368 Mr. Buddle's Narrative of the Explosion
there, and his shoes had been found near the door. This body was not found till the 11th of August; it was in the place where it had been supposed, and was lying under a thickness of five feet of stone, which had fallen upon it. This made the total number of dead bodies found in the pit one hundred and one. As under,—
[1]
The body of Matthew Soulsby, the on-setter at the G. Pit South Shaft was not found till this day, it was found, together with the body of Ralph Wagget, a driver boy, under a heavy fall of stone and the wreck of the brattice, at the bottom of the South Shaft.
People were employed all this day and night in clearing out the bottom of the G Pit, and securing the baln stone and roof, to enable us to get the carcases of the horses out, which, although the chloride of lime had been used, were so offensive, that the people were much annoyed by the stench, and could hardly continue their work.
Friday and Saturday, June 26th and 27th. — These two days were chiefly occupied in seeking for the dead body of Hepple's boy, but without success; and his parents being satisfied that no pains had been spared in endeavouring to find it, they gave up the idea of further search for the present.
Sunday, June 28. — All operations were suspended.
Monday, June 29. — The coroner finished his inquest, and the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. — See Appendix, No. IV.
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 30 and July 1. — All the official and operative persons belonging the colliery being almost worn out, by incessant exertion and fatigue, took holyday.
Thursday, July 2. — Resumed operations in the G Pit, — clearing out the
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2 Overmen 28 Brought forward 2 Deputy ditto 3 Cranemen 1 Onsetter 44 Putters, young men and boys 6 Hewers 13 Drivers, boys 2 Shifters 4 Helpers-up, ditto 3 Trappers, old men 4 Stone leaders, ditto 12 Ditto, boys 5 Tramway-clearers, ditto 28 101
