KAITANGATA MINE ACCIDENT.
TWO MEN KILLED.
MANAGING DIRECTOR’S SON A VICTIM.
A fall of earth occurred in the main drive of the Kaitangata mine this morning, and William Lee, a son of Mr Robert Lee (managing director of the company), and Fred Anderson were both killed. No particulars are to hand as to the disaster. It must have occurred somewhere about eleven o'clock. This, however, is known: that the mine has been dosed down since August pending the sinking of a new air shaft, and the effecting of the repairs necessary to secure the main drive. Lee was a man of twenty-two or twenty-three years of age, and was mechanical engineer at the mine, while Anderson was an underviewer. Mr Lee lives at Queenstown. Anderson was a married man between forty and fifty years of age, and had been well known in Kaitangata for twenty years.
FURTHER DETAILS. [Special to the Star.] KAITANGATA, November 8. A sad accident occurred at the Kaitangata mine this morning, by which Wm. Lee, jun., engineer (son of Mr R. Lee, or Anderson Bay), and F. Anderson, foreman of the shift, met their deaths. They went into the mine to survey a “fall” that had taken place, and were overpowered by foul air. The men, who were working a little outside, thinking that they were rather long in returning, went in search of them, and they, too, became overpowered, but other workmen rescued them. Dr J. Fitzgerald was in attendance, and did all he could to save young Lee, who was not quite dead when rescued, but all his efforts failed. Anderson was dead when found. A large number of men and women gathered about the mine, and a gloom was cast over the town. Great sympathy is felt for the bereaved families. -Evening Star, 8/11/1906.
THE KAITANGATA FATALITY.
MINER KILLED BY FIRE DAMP.
(By Telegraph. — Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Thursday. Details of the accident at the Kaitangata coal mine, by which William Lee, engineer (son of the managing director), 24 years of age, and Frederick Olive Anderson, 40 years old, deputy manager, lost their lives, show that work was going on in the main drive to block off the fire, and Lee and Anderson went down to see if they could locate it. They entered the return airway with searchlights, and were overcome by black damp. The manager, on finding what they had done, at once took steps to search for them. Anderson was found some 30ft away from the door, and a second party found Lee 200ft away. Efforts were made to resuscitate them, but without avail. The miners worked heroically in getting out the bodies, and several were overcome with black damp. Anderson was married, and had a grown up son. -Auckland Star, 9/11/1906.
THE KAITANGATA MINING FATALITY.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
(By Our Special Reporter.) KAITANGATA November 9. There is not much to add to the particulars already published in regard to the sad accident at the Kaitangata mine on Thursday morning. One of the theories advanced to account for the finding of the body of Anderson only 30 yards from the entrance to the return airway is that he and young Lee proceeded together some distance along the level, and that Anderson, either owing to feeling the the poisonous carbonic acid gas himself, or desiring to bring succour to his companion, who may have collapsed, made an effort to return to the entrance, but failed in the attempt, and fell down and expired where his body was found. In support of this conjecture, the fact is urged that there were several bruises on Anderson's forehead, which are supposed to have been caused by a fall, or succession of falls, on the floor of the mine while he was endeavouring to get away from the deadly atmosphere. It is generally admitted that if the absence of Lee and Anderson had been noticed earlier the lives of both might have been saved. The time the two men were in the affected airway before their absence caused alarm is estimated at about threequarters of an hour. The fact of their lamps being hung up at the McGhie door is mentioned as an indication that they had knowledge that there was black damp in the airway they intended to investigate. Lamps will not remain lighted where the gas is present in any quantity, and when it is necessary to go into a part of a mine so affected electric hand torches are used, and one of these was found near where each of the bodies was discovered.
WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. The locality where the fatality occurred is between 2000ft and 3000ft from the entrance to the mine, and is reached from the main tunnel. The entrance tunnel, from the face of the hill, proceeds on a dip some 1100 ft. or so, and from this onwards is on a level. The coal is struck in seams or layers, and wedged in between each seam or layer there is a corresponding wedge or layer of rock. When a seam of coal is reached from the main tunnel, what are known as levels are driven in from the right and left sides of the tunnel, and the seam is thus worked and followed as long as it lasts. Each of the levels referred to has a return airway running parallel with it and communication for air purposes with these airways, when necessary, is effected by tunnelling through the intervening wedge of rock. In the airway where the accident occurred on Thursday, and which is known as No. 9 dip, there has been a considerable fall of stone, and the fact of Mr Lee's body being discovered behind this spot probably indicates that this was the part of the airway he wished to investigate.
