|
THE COLLIERY DISASTER AT
CWMAMMAN.
------
OPENING OF THE INQUEST.
------
EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN ROPE
On Thursday afternoon Mr. James Rowlands, surgeon, Carmarthen,
opened the inquest touching the death of six of the ten men who
were killed by the fall of the cage in the shaft at the Garnant
Colliery, Cwmamman, on Wednesday morning, as already reported
in the Western Mail. As we have previously stated, the men lived
in the districts over which three coroners have jurisdiction,
and after the corpses had been viewed by the police and the officials
of the colliery they were taken to their respective homes, which
are situate -six within the district of Mr. James Rowlands, two
in Mr. Strick's district, and two in that of Mr. Protheroe Lewis.
Each of these gentlemen was communicated with immediately after
the accident, and arrangements made for holding inquests. Mr.
Rowlands replied that he would open his inquiry on Thursday, and
the other two gentlemen arranged to open each of theirs on the
following day, Friday (to-day). The first was accordingly opened
at the Raven Hotel, Cwmamman, on Thursday, when a jury was composed
of the following gentlemen; The Rev. David Griffiths (vicar),
Messrs. Joseph Rees, Rees Davies, Thomas Price, John Hicks, Rees
Phillips, Lewis Jenkins, David Aubrey Lewis, Joseph Griffiths,
William Jones, Griffith Elias, Joseph Thomas, and David Davies.
The six persons whose deaths they were called to inquire into
were -John Evan Jones, William Lake, Daniel Rees, Thomas Michael,
Thomas Bevan, and John David James. Mr. T. Wales, the Government
Inspector, and Mr. John Hay, the manager of the colliery, were
present. When the jury were called over the Coroner informed them
that it was a most important inquiry, and it was necessary that
they should adjourn that day, so that there should be every facility
for getting the whole of the evidece, and that they might come
to a satisfactory conclusion as to the cause of this frightful
catastrophe. They would first of all go to the colliery, and see
the broken rope with Mr. Wales, the Government Inspector, and
then view the bodies. The coroner, jury, and officials then proceeded
to the colliery, about half a mile off, and were shown the ends
of the wire rope, where the fracture took place. The end taken
off the cage was seen first, and it was ascertained that the rope
consisted of six strands of steel wire wound round a hemp cord,
and each strand was made up of seven steel wires, which appeared
to have a diameter measurement of about an eighth of an inch.
There were, therefore, 42 wires and a hempen cord making up the
rope. The fracture showed that it had been torn in shreds, very
unevenly, and did not in the smallest leave room for suggestion
that there could have been a straight line flaw, so to speak,
through the strands. It was explained that the rope was manufactured
by Sir George Elliot and Co., of Cardiff, whose manager arrived
on Thursday morning and made an inspection. In conversation with
the manager of the colliery, he said he could not find any appearance
of flaw, and inclined to the belief that the accident was caused
by the cage becoming hitched by some means in the shaft, thereby
allowing a little slack to run out from the winding drum, and
then, when it went on again, there was a terrific jerk, which
snapped the stout steel rope, assunder, and plunged the ten poor
fellows in the cage with headlong impetuosity into the black abyss
230ft. below. The engineman, however, says he did not recognise
any such jerk in the action of the machinery. When the rope was
ordered by the company the makers were directed to send the best
quality, and, so far as the company believed, Messrs. Elliot supplied
them with it. A rope of that sort, 140 yards long, would cost
about £25. All the ropes had been obtained from the same
firm. The one which broke was comparatively a new one, having
only been in use since November, 1882. Its predecessor on that
side of the shaft wore for six years, after which some broken
wires were found, and it was taken out. Some other ropes in the
use of the colliery have also lasted for years, and from the quality
of the one which snapped on Wednesday and the previous total absence
of any flaw in it the officials had every reason to suppose this
one would be equally as durable. Having seen the rope thus described,
the coroner and Mr. Wales went to look at the winding engine,
and expressed themselves thoroughtly well satisfied with everything
they saw. The whole apparatus worked with great ease, and the
man in charge had perfect command of it. Some of the bodies were
then viewed, and the party returned back to the room where the
inquest was to be held. The overman, John Davies, of the Red Lion,
situate near the Garnant Colliery, was first called, and, being
sworn, said he had been overman at the colliery since 1875. Knew
John Evan Jones, one of the men killed on Wednesday. He lived
at Pleasant-row, in the parish of Bettws, and was about 30 years
of age. He was a collier, working at Garnant Pit. He had worked
there about five years. Saw his body soon after the accident.
Also knew William Lake, another man who was killed. He was 29
years old, and lived at Cross Inn. Daniel Rees, another of the
deceased, was a boy working with a collier, and was fourteen years
of age, living at Prospect-place. Thomas Michael was 24, and lived
at Bettws parish. Thomas Bevan, 33 years of age, lived at Prince
Albert-row, Cwmamman. John David James lived at Cwm Garnant Farm,
and was 21 years of age. They were each killed in decending the
pit. The cage was hoisted up and down the shaft by a steam engine,
and hitherto there had been no accident. All the men witness had
named were steady, and well acquainted with their work; most of
them having been in the employ of the company for a considerable
time. The Coroner intimated to the jury that this was all the
evidence he required to take from the overman on this occasion.
His testimony at the adjourned hearing would, probably, be long;
but he (the coroner) only needed evidence of identification at
present. The inquest was then adjourned until Tuesday, the 29th
inst., at noon, when, the Coroner stated, Mr. Wales, the Government
Inspector, would be present, and there would also be presented
scientific evidence as to the make and strength of the rope which
parted. It is a great pity that the men were not in the Permanent
Fund, or that the local fund which is connected with the colliery
only operates to benefit the members in sickness, leaving nothing
to be drawn at death. These are oversights which will doubtless
be attended to with alacrity by the other employees after such
a grim warning. Whilst the lesson may, and probably will, be a
salutary one for those still left to profit by it, there are others
-we mean the dependent relatives of the deceased men -who will
in all likelihood feel the pinch of hard circumstances, and in
this behalf we have been requested to state that any generous
friends who feel disposed to help the bereaved ones will be thanked
for sending remittances either to the vicar, the Rev. David Griffiths,
Cwmamman, R.S.O., Carmarthenshire, or Dr. Rees, of the same place.
In the same connection it is very gratifying to find that a concert
on a large scale, which was fixed to take place on Wednesday evening
last at Cwmamman, but which was at the time indefinately postponed
in consequence of the accident, will be given on Thursday next,
and the proceeds applied to the relief of the widows and orphans
who are rendered such by the dire catastrophe. Madam Martha Harris,
R.A.M., who had been engaged for the concert, has now gracefully
offered her services gratis, thereby lessening the management
expenditure by a very considerable sum.
|