862

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

May 5, 1916.

facturers of the explosive, stated that, since Woodcock’s
death, he had made experiments with the explosive, and was
prepared to swear that no nitrous fumes were given off.
Assuming that the ventilation of the pit was good, that the
man was 20 yds. away when the shot was fired, and that he
waited a reasonable time before he went back, there would be
no fumes to do him harm.—Mr. Heath called two witnesses
who spoke of the deleterious effects which explosives had
upon them, and said he could call four others to give similar
evidence.—Robert Adair, local inspector, stated that explo-
sives always affected men. The place where deceased worked
had not good ventilation, and, *»on the morning following
April 7, witness experienced similar sensations to those
alleged to have been felt by Woodcock.—The coroner remarked
that the jury’s decision would be one of importance to the
mining community. — After a long deliberation, the jury
decided that death was due to pneumonia, but that whether
it was inhaled gas that caused it there was not sufficient
evidence to show.

Cleveland.

A meeting of the Cleveland ironstone mine owners and the
miners’ representatives, held at Middlesbrough, to fix wages
payable in the Cleveland mines and the Weardale quarries
for the ensuing three months, agreed that wages be advanced
by 10 per cent.

Cumberland.

At Workington Children’s Court last week, a pony driver,
named Hector McDonald Salters (15), was charged with
cruelly illtreating a pony in St. Helen’s No. 2 Pit by striking
it with a pick on April 29. In the course of the evidence it
was stated that the defendant hit the pony several times on
the near buttock with a tomahawk. Defendant removed the
head of the tomahawk after cleaning the blood off it, and hid
it in a manhole. The pony was lame afterwards. There were
six wounds on the pony’s buttock, bleeding and running,
about | or lin. long, and 4 or 5 in. deep. The chairman
regretted that the Bench were not able to order a good
flogging for the offence. A fine of £2, and 16s. fid. expenses,
was imposed.

Yorkshire.

Status of Deputies—Charcoal Burning—Rotherham Miners'
£20,000—Pony Driver's Cruelty—Guardians and. Coal—
Stoppage at Wakefield Manor.

At the West Riding Court, Wakefield, 16 deputies for-
merly employed at Walton Colliery were summoned for
absenting themselves from work without notice, the employers
(the Sharlston Collieries Limited) claiming from each man
a fortnight’s wages in varying sums of £5 12s., £5 16s.,
and £6. The cases arose out of the recent strike of deputies
for an advance of wages at the Walton pit.—Mr. A. Willey,
for the defence, argued at the outset that the .court had no
jurisdiction, inasmuch as a deputy was not a workman within
the meaning of the Employers’ and Workmen’s Act. Any
remedy, he said, should have been sought in the county court.
—The Bench gave a verdict for the defendants, the chairman
stating they considered the deputies were not workmen within
the meaning of the Act.

The ancient industry of charcoal burning has been revived
in 'the comparatively treeless district of Keighley, and the
venture appears to be shaping for success. There is a great
demand at present for charcoal, but that is only an item
in the scheme, for the by-products are of greater importance.
A beginning has been made by the setting up of a retort and
distilling plant capable of a considerable output in the old
White Horse Brewery premises at Ingrow.

The undertaking given by the Rotherham district miners
at the beginning of the war to keep the families of their
fighting comrades is being loyally carried out. The
employees of four local pits—Rotherham Main, Silverwood,
Dalton Main, and Car House—have already subscribed over
£20,000.

Members of the Yorkshire Geological Society, accompanied
by a Dutch journalist, visited the East Ardsley Collieries of
Messrs. R. Holliday and Sons, and afterwards visited the
Ardsley reservoir, which is above the centre of the mine.

A Conisbo.ro’ pony driver, named Henry Dong worth, was,
at Doncaster on Saturday last, ordered to pay 30s. for taking
a match down the Cadeby. Colliery. At the same court, three
miners employed at the Askern Main Colliery, named
Bradley, Kellett, and Hammond, were charged with absent-
ing themselves from work without leave. The importance of
men attending regularly to their work at these critical times
was emphasised, and it was stated that, as the Askern Colliery
is not yet fully developed, the establishment charges are
very high. Bradley was ordered to pay £8 16s. and 14s.
costs; Kellett £6 8s. and 13s. costs; and Hammond £5 12s.
and 13s. costs.