SCENE AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE. The news of the accident spread very quickly, and as is usual under such painful and pathetic circumstances there was an equally rapid gathering of men, women, and children — relatives and friends of those engaged in the mine — at the main entrance. The full extent of the fatality was not known to the bulk of those who thus assembled, and as the prostrate forms of several of the rescuing party were conveyed to the surface for air an impression was created that the number of deaths was greater than proved to be the case. As each of the rescuers who had succumbed was brought out there was eager scrutiny and inquiry as to identity; but as the facts became generally known less excitement was shown, and personal fears for the safety of relatives and friends gave place to expressions of sincere sympathy for the untimely end of Lee and Anderson and for the relatives who had thus suddenly been bereaved.
THE FIRE AREA. As stated in yesterday's issue, the portion of the mine where the accident occurred is in the fire area — i.e., in the old abandoned workings, which have been and are being walled up. By this means the series of fires has been got well under control, and the miners resumed work there on Monday morning. There has been a constant apprehension that firedamp would give trouble, and both the men and management have exorcised considerable caution. The management has been careful to make rigid examination of any suspected area, and there is no doubt that it was while carrying out such examination that young Lee and Anderson lost their lives.
THE BLACK-DAMP VICTIMS. Anderson was a resident of Kaitangata for 20 years, and was well known and much respected. He was a man of considerable experience as a coal-worker, and had been employed in the mine for many years, and at the time of his death held a position which involved many responsibilities.
William Lee, the son of the managing director of the company, who was educated as a mining engineer, was a popular and highly-respected young man, of considerable promise in his profession, and his untimely death, in addition to being a severe blow to his parents and relatives, will cause considerable regret among his many friends and acquaintances. The work he was engaged on when he met his death was in devising the best means of ventilating the newly-opened mine.
THE RESCUERS. The first two men to go into the airway as a rescue party were Alex. Morrison and James Shore, and they succeeded in finding Anderson's body, but becoming overpowered by the damp they succumbed, and had to he rescued by Robert Hume and Edward Rodger, and after being taken out they recovered sufficiently to be taken to their homes in a vehicle. Smyth, McDougall, and Forbes formed another batch of rescuers, but previous to their entry J. McNeil and F. Cleveland, who had ventured in, were conveyed out exhausted. As the exhausted men came out they used what little articulation they could to murmur, "Send more men!'' And in the work of sending more men Mr William Carson, the mine manager, acted with judgment and coolness, and when calling for volunteers met with a ready response. In addition to the bands of volunteers engaged in the mine who proffered assistance, numerous residents from the township hastened to the spot and volunteered their assistance, and in addition to this a truckful of miners from Castle Hill were promptly on the scene ready to do anything that might be needed. In the case of young Lee, where it was thought there might be a bare possibility of restoring animation. Dr Fitzgerald, assisted by Messrs Cahill. Fisher, and Smyth, worked long and patiently, and only gave up when it became apparent that there was no hope. Too much credit cannot be given to Dr Fitzgerald for the medical knowledge and skill he brought to bear on the situation, and for the prompt restorative measures he used to bring round those of the rescues who had suffered from the inhalation of the deadly gas. -Otago Daily times, 10/11/1906.
Kaitangata.
From Our Our Correspondent.
THE RECENT FATALITY.
An inquest on the bodies of Frederic Anderson and William Lee was commenced at 3 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M (coroner), find a jury composed of Messrs P. Souness (foreman), W. Shaw, W. Crow, J. Welsh, D. Alexander, and J. Gage. After the jury had formally viewed the bodies the inquest was adjourned to 17th inst. to permit of the attendance of the Inspector of Mines.
About 150 employes escorted the body of William Lee from the residence of Dr Fitzgerald on Friday afternoon to the railway station, where the body was entrained for Dunedin, for burial at Anderson's Bay Cemetery on Saturday. The members of the engineering staff and fitting shop carried the coffin to the railway station. There were a number of beautiful wreaths, gifts of the staff and others, testifying to the esteem in which the deceased was held.
The remains of Frederic Anderson were interred at Kaitangata Cemetery on Sunday. About 400 persons, in vehicles and on foot, followed the remains to their last resting place. The Sunday School scholars of the Church of Christ, of which deceased was superintendent, preceeded the hearse. The members of Lodge Thomas Kilwinning, No. 83, of which deceased was a member, also paid their last tribute of respect to their late brother. Mr Innes conducted an impressive ceremony at the graveside.
At a special meeting of the Miners' Union, held in Burrell's Hall on Saturday evening, a motion of sympathy and condolence with the bereaved relatives of Frederic Anderson and William Lee was carried in silence. Owing to the sad fatalities at the mine on Thursday, and out of respect to the relatives of the two men, the various functions arranged for King's Birthday were all postponed. Time, however, did not permit of the postponement of the cricket match. -Bruce Herald, 12/11/1906.
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