| 1927,
17th November
JAMES MCARTHUR
MINING FATALITY AT SANQUHAR
HUTCH CRASHES DOWN SHAFT
An alarming accident occurred at Gateside Colliery on Thursday about
mid-day, which resulted in serious injuries to a miner, James McArthur
(47), who resides at Crawick Mill. The injuries, we regret to report,
have since proved fatal. He sustained a fracture of the skull. The
manager of Gateside Colliery, William MacNaughton, was also injured
on the head, while other two men had narrow escapes – in fact,
it was a miracle how any of them escaped.
The scene of the accident was near Crawick Mill village, where an
incline mine had been made for the purpose of ventilating the Whitehill
section of Gateside Pit. This incline is very steep, the gradient
being 1 foot in 1.34 feet; or almost 3 in 4. Three men were engaged
some 92 feet from the surface constructing a brick arch or wall. These
were James McArthur, the more seriously injured man; James Parker,
master builder, Atherton Cottage, Sanquhar, Robert Graham, mason,
Simpson’s Road, Sanquhar; and William MacNaughton, colliery
manager, who was supervising the work. Bricks and other material were
lowered in a hutch by means of a windlass, and three men were employed
there. A hutch of bricks was being lowered to the builders, and it
crashed to the bottom in a moment. It left the rails some 25 feet
above where the men were working, and landed on a brick wall at the
bottom. At the point where it left the road it struck a prop. The
mine is about six feet wide, but had been widened at the point where
the men were working to allow room for the brick wall which they were
erecting. The men at the top rushed down the mine with all possible
haste, and seeing McArthur’s serious condition, attended to
him first. Medical aid was procured, and the unfortunate men was carried
to his home nearby. Dr. Dunlop attended to him and immediately ordered
his removal to Dumfries Infirmary, where he was operated on in the
evening, and the report was that he was in a dangerous condition.
Attention was then given to the manager, and it was observed that
blood was coming out of one of his ears and a wound on his head. He
was unconscious, and was motored to his residence. James Parker received
a bruise on the left breast, but fortunately escaped any serious injury,
while Robert Graham was uninjured.
The unfortunate accident created a painful sensation in Crawick Mill,
and likewise in Sanquhar.
We regret to report that James McArthur died from his injuries in
Dumfries Infirmary at a late hour on Thursday evening. The sad news
was received in the district with profound regret. He was a man of
a quiet and retiring disposition, a most capable and trustworthy workman,
and held in the highest esteem by his workmates and in the district
generally. He was 47 years of age, was unmarried, and resided in Crawick
Mill Village.
Dumfries & Galloway Standard 19/11/1927 / S / 8 / D -
MM74
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