Mr. P. Blunt, manager of the Bullcroft Colliery, near
Doncaster, has been elected chairman of the Adwick-le-
Street Urban District Council.

At last week’s meeting of the Thorne Board of Guardians,
a great shortage of coal was reported. The clerk stated he
had written in vain to various colliery companies and coal
firms for 50 tons of house coal or cobbles. In the discussion
something was said about a “ coal ring,” and the Board
decided to try to purchase in the open market.

An executive meeting of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association,
Mr. H. Smith presiding, was held at Barnsley, on Saturday.
The meeting had before it, in accordance with the district
ballot, a request from Wakefield Manor to authorise the
men to tender their notices with a view to leaving their
employment. As an association they could not take the blame
for any stoppage at this pit, said Mr. Smith, as they had
tried to do everything to meet the manager and to settle this
business. The Stanhope Silkstone branch applied for per-
mission to take a ballot because a man had been stopped by
the management. A special meeting of the council was held
yesterday (Thursday) to deal with a letter received from
the Home Office on the. output of coal, absenteeism, etc.

An explosion occurred on Wednesday evening in the Askern
Main Colliery, near Doncaster. Through some reason, at
present unexplained, powder used for blasting purposes, and
stored in a building on the surface, became ignited, and the
building was blown up. There was a loud report, which was
heard over a wide area. The building was demolished, and
glass in the colliery buildings was shattered. Thomas
Johnson (36), banksman, was removed to the Doncaster
Infirmary suffering from shock, lacerated arms, and super-
ficial wounds. Another man received a scalp wound. Mr.
Humble, the managing director, had a narrow’ escape.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

Whit Lane Workings—Match Offence—Managers' President
—Boring at Westhoughton—Miners Buying Houses—
New Power Station at Mosley Common.

At the last meeting of the Salford Corporation Highway
and Paving Committee it was decided that a mining engineer
should be retained for the purpose of advising the Committee
as to colliery workings in connection with the sewers in the
Whit-lane district.

The Standish magistrates last week imposed a fine of 20s.
on Sydney Smith, who was summoned for an infringement
of the Coal Mines Act by taking five matches down the John
pit, Standish.

Mr. Ered H. Hollingworth, who has been elected president
of the Lancashire branch of the National Association of
Colliery Managers, has been connected with the Hopwood
Colliery Limited, Oldham, for many years, and is the general
manager.

Boring operations, it is understood, are to be carried out
this summer in the neighbourhood of Westhoughton, on
behalf of a local colliery firm.

The Earl of Ellesmere has declined to engage female pit-
brow workers.

Taking advantage of the prosperous condition of the coal
mining industry, a good many colliers in the Walkden,
Clifton, Little Hulton, Atherton, 'and Tyldesley districts ore
now buying their own houses. Lancashire miners are
developing an unexpected taste for thrift.

Amongst the various extensions and improvements, briefly
alluded to in our last impression, which are being carried out
at Lord Ellesmere’s Mosley Common Collieries, near
Manchester, is the completion of a large power station for
generating current for various purposes. Already two
turbines and air compressing machinery have been installed,
and provision has been made for another turbine. The
exhaust steam from the Nos. 1, 2, and 4 pits will be utilised
for driving the turbines. Another improvement in progress
is the building of a new brick chimney, which will be one
of the largest lin the Lancashire coal field, to serve Nos. 1
and 2 pits. The dimensions will be 75 yds. in height, 10ft.
wide inside, and 24 ft. across the base, outside.

The Midlands.

Drainage Commission's Report—Dudley Pits Re-opened—
Extensive Coal Stealing.

