The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-07
HEROIC RESCUERS STRUGGLE
BRAYELY TO BRING PAL0S
VICTIMS TO THE SURFACE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE u


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charred form she was denied seeing the
body until it was washed and cleaned
Slowly she returned to her home, going
Z back over the hill to Palos from where her
cries of agony could be heard after she
had entered the woods half mile away.
This was the first scene of sorrow
stricken wife when the bodies were re-
covered. but many more occurred during
the day The latest report gathered about
the mine is that the total dead will go
above the first estimate by 40 or so men.
This is because there were men in the
mine who were working for contractors,
and the company's books show only the
contractors names. Henry McArdle is one
of the contractors who is known to have
% men working under him, and his is the
only name credited on the books of the
company.
It had been reported that McArdle's
body had been recovered. but men who
had been in the mine a short time before
the explosion claimed that he and his
gang are at the farthest extremity of the
mine and will be among the last to be
evening is that the total dead will reach
$50 or 40 persons.
Undertakers Have Difficulties
Lige 10y and Gaudin are in charge
of the bodies after they are taken from
the mine. The electric power house Of the
company located across the river from the
mine has been fitted up as a morgue for
the whites, and the blacksmith shop near
by is used for the negroes Tom Allen
of the Lige 10y company is in charge OF
the undertaking work. Mr.. Allen stated
that 1t will be very difficult to embalm
the bodies because they are stiff and gold
when recovered, and no circulation can be
obtained to do the embalming work. Many
of the bodies already recovered hayo COM
meneed to decompose, and the funerals
will be held at the earliest moment cofffns
can be obtained.
Saturday will be the first funeral day.
and they will continue from that on as
the bodies are taken from the mine and
prepared for burial.
Mr.. Allen said that none of the bodies
VIII be embalmed except those that have
to be sent away.
Hundreds of People Gather
Hundreds of people lined the roads lead
ing to the mines all day today, and at
3 O'Clock this evening it was estimated
that there were 1000 people at the mines
Everywhere could be seen people wailing
and crying and grooming in the sorrow
that followed the knowledge that their
loved ones were dead. Women tainted
several times and, scattered throughout
the crowd were groups Of women, all cry
ing and talking at the same time about
the last words and acts of their sons and
husbands and brothers when they left
home Thursday morning.
When the Age-Herald arrived this
morning the crowds gobbled up the pa
pers like magic and soon the people could
be seen collected in groups with the one
who could read, unfolding the story Of
the disaster to her more ignorant neigh
bors.
Along the road leading from the mines
to Palos all day could be seen wives and
sisters leaning on the 'front.' gate of their
little lawn fences looking toward the
mines, crying and calling in vain to the
loved one entombed in the pit of death
below.
Mrs. McCaine's Sorrow
This evening Mrs. ]. L. McCaine, whose
husband is buried in the bowels Of tho
mountain stood in the front yard of her
home shading her eyes with her hand az
she looked toward the mine mile dis
tant and cried for her husband to come
back to her: "Oh, Jim, my Jim," she
cried. where is he? Why don't they
get his body out? Oh! to think he is ~
ing in that dungeon. Oh, he's dead My
husband is dead; his body is cold and, he
will never talk to me again. Oh, why,
why. If there is Cod why did he allow
tbls?"
Jim Clarke, who is dead in the mine,
and who leave a two-months' bride, was
young miner just starting out to make
home for himself. His brother. West
| Clark, said he had talked to Jim before
he went into the mine Thursday, and that
he had said he was just getting his
business Strengthened out. He had bought
a home and was making payments on It,
He asked his brothers advice about Dor
rowing money to pay for the little home
in full and had decided to do this. Now
he is dead, and that home will not only
never be paid for. but it does no longer
exist Half of it's happiness lies cold
and unresponsive to the pleadngs of the
wife hundreds of feet under the ground.
The report that the first rescue work
was under the direction of Government
Inspector ]. J. Rutledge was a. mistake
The government inspector is not allowed
according to law to take charge of the
work. Assistant State Mine Inspector
Neal was in charge of the work until
Inspector Hillhouse arrived early this
morning.
Bravery Of Rescuers
The self-denial and bravery of the res
cue men will live forever In the memory
of men, An illustration was given when
Mine Foreman Baird was brought to
the surface today overcome and exhaust
ed from work. He said: God knows my
heart If there was someone to care for
my wife and babies l would much rather
be dead In the mine with my men,
There is not moment lost in making
up the rescue crews. As the man ir
charge announces time for a new crew
to enter and relieve the one In the min,
dozens Of men step forward and in
/ minute offer their lives for the rescu,