Mr. Buddle's Account of the Explosion in Jarro*w Colliery. 201 



George Cowey was working in the face of the fore east drift, on the 

 afternoon preceding the accident, when the Coal in the face of the 

 board suddenly became tender, and flew off in shivers when he struck 

 his pick into it. He said he might have dug six or eight and thirty 

 corves, with more ease than he could have dug eighteen in an ordinary 

 way before. This was indicative of some unusual change in the seam, 

 and it is to be regretted that Cowey did not mention the circumstance 

 to any one till after the accident, for, had he reported the circum- 

 stance to the overman, the further prosecution of the drift would have 

 had his special attention, and in all probability, the accident might have 

 been avoided. 



The crane-man, William Brown, was in the act of chalking the ac- 

 count of the work on his board when the explosion happened. He felt 

 a sudden gust of cold air from the east drifts, and was the next instant 

 enveloped in flame — this was momentary, and was succeeded by a 

 scalding hot atmosphere, which continued as long as he was sensible. 

 He made an effort to escape, and was taken up at the point D as al- 

 ready described. 



Joseph Pringle's escape from the south headways has already been 

 noticed. His companions, Stewart, Milburn, Elliott, and Thornton, 

 remained in the headways beyond the hitch for some time, where the 

 air continued in a good state. They put on their clothes and came to 

 the hitch, but on going beyond it, they fell in with the cloud of hot 

 smoke and after-damp. They then held a consultation as to what was 

 best to be done, when Elliott urged the propriety of remaining in the 

 fresh air on the in-hie side of the hitch, and waiting the event of mea- 

 sures being taken for their relief. Had Elliott's advice been followed, 

 the lives of his comrades, as well as his own, would have been saved ; 

 but they unfortunately differed with him in opinion, and left him to 

 endeavour to save themselves by struggling through the vitiated atmos- 

 phere to the pit. The only survivors were James Pringle and Edward 

 Milburn, the latter of whom gives the account. It seems that Elliott 

 must soon have followed his comrades, as his body was found at the 

 crane g, lying beside Milburn. 



