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THE TERRIBLE DISASTER AT CROSS…

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THE TERRIBLE DISASTER AT CROSS KEYS. THE IX QUEST. It was our painful duty last week to record the par- ticulars of a catastrophe at Cwni Carn, Cross Keys, la which eleven persons were drowned. The bodies of the dead were widely scattered. On Thursday, the day following the accident, three bodies were found, and on Friday six more were recovered. On Saturday morning an inquest was opened, by Mr. W. H. Brewer, coroner, at the Cross Keys Inn, Cross Keys, Risca, upon the following Mary Ann Hunt, aged 52. John Hunt, aged 22, son. Letitia Mary Hunt, 21, daughter. Elizabeth Jane Hunt, 19, daughter. James Hunt, 10, son. Elizabeth Weeks, 17, employed at the factory. Mary Jones, 15, factory hand. George Klein, 15, factory hand and Margaret Davies, 38 years. At that time there were two missing, but in the course of the afternoon the body of John Davies, 34, collier, was found in a field, leaving only one body, viz., that of Howell Davies, aged 60, father of John Davies, to be accounted for. The jury was composed of—Messrs. John Williams, grocer, Pontymister (fore- maB) Thomas Williams, Risca, shoemaker; John Bowen, Risca Walter Rosser, Moriah Tump, builder; Charles Harris, Ochorwith, farmer Vincent Allen, Risca, grocer Frank Masters, Risca, watchmaker Wm. Howells, Risca, draper, &c. Rev. J. W. Win- spear, Risca, Wesleyan minister Alfred Summers, Risca; Thomas Harris, Ochorwith, farmer; William Griffiths, Pontywain, draper, &c. James Silverthorn, Risca, shoemaker William Hartshorn, PoDtywain and Jesse Silverthorn, Pontywain. The jury viewed tue bodies, which were laid out in the club-room of the Cross Keys Inn, and presented a harrowing spectacle. The faces of the deceased bore marks of the violent contact to which they were sub- jected by the flood. After the jury had withdrawn, a number of persons, who had congregated near the inn, went and viewed the corpses, and were apparently much moved at the sickening sight. Accompanied by the Coroner and -several other gentlemen, the jury visited all the scenes of the melancholy occurrence, and more particularly the pond, making a minute examination of the em- bankment, with a view to ascertain the cause of its having giveu way. They suggested various theories, 4|pd intimated to the Coroner a desire to have some practical evidence from a competent engineer, in order toft they might be better able to judge as to whether the owners of the pond were in any way blameworthy. The Coroner said their desire should be attended to. It wa.s said, however, that the pond had stood the test for nearly 90 years, and this was the first time it had given way. On returning to the Cross Keys Inn, the Coroner adjourned the inquest to Monday the 26th of July. DEATH OF MR. JOHN HUNT. It will be remembered that Mr. John Hunt, the proprietor of the factory, was rescued from the flood in a much-injured condition. He lingered in great pain till Sunday morning, when he died. After his death a large rusty nail was found in his hip, and this may indicate to some extent the excruciating suffering which he must have endured, not to have been able to inform his medical attendants of the condition of his leg. THE FUNERALS. On Sunday eight of the bodies were buried, six being laid to rest in the burial-ground attached to the Trinity Congregational Chapel at Cross Keys, while two were carried across the mountain to Bedwas. In the grave-yard three graves had been dug, but one was a larger grave, and in that the five bodies of the Hunt family were deposited. Thousands of spec- tators had assembled, many from longdistances bu t not- withstanding the immense concourse of people, excel- lent order prevailed. Mr. D. Tovey, the undertaker, arranged the order of procession, and as the coffins were borne from the Cross Keys Inn on the shoulders of the bearers one after the other, they were followed by a vast body until they reached the chapel ground, where Mr. Superintendent Mackintosh and Inspector Sheppard had stationed a number of police officers, The procession was met at the gate the I H. Davies, who^wjg^^ 0f tlieir sympathising friends M the building would comfortably admit. The coffins were all borne into the chapel, and then the doors were closed. Mr. Davies read the 90th Psalm, and the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians, and then proceeded to give a