Mexborough and Swinton Times February 6, 1909

Mishap at Manners Main.

Old Pit Set Down.

Hundreds Of Miners’ Idle.

An unfortunate accident at the Manvers Main No. 1 Colliery, on Tuesday, has had the effect of rendering the men employed there, to the number of about 900, to be idle the whole of this week, with a probability of remaining inactive until the end of next week.

It was about half-past six on Tuesday morning that the engineman in charge of winding operations heard a crash coming from the direction of the drum. Instantly he stopped the engine, which he had under complete control, and went to look for the cause of the mischief. He found a crack in the shaft which carries the great drum; a crack almost amounting, to a fracture. The fitters were summoned, and it was seen at once that the mischief would not be remedied quickly, and that the accident, from an engineering point of view, was a rather serious one. Coal was being drawn at the time, the men on the morning “shift” having been lowered half-an-hour earlier.

In view of the tendency to make a sensation of the accident, it should he pointed out that in any event there would have been no danger to life or limb, for the engineman had the cage well under control. He is to be commended, however, for his prompt attention to the warning sound.

In the opinion of the management the damage cannot be adequately repaired within ten days of its discovery, so that the outlook from the point of view of the men is rather serious. Nearly all the men who had been lowered- were brought out shortly afterwards by another-shaft.

The management of the colliery have sought to alleviate any financial distress which might arise by the enforced idleness of these 900 miners, by proposing that they should take their places in the other pits with their colleagues while the shaft was being repaired, and work extra shifts. Number 1 Colliery is the oldest of a group of three, and employs 500 men underground on the morning “shift,” 130 on the afternoon “shift,” and ‘about 120 on the night “shift.” The hundred men on the pit-top bring the total number affected up to about 900.

These men held a meeting on Tuesday afternoon on the highway near the Manvers Colliery, to consider the proposal of the management; and the men from the other pits were given the opportunity of saying whether they would allow the miners from the disabled colliery to come in and work with them. It was generally thought that it would be unfair to the men in Nos. 2 and 3 pits to allow this to be done. Many of the men were not earning a, great deal more than they would require for actual necessities, and on that ground it was decided unanimously that the 900 men attached to the old pit should wait until the pit was open to them. It was pointed out that in the ease of a man who was only earning 30s. a week, it would be unfair to allow another man to come in and earn half of it.

After the men have “played” six days they come on to the funds of the Union. Meanwhile the repairs are being proceeded with as quickly as possible.