The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-06
EXPLOSION In MINE
BNTOMBS 1S5 MBN
Rescue Work Slow and Vic
tins Nay All Be Doomed.

Palos, Ala, May 5-An explosion in
mine No. 3, Of the PaIos Coal and Coke
Company. at Palcs. twenty miles from
Birmingham. occurred this afternoon. Il
entombed forty-ive white and ninety
colored men. The explosion is believed
TO have been caused by gas and dust Il
was of such terrific force that Samuel
Goolsby, a justice Of the peace who was
200 yards from the mouth OF the mines.
walking on the railroad track, was in
stanuy killed. His body was burned all
most To a crisp.
The entire section Of the country was
startled by the explosion. people for
several miles away feeling it, Men.
women. and children gathered at the
mouth Of the mines. and there was great
wailing
Messages to Birmingham and various
parts Of the district soon started rescuing
parties 10 the scene. A. D. Lghtner.
general agent Of the Frisco. got a spe-
cial train and, with a number Of physi-
clans, mine operators. and others. made
for Palos
Rescue Work Is Slow.
The rescue work was slow. The he'll
NETS were brought into use. but a cave-in
a few hundred feet in the mine aided the
passage Of fresh air.
a man and mule, both dead. were found.
but could not be handled because Of the
bad air.
Many Of the men in the mines worked
with numbers, hence there was some diff
Guilty in getting up a complete list Of
those entombed who appear 10 be
doomed.
The Palos Coal and Coke Company is
owned by the Messrs. Bremen, Of Biz
mingham.
VI. B. Drennen is general superintendent
and James Baird superintendent. Accord
ing 70 the general superintendent. there
is no telling what caused the explosion.
The first aid to the injured societies from
all parts of the mining district reached
the scene within a few hours after the
accident. +. II. Cox, general superinterd-
ent Of the coal mines Of the Tennessee
Coal. Iron and Railroad Company was
one Of the leaders in the rescue work.
The women and children were kent
away from the mouth Of the mines but
at dark not body had been brought out
and there was not the least hope that
any of the entombed men could be alive.
Mine Recently Inspected.
The mine is a slope in the side Of the
mountain. Assistant State Mine Inspector
Bob Neal said that it was inspected q
short time ago. The Red Cross Society
through Jelks Cabaniss and several man.
bers Of Birmingham. are on the scene
going through the camp where there is
desolatIon and dispair, waiting and moan
ing. offering such succor as possible 70
those in distress. Messages have baan
sent to the Red eros headquarters in
Washington.
BY s o'clock tonight the rescuing
parties had passed three bodies Of dead
men. but no effort was made to Mol,
them up. Two members of the rescuing
parties were overcome by afterdanp IN
the mines and three others came near
succumbing.
The rescue work Will be kept up until
all the men in the mines can be reached
dead or alive.
An official statement tonight by Fred
Drennen, secretary and treasurer Of the
company, is to the effect that the rolls
show 10 men at work in the No. mine
at the time Of the explosion. This does
not include a number of men who worked
for contractors and whose names do nor
appear on the pay rolls. The original list
of 1876 may hold when the bodies are
taken out. There is positively no hone
that any OF the entembed men are alive.
Il will be midnight at least before anv
bodies can be recovered.