The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-05-12
COAL NINE DISASTER.
One Hundred and Fifty Men Entomb-
ed by Explosion.

five white men and between 130 and
145 negroes are entombed in No. 8
coal mine at Palos tonight as the re-
suit of a terrific explosion occurring
this afternoon at 1870 o'clock.
Palos is 40 miles west of Birmingham
and the mines are owned by the Palos
Coal and Coke company, controlled
by Drennen Brothers of Birmingham.
State Mine Inspector James Hill
house, who is on the scene tonight,
thinks all the men in the mine are
dead. Two bodies were found early
tonight, but it is expected that few
of them can be recovered before
morning.
The flames resulting 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 machinery was
badly damaged, but air is being
pumped in the mine tonight in the
hope that some of the men are still
alive.
Local rescuers at Palos began at
once the work of rescue, but relief
work was not started in earnest until
the special train from Birmingham
arrived at Palos shortly after 4
o'clock. This special train carried
State Mine Inspector James Hill
house, j. J. Rutledge, government ex-
pert in charge of the geological sta
tion at Knoxville, Tenn, who hap
pened to be in the district investigat-
ing the recent disaster at Mulga, eight
persons and surgeons, four under
takers and a number Of special help
ers. The hospital relief car of the
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company was also taken. This car
contained helmets and all of the 9TH
er necessary paraphernalia for en-
tering gaseous mines.
The first rescuers who went into
the mine after the explosion were
overcome by fire damp and had to be
carried out. Mr.. Rutledge was among
the first to enter and after working
his way 400 feet down the slope,
found a second right entry cave-in.
The bodies recovered tonight were
in the main slope.
James Gousby, mail carrier, was
killed 80 feet from the mouth of the
slope and his body was hurled 80 feet
into the Warrior river. He was walk
ing along the railroad track and was
directly in front of the slope when
the explosion occurred. It was judged
from this that the force Of the ex-
plosion was such that none of the
men in the interior could possibly be
alive.
There are a number of mining
camps within two or three miles of
the Palos mine and within a short
time after the explosion great crowd
had gathered about the ill-fated
slope. 4
Hundreds of women and children
were AROUND the mine ringing their
hands and crying piteously tonight.
The Palos mines have been worked
for a number of years and the entries
were active. The only hope that some
of the men have escaped and are still
alive lies in the possibility that they
were far enough away from the ex-
plosion to have missed it's force. It
is thought that the explosion was
caused by the accumulation of gas in
some of the old abandoned entries
which are rarely visited.
Large Mines.
The Palos Coal and Coke company
is owned entirely by the Drennans Of
Birmingham. The mines have a ca
pacity of over 600 tons and have done
an enormous business for the past two
or three years, working night and
day. The company was one of the
few in the district which has always
lined up with the miners union and
they have always worked union min
ers only. The mines are in what is
known as the Warrior basin and are
within two miles, Of Flat Top and the
Messie mines, two of the largest and
most valuable mines in the district.
To-day's disaster Is regarded as
especially distressing as coming soon
after the Mulga explosion Thursday,
April 21, in which Al men lost their
lives. The Red Cross and other re-
lief work for the widows and orphans
at Mulga has not yet been completed.
Two government experts, J. J. Rut-