370 



MINE. 



of the lack draught commences, by the descent of air 

 down the shaft to replace the air of the mine as it cools. 

 Every part of the mine is filled with the most delete- 

 rious airs, particularly azote and carbonic acid, the re- 

 sult of combustion. Those miners, who were in the di- 

 rect line of the explosion, have their fate quickly sealed. 

 Others who are not in the direct current are dreadfully 

 burnt. But though the greater number of the miners 

 are at a distance from either of these calamities, yet 

 their fate is perhaps the most severe. They hear the ex- 

 plosion : they know well the certain consequences of it ; 

 every one thinks of his personal safety ; and the great 

 object is to reach the pit bottom. All the lights are 

 generally extinguished, and they have to pursue their 

 dreary path in awful darkness, a darkness rendered ter- 

 rible by the combination of uncommon circumstances. 

 Some of them have been known to make most providen- 

 tial escapes, after clambering over fallen roof's, and the 

 wreck where their fellow workmen lay entombed ; 

 but others, deviating from the direct course in the con- 

 fusion of the scene, wander anxiously onward, dread- 

 ing every moment to meet the returning pestilential 

 air. At last they feel its power, and knowing the cer- 

 tainty of their fate, they cease to struggle with what is 

 irresistible ; they resign their hopes ; fall down in a 

 reclining posture ; nature is soon exhausted, and they 

 sink in death as if asleep ! Such is the fate of the hardy 

 and industrious miners, who venture their lives every 

 day for the comfort of others ; and such, frequently, is 

 the misfortune, which, in a moment, comes like a whirl- 

 wind upon the best arranged mining concerns, after the 

 , most laborious exertions, and the most unremitting 

 anxious concern of the mining engineers. The labours 

 and plans of years are in an instant destroyed. 



Sad and melancholy as the scene described is, per- 

 haps it is the least part of the melancholy picture. From 

 the general arrangements of collieries, it is found a mat- 

 ter of economy and conveniency to have the workmen's 

 houses, where their families reside, near to the pits. 

 The consequence of this is, that the instant an explo- 

 sion takes place, the alarm is general, and the wives and 

 relations of those who are in the mine rush to the pit- 

 mouth in a state of distraction, where a heart-rending 

 scene takes place, a scene which may be imagined, 

 but cannot be described. All the violent effects of sud- 

 den grief are the consequence. They look to the hor- 

 rible pit where those who are most dear to them are 

 entombed, and who but a few hours ago had left 

 them in health and vigour, with the hope of return- 

 ing happy to their homes. 



In such a case the mining engineers have a severe 

 and an imperious duty to perform. The pit, where 

 they must descend, is either rendered dangerous by the 

 wreck of loose timber torn away by the erruption, or 

 the air is in a pestilential state ; and, what is still more 

 alarming, part of the coal may have taken fire from the 

 explosion, or a blower may be ignited ; either of which 

 would produce repeated and violent explosions the in- 

 stant the gas accumulated to that point so as to come in 

 contact with the fire. Such a case is not unfrequent, 

 and against this no human skill can guard. This fear- 

 ful case, with the others before mentioned, is probably 

 combined. All these have to be encountered by the 

 engineer and his assistants. The hope of saving some 

 of the workmen from death, and the ardent entreaties 

 of the agonized relations, place the consideration of 

 personal safety out of the question. 



On descending to the bottom of the pit, it is perhaps 



with great difficulty the mine can be entered, owing to Mines of 

 the wreck ; if the descending current of air is good, Coat - 

 part of the wreck is cleared away. The engineer then 

 considers what are the best immediate plans to pur- 

 sue, arising from his experience, and an accurate know- 

 ledge, not only of the general situation of the work, 

 ings, but of the direct lines of the air courses, so that 

 he may in the shortest time restore the ventilation, and, 

 if possible, relieve the miners who may yet be alive. 

 Having formed his plans, he states them to his assist- 

 ants, and hears any improvements they may suggest ; 

 a great quantity of prop-wood and brattice deals are 

 sent down, and they enter the mine as far as the air 

 will allow them j care being taken to have :t with 

 them every step as they proceed, and in particular be- 

 fore leaving the shaft, they see that the brattice of it is 

 air-tight ; for if any openings are in it, the air would 

 pass directly through it and ascend to the bank. 



As the violence of the explosion destroys many of the 

 stoppings, and almost every door upon the air-courses, 

 the whole circulation is laid dead, and the fresh air will 

 of course take the most direct course through the first 

 opening to the upcast shaft. All these must be re- 

 placed as they proceed forward with the air ; and this 

 work being in general executed with astonishing quick- 

 ness, many lives are frequently saved. 



As soon as the ventilation is restored by these tem- 

 porary brattices, the stoppings and doors are replaced 

 in a substantial manner, and the workings are resu- 

 med with all their former vigour and activity, as if 

 no misfortune had ever happened. From what is stat- 

 ed, and from an inspection of Fig. 2. Plate CCCXCIV. PLATK 

 it is evident, that the stability of the main stopping p, cccxciv. 

 is an important point, on which account it is counter- t>s ' 2 " 

 forted by strong walls of stone ; and if stones are easi- 

 ly procured in the mine, it is of great service to coun- 

 terfort as many of the stoppings as can conveniently be 

 done, so as to resist the explosive force of the fire, and 

 give a greater facility in recovering the ventilation in 

 the promptest manner. The oversmen and deputies 

 who are employed in this service shew a wonderful 

 dexterity in placing temporary brattices. They will 

 work in the dark, with the wreck of one destruction 

 around them, and threatened every moment to be 

 overwhelmed in another, in which the hope of saving 

 a fellow- workman from death gives the most live- 

 ly energy to their actions ; and if they think that a, 

 bold effort will save life, they will rush without fear 

 into the midst of pestilential air, and grapple with 

 death. The mining engineers are always at the head 

 of this service, and as they, with their assistants, fre- 

 quently push forward in the dark, they are exposed to 

 the deleterious effects of the gases, and it is no uncom- 

 mon thing for those who take the lead, to drop down 

 lifeless, while those who are in the rear seize them by 

 the feet and draw them back into better air, yet no 

 sooner are they re- animated, than the same generous 

 impulse acts in its full force, and they make the same 

 attempt again and again, till nature is exhausted. We 

 need scarcely add, that many fall a sacrifice to the 

 ardour of their generous exertions. 



When it is ascertained that fire exists in the wastes, Coal on fire 

 either by the burning of the small dusty coal which and mode 

 lies along the roads, or that the solid coal is on fire, of extin- 

 from the ignition of a blower, the descent into the mine guWuag it. 

 is rendered tenfold more hazardous, as a moment's safe- 

 ty cannot be depended on, for if the discharge of gas 

 is great, it rapidly accumulates, and the instant it 



