The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-13
AWFUL ACCOUNTS GIVEN
OF EXPERIENCE IN MINE
"only Dsath viii Blot Memory From
MY Mind" Says Fire Bose Ret.
aIIlek, Who Was One Of
the Few Rescued.


rolling mill mine Of the Cambria Steel
Company, a careful ard complete COM
pilation by the Associated Press tonight
shows that 112 is the exact number of
bodies taken from the mine. Up to
o'clock this evening los had been recov-
cred, and at o'clock four more were
brought TO the surface To this number
future explorations may add few, but
II cannot be many.
Almost all the employees who could
have been in the mine at the time Of the
-wrecking explosion of Thursday are
accounted for. The mine officials say
there is no use attempting to estimate
the number Of dead. They express the
belief, however, that all on almost oil,
are cut of the mine.
Robinson Talks.
Superintendent Robinson came out
about o'cloels this afternoon after an
nrduous days exploration lie expressed
his conviction that not more than five
bodies would be added to the 1o9 already
known Sunday will dawn upon the popu-
lous city of Johnstown prepared to devote
its attention to mourning and funeral OBJ
seouies. , he inaugural Of this grim pro-
grt.mnte was given today when moro
than a score of interments took piece AZ
late as O'Clock this evening funeral pro-
eeesions passed through the streets Of the
city.
EARLY today a general belief settled
over the city and those officially asso-
ciated with the disaster that the end of
the gruesome developments was about
reached This did not deter the coiners
of street rumors. who actively piled their
avocation and caused Numerous wild
goose chases.
Afte.' bringing the fifteen bodies to the
morgue at an early hour it was commons
ly rumored that the mine officials were
endeavoring to hide the truth as to the
exteut of the disaster. The developments
of the day show that these suspicious
were UNIV arranted. This morning there
was an important consultation partici-
pated in by Mine Superintendent G.. T.
Robinson. Chief Mine Inspector ]. E.
Roderick, State Mine Inspector ]. T.
Evans. Hine Engineer M. G. Moore and
Assistant Mine Engineer Prosser. A
large map of the mine WAS examin5u
and explained to Chief Roderick- Many
OF the en ployes of the mines were callcd
In and quizzed to give Chief Inspector
Roderick a preliminary impression of the
status of things.
Inspector Evans said later that until
the cornpany's officials who were in the
mine at the time of the explosion and
who survived their injuries were able to
testify it would be useless to try to do
anything.
State Inspector in Mines.
After the consultation Evans went into
tine Ihine with Robinson and Moore to
ascertain the damage wrought, and Mr..
Moore car efully examined irto the possi-
BILE hi1ing places for more dead bodies.
They Remained In The mine until late In
the AFTERNOON. In the fourth right head
ing in tue Klondike mine State Inspector
Evans cVrne across rooms 10 and 70 be-
tween which were tho bodies of the three
men who we~s brought out at 5 p. m.
All day thousands of men, women and
children, drawn thither purely out of
morbid curiosity, fingered about the low
frame structure. Hundreds stood in a
baking sun nearly opposite on the other
side of the Canamaugh river where the
cars came down from the mine entry.
Funerals Clog Streets.
Most of these were interested for
friends who were possible victims. Down
below quarter of mile the streets of
Canamaugh City were clogged with funer-
al corteges. Father Dembrowsky, pastor
of st. Casimir's Catholic church, stated
today that forty Of the members of his
flock were killed in the disaster
John Retallick. fire boss of the seventh
district, and Mine Foreman Harry Rodg-
ers, both of whom were in the Klondike
mine when the explosion occurred, were
so far recovered this evening from the ef-
fects Of the after damp as to be able to
tell of their terrible experience Both
men are in the Conamaugh hospital but
will soon be able to return TO their homes.
Retallick stated emphatically that the
explosion was caused by blasting. shot
setting of the gas. OF his experience he
said:
Fire Boss Experience.
When / went to work Thursday there
were about 200 miners in the mine From
the very latest information that 1 can
gather there are yet about twelve miners
entombed. These men are scattered ana
1t may be some days before their bodies
are recovered. They are In the headings
which it is still impossible to reach on
account OF the gases. When the accident
happened there were five of us ON the
cars ready TO go out of the mines on a
trip.
I'VE did not hear or feel the EXPLOSION
to a great extent but knew somethine
had occurred. In minute when we
heard men scrambling in all directions
for place of safety. Quickly realized
that the only avenue Of escape was to
get to the air somewhere. but thought
/ had plenty OF time and could save all
the men.
1--WE Immediately went down to the
main entrance to the Klondike. There
were with me at the time. VIM. Robinson
who had charge of the mining machinery,
Henry Rodgers, foreman of the mine;
VIM. Blanche, John Whitney. Joseph
Tomiinson. the other bosses. a Hun
Earlain miner, who did not know.
''The aftcr- damp then surrounding us
strong and Whitney fell. We tried to as
sist him. but he was gone then. for the
(ooWtinusd On seooUd paqs)