The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-10
REPORT ON
 CAUSE OF EXPLOSION

tor at that time. investigated this ex- 1 plosion on October 29 1908, and the management of this company were notified by this department that the l method of drilling, charging and firing the shot was very dangerous, S) i that all men should be withdrawn from the mine while the shot firers were fir ing the shots. Mr. Flynn did not in- spect the mine at this time as this mine Is in Assistant Inspector Hill- houses district Inspector Flynn in vestigated this explosion at the request of MT. John M. Graly, who was chief ; mine inspector at that time. After making the investigation Inspector . Flynn returned to Birmingham and notified MT. Hillhouse of the dry and dusty condition of this mine. Inspec- tor Hillhouse made thorough inspec- ton of this mine on November IS, 1905 In his report to the company he called their attention to the dry and dusty condition of the mines, and that the roadways, roof and sides of the head ings should be thoroughly watered as often as necessary to prevent the ac- emulation of dust He further sug- gested that the practice of shooting at noon be discontinued and that a com potent shot firer be employed to charge, tamp and fire all the shots at night after all the miners were out of the mine.
 The management was installing system of watering the mine in com pliance with MT. Hillhouse's sugges- tion and had the water lines laid in part of the mines. The roadways had been watered where pipe lines were laid and this, in our opinion, was the means of preventing the explosion from extending over the entire mine, Whlch would have caused a great deal larger loss of life and a greater amount of damage to the mine.
 Had MT. Hillhouses suggestions in re- gard to discontinuing shooting at noon, and all shots fired at night by shot fiers, been carried out, the probability is that the explosion would not have oc- cured, and had it occurred only one life would have been lost instead of IS.
 We have letters on file in this office from the general manager of this com pany which led us to believe that the made by this depart ment were being complied with
 The following are the names of those killed in the explosion; also the number of widows and orphans:
 White:
 o. B. Harmon, wife and two children.
 w. J. Hannigan, wife and four chill dren.
 J. P. salter, wife and six children.
 B. Shoeller single.
 J. Jackson, single.
 Colored
 James Freeman single.
 Isaiah Morgan, single.
 Henry Thomas, wife and five children.
 Lone Archer, single.
 George Webb wife
 Brooks Hartley, single.
 Henry Gully, wife.
 J. E. Green, wife and two children,
 George Printess, wife and one child.
 F. Lawrence, wife.
 w. Banks, wife.
 Nose Young, single
 Conner Hill, single.
 Ned McGregor, single, badly burned, but will probably recover.
 Total killed, IS; five white, IS eolored.
 Total widows, 10; three white, seven colored.
 Total orphans, 20; P white, eight col ored
 The following are the recommendations We have made to this company in or der to prevent a recurrence of accidents of this kind:
 1. That water lines be laid in all the headings in order that they can be wa tered often as necessary to prevent recurrence of accidents of this kind.
 2. That all coal be either mined or cut before being blasted andr~that compe-, tent man be employed to charge, tarnp and fire all shots after all miners and other employees are out of the mine ex- cept the bumper, that one of the so-called safety explosives be used for blasting purposes instead of dynamite and that all shots be tamped with cIay.
 3. That when the contractor is absent from his work that the laborers stay out of the mine also, for, as a rule, laborers are inexperienced men and should not be allowed to work unless the contractor is there to look after their safety. Re- spectfully submitted. ED FLYNN,
 Chief Mine Inspector of Alabapa.
 JAMES HILLHOU SE,
 Associate Mine Inspector of, Alabama.