A very heavy increase in the month’s pumping is reported
by the engineers of the South Staffordshire Mines Drainage
Commission. The general manager and engineer to the
Tipton district (Mr. E. Howl) states that the pumping had
been 13,211,100 gals, per 24 hours, as compared with
11,713,500 gals, last month, and 13,574,900 gals, in the
corresponding period last year, an increase of about
1J million gals, compared with March, and a decrease of
360,800 gals, compared with a year ago. It was now neces-
sary to work the Moat old engine about half time, as well
as Gospel Oak Mond gas driven plant full time, to assist
the Moat new engine. The water at Tibbington Bye pit of
Empire Colliery was still rising, while at the Bradley engine
there was no diminution in the water, the engine working
at full speed, pumping a daily average exceeding four million
gallons. The Deepfields old engine had been worked since
the 7th ult. to assist the new engine by dealing with thick
coal water. No water was now being raised at Havacre
Colliery, and there was little change to report at other
engines. The underground level men had 'been engaged in
cleansing bottom level at Moat engine, and the Rubble coal
level from No. 1 Dixon’s, Horseley. Mr. W. B. Collis (Old
Hill district) reports that in the northern portion of that
district there was no diminution of the underground water of
the past two months, but it was being dealt with by the
Windmill End pumping engine. It has been decided to
affix the seal of the Commissioners to an agreement with
Messrs. Sidney Parrish Limited as to pumping and tanking
at Deepfields Colliery, which has been recently re-opened at
considerable cost.

Messrs. Marsh, Dudley, have arranged to re-open pits at
the Buffery, Dudley, which have been closed for a consider-
able time.

In a case of coal stealing at Sedgley (Staffordshire) Police
Court, on Monday, a representative of the Earl of Dudley,
who prosecuted a woman, -said that within the last 12 months
300 persons living within a mile of defendant’s home had
been prosecuted for coal stealing, but the practice continued
as prevalent as ever. It was estimated that about 500 tons
of coal per annum were taken from the wagons on Lord
Dudley’is private railway while in transit from Baggeridge
and Himley collieries to the Round Oak works. Defendant
was seen to take coal from the trucks. She was fined 20s.

Eor holding up the Newcastle Main Colliery for half-an-
hour by making an electrical connection with a piece of
wire, thereby stopping the boiler engine, a rope lad was fined
£2 at the Worksop Police Court. Although only 17, he is
earning 35s. a week.

Kent.

Chislet Company's Report—East Kent Company's Meeting
—Folkestone Boring Result.

The report presented at the annual meeting of the Chislet
Colliery Company Held this week stated : Since the last
annual general meeting of the shareholders, on March 30,
1915, the work in connection with the sinking and equipment
of the colliery has proceeded continuously. Both shafts have
been sunk through the alluvial deposits and a short distance
into the chalk by means of steam cranes to the following
depths : North pit, 198 ft.; South pit, 193 ft. The difficulties
in regard to water have been, in the opinion of the directors,
completely. overcome. Considerable progress has been made
in connection with the excavation and building of the engine
houses, and a building for the workshop and stores has been
completed. Progress, however, has been very seriously
retarded owing to the shortage of labour, and also by the
unusually wet weather during the winter. It is. anticipated
that the whole of the necessary work in connection with the
installation of the machinery and boilers necessary to resume
sinking will be finished during the summer, when the com-
pletion of the sinking to the coal measures will be pressed
forward with all the speed possible. Mr. Joseph Shaw, K.C.,
retires from the board of directors, and offers himself for
re-election.

The special meeting of the East Kent Colliery Company
for the reception of the report and accounts and the election
of the new board of directors, will in all probability be held
on the 24th in st.

The coal boring which is being put down at Folkestone,
on the East Cliff, for the Channel Collieries Trust, is making
good progress, and the results proved by the bore as far as
it has gone are stated to be satisfactory.

Forest of Dean.

One of the provisions of the Dean Forest Mines Act of
1906 is the requirement that there shall be an annual
meeting of free miners, and this gathering was held at the
Speech House on Saturday. Mr. S. J. Elsom (chairman)
referred to the Eastern United Colliery at Ruspidge, and
said that during 1915 some 80,000 tons of coal had been
cut from it, which meant that on a Jd. a ton royalty; the
share falling to the free miners was just under £300. The
committee resolved to keep this until next year, in the hope
that this year’s get would be very much larger. He
explained that the coal seam appeared in places to have been
tossed and tumbled about, to have been broken up into all
sorts of ill-arranged forms and shapes. It lay in every
direction, except that which was looked for. It was a
tremendous fault, and had meant tremendous expense for
the company. The company had called to their aid the
assistance of some of the best known men of to-day, well
acquainted with the Forest coal field, whose optimistic
reports on the situation, in spite of the forbidding outlook,
were so encouraging that they were going on. The chairman
added that if ever there wTas an occasion when a genuine
case had been made out for an -appeal to the Office of Woods
for financial support or easement, in regard to the company’s
obligation to the Crown, certainly this was a reasonable
instance.

