The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-05
FEARFUL EXPLOSION
IN BESSIE MINE
ENTOMBS THIRTY;
SEVERAL RESCUED


VIM Caldwell. George Brown, Amos
James, WIN Latimer. Joe Robinson. John
Robinson. George Washington, John
Giles, Sam Taylor. WIN Dobbins, Leroy
Pearson. Charles Brown, John Dumas,
W. Stalllngs, Jim Moore. Tom Elias and
NJ Clark.
The cause of the explosion remains UNI
known.
Il is generally attributed TO gas. and It
is believed that the origin OF the eN-
plosion was near the bottom of the slope,
about the fifteenth or sixteenth entry,
The force of the explosion was heaviest
about the fourth entry of the slope. The
explosion seemed to hug the top OF the
slope, for the massive concrete and stone
hrattices were broken into a thousand
particles while the track. in the slope,
was unframed by the explosion
FIRST RESCUERS
The death of two negroes was at
tributed to the force OF the explosion.
First rescuers. advancing to the fourth
entry. found the decapitated bodies of
two Miners who were burned white by
the heat that accompanied the discharge
These men, with their bodies mangled and
their bones broken. We're removed from
the slope about O'clock yesterday
morning but neither was Identified until
late last night. when one of the head
less bodies was Identified as George
Washington, A shred from his trousers
made this Identification possible. The
other man has not been claimed by rela-
lives.
Crews OF rescuers labored until sun
down before effecting another recovery,
About 5 o'clock the bodies of win Dob
bins and Leroy Pearson, two oolored ma
chine runners. were located in the elshth
right entry. prone upon the bottom of
the mine. The deadly afterdamp had
caused their death as there was no sign
OF injury done by the force OF the eN-
plosion.
John Shell. with two negroes, was
found hratticed in safety in the ninth
right entry, and was brought to the sur
face next Instead of being weak and
weary from the ordeal and taken to the
hospital they were hungry. The white
fire boss consumed a bowl of soup and
other foods. while Tom Sims ah~ three
bowls of soup and a great quantity of
bacon barbecue and bread NJ Williams
set steady pace.
HOPE FADED AWAY
Hope that more might be recovered
faded away an hour later Martin Jones,
Lonnie Gray and Fred sharpe two white
machine runners and a seraper We're
found dead from afterdamp in the eighth
right entry.
When the helmet men penetrated the
eleventh left entry. where the new slope
was being driven, they located seven addi-
tional dead. two white men and five ne
groes. But at midnight these had net
been identified
Thus Il miners We're still ntomoed.
Some believing that few Of the 70.
naming might have had the presence
az mind to ind am air pipe, and erattice
themselves away from the afterdamp,
hoped that, with the coming Of dawn,
rescuess might tlnd men alive, but adj
-Nta NNa.N
the rescuers took nothing Ter granted
and continued their lahors In the bowels
of the earth and hoped for the best
Engaged in this meni2l task were first
aid workers from every mine in the Bur-
mingham district Thirty oxygen helmets
We're available and over 800 expert nsn
In doing rescue work. Crews from Flat
Ton, Palos, Sayreton. NIulga. polomite,
Pratt CITY noeena and other mines or
fered their aid,
u. 5. FIRST AID CAR
The bureau Of mines first aid ear ar
rived on the scene early saturday morn
ing in charge Of W. T. Burgess and +,
Il. Sutton. They brought Is sets Of
treathinS apparatus and aided in the
work. {. H. Neshltt. state Inspector e.
mines: Dave heiSo. Hugh Lynch and
Seth Thompson. assistant inspectors.
We're at Bessie a few hours after the eN-
aud directing the rese0ers in the mine,
j. Campbell Maben, Jr.. sind J. w Me-
Queen. vice president and Jones q.
Moore, seaeFal superintendent Of coal
aaines OF the SloSs-S sheffield Steel and
Iron company, We're amonS the first to
arrive at Bessie. They Mere active al.
day and We're aldlng in the work when
the vigil extended through the night
The explosion, while terrific. was not
Intensely loud. Il was more like a
mufsfeS roar, With thunderoas effect
that shook tho country for 20 miles
around the mine. Mute evidence Of its
force was shown IN the caved-in banks
over the pit OF the slope. The roots o,
the two fan stations were blown OF oy
the decoration. bat officials Of the com
pany stated that the fans did not stop
Part of the ROOF on the tippls WAS carr
riei away By the explosion. while win
COWS were broAea out in houses nearby
Had the explosion occurred durtAg shs
kraay. il would have sNaetsSs IN all prob
a ability. a toll that would ran into hum
SredS~ The Bessie mine employs IN
miners aEal has 3 eapaclvy OF ma tons :
day. II WAS Inspected tor gas TWO weeks
axo Friday by the assistant state IN
spector Of mines. HuSh Lynch. Snd had
been pronounced safe IN every particular.
The laws of Alabama require an inSpSc-
tlon every ~ days
EIGHT LIVES SAVED
no john Drake and John shell. Uhlgs
fre eosses. IS attributed the saving Of
ehs elxhs lives DRAKE led John MCGOWAN