The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-21
WITH PICK AND SHOVEL
 MEN RACE WITH DEATH
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 -~~~~~~-~~~~-~-~-~~--~ ~--~~--~~~->~~->>-->->- to his old profession. He worked for few weeks at Weller and only yesterday secured work at Virginia mines. He is survived by a wife and several children.
 Will c. Meeks, another of the doomed men had only been working In this mine about seven weeks and leaves a wife and child A number of the men who work at Virginia are miners from other mines which are at present affected by the strike. It Is not known how many of these are entombed. There are several from Pratt City, Wylam and the Blue Creek fields.
 Saturday last was pay day at the mines. But for this fact there is no doubt but what the death list would have been greater as there are numbers of men who lay off from work for two or three days after every pay day.
 Good Class of Miners.
 The class of miners employed at this mine Is unusually good. All the ill- fated men were we'll known and re- spected in the community.
 LCIL TllS WllC anu D1biSSs
 J. w. Vance, one of the entombed men, had been wording on the night shift for several months and had repeatedly said he was going to try and get change to the day shift. Yesterday MT. Vance got the desired change, and leaving his wife and baby this morning went to work on the day shift fer the first time in many days. Tonight his father, mother and wife are waiting at the pits mouth to re- ceive his lifeless form.
 Among the physicians who are on the scene are: pr. T. F. Robinson, Besse- mer; Dr. J. S. Winters, Bessemer; Dr. G. D. Waller Bessemer; pr. s. E. Groute, Bessemer; Dr. J. l. Seay, Bessemer; Dr. T. c. Grace, Brmingham Dr. r. G. Dun lap, Adger; Dr. E. K. Handy, Bessemer; Dr. M. W. Glassgo resident surgeon; Dr. w. w. Compton, Feeders
 In addition to the doctors there are a numer of trained nurses present who arc ready 10 render their services should they be needed.
 The news of the explosion at Virginia Mines reached Birmingham by way of BeSHeDleT SHOTliy dlltI U tlOtht dliu 1t swept over the city rapidly. During the early part of the night the tele- phones in The Age-Herald office were kept busy with inquiries for details of the explosion. Messages came in over the telephone from Coalburg, Brookside, Pratt City Wylam Pinkney City, and, in fact, almost every mining town in the Birmingham district.
 In Bessemer the excitement is said to have been intense. Large crowds stood around the telegraph and the telephone office seeking information from the ill., fated mines.
 It was impossible to reach Virginia mines, which are located six or seven miles below Bessemer, except by private conveyance. The mines are located on a branch road from the Birmingham Mineral railroad. Large parties went down from Birmingham, Pratt City. Ems ley and other places in carriages and bugges to render any assistance possi- ble
 Virginia mines constitutes, perhaps, the prettlest mining camp In the Birmingham district. The mine, which is a slope, has been In operation for several years, with q good output of coal There are also coke ovens at Virginia.
 The mines were leased to Reed x Co., some time ago by the Alabama Steel and Wire company, the owners, and all the men employed are members of District No. 20 United Mine Workers of America
 Edward Flynn, president of District No. 20 United Mine Workers of America, was advised of the accident shortly after it occurred. The report was made to the headquarters of District No 20 in the Chalifoux building here in Birmingham, and MT. Flynn left early last night for Virginia City, accompanied by Joe Hal Her. They went by way of Bessemer.
 The first authentic news of the disaster was given to the public by the extra edition of The Age-Herald which appear ed on the streets at 1l:25 o'clock last night. On all of the street corners in the business district. in the cafes and In the hotel Hobbies groups of people gath cred and discussed the horror. As the extra edition was issued shortly after the theatres had turned out a large number of copies were sold.
 J. D. Hillhouse. assistant mine inspec- tor was at Littelton when he heard of the explosion. He immediately came to Birmingham and will go down to Vir- ginia Mines this morning to investigate, in order to make a report to Montgom- cry. MT. Hillhouse could not advance any theory as to the cause of the explosion.