Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-01-07
FORTY-NINE DIE
in NINE DISASTER
Lick Branch Nine, al SEitGhbaGk, ".
Ya., Scene Of The Horrible
Catastrophe.

On the afternoon of December 10Th,
at about 3 O'Clock, while many were
drowning their cares in quiet, peaceful
Yuletide revelries, a dull reverbers-
tion broke the stiffness of the evening
air at Switchback, w. Va, and in the
twinkling of an eye it seemed as if all
the thunders of the universe were gal
loping through the bowels of the earth.
The hills round about trembled and
houses shook as though in the grasp of
giant in a rage. Men and women
who heard the rumblings and felt the
shock rushed from their homes in ter
ror and dread, knowing full well that
somewhere back in the hills from
whence those awful rumblings came
loved ones were either dead or dying.
The Lick Branch mine, the pride of the
Pocahontas Consolidated Galleries Com
pany, had exploded.
The explosion occurred just about the
time the run was over and after a large
number Of the men had left the mine
and gone to their various homes. Had
this not been the case, it is very prob
able that many others would have lost
their lives.
Within comparatively short time a
large rescue party, numbering about
twenty-five, the pick of the great Poca-
hontas-Flat Top field, had been organ
lied, and set to work. The great fans,
which supply air to the mines, had not
been put out Of commission by the ex-
plosion, and owing to this fact, the res
cuing party were enabled to work rapid
ly, and by midnight had brought out
twenty-five men, ten Of whom were
alive. The rescuers kept steadily at
their work, and within twenty-four
hours after the explosion the last body
had been taken from the mines.
The following are those who lost their
lives: Chas. Little, Wylie Little, Sam
Beatty, Pleas Kennedy, Cleve Alexan-
der, Kemp Saunders, Jas. Roam, James
Smith, John w. Miller, Jas. Lockart.
Richard Locksrt, Joe Lockart, Tobe
Weber, Mat Webber, Young Johnson,
Scott Page, David Bolin, Tony Pala-
mara, Peter Roles, Geo. Meaket, Pinus
Busckuke, Reed Anderson, Dominic
Rose, Tom Blevins, Alex Blevins, Tom
Howell, ]. w. Edmundson, Jno. Brown,
Jas. Galloway, John Hicks, j. A. Hol-
land, A. c. Holland, Green Davis, Joe
Nizuk, Joe Edmunds, Mike Ruschuke,
Bob Williams, Gregor Consevas, Buck
Williams, Lucas Namuk, Mike PARA
chuk, Geo. Parvolic, Oxen Parvolic,
Troceine Shurman, Tom Swan, John
Dartin, Walter Reynolds and two uni
Identified men.
The explosion occurred so far as car
be ascertained, in the western division
OF the mine over towards the Tug River
side, in an old working. Just what
caused the explosion has not vet beer
determined; but State mine Inspector
are now probing the cause, and will re-
port within few days.
The Lick Branch mine, is said to b,
one of best equipped mines in the Unit
ed States, it being the pride of tn,
management of the vast properties o.
the Pocahontas Consolidated Collieriel
Company, to whom it belongs; anC
every device known to insure safety anC
prevent disaster had been installed
therein. Consequently, this explosion
comes as a great surprise, not only tc
the management, but to many others
who were acuainted with the condition
of the mines.