brief, but solemn and impressive address. He said they could well understand how one placed in the position that he was on such an occasion as this, i should, experience utter inability to say anything, so far as they were concerned, which could add to the impressivcness or solemnity of the sad circums'ances that existed around them. He need scarcely speak a word to them of the insecurity of human life, or of its short and uncertain nature. The scenes around L them spoke far more eloquently than anything he toald say. But in saying a word or two, he would direct their attention to that scene of desolation and ruin on the one hand, and to the open graves on the other. He wished to say that the Lord Jesus Christ ( had brought light and immortality to light through the gospel. He bad unlocked to them the sure proofs of a joyful resurrection, and foreshadowed to them the glories of that life which is to come. He blessed God that Christ had begotten some of them to a lively hope. Life here at best was very short and transient. They were subject to the sweep and blast of the storm, acd unless they were safely fixed upon the Rock of Ages, they would be lost and wrecked, not merely in this life, but for ever and ever. If sheltered by Christ, to die would then only be a blooming out into life. He urged all his hearers to become participators in tha bussed hope of the righteous. He asked if any ungodly person were to be found in that assembly ? If there were, he was anxious to put a question to them, plainly, but most affectionately. If this sudden Cilau.it}' had come apon them, how would it have been with them ? He would point their attention to outside scenes, the open graves and the desolation and ruin above. He exhorted them to accept the Divine offers of mercy while time and opportunity were afforded to them. The rev. gentleman then offered up an appropriate prayer, after which the assembly left the chapel for the grave-yard, and shortly after the coffius were lowered into their last Tcating-place. JtH the evening the Rev. Mr. Davies preached an tcliriate sermon having special reference to the Testing-place. jBc the evening the Rev. Mr. Davies preached an ^mjrepriate sermon having special reference to the lamentable occurrence. He selected his text from the 7th '.1 St. Matthew the 27th verse :—"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds .blew and beat upon the house, and it fell and great was the fall of it." On the occasion on which these memorable words were uttered Christ was himself the preacher. He was the greatest living preacher, and the sermon from which the text was taken was the greatest sermon ever preached on earth, or that ever would be preached until Christ again appeared. If on the mountain He drew lessons from the mountain if on the sea, He spoke of things connected with the 3 £ a by a well, He spoke of the water of life, and hencv.- II was that His teachings were so attentively listened to. The preacher then proceeded in clear and forcible language to deduce important lessons from his text, to which he earnestly hoped they would give iseed. The congregation were deeply moved by his touching allusions to the shocking calamity which had vet-taken the neighbourhood. ANOTHER DEATH. On Thursday an inquiry was held at the Castle Inn, to elucidate the cause of death of Mary Bowen, aged 59, the wife of William Bowen, collier, Tyrphil, New Tredegar. Deceased left home last Sunday to visit their son, Wm. Bowen, the occupier of one of the two horses flooded on the memorable night when the reserv-ir at Cwmcarn burst. The Bowen family met at the house of Wm. Bowen, and some arrangements had to be made about billeting the visitors for the night. A quarrel arose as to where deceased and her k u, :1 should sleep. Deceased got between the two men to separate them, and she fell, or was pushed dov. ■ In a few minutes afterwards she died. The jitry L nsidered a fosl mortem examination unneces- sary, There is n ) doubt the deceased died from ex- citen.-t.t. This adds another death to the list, inci- dent;}'. and mak"s 13 deaths on the spot, besides the death of Mrs. Chapman, who was killed on Mon- day. after visiting the scene. The- -jury returned a verdict that "Deceased died in a f.t whilst under excitement, and there was no evidet, e to show that violence had been used."

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SINGULAR RAILWAY ACCIDENT…

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