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THE WALHALLA MINING
ACCIDENT.
SOME HARROWING DETAILS.
The following graphic description of
the terrible catastrophe which occurred
at the Long Tunnel mine, Walhalla, on
Tuesday evening, is contained in a
private letter to a friend in Bairnsdale,
written by a gentleman who is at present
at his home at Walhalla on holidays:
"It appears that the day shift of con-
tractors for sinking the shaft had bored 23
holes, and had charged them all with, be
lieve, the usual charge of from 10 to 12
plugs of dynamite, but somehow or other
they only put. primer in 22 of them.
An a consequence only the 22 went off, ando
then the men thought they had made a mis-
take when they expected 23 to off, so did
not inform the afternoon shift men about it
when they came on a little later. These
men. Finlayson (brother of the manager) in
charge, Smith, Kerr, McGuire, Reynoldsds
and another, commenced work by cleaning
up all the dirt. Noticing a hole full of dirt
they thought it had been fired, so put a
drill in it to clean it out. No sooner did
they start the drill then it struck the charges
and there was an awful explosion. One of
the shift, a stranger, was fortunatelyout
on the surface getting some stuff, so es-
caped. The men in the level above heard
the charge go off and seeing no lights at
the t-; tm chbeot feet down, they gave
the alarm and about six of them went down.
The sight they saw was awful.
The men were neatteel in all directions,.
and covered with stones and blood. They
took them all up to the level, and then did
their best for them till the doctor cam
down. It was a long time before they got
them ready to take up, but eventually they
were all brought to the surface.
A great crowd gathered in the street and
at the mine to see them, but most of those
who did regretted it, as they looked so
terrible. Mr Geo. Finlayson was the first
to be brought to the surface, and was carried
home a few hours later. It is not thought he
is very badly hurt, but it is known for
certain yet. He is suffering from shock.
Jack Reynolds, another of the hurt, is quite
a young man. He was standing only a few
feet away from the hole at the time, but
the force seemed to go over him, and he es-
caped with some nasty cuts about the face
and neck. He was not able to walk, and
had to be carried home. Bob McGuire was
also fortunate in getting only some nasty
cuts and bruises. When he came up he felt
one of his fingers paining him awfully, and
they thought it had been splintered. But
this morning the doctors found that a piece
of bone from one of the other men had been
driven right into it.
The other two men, Kerr and Smith, are
the most seriously injured Kerr is a new
comer here, this being only his second shift
on. He is a fine built man, standing about
6ft 3in. He was literally cut to pieces.
His both arms were broken. One hand wco
almost blown away. All the flesh on his
right side was blown off, leaving the ribs
almost bare, and he has ugly cuts all over
him, while pieces are missing from every
portion of his body.
Dr. Haogeaner of Sale, was wired for,
and he arrived at 2 o'clock this morning.
Four other men were told off this morning
to wait on the doctors. They operated on
Kerr first and had to do it without chloro-
form, but as soon as the doctor started he
became unconscious. They amputated one
arm below the elbow, and took off the
fingers of another. One eye was taken out
and it is very doubtful if he will ever see
with the other. They fixed up his other
wounds at well as they could, but they do
not think he will recover. Its only his iron
constitution that is keeping him up. After
the operation was over he was carried
beck to bed again, and in a little while he
was conscious again and said, "What is the
use of worrying over me, I know I am
done." Smith is another man like Kerr.
They do not know how bad he is, but he is
in frightful pain and is apparently hurt in
wardly One of his arms is broken and the
doctors are afraid it will have to he ampu-
uted. He was operated on this morning,
too. They took out a piece of stone about
two inches square from his body and he has
a great gaping wound just below his abdo-
men. They took out a big piece of stone
from his arm. It had cut right into the
bone and then badly splintered the bone.
The doctors have hopes for him, but said
they do not know the extent of his internal
injuries yet.
Later information discloses the fact that
Kerr will in all probability lose a leg as
well. It is badly smashed up.
P.S. - 10 a.m. 18th. Kerr died last
night a little after 11 p.m. Smith is now
very low. Mr Finlayson is worse this
morning and the other two are suffering
from shock."
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