock on Friday morning last, a fire broke out
in Fryston Pit, which belongs to the Wheldale Goal Com-
pany, and is situated near Castleford. The lives of two men
were lost. The discovery of the outbreak - created the
greatest anxiety, for the night-shift men, numbering about
150, were in the pit at the time. Steps were promptly
taken to bring the men to the surface and to cope with the
fire, and the whole shift, with the exception of one man and
a lad, wrere safely withdrawn. The two who had to be left
imprisoned were a deputy named Theophilus Smith and
Albert Addy, a 16-year old lad. Great activity was dis-
played by the officials and men in organising means of
rescue. Mr. W. Hunt, the under-manager; Mr. H. S.
Soar, agent for the Wheldale Colliery; Mr. Hogg, the assis-
tant agent; Mr. P. C. Greaves, a director of the company;
and Mr. Flint, manager of the Old Roundwood Pit, were
among those who descended the shaft; and all the morning
large numbers of men volunteered their services ; more, in
fact, than could be profitably employed. About 10 o’clock,
the Altofts Rescue Brigade, under Mr. Harrison, arrived
with their equipment, and went down the mine to seek the
missing couple. A little later, Mr. Mottram, the divisional
inspector of mines for Yorkshire, and his assistants arrived
at the colliery, and they also went down to assist in the
rescue operations. Some time afterwards a second rescue
team came from Altofts with a fresh equipment of cylinders
of oxygen and other apparatus, and they took part in the
search. Meanwhile the fire was being attacked by the
colliery fire brigade. It appears that Smith obeyed the
summons to the men to leave the pit, but on ascertaining
that Addy was missing, he turned back in order to find
him. It was not until 3 a.m. on Saturday morning that the
bodies of both man and lad were recovered. The body of
the lad Addy was badly scorched, while a very deep gash
was made in his forehead either by falling stone or through
his running into the .sides of the road in endeavouring to
find a way of escape. His left hand was tightly pressed
over his mouth. Smith, the deputy, had escaped any serious
disfiguring, but the front of his chest was badly scorched.
In the deputy’s hand there was still grasped the stick with
which the roof is tested, and he was only about 50 yds.
away from the lad. Mr. J. Sykes, one of the rescue party,
in an interview, said that Addy was found only 20 yds. or
so from the edge of the fire farthest from the shaft. It
seemed that he had become aware of the outbreak of fire,
and had tried to make his way to the shaft bottom. “ We
found the old man’s body,’’ said Mr. Sykes, “ in the
return airway. It seemed to us that he had been on his
way through a slit into the main haulage way, in the
course of a tour of that part of the workings to see if all the
men had got clear. I don’t think he had fallen after being
overcome by smoke, for his lamp was standing on the
ground, just as he might have put it. Apparently he had
been asphyxiated. The boy must have run straight back
into the suffocating atmosphere, for his body was about
400yds. from the place where we found his pany dead.’’

The inquest on the two victims was held on Monday by
Major Arundel.—Charles Swansbury, a rope rider employed
at the pit, described the accident, which, he said, was due,
in the first place, to one of the pit ponies jerking against a
stationary corve. This set the tub in motion, and a line of
them (20 in all) set off down the drift. Theoretically, this
could not have occurred if the corve catch had operated, but
it did not. It was defective. Shortly after the tubs got
away, he saw a flash down in the main road, and this was
followed in a minute or two by another big flash, so that in
a short time the wreckage got on fire. He sent a man to the
pit bottom, half-a-mile away, to turn off the electric current,
which he did; and he himself tried to telephone to the office,
but found the instrument, out of order. When the fire first
broke out he saw the deputy, Smith, close by, and he went
off down the back wind road.

William Hardisty, colliery driver, said he was working in
the last slit when he and his mate detected smoke, and pro-
ceeded to leave. On the way out they met Smith, who told
them to hurry on. He had seen the boy Addy previously,
and had given him a message from the deputy as to getting
the water out.

Mr. Hezekiah G. Soar, the manager of the colliery, said
that when he got down to the pit all access to the fire was
barred by smoke and gas. The heat, too, was terrific, and
as all the air passages were filled in the same way, he came
to the conclusion that unless the deputy and the lad had
been able to protect themselves by a short-circuited air
supply, they could not possibly live. He considered that to
reverse the ventilation currents would not be effective, and
that the only method was to attack the fire first. Accord-
ingly, he established a short-circuited air system, constructed
screens of brattice cloth, and succeeded at last in getting at
the fire, when he employed abundance of water and sand.
-Electricity was conveyed "through the pit by a twin-armoured
cable of 500 volts, and this was carried along the roof of the
drift at a height of 10 ft. The cable had been severed, and
though the subsequent fall of stone might conceivably have
caused the severance, yet it was more feasible that the piling
up of the tubs was responsible. He declared that the corve
catch, so far from being defective, was in perfect order, and
had since been worked satisfactorily. The only thing he
could suggest was that Swansbury had perhaps failed to
remove the sleeper, or that its working had become clogged
by neglect. When the fire broke out the deputy, Smith,
evidently did not realise its seriousness, and allowed himself
and the boy to be cut off.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death, Smith
being axphyxiated by smoke, and Addy dying from shock
caused by burns.”

Sir Charles Seely, Bart., V.D., of Sherwood Lodge,
Arnold, Notts, and of Brooke House, Isle of Wight, a large
coal owner in the Midlands, who died on April 16 last,
aged 81 years, left estate of the gross value of
£1,052,070 12s. 8d., of which the net personalty has been
sworn at £591,069 6s.