Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-05-11
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
Scores Entombed by Alabama Mine
EXplOsiOn-All Hope Given Up.

Birmingham, Ala, May 5.-Forty-
live white men, and between 1870 and
lao negroes, are entombed In No. 3
coal mine at Palos tonight, as the
result Of a terrific explosion occur
ring this afternoon at 1.30 o'clock.
Palos Is forty miles west of Birming-
ham, and the mines are owned by
the Palos Coal and Coke Compt ny,
controlled by Drennen Brothers, Of
Birmingham.
State Mine Inspector James Hill
house, who is on the scene tonight,
thinks all Of the men in the mine
are dead. Two bodies were found
early tonight, but 1t Is expected that
few Of them can be recovered before
morning.
The flames reaching from the ex-
plosion shot Into the air from the
mouth Of the slope for distance
Of 200 feet, and the shock was felt
for miles around. Timbers from the
slope were hurled several hundred
feet from the mines mouth, and
rocks from the roof of the slope
caved In and made access to the
mouth very difficult. The fan ma
chinery was badly damaged, but air
is being pumped into the mine to-
night in the hope that some of the
men are still alive.
Relief Party Arrives,
Local rescuers at Palos began at
once to do what they could, but re-
lief work was not started In earnest
until the special train from Birming-
ham, arrived In Palos, shortly after
o'clock. This special train carried
State Mine Inspector James Hill
house, j. j. Rutledge, Government
expert, in charge Of the geological
station at Knoxville, Tenn, who hap
pened in the district Investigating
the recent disaster at Mulga; eight
physicians and surgeons, four under
takers and number Of special help
erS.
The hospital relief car Of the Ten
nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Com
pany was also taken. The car con-
. tanned helmets and all of the other
necessary paraphernalia for entering
gaseous mines.
The first rescuers who went into
the mine after the explosion were
overcome by fire-damp and had to
1>l
among the first to enter, and after
working his way 1 400 feet down the
slope, found second right entry
cave-tn. The two bodies recovered
tonight were in the main slope.
Body Hurled Into River.
James Grousby, Il mail carrier,
was killed thirty feet from the
mouth of the slope, and his body was
hurled thirty feet when the terrific
explosion occurred to-day. 1t was
judged from this that the force Of
the explosion was such that none of
the men on the inner side could
possibly be alive.
There are number Of mining
camps within two or three miles Of
the Palos mine, and within a short
time after the explosion a great
crowd had gathered about the ILL
fated slope.
Hundreds Of women and children
were around the mine, wringing their
bands and crying piteously tonight.
The Palos mines have been work.
eel for number Of years, and the
entries were extensive. The only
nope that some Of the men have es-
capped and are still alive lies in the
possibility that they were far enough
away from the explosion to have
missed It's force. 1t Is thought that
the explosion was caused BY the
accumulation Of gas in some Of the
old abandoned entries, which are
rarely visited.
Worked Only Union Miners.
The Palos Coal and Coke Com
pany Is owned entirely by the Dren-
mems, Of Birmingham. The mines
have a capacity Of over 600 tons and
nave done an enormous business for
the past two or three years, work
ing night and day. The company was
one OF the few in the district which
mas always signed up with the min
ers union, and they have always
worked union miners only. The
mines are in what Is known as the
warrior basin, and are within two
miles Of Flat Ton and tha Roesio