Commonhead 23rd July 1850

Explosion at Airdrie of fire damp in a coal pit - severe loss of life
On Tuesday morning, the most appalling casualty, attended with an immense sacrifice of human life, occurred at a coal pit in the immediate vicinity of the town of Airdrie. The pit belongs to Messrs David and James Sneddon, and is situated at Common head, to the north of the town, and contiguous to the Glasgow and Airdrie railway.

From the information we have been enabled to obtain at the scene, it appears that the pit had not been worked since Saturday last, and that on Tuesday morning the miners assembled for work as usual and at a very few minutes past 6 o'clock, they went down the pit to commence their operations. Alex Willison, the oversman, according to his ordinary custom, proceeded to examine the state of the workings, in order to report to the miners whether they were in a fit state for being entered with safety on not. He had scarcely left his companions on his mission, when a terrific explosion took place. The force of the explosion has destroyed a great portion of the coal workings - a large part of the mid wall of the shaft; and more lamentable still, of the entire party of miners, amounting to 19, who went down to their labour a few minutes before, only one man escaped to tell the fate of his fellow workmen. The escape of this person, who is the brother of the oversman, was almost miraculous; and he was the first to give the alarm from the bottom of the shaft, when he was drawn up, comparatively unhurt. It is not correctly ascertained how many were in the pit at the time, but it is supposed there were nineteen or twenty persons.

The report of the explosion was heard at a considerable distance from the scene of the disaster, and many people believed that the steam engine boiler at the works had burst.

A large concourse of persons was of course immediately attracted to the spot. When the alarm and surprise by which they were at first possessed had somewhat abated, measures were concerted for ascertaining the nature and extent of the disaster. Before the operations determined on were recourse to, attention was drawn to a tugging at the rope, which hung in the shaft. It was wound up; and by this means the man James Willison was brought to the surface. He proves to be the only survivor of those who descended. He was able, shortly after being brought up, to narrate the means by which he effected his escape.

Willison mentioned that when the "blasting of the pit" took place, he was conversing with his companions near the bottom of the shaft. He was stunned by the shock he received; but on recovering somewhat, bethought himself what course he should adopt for his own rescue. On getting to the shaft and examining the cage, by means of which the men had been let down, he saw at once that it could not be extricated from the mass of rubbish caused by the falling of the mid wall, hutches, and other things which surrounded it, and which had been hurled into a state of great confusion. The only way, therefore, to get out was by detaching the rope from it. The lock by which it was secured was of the ordinary kind- a pin split up the centre, made of strong iron or steel, and inserted through a crevice, the two end portions being then bent back in different ways. He found great difficulty in pressing these straight, but accomplished it at last by applying his teeth to them. The cage being thus disengaged, he then took the shaft of his pick, and putting it through the loop at the end of the rope, sat down upon it, shaking and dangling the rope, till by this means he drew notice. It was then wound up, and he was thus raised up the shaft, which is more than 60 fathoms deep.

The efforts made to descend the pit for the recovery of the bodies were frustrated by the prevalence of choke damp, till about half past ten. From what time on till nigh 4 o'clock , the operations were prosecuted successfully; bodies being got out at intervals to the number of 14. It was then deemed necessary to suspend all exertion till the mid wall of the pit - which, as stated in Wilson's narrative, had been blown over - was repaired, so as to allow the searchers to carry on without risk to their own lives.

We have obtained the following list of those which have been recovered, as far as known:-

John McDonald, aged 30 married
James McDonald, brother to above, age 23, married
James Martin, a native of Ireland aged 22 married
Robert Dickson aged 22 married
George McNaught aged 28 married
William Tollson a native of England, aged 20
Donald McIntyre aged 11
Robert Wark aged 28 married
George Grant aged 40 married
Alexander Grant, son of above, aged 11
Andrew Rankine aged 19
Colin McLuckie aged 19
Alexander Willison overman aged 31 unmarried
Thomas Glen, aged 23, had only been married about 7 weeks
Wilson McDonald aged 19 unmarried

The bodies, we believe, have all been claimed, with the exception of one man who is a stranger. The name of another man who has perished we have not learned.

On Wednesday forenoon, there were recovered the bodies of the overseer, Alexander Willison, aged 31, and Thomas Glenn, aged 23.

At 3 o'clock on that day, two bodies still remained in the pit - the names of the parties being McDonald & Izzat. The first of these was brother to the two McDonalds included in the list of those recovered on Tuesday. Willison, the man saved, is a brother of the overseer. Nine of the parties were married - Glen, the last mentioned having been so for only a few weeks. Many of them have left large families. The case of a young lad Tollison is a peculiarly distressing one. He had just come from England, and his engagement commenced that morning, so that he had only made his first descent to the pit immediately before the accident.

The bodies on being brought up were conveyed to the Poor's House where accommodation was provided by Mr Alston the governor. There a medical examination was instituted upon each. It is stated that, though all had been severely injured by the explosion, yet the injuries were not in general such as would have been instantaneous death, and it is therefore conjectured that the poor men must have lingered on for some time, till suffocated by the choke damp. This accords with the statement of Willison, who mentioned that he heard several of the men speaking together, while he was arranging his own means of safety; and it is even asserted by those who were early at the pit mouth, that sounds of moaning proceeding from it were distinctly audible.

There are a variety of reports in circulation as the cause of the deplorable occurrence, of a nature to inculpate several parties. It is said that needful precautions against the accumulation of the damp had been neglected since Saturday; whilst, on the other hand it is suspected that the temerity of the men themselves had led them to do more than infringe the rules against descending at all before the report of the "fire's man" was received, inasmuch as the safety lamp carried by that individual has been found entire, and in a state which shows that it could have been no communication with this lamp which ignited the deleterious gas. The authorities have, however, taken the preliminary steps to a complete and searching investigation of the whole circumstances. The measures for the recovery of the bodies have been conducted at the instance and under the direction of the proprietor of the Colliery, although in the presence of official parties. The Procurator Fiscal was was on the ground during the greater part of Tuesday, and a constant communication is maintained with him. So soon as the two remaining bodies are found, any alteration in the condition of the pit will be prohibited till an inspection be made of it by two practical and experienced men. Other arrangements for the precognition have been concluded; and the examination of a large number of witnesses is, we believe, contemplated.

Although the neighbourhood of Airdrie is the great coal and mineral field of Scotland, we believe that no catastrophe so extensive as the present ever before occurred in the locality. The occurrence as may be expected has thrown a melancholy gloom over the district. [Glasgow Herald July 26 1850]

On visiting Airdrie yesterday, we ascertained that another of the bodies of the unfortunate men had been recovered. The name of the deceased is Wilson McDonald. As it is now known that 19 men were in the pit when the explosion occurred, there remains only one body to be recovered, that of a man named Andrew Izzat. From the present state of the pit it is feared that some time may elapse ere the body is found, but every means are being adopted to recover it. The engine at the pit head was constantly pumping water from the pit the whole of yesterday, and men were busily engaged underground removing the rubbish that had been thrown down at the bottom of the shaft by the explosion. Numbers of inhabitants of the burgh still hovered about the scene of the catastrophe and the utmost gloom and sadness prevailed everywhere. A miner who had been for 30 years in the district, informs us that he never remembers such a serious accident in the locality and one which occasioned so much sorrow. Several of the bodies were buried yesterday, some at the expense of the relatives, and others at the expense of the parish. Mr Alston governor of the Poor's House has been in close attendance since the accident occurred and he had the bodies as they were brought up , conveyed to the Poor's House, where they were washed, and after being placed in coffins, sent to relatives, at least those who had relatives. Sheriff Smith was also present at the pithead and we believe the Fiscal has instituted an investigation into the cause which led to this calamitous event. As yet, however, the circumstances involved are in much doubt, and as all have perished with the exception of the man Willison, whose information regarding the event is extremely limited, it is possible that the real circumstances which led to the accident will never be known. We heard it stated by more than one person that the cube which should be constantly kept burning in the pit to prevent the accumulation of fire damp, had not been lighted from the Saturday evening, till a short time before the men went down Tuesday morning.

Amongst many person with whom we conversed on this painful subject, perhaps the statement of William Izatt, whose brother is one of the sufferers, will be read with interest. He said, I was standing at the pit head when the explosion occurred, and I heard it quite distinctly. I have a brother in the pit, and when I heard the report, I was sure he would be killed like all the others. I then ran for Mr Sneddon, who soon arrived, when measures were adopted to rescue those in the pit, but in consequence of the cage while on its way down the "down put" shaft, sticking, a delay occurred before anyone got down the pit. I saw Willison brought up, sitting on a stick which was inserted into the chain, he having, as he afterwards told me, undone the coupling of the cage at the bottom. For nearly half-an-hour after Willison had been brought up, I heard groans and cries at the bottom of the pit, but I could not make out what was said. Nearly all the bodies of the men that have been recovered were found in the bottom of the shaft. The pit is 56 fathoms deep, and it was in the under coal working where the men were. There never was any particular air course through the pit; there were only what I would call temporary ventilators. The pit had not been worked from the Saturday to the Tuesday. I have had 30 years' experience in the coal pits, and I never knew of such a fearful accident. I am convinced that had due caution been exercised, it would not have occurred. I was going down the pit myself, when the cage started, leaving me on the bank. I have since been told by Willison that when he was about coming up the shaft, after the accident, he shook hands with two of the men, and promised to send immediate assistance. He also told me that he had not been long in the pit when he felt an unusual smell, which he was sure proceeded from fire damp, and was determined to come to the surface again, but a minute or so only elapsed till the explosion occurred. The blast tore the coat off his back, and he was rendered stupid. When he recovered slightly he tried to reach the foot of the shaft, but was going from it, when McLuckie, a boy who is killed, directed him to the place. When he reached the bottom he called to his brother to give him a hammer to loose the coupling of the cage, but he received no answer. He then undid it with his teeth. McLuckie was that time near the bottom of the shaft.

