The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-24
Nincty-eight Bodies Are
 Now Recovered.
A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
District President Flynn Sends
 Appeal.
Funerals of the Unfortuaate Miners is Order of the Day in Grlef-stricsz- cn District Around Bir-
 minshana.

Birmingham. Feb. -tspeciaLl- The work of getting out victims of the explosion at the Virginia Mines. though impeded by the bad odors arising from the decomposing bodies. and by the bad air generating in the mines. con tinued all day and tonight a report comes that ninety-eight bodies have been recovered.
 There Is considerable water at the bottom of the mines and 1t may be necessary to pump this water out be- fore any further work can be done. Though there is stiH large number of volunteers on hand District Presi- dent Ed. Flynn. of the United Mine workers of America. sent a message to various mining camps where the men are out on strike calling on volunteers to assist in the rescue work.
 ThSfe is difference of opinion as to the number of mers still in the mines. Some say there are but ten left, mak- ing the total number 1os, while pr. Glasgow, the physician of Virginia Aiues, ass@sAR Bat thws eEe nineteen therein. making IF in all. The bad odor in the mines is brought about also by decomposIng bodies of thirteen mules. These were not reached at all. the bodies of men being sought first.
 The funerals of the men taken out of the mines are being held just as quick. ly as,the graves can be dug At Pratt city to6sy eight gbariais were witpess- sd. four doslgSs grasca sing esnpioyad. ris two Meaenims, the two .Poweiis, the two crawleys. and the two Nelsons were placed ih the graves dug. Four other burials will take pace at Pratt City tomorrow. Four funerals took place this afternoon at Valley Creek church. while many others took place throughout the Birmingham district.
 Cray on Scene.
 The State Mine Inspector. J. M Gray, has been on the scene with the excep- ton of about twelve hours ever since the explosion. He Is to make a full report just as soon as the investi- gation can be had as to the cause of the explosion. The coroner's jury will not begin It's work until every man has been removed from the mines and then enrort will be made to locate the blame. Bessemer, Birmingham, Pratt City. Ensiey, Thomas and other places in the Birmingham district have active com mittees at work gathering funds for the families of the victims of the ex- plosion. More than $1O.oOO has been raised. A committee from Bessemer, the nearest municipality to Virginia Mines, went down to the mining camp this morning with s2.OOO which was distributed among the families of the dead men. The funerals are being cared for by the company operating the mines. The temporary morgue established on Second Avenue in Bes- semer has been a busy place since night before last. every effort being made to get away every body at the earliest possible moment.
 It is given out that the State only last week suspected that some of tho land being worked by the Virginia company belonged to the State Uni- versity and an investigation had been ordered.
 The men In the rescue party are be- ing attended by physicians on duty about the mouth of the mines. Just as soon as the volunteers come out of the mines with the bodies or for other reasons. they are given an antiaote so as to save them from hard sickness oD account of the bad air in the mines.
 Time Necessary for Repairs.
 It will be some time before any work looking to the repairing of the mines in a material way can be accomplish ed. The bodies of men and mules will first rave to be removed. Then the
 
 earth. will have to be pumped out Tho water pipe was broken during the ex- pIOsion and this will require some trouble in replacing. ..
 I'd Flynn. President of the United . woF1Ars of America. who has t work in the rescue of the
 about the mouth Of the
 ter the erpIost-1