The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-12-21
Gas Explosion in Virginia Coal hiDe
Eu,oEbs Many Norsnen-
TWELVE WERE Killed
Greene Mine. on Norfolk and West
ern Railway, Scene OF Horrib,'
Disaster - Report Of E1plosio.
Heard Miles Around-Regue Par.
,y Enters Shaft and Bodies Eecos
cred.
cred.

As result OF an EXPLOSION IN "a.
mines OF the Bond Coal Company. a.
Greene, six miles cas-. OF Norton
Va, Wednesday morning. twelve mel
have lest their lives Thirteen wer.
ia'the mines at the time Of the ez
plosion and oa!y two escaped. one o.
whom died shortly after being takeI
OFT.
Oa account OF atmosphere and 9th
c- conditions the rescue WORK BAG
20 be stopped after nine bodies hac
been recovered and the other two
bodies will no. be brought out be-
fore morning. The dead were ideo
tiled as follows:
James Iarrowman. su2erinteac
e2t; william Richie. mine fore
man: Lee Rowland. Charles WI
liams. Jessie Richie. Charles VIII;
ake-. John Rodan. Arch Leslie aoe
Iohn Richie.
Ta. last named and Charles Roe
enbaun were rescued alive. bu
Richie succnmbed TO his injuries.
Tne explosion came withoa; NC
rent's warning. and It is believed
20 have been caused b. an accuuu
la,ion OF gas set Of by blowing
coal. Tie air shaft was thought te
be good condition and nothing o.
he kind was expected. The aan'
mine, however. had a similar e1
plosion three years ago. in which SD
men were killed.
AS soon as the news o; the e1
p:os!on had spread to other nearb!
mining operations. OF which there
are number In the vicinity. rescue
parties were formed aad conveyed tt
the scene by special trains and pr'
rate ccnveyances. but nothing coulc
be done. excep. bring out the deac
bodies. Only slight damage was
done to the mine.
The Greeco mine employees .bou;
35 men.
The wives and children aad othe'
relatives OF the missing men we-s
attracted to the scene Of death B,
tho loud report OF the explosion
and. weeping and praying they have
kept Up ceaseIess begging for help Z
save their loved ones.
When Superintendent BarrowDaI
and his party entered the mine AZ
hour after the explosion they sa!nee
some distance within the main open
Ing before they signa!lcy the eng'
aeer 70 stop. Those outside waitee
.or further signals. but none CANE
Hours passed. and not sign cam.
OF the superintendent and bis con
oan!ons. and 1t was concluded tha
they had been caugh, suddenly IL ,
storm OF heated air and srCocated
By . O'Clock IN the afternoon ou'
unidentified bodies had been take:
out. They were recovered by miner
who entered the shaft with helmet
that furnished fresh air.
Later IN the day T. Joan.
the ClInchfeld Goa! Co!2o.- lion. a,
sumed direction OF the rescue wors
He has oaly a limited number -
helmets. and Is making every Doss'
Bile use OF them.
Near dark six more bodies wAr
recovered. along with ore man wh'
Is yet alive. but whose condition II
orecarious He IS feartully buraer
and bruised. and Is unconscious.
When the explosion occurred th'
whistle at the NINE was sounoe'
continuously. giving alarm all owe
the surrounding country. Il wa
heard ;n the small villages seveTs
miles away and Immediately sAer.
was a rush OF people 70 The seen.
4 young lady In charge OF the tc!e
phone Office az Coeburn. three n!!e
away from them The mine. heard ID.
oews and sent out q cal! for help