A poem written by the late Will Rowe, a miner, as a tribute to those who died during pit sinking at Nine Mile Point.
Ten men were rescued, seven died during the sinking of a shaft in August 1904.

Deep 'neath the dull and darkling sky,
Far from the ken of human eye,
Far from the surface of the earth,
Deep down the shaft toiled men of worth.
Men strong of arm and robust health,
Making a road to nature's wealth.
Wealth! Aye, but not for those who toil,
Theirs but to garner nature's spoil.


These men were working for their bread,
Working for mouths that must be fed.
Working to benefit the land,
Each with his life perchance in hand,
Striving each one to reach his goal
Where nature hid her store of coal.
Slowly they sank the deepening shaft,
Merry of heart they worked and laughed,
Laughed for their toil was nearly done,
Each man his rest had fairly won.


They sang as pick and spade they plied,
Deep down the shaft they sang - and died.
Crash! What is that? What dreadful sound
Spreading dismay and fear around?
What is that dread and deafening din?
Oh God! The shaft has fallen in.
Death-dealing missiles fall like rain,
Bring destruction in their train.


Stones, bricks and rock dashed down the gloom,
Making the shaft a living tomb.
Brave men and strong are in the grip
Of the dread avalanche or 'slip',
Fathers and sons were 'prisoned there,
Asking for help in silent prayer.
Praying to keep their fleeting breath,
Praying to win their fight with death.


Heroes stood round the shaft that night,
Heroes who'd fought as miners fight.
And as the dust clouds filled the air
They tried to save the victims there.
Into the bowk the brave lads went
Down, by the hand of mercy sent,
Quick to the rescue of a mate.
Haste lads, or you'll be too late.


And when the bowk made its ascent
Rescued were to the surface sent,
Each time the bowk was sent above
Someone was spared to those they love.
Ten lives had thus been spared in all,
When, God! There came another fall.
With that, all hope had gone to save,
With it the shaft became a grave.


Those would who save could do no more,
They left their pit, their work was o'er.
Right nobly had they fought and won,
Right nobly had their work been done.
But death had claimed as his grim toll,
The seven left who searched for coal.


Think of the miner down below,
He fights against no earthly foe,
Works but to earn his daily bread,
'Mid terrors ever round him spread.
Be this our prayer: "God rest the soul
Of him who dies in getting coal"

The fall occurred 10 minutes before the men were coming up at the end of the shift.
All were buried except one who managed to jump to the ascending (bowk) bucket to raise the alarm.
He was Matthew Smith, called "Mattie" who came from Durham.
The Manager of the pit was Mr. Falcon.

The shaft in the East pit had been sunk to 225 yards.
The shaft in the West pit had been sunk to 170 yards.
The West shaft was that of the West pit of Nine Mile Point.
The men had dug through rock, marl and clay. The hardest borings were over and they had reached softer material before reaching the Black Vein seam.
Sinkers had walled all the depth to which they had gone except for 6 or 8 yards.
They were preparing the bottom upon which to wall up the last yards which had been temporarily secured by timber.( 20 foot diameter of shaft )