The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-06
Nine EXPLOSION KILLS 1855
cas- AND Dust SUPPOSED 10
HlTE Caused DISASTER


BodS AlmSsi Consumed WOPk -
ReseUers Made Futile b. mad Ar.
P,LOs. Ala, May S-AtI:SO O'Clock this
afternoon an explosion in mine No. Of
the Palos Coal and Coke Company. twenty
miles from birmingham, sntOmbsd forty
ave white men and ninety negroes
The explosion il believed 20 have been
caused by gas and dust II happened at
q time when employees were not supposed
to be blasting in the mines.
The explosion was Of such terrific force
that Samuel Goolsby. a justice Of the
peace and rural free delivery carrier.
walking on a railroad track 800 yards
from tho mouth Of the mine. was in
stantly killed, HE body being burned
almost TO a crisp. The country for miles
around was shaken by the explosion
Messages TO Birmingham and other
towns IN the region soon started resciing
parties to the scene. A. D. llghtner
general agent Of the Frisco road. got a
special train together and with a number
Of physicians. mine operators and others
went 20 PalOs
The rescue work was slow The oxygen
helmets we're brought into Use. but
cavsin a feS hundred feet in from the
mine mouth closed the passage Of fresh
ar
Among the whites known TO be In the
mine are : Pennington. his twenty
four -year-old son. CliR. a sNteen-year-
old son. Albert, and iifleen-year-Ol son.
Clarence. Pennington leaves a widow
and eight more children. Others in the
mine are /. Mccain. Knox Mccain. his
sons Flbert and Melvin. aged IS and -
respectively; Bob Bray. Ralph Sezzer.
aged II years; John McArdle. Jim Clarke. |
Bob White. Dave Williams. Dave Gwillim.
Dugal Guthrie. James Curley. Lee Bros
lein. aged IA. John MilliEan. ": Burgan
Bra-fisld, Ransom BrasHeld Martin
Black Martin Burr~ll. Fred Stansburg
and Hem S,ansburg.
The Palos Coal and Coke Company 10
made up of the Measrs. Drennen Of
Birmingham. N. p. Drennen h general
superintendent and james Baird super
intendent According 10 the general
superintendent there h no telling what
caused the explosion. The heading men
shoot between y and I7.SO O'Clock and
the regular shooting begins At l:S0.
The first aid 90 the injured societies
irom all parts Of the mining district
reached the scene within a few hours
ifter the accident and every device
known TO the mining profession was
brought into action. 2. n. Coz. RsnsrAl
Of coal mines Of the
tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad Com
lany. was one Of the leaders IN the rsscus
rork
A. dark not a body had been brought
,ut of the mine and there was not the
east hope that any could he alive.
The mine s a slope in the side Of the
Assistant State Nine In
'pectoT Bob Neal. who was on the scene
Within a few hours after the explosion.
AID that the mines had been inspected
short time ago He would not give
nv opinion as Ia what caused the explo-
ION. hut h. expressed a serious doubt I
- % any ~ the men being alive.
The Red CrOzs Society. through Jelks
'ahaui-s and number u members '
rom Birmingham are on the scene d
heung such succor az possible Ia those
b Distress. In
A. O'Clock tonight the rescuing :
arties had passed thrse bodies. but no
nort was made 10 pick them up Two {
lembers Of the resctiing parties we're '
yercOm- by afterdamp. and three others 4
q getting their buddies away from the
,ul air came near succumbinR The
FORK will b. kept up until the men in the
iines are reached dead or alive