The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-24
SCENE OF SABINE IS
ON SPECIAL TRAIN
CA R Ry N c De A D
Grief Stricken Relatives of
Missing Men in Some Cases
Compelled to View I'M
identified Miners

Through the earnest and unstint-
ing efforts Of white and eolored
miners of the Dolomite district all
the injured and dead, victims of the
dust explosion which befelI Dolo-
mite mine No. 8 Of the Woodward
Iron company at Dolomits Wednes-
day had been removed from the
mine by 8 o'clock Thursday morning.
Company authorities having in
charge the checking Of the dead and
injured placed the number Of dead
at "a, 81 Of whom are white men,
and rs injured, few seriously, out
of total Of ATS men who were
working at the mine when the dis
,aster occurred.
Only one white man was uniden-
titled, although the bodies Of is ne
groes are being held In the morgue
Of Huey & Mcconnell lat Bessemer
pending positive Identification.
Woodward authorities announced
they expected to have every man ac-
counted for in some manner within
the next 36 hours.
One of the saddest speetaciea
in the history of tho city of Bessemer
was presented Thursday morning
when the bodies of 81 miners were
placed In the Huey-McConnell
morgue. having been brought In on
a special train made up at tho mine.
Every available conveyance was
pressed into service by the under
taking authorities in their efforts to
bring the bodies from the train to
tho morsue thereby speeding up thu
Identