The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-16
CORONER'S REPORT 0N M|ULGA DISASTER Caused By Short Circuit of
 Air By Broken Door COMPANY CENSURED Jury Says Men Should Have Been Called From Dangerous Area Un- til Circulation Was Restored.
 Recommendation Made
COMPANY CENSURED

Condemning the action of the off :. clsls of the Mulga mines for not talk ing proper precautionary measures to safeguard the lives of the workmen in the mines and making certain recom- mondations, the jury impaneled by Cor oner Spain to. investigate the Mulga mine explosion, which occurred October D. in which 16 lives were lost, made its report yesterday. The jury was com posed entirely of practical miners. all of whom have worked in and around Pratt mines for the past 25 years. and all well known throughout the mining districts of the state.
 They were impaneled on Monday morning and during their inves.iga- tions visited the scene of the disaster and examined the headings and rooms where the men were killed. Coroner Spain states that he and the jury were shown every courtesy by the officials of tine company while making their in- vestigations for which he expressed his thanks. He also thanked the jury for the painstaking and efficient man her ill which they made the investiga- tion.
 The report follows:
 Inquest over the remains of Ed King, C.. R. Combell. John zalemsk, Bob Dupion, Joe Malcoskie, Wilet Pill coskie, John Krativick. white. Scott Garret, Warren Whatis, Hamp Swan son, Cory Howard. w. M. Long. Joe Bragoon. Bert Webster. Tom Mitchell and Sam Chatham. colored
 D.. cl--x ' Held at Birmingham. October 12 1914
 'We, the jury duly impaneled by the coroner of Jefferson county, on, to- wit, the 18th day of October, 1914, to inquire into the cause of death of the above mentioned. who met their death at the Mulga mines; Mulga. Ala, on October ,, 1914, having diligently in- vestigated said cause. taking all the testimony obtainable. we agree tha, the deceased came to their deaths by all explosion of gas at Mulga mines, Octo- Der ;. 1914, caused hy the trap door in the eighth right heading being broken down and not being replaced for a period of approximately one hour The air was short circuited. causing an accumulation of gas in the eighth and ninth right headings and rooms, and as there were men working in said headings and rooms with naked lights the gas accumulated coming in con tact with these naked lights caused the explosion, which resulted in tho death of the aforesaid aforementioned parties.
 We find that the trap door was al 1t !, of ipS attacked to an empty trip In charge of Ed Lee, colored. motorman, and Jackson Rodgers, colored. trip rider. This motorman. Lee, and trip rider. Rodgers, were not the motorman anu rider who went into the eighth righ. heading regularly but were only plac- ing the car load of ties. which were for use in the eighth right heading. The trapper boy at the door on the eighth right heading wanted to open the door, but the trip rider. Rodgers. told him he was not going through the door so not to bother to open said ooor. But said Rodgers must have mis- calculated the distance as we find that tho car of ties crashed into the door and broke it down, frame and all; :; therefore shortcircuiting the air and dcpriying the said eighth and ninth headings of the proper amount of ven tilation necessary to keep down the gas which was being produced in said heading.
 Company Censured
 Therefore, we, as jurors, consider that ar the ventilation of said eighth and ninth headings was cut off and impaired. we condemn the action of tro company officials for not taking proper precautionary measures to safe guard the lives of the workmen in said eighth and ninth headings by ca1ling them out from the danger zone in said headings until such time as the cir. culation of the air was restored as would again make 1t safe to continue working in said eighth and ninth head ings.
 verdict, we, as jurors, recommend that ip all mines generating gas that as soon as practicable overcast be put in on all headings and the use of trap doors be discontinued as far as pos sibls. We also recommend that when the air is shortcircuited or the ventil- sticn of any mines be impaired so that fl is dangerous to human life and safe ty that it be the duty of the manage ment 10 call the men in said mines to plAee of safety.
 We also recommend that in all mines generating gas that the fire boss who examines the working places no mere than three hours must eiapse from the time the place has been ex- anained until the working man goes fc his place of work.
 JOHN GUTHRIE.
 "AI J. SHENLIN.
 CIVILIAN MUIR,
 SAM BRODIE
 "JOE HOSKINS. JAMES LIDDELIA 'C. L. SPAIN. coroner of Jefferson