The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-20
MINE HORROR
In ALABAMA
Lives Of Between Forty and Sky
Coal Diggers Snuffed Out.
DEADLY GAS EXPLOSION
Accident Occurred at Yolande, Mining
Town Thirty Miles South Of Birming-
ham---Rescue Work Slow.

ham---Rescue Work Slow.
Not since the terrible disaster at
Virginia mines, eight miles north OF
Yo.ande, Ala, has there occurred
such death-dealing catastrophe as
the explosion which took place in mine
No. /, of the Yolande Coal and Coke
company, at 1921 O'clock Monday
morning. 1t is impossible as yet to
tell how many are dead as result
of the explosion, the estimates vary
ing all the way from forty to sixty
six.
The work of rescue has been ex-
tremely slow, because of the debris
in the mines, and the large crowds
Of women, children and sightseers at
the opening. The explosion is now
known to have occurred in either the
fifth or sixth right entrances. All OF
the bodies have been recovered from
these entries, and some of them were
so horribly mutilated that Identified
ticn is next to impossible.
According to Superintendent T. G.
Huckabee, the explosion was undoubt-
edly due to windy shots.
Mr.. Huckabee had just made tour
of inspection, and had congratulated
some OF the men on the condition OF
their rooms. A few minutes after
i reaching the top he saddlsd his horse,
and was about to go for a days hunt,
little thinking that the next few hours
would be spent i'll search for the
blackened forms of those whose lives
had been snatched by the explosion Of
coal dust
Parties of miners from Abernaut,
Searles, Davis Creek and Brookwood
were soon on the scene ready to do
anything looking to the recovery of
those entombed.
Less than 100 men went into the
mine Monday morning, and this ac-
counts for the fact that the loss OF
life was not heavier. The mine has
in the past been pronounced free from
gas by the state mine inspectors, and
it is supposed that the explosion was
caused by dust
The explosion was below the second
right sub entrance The mines go down
something like fifteen hundred feet
There was a terrific explosion, the
force was seen outside, dust and tim.
Der being blown out in great quaint
ties, destroying small buildings, near
by and also landing on the depot some
little distance away. There was q
terrific heat Immediately after the ex-
plosion.
Officials of the company on the scene
Immediately took steps to start res
cue party to get to the men on the
inside. The fans were started up and
other methods taken to eliminate the
bad air. Within an hour fourteen men
had crawled from the mine. Several
of these men were badly burned. Two
hours after the explosion it was stlH
impossible to venture even near the
mouth of the mine so hot was thu
air that was rushing out
Yolande is thirty miles south Of Biz
mingham, on the Birmingham Mineral
railroad. The Yolande Coal and Coke
company is headed by Dr.. g. b. Grove,
of Birmingham.
The Yolande mines were among the
model co,Heries of the Birmingham
district NOn-union men were worked
exclusively, but everything possible
had been done to insure the content
ment OF employees with their condf-
ton. The village is located on a
beautiful hill, and houses are all paint
ed with white, with green trimmings,
giving it an air Of picturesqueness, OF
healthfulness, unusual in mining
camps.