The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-24
THIRTY MINERS
ARE ENTONBED
Gas Explosion Produces Most
Fatal Results,
RESCUERS ARE HARD At WORK
Large Piles allen Debris
Block Way
WOMEN AM IS ILDREH FRANTIC
Big Part of line Remains Unven-
tilated aitu Q badly Choked With
Deadly Fire Damp Which no
Human Can Outlive

men are entombed in the Brazneil mine as
the result of a gas explosion which oc-
CURED this morning. At 10 o'clock tonight
Mine Inspector James, Blyck expressed the
opinion that scarcely any hope could be
entertained that any man in the pit is still
alive. Tonight mothers wives and sisters
mourn them as dead.
Since early this morning the imprisoned
men have been without any air or food
They are separated from eager searchers
by walls of debris which fell when the ex-
ploson took place and blocked the road to
liberty.
There were between forty-five and fifty
workers in the mine when the explosion oc-
Cured. Fourteen were rescued, and one
other, Albert Meese. a boy, taken out
in such a condition that he died within
short time.
The explosion occurred a 1870 oclock this
morning. Owing to a shortage of cars, less
than the usual number of men entered the
pit. The mine is that of the Stockdale Coal
company, and lies four miles from Browns
vile. Earlier in the morning Fire Boss
James Radcliffe went through the mine as
usual, and found gas or fire damp" in two
places. The fire boss reported the appear
ance of the gas, but informed the SUPER
intendent that it was all right for the men
to enter. The men were lowered into the
mine in the cage, descending the main
shaft, which is vertical.
From forty to fifty men had entered the
mine and dispersed through it when the
gas was ignlted in some manner not yet
dlscoverable A tremendous explosion oc-
Cured It's force must have reached every
man in the mine. The cage in the main
shaft, which was al the bottom, was blown
into splinters and the hoisting machinery
wrecked
About a hundred yards from the main en-
trance air Shaft, also vertical and
briek-lined. 1t was torn by the blast, and
the bricks were blown to the very top.
Frantic Women apd Children
Frantic women and frightened children
dashed out of Their dwellings just across
the railroad track and rushed toward the
mouth of the shaft. They were driven
back by the smoke aaat poured up from the
mine.
\ minute later everything was quiet The
bis engines stopped and the fan was
husned.
There was no POSSIBILITY of aiding the
improsined men there at the main shaft,
and rush was made fer the vertia ting
Shaft l50 feet away.
A Shout came from below and 1t was
known That all were not killed. An inves-
tleaton disclosed the fact that the explo-
sion had torn away t2e brick lining of the
shaft, taking with it about twenty feet of
the iron steps
The men below were In a trap. Promptly
a rope and bucket were lowered and the
men hauled up. The first was Albert
Meese, 10 years old, a trfppcr. He was
unconscious and was tied in the bucket.
He lived but a short time. Fourteen men
were rescued by the bucket and rope. All
OF them were sick and falntang. They
were given restoratives and sent to their
homes, several having to be carried.
Fire damp kept the rescuers out of the
mine until o'clock in the afternoon, when
tho first gang descended. A mass of wreck
age WAS found at the bottom of the shaft,
in which lay seven men, their faces black
ened and burned and their bodies distorted
When the first party was worn out and
nearly poisoned another took its place,
and this was continued late tonight in an
effort to save the survivors, If there are
any. The men in tne mine, IF alive, can
live for two or three days without food In
addition to what they may have taken in
dinner buckets. But the main point is if
they have air The fan is running. but
the big part. of the mine remains unven-
tilated gnd probably stlll cfloked with dead
ly fire damp Which no human being can
outive.