The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-23
Hi||house Says 1t Was Allow
ed to Collect Because Of
Improper Ventilation
DYNAMITE WAS USED IN
SHOOTING DOWN THE COAL
State Inspector In Report to Governor
Stipulates Changes That Must Be
Made at Mine in Order to
Resume Operations


for publication by Governor Conner, is
full of interest for everyone who is ia
miliar with the catastrophe which
snuffed out the lives of 81 miners like the
| flame of candle
rne report was complied by State Mlne
Inspector James Hillhouse and states that
as far as can be ascertained the ex-
plosion was due to fire damp in the mine
that was allowed to accumulate by i'm
proper ventilation. The report goes into
great detail to explSin the. disaster and
| its causes Along with the document is
given circular that was sent out from
the mine inspectors office relative to ex-
plosions and also the last report made
by Associate Mine Inspector Robert
Neill of the condition of Palos mine No.
before the explosion.
| Inspector Hillhouse's report in full is
as follows:
Text of Report
Birmingham, May II, 1910.
Hon. B. b. Conner, Governor. Montgom-
| cry, Ala:
| In compliance with section % of the
mining law, Associate Mine Inspector
| Robert Neill and myself made careful
examination of the disaster at Palos mine
No 8, which took place at lbs p nj.
May 5, causing the loss of "a lives.
This mine is operated by the Palos Coal
and Coke company. The slope Is sunk on
the big seam and pitches about three de-
grees. 1t has been operating for the past
| IL or is years, and is on the bank of the
Warrior river, about 20 miles west of
| Birmingham.
| The mine had not been in operation
| from April 49, 1910, until May 4. All
the miners had not gotten back to their
work, or there woWd have been 125 men
in the mine. Every man was killed or
overcome by afterdamp. The explosion
caused the smoke, fanle and dust to come
out of the mouth of the mine 100 or $50
feet.
The first party to get In the mines soon
discovered that there was no chance for
| anyone to be alive, but there was no
time spared until temporary brattice with
canvas cloth and lumber was put up, and
by Sunday night or Monday morning, rs
bodies were gotten out This was all
that were in sight, but the searching
party kept at work and found eight more
covered up under falls of coal and slate.
One reasonAfor the delay was caused by
the gases that had accumulated in the
different headings.
On Thursday, the 18th, we made our ex-
point of the explosion. This was very
hard to do, especially as it came in con-
tect with coal dust that added force to
the explosion. Mr. Neill and myself were
accompanied in making our examination
| by Mr.. H. H. Hamilton, representative
of the DUPONT Powder company, Mr..
| Beard, the mine foreman and three prac-
tical miners.
First Heading Entered
| The first heading we went into was the
second left. Three men were found in this
heading. These men were pulling pillars.
Indications show that there was consid-
cradle heat at the working face where
those men were found. also surrounding
conditions show that the force of the ex-
plosion came from the heading below,
which is the thir1 left. as those two
headings are connected by rooms from
| third to second.
Third left heading we found to be dam
aged considerably from the force of ex-
plosion. No. Is room, 8 men were found.
and they were badly burned. Six men and
one boy were found at the third left side
track on the slope, which seems to have
been a central meeting point for chalmers
and drivers.
-Four left, nine men were found there.
These men were found in different parts
of heading: FIVE in No. 5 room, two at
switch OF No. room and two in No. 0
room. Fire was discovered in this head
ing between Nos. 6 and 7 room in cross
cut. This would indicate that consider
able heat had been at this point.
Four men were found in the fifth headt
ing. These men came to their death by
suffocation from the afterdamp, as they
were neither burned nor mutilated. Sixth
and seventh left were not working.
Seven right, four men were found on
this heading. Very little damage was
done. We did not examine these rooms
on account of their being full of fire.
damp and little or no ventilation to assist
us. but am entirely satisfied from our ex-
animation that the explosion did not start
at this point. as there was very little
disturbance and no indications of much
heat.
Find Heading Very Dusty
Sixth right, u bodies were found in this
heading. We found % sticks of carbonite
and some dynamite caps not exploded
also one stick Of carbonite made up ready
for firing with Ak dynamite cap and 21-
inch fuse. caps recommended for car
hon4te are 5x. This heading was very
dusty. The coal in this heading was un-
dermined by machines. great deal of dis
turbance was done at the tidetrack near
the slope, such as cars being thrown
from the track etc. We were delayed "a
hours from getting to the bodies in this
heading on account of SO much gas being
In 1t.
Thirteen bodies were found in different
parts of fourth right. We also found Al
dynamite caps and four sticks of car
bonite. Very little damage was done in
this heading, but men were all burned
This heading was not very dusty and
very little coke was shown on props.
In second right an overcast was blown
down and considerable damage done,
which shows that there was great force
to explosion. We also found 10Y sticks Of
40 per cent dynamite Aetna brand and
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