NEWS ITEMS
1871 - FATAL MINING ACCIDENT.
—A magisterial enquiry was held before the Police Magistrate on Saturday afternoon last at the Munster Hotel, touching the death of a miner named William (or Malcolm) Bell, who had met his death by the falling in of earth in the claim No 2 N Black Lead. Donald Bell deposed: I am a miner, residing at Gulgong. I have seen deceased and recognise him. The body is that of Malcolm Bell, a cousin of mine and a native of Scotland; he was 33 years old. I saw him last night in the street. John Taylor deposed: I am a miner and reside at Gulgong. Deceased was working alongside of me in the claim No 2 N Black Lead. We were working a face in the upper bench. The ground was secured by props in the usual way. I was quite near deceased. I left my place and went to shovel some dirt. Deceased took my place and was working to excavate a block which was to be blown down with gunpowder on Monday morning. I heard a noise like the fall of a portion of the earth above where we were working. I saw that some earth had fallen—about a ton or a ton and a half—and that deceased and a man named Jim were buried underneath. I assisted to get them from under the earth. Deceased was doubled up as if sitting; his head was touching the ground, and he appeared to be dead or dying. When brought up the shaft he was quite dead. The other man was alive. I don't think that there was any blame to be attached to anyone. The ground was propped up, right to the face as dose as could be. I consider it a slip of the mullock from the vein of earth running through it. I have seen the body of deceased, and recognise it as that of a man we called Bell. There were six men working in the claim—four on one side of the face, and two on the other.
—John Jackson deposed: I am a miner, residing at Gulgong; I was working in No 2 N Black Lead; between 11 and 12 I heard Pat, one of the miners, call out to me to come in; I went right to the face and saw a lump of earth upon two men; a lever was got and the earth kept up while Pat pulled deceased from underneath; I have seen the body and recognise it as that of a miner named William Bell; when pulled out he was quite dead; I helped to carry him to the bottom of the shaft, and he was drawn up; I was working in the piece of ground that fell down about a week since; I attribute the fall to a seam of mullock coming in: the ground was propped up efficiently and as usual; I don't think that there was any neglect or bad management in the claim.
—Robert Roe deposed : I am a miner and reside on Gulgong; I was working in No. 2 N Black Lead, this morning; I was working opposite where deceased was working; I heard the fall of earth and found two men buried underneath; we got them out as soon as possible; deceased was groaning and not dead; his head was near my foot as we were pulling him out; he lived about five minutes; I don't think that there was any neglect or bad management in the claim; I recognise deceased as "Bill" or William Bell; he was a wages man in the claim.
—This closed the evidence, and the Police Magistrate said he was opinion that the deceased was accidentally killed by the falling of a quantity of earth in the claim No 2 N Black Lead.—The second man hurt is in the hospital progressing favorably.—Gulgong Guardian.
A serious accident occurred to a miner named Cantwell, on the Black Lead, Gulgong. As he was being brought to the surface in a bucket, the rope broke, end he was precipitated to the bottom of the shaft. He was much bruised and cut in several parts of the body. He was brought up and taken to the Munster Hotel, lower end of Herbert-street, and a doctor was sent for.
1872 - Home Rule Township
During the past fortnight there has been a great improvement for the better in the appearance of the township of Home Rule. Large and costly buildings are springing up in every direction and being fitted up for almost every trade. In hotels there is a great change for the better ... O’Briens, Munster Hotel removed from Herbert Street, Mr. Keating has also removed his ‘Hibernian’, and has it restored, and is now doing a roaring trade. The Chinese are providing restaurants.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No 95, July 13, 1872
