The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-13
DEATH TOLL FROM
NINE EXPLOSION
PLACED At zoo
HOPE OF RECOVERING ANY BOD.
les ALIVE NDONED-TWEN
TY-SIx TAKEN OUT OF MINE BY
RESCUERS.

BLUEFIELD. w. Va, Jan. 13.-The
death list in the explosion in the
| Branch Lick mine may reach two hun
dred. Only 26 bodies had been recov-
cred up to 10 o'clock this morning. OF
! fcers and volunteers worked all night
in an effort 10 rescue some of the en-.
tCmbed miners alive. Hope of recov-
ering any OF the bodies alive has been
! abandoned.
! The rescue party is headed by Chief
Mine Inspector John LANG. aided by
hall dozen deputies. They have
fought their way through over mile
OF the debris and In the choked,
smoke-filled main entry, and are now
confronted by the heroic work OF
breaking through hundreds Of tons of
burning coal and red hot slate. Be-
hind this wall are at least hundred
men still alive.
! fhe Lick Branch is q collery OF the
Pocahontas Consolidated Coal com
| pany at Switchback. X was there
that so men lost their lives in a sim
liar explosion just two weeks ago. The
mine was inspected three days ago
and pronounced In perfect order. The
legislature, which went into session
today is expected TO order an.imme-
date investigation
One rescue party came In sight of
six bodies. but was forced back. The
fire In the mine and the deadly gases,
To say nothing OF the awful force of
the explosion, precludes any chance
Of rescuing any of the men in that
part alive.
The main entry of the mine is four
miles long, running from one side OF
the mountain to the other. The ex-
plosion was the most terrific that has
occurred in this region since 1884,
when. at the Southwest Virginia I'm.
provement company's mine, $50 were
killed in an explosion
Mighty Rambling.
There WAS mighty rumoling In the
mine yesterday morning. 1t reverber-
ated along the miles OF corridors and
air passages. From the mouth OF the
mine there belched forth cloui OF
flame, SCOT, dust and debris, heavy
timbers. broken mine cars and even
a massive motor used To haul the
heavy laden cars from the depths.
Scarcely had the defamation died
away before a throng of terrorized wo-
men and children rushed to the mino
mouth and implored those there TO al
low them to aid In the effort to save
some of their loved ones who might
still be alive within.
Mine Foreman Bowers, who was
rear the entrance, was blown from
his feet, but managed TO crawl out
safely, as did also Robert Smith. a
miner. With the foreman was a miner
named holiday and he, too, was
blown over. A rescue party. organ
lied on the moment, rushed into the
Jaws of the smoking mines and tried
10 rescue him. They were driven back
by the deadly fumes of the aftergases
and were compelled to leave him 70
his fate.
A train was rushed from this city &C.
the scene of the disaster. % miles
Away. carrying bratticing and other
material To be used In the work Of
exploration and rescue.
IL is reasonably certain that all The
bodies will never be recovered. Some
of them were blown to pieces. and
others incinerated The fans which
furnish the fresh air for the workings.
as In the former explosion, were not
disabled and are forcing fresh air into
the mines.
Two Brothers Victims.
Two brothers named Surratt. of
Speedwell. Va, who went to the mine
at the time of the other explosion
through curiosity, accepted positions.
and both are in the mine.
Bystanders at the time OF the ex.
plosion say that immense clouds Ct
SCOT and smoke gushed from the mire
almost simultaneously with the DC.
donation, and Immediately were sucked
back in enormous volumes into the
mine.
On the Tug river side, four miles
from the main entrance. the smoke
and flame gushed from the entry.
burning the twigs and small limbs
from trees that grew near. The lam
age to the mite cannot be estimated.
Clerk is Bankrupt.
Il. James Bedford. clerk. has filed a