Scotland.

Hamilton Pit Accident — Tobacco Fund — Naked. Light
Causes Explosion — Sinking at Airdrie — Enlistment
Figures—Pumping in Old Shaft—Question of £500.

One of the worst pit accidents that has occurred in the
Hamilton district of Lanarkshire for many years took place
on Wednesday of last week. An old shaft at Eddlewood
collapsed, and entombed five workmen. The shaft was for-
merly Eddlewood No. 3, but some five or six years ago it
was filled up, and the coal to which it gave entrance was
worked from Neilsland Colliery, belonging to Messrs. John
Watson Limited. Five men, named Hugh Scott, Robert
Robertson, John Shaw, Robert Leadbetter, and George
Stewart, were driving roads into the Eddlewood Ell coal to
take out the pillars around the old shaft. A rumbling noise
was heard by a workman named Brownlie, who was some
distance away, and who sent word to the officials. Mr. J.
Cook, resident manager, and Air. J. Houston, under-
manager, proceeded to the scene, but they found their course
barred by a mass of soft glutty debris flowing lil^e a stream
of lava through the workings, and filling up every available
space. Mr. Cook and Mr. Houston promptly got the men in
the other sections warned to make their escape, and these
all succeeded in doing so. The five men in the old Eddle-
wood Ell coal were cut off, and from the first no hope was
entertained of finding them alive. About 10 p.m. the body of
Robertson was recovered. He had apparently been swept
forward by the rush. When the serious nature of the acci-
dent was revealed, Mr. Robert McLaren, H.M. inspector
of mines, and Mr. J. B. Thomson, the general manager for
John Watson Limited quickly arrived, and a rescue brigade
from Coatbridge was summoned, but owing to the hopeless-
ness of the situation their services were not used. On the
following day the huge cavity caused on the surface by the
caving-in of the material was several fathoms deep, and the
management had it fenced round. Vigorous efforts were
made to recover all the bodies.

The “ Thick Black ” Fund promoted by Mr. John
Robertson, miners’, agent, Hamilton, to provide the miners
who are soldiering at the front with their favourite smoke
has now reached fully £1,30'0. A further gift of £50 has
been forwarded by Lord Newlands, of Mauldslie Castle.

In the Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday, Peter Rufus, a
Polish miner, residing at 19, Russell-place, Park-street,
Motherwell, pleaded guilty to a mines offence in No. 1
Legbrannock Colliery, Newarthill, Lanarkshire, on the 6th
ult. He had entered by mistake a forbidden road in the mine
with a naked light. An explosion occurred, and the accused
was severely burned on the head and face. In view of the
fact that Rufus had sustained serious injuries, Sheriff
Shennan dismissed him with an admonition.

. Giffnock Coal Company recently sank a pit in the Airdrie
district, and the development has been rapid and successful.
The prospects of the new concern are distinctly encouraging,
and a much-needed impetus is being given to a district which
has been very depressed in late years owing to the exhaus-
tion of the coal seams.

_ In Mid and East Lothian the employers are finding con-
siderable difficulty in carrying on their operations because
of the large enlistment amongst the miners. The total
number of recruits up to the present from above and below
ground is 5,096, or quite 3o per cent, of the number
employed. Further, the returns disclose the fact that since
the beginning of the present year 212 females have found
employment on the surface.

Work at the Glen pit, a pumping shaft of the Niddrie and
Benhar Coal Company, has been suspended. This shaft has
been in existence for over 100 years, and has served as a
pump]ng shaft for close on 70 years. The water is pumped
from a 50 fm. level to an old “ day level,” which comes to
the surface about Joppa.

In November last a conference of the Scottish Miners’
federation delegates voted a sum of £500 from the Federa-
tion funds to the Scottish Women’s Hospital Fund, but it
seems that some objection had been raised to this, and the
money has not been paid over. It is claimed that paying
over Federation funds for such a purpose is illegal. Mr.
Adamson, M.P., declines to take the responsibility of paying
the sum unless the members of the Federation executive
agree to share the responsibility of any action that may be
taken.	'	J

Partnership Dissolved. The London Gazette announces
dissolution of the partnership of H. Fardell and A. Fardell,
cartage contractors and coal merchants, 51, Caroline-street’
121, Brook-street, and Devonshire-street, London, trading as
Chas. Fardell and Sons.