This is a transcript of a newspaper cutting found in the family bible.Most likely it is from the Barrow News. Date is not yet known. Harry Hoggarth is William Henry Hoggarth (1866-1930).

Fire at Park Still Burning

Heroism of Miners

Snatched from the Jaws of Death

Additional particulars to those published last week have come to hand concerning the singular accident at the Park Mines, whereby four men were “gassed” on Friday, and one man on Wednesday. As we briefly stated in last Saturday’s “News,” a fire broke out in the North pit amongst the old timber. Efforts were at once resorted to stifle the flames, and all the air passages were closed. The miners in the Burlington Pit, however, had to be drawn to the surface much earlier than is customary on account of the fumes reaching their workings. This unexpected circumstance was reported to the captains, who, in the absence of Mr David Lawn, the manager, decided to ascertain the cause, it being thought that one of the doors was not perfectly tight. Captain Grigg and Captain Cowan descended the shaft to the 60 fathom level to investigate the leakage, a number of men who had been driven out by the deadly fumes remaining near the pit top. The captains seem to have been down a long time, when an indistinct ring was received by the top hand. Feeling that something was wrong, John Todd volunteered to go down in the cage and see what was the matter. On arriving at the shaft foot he found Captain Grigg in a

Semi-Conscious State

and helpless. The gallant miner got his master on the cage - no easy task – and, ringing off, was drawn to the surface. There was plenty of assistance at hand, and Capt. Grigg speedily recovered. He then communicated to his rescuer where he had left Captain Cowan. Todd immediately asked for volunteers to accompany him on the perilous journey of finding Mr. Cowan. George Foulkes, Thomas Keast and Harry Hoggarth, the latter from Askham, accompanied Todd down the pit and, notwithstanding they encountered the treacherous carbonic acid gas, in which no candle will burn, they plodded their way on hands and knees until they reached the place indicated by Mr Grigg. Here Foulkes and Keast found Mr. Cowan and dragged him to the shaft foot, a very difficult task, indeed under the conditions which prevailed in the pit, viz., darkness and the fearful after-damp. To make matters worse, Hoggarth collapsed under the fumes, and Keast was also feeling the effects of the gas. Mr. Cowan was placed in the cage, and Keast

Pluckily Undertook

to remain and ring off, seeing that the mine regulations forbid more than four men to ride in the cage at a time. All the miners round thought that Mr. Cowan was beyond aid, but at once Mr. Matthew Woodburn, an ambulance brigade man, commenced artificial respiration, and instructed a young fellow named Cowell how to treat Hoggarth. Again there was an indistinct ring from the shaft foot, and the cage ascended. On its arrival the men were horrified to find Keast unconscious and clinging to the bar of the cage. Had he lost his hold of the bar in ascending he would have

Fallen into the Shaft

But so tightly was he grasping the bar that his hands had to be literally torn away. It was a thrilling experience. Meanwhile Mr. Woodburn was working on Mr. Cowan, and men named James Mitchell, Joseph Metcalf, Cowell and Joseph Orr were attending to the others. Two Dalton doctors were telephoned for, and when Drs. Cross and Forster arrived Mr. Cowan had not been brought round. It was not long before there were signs of returning life, and at last Mr. Woodburn had the satisfaction of seeing that his efforts for three quarters on an hour were successful. Mr. Mitchell brought Hoggarth round after considerable difficulty, and before the doctors left the mine the four who had been “gassed” were out of danger. The heroic conduct of the miners under such circumstances will no doubt be recognised. Mr. Cowan was literally – as one miner exclaimed to our reporter – “snatched from the jaws of death.”

The Fire

The Engineer Gassed.

Several efforts have been made this week to reach the fire, but these were unsuccessful, and we understand a bore-hole is being put down with the hope of getting water to the burning mass. On Wednesday, Mr. Cordle, mining engineer, went down the pit, accompanied by some miners. They had a canary with them. It was not long before the bird showed signs of becoming overpowered by the fumes, and before Mr. Cordle could get away he collapsed. The miners got him to a place of safety, and on reaching the surface artificial respiration was resorted to successfully.