Compression of the Air. 41 
shaft, which fell upon the hut of the other shaft, that still remained 
standing. ‘The hats of those who were within the mine, were found 
at the distance of twenty paces without, from the mouth of the shaft, 
as also two iron hooks with which the ladder had been fastened, 
were picked up near the shaft, one of them broken short, the other 
torn out of the timber and twisted. Upon examining the shaft, it 
was found that by the powerful dislodgement of the ——) the tim- 
ber of the shaft had been much damaged. 
This is a very strange and singular accident of its kind, which 
could arise only from the violent compression of the air in the cavity 
of the tummel, at the moment when it was filled by the simultaneous 
fall of the materials of the arch. The great strength of the strata, 
combined with the circumstances, that there was, directly over the 
pit, a very firm clayey roof, was the cause of there being given to 
the tummel (though it was very ill judged,) uncommonly large di- 
mensions ; for by the report of the coal cutters, it was twelve fath- 
oms in diameter, and four and a half in height. To increase the 
force of the rush of air, another circumstance greatly contributed. 
th lately fitting up the mine, two apertures only were retained, the 
wind shaft and the passage for conveyance. As the tummel fell, the 
whole mass of air was forced out of one passage only, the pressure 
being directed to this, because during the cold weather, the wir 
shaft had been stopped at its mouth. 
When we consider the amazing force with which the ladder was 
carried out of the shaft, and the other circumstances testified by the 
workmen, it is most probable that Weber, who was on the ladder as 
the tummel fell in, and wore a long linen frock, was lifted up by it so 
high, that the distance of the fall caused his death 
The medical examination of the corpse of Weber, discovered nu- 
merous fractures. The fourth, fifth, and sixth ribs of the left side, 
and the heads of others were broken, and driven into the cavity of 
the chest. The pericardium on the left side from above downwards 
was ruptured, as was also the right cavity of the breast. The left 
lobe of the lungs exhibited several lacerations, and was crushed inte 
a confused mass. 
Vor. XVII.—No. 1. 6 
