The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-06
Between 10 and 100 Known Be Dead AS Result of Disaster
At Palos Yesterday Afternoon-Gas and Debris
Retard Work of Rescuers
ELEVEN BODIES FOUND BUT WILL NOT
BE BROUGHT OUT UNTIL THIS MORNING
Explosion So Terrific That Rescuers Know Every
Man Is Dead-Mines Owned By Drennens Of Br
mingham-Relief Train Rushed Out Over
Frisco From Birmingham -

Palos May -(Special.)-Between ITO
and $50 men are known to be dead as
the result of a terrific explosion in NO.
3 mine of the Palos Coal and Coke COM
pany at lbs o'clock this afternoon. The
force of the explosion was such that huge
pieces of timber were hurled from the
slope and the flame caused by the ex-
plosion shot into the air 200 feet
A man crossing the bridge nearly 200
feet from the mouth of the slope was
hurled 30 feet into the river and instantly
killed His body was terribly mangled
and his clothing burned by the flames.
J. A. Hays. a farmer at Adamsville, nine
miles from the mine, heard the explosion.
1t was believed Immediately after the ac-
cident occurred that none of the men in
the mine at the time could have survived,
so great was the force of the explosion.
Immediately after the accident the blow
ing engines which had been somewhat
damaged were put into commission and
that some of those on the inside might
still be alive.
Rescuers who went into the mine found
themselves greatly handicapped by the
debris and the gas or afterdamp. num-
ber of experts were on hand, however,
and the hospital car of the Tennessee
Coal, Iron and Railroad company, which
had been rushed to the scene from Bir-
mngham was put into commission
DISCOVERED BODIES
EARLY IN THEIR JOURNEY
AS the rescue parties worked their way
deeper and deeper into the slope by the
aid of the rescue helmets and other res
cue paraphernalia for gaseous mines, they
began to discover bodies lying here and
there. Some of them were badly mangled.
Three of them were, found in the main
slope and II others had been discovered
up to o'clock 1t was decided, however,
not to bring them to the surface until
morning because of the inadequate light
ing facilities.
Chief State Mine Inspector James Hill
house, who went over from Birmingham,
at once expressed the belief after maxi
ing a preliminary investigation that not
a single man who was in the mine had es-
capped.
Superintendent Drennen of the Palos
mines believes the bodies can be removed
very rapidly when the work starts in the
morning.
1t was at first reported that there were
40 white men and between 1870 and 145
negroes, but mine. officials tonight state
that their books show not more than 110
men in the mine, So white and 75 negroes.
AS many of the miners, however. en-
ployed helpers, there Is no way of know
ing tonight the exact number of VIC
Tins.
FACE OF CLIFF WAS
BLACkENED BY EXPLOSION
The mouth of the mine is on the left
side of the Little Warrior river and the
slope enters the side of a mountain which
rises to a great height almost perpendc-
ularly above the opening of the shaft.
Rocks about the mouth of the mine are
black with SCOT as result of the ex-
plosion.
The difficulty of the rescue work to-
night is enhanced by the stygian dark
ness. There are no lights except miners
lamps and few lanterns. The mining
village of Palos is all excitement tonight
and the wives, daughters and friends of
the entombed men present pitiful sight
as they stand about the mouth of. the
mine and upon the bank of the river on
the opposite side from the mine wringing
their hands and crying.
The rescue work began Immediately
after the special train over the Frisco
| arrived from Birmingham and proceeded
all night. General Manager F.. M. Dren-
men of the company reached Palos within
an hour after tue explosion and he turned
the whole situation over to J. J. Rutledge.
the government expert, who came to the
Birmingham district from Knoxville to in
vestigate the Mulga disaster.
Mr.. Drennen decided during the
best not to bring any of the. bodies
to the surface until daylight, when
there would be better provision fo-
handling them. A large number OF
stretchers and cots have been provided
and benches have been improvised upon
which to lay the bodies as they are
brought from the mine. 1t was suou
discovered that the undertakers would
be able to do almost nothing in View
of the inadequate lighting facilities
now available.
| The dead bodies will be in charge
Of Lige 10y and will be taken to Bir
mingham and prepared for burial.
The Red Cross is represented on tn q
scene and will do what it can to ala
| those in charge.
ELEVEN MEN FOUND
| EARLY IN EVENING
Eleven men were found on the In