We believe that Mr Sneddons instructions to the workmen are, that no one shall leave the bottom of the shaft until the fireman has reported on the state of the atmosphere; but whether these instruction were complied with on the morning of the accident is of course not known. It is more probable that they were not from the fact of the firemans Davy lamp being found near him uninjured. Had the explosion proceeded from his lamp it must have been destroyed.[Glasgow Herald July 26 1850]

The explosion at Airdrie
The bodies of all the sufferers of the recent sad occurrence at Airdrie have, it is believed, been now recovered. The number is one less than was originally conceived. On Thursday forenoon as stated in our last, the parties engaged in searching the pit, came came upon the blackened and disfigured remains of the lad McDonald, one of three brothers who have perished. Their exertions were continued unremittingly for 5 hours longer, in the hope of finding those of Izzat, a person who was ascertained to be amissing. They were disappointed in their expectations. For some time this want of success confounded them, and was felt by all as a painful thing. At length it was suggested that the body which had remained unidentified might be the one sought for. Along with several of the others which was brought up first, it had been buried in the graveyard of New Monkland; but acting on the conjecture thrown out, it was now disinterred and re-examined - the result being to verify the suggestion which led to the step. The number of victims is thus reduced to 17. [Glasgow Herald July 29 1850]

James Sneddon, 53, coalmaster,  and his son, John Sneddon, 24, both of Chapel Street, Airdrie were charged with  culpable homicide and culpable neglect of duty.  The precognition lists the following names and addresses of the victims:

• George McNaught, High Street, Airdrie
• Alexander Willison, Commonside Street, Airdrie
• Wilson MacDonald, Commonside Street, Airdrie
• Thomas Glen, Rawyards, New Monkland
• William McLuckie, Wellwynd, Airdrie
• Colin McLuckie, Wellwynd, Airdrie
• Andrew Rankin, Rawyards, New Monkland
• James MacDonald, Commonside Street, Airdrie

Source - NAS catalogue

 
Glasgow Circuit Court of Justiciary - The following is an outline of some of the more important cases that were tried before this court, since its opening on Monday:-

Culpable Homicide - The Fire Damp Explosion At Airdrie - James Sneddon, or Snedden, coal master, near Airdrie, and John Sneddon, or Snedden, son of the aforesaid, were charged with the crime of culpable homicide, as also culpable neglect of duty, by persons carrying on or superintending the works of a coal pit, whereby any of the lieges are deprived of life, in so far as they, being lessees of the coal pit known as No. 2 Pit, Commonhead, near Airdrie and having had the superintendence of the said pit from January to the end of July, and in particular, for the period betwixt 12th and 23d July, and it being their duty to secure safe and proper ventilation, so as to prevent the undue accumulation of gas, for which purpose they ought to have kept closed by an air-tight brattice, or seen that there was so kept, a communication by the down-cast vent or compartment of the Kiltongue coal seam, to a wrought out waste lying above it; as also to have caused to be maintained and preserved due air courses down the said vent, to the whole of the workings, in an air-tight manner, and in particular so to keep the throughers, or open spaces between two pillars of coal, adjoining two levels, or passages leading in opposite directions along the lower dip of the said seam; as also, to erect and keep trap-doors on all roads or openings connected with the said leadings in a secure manlier; as also to provide at the bottom of the up cast-vent of the shaft, a proper and sufficient furnace, or cube, and to keep a sufficient fire burning in the said furnace while the workings were going on; and it being also their duty to prevent the miners going down when the mine had been unwrought, or without having with them safety lamps:- they culpably neglected to take the above necessary precautions, in consequence of which, on the 23d of July last, an explosion of fire damp took place, and eighteen miners lost their lives.

The panels, who were defended by Mr Neaves and Mr Logan, pleaded not guilty, and the case went to trial. The examination of the witnesses in this case continued over Wednesday and Thursday.

The Lord Justice-Clerk, in summing up, prefaced his charge to the jury by observing that the defence appeared to be to fasten the blame on the oversman. It might be perfectly evident that the overseer had neglected his duty, but that was no excuse for the manager of the pit, whose business it was not only to do his own duty, but to see that the oversman did his. In the eye of the law, he was guilty if he failed to see that the oversman was doing his duty. He must have known, from the frequency with which he was down the pit, that there was firedamp there: and he ought to hare seen that the oversman took every precaution.

The jury were absent rather more than half an hour when they came into court, and gave in a verdict, finding James Sneddon, the father, not guilty; and, by a majority of one, the charge against John Sneddon, the son, not proven.

The announcement of the verdict was received with some marks of approbation by the parties who thronged the court. The panels were then discharged from the bar. [Scotsman 5 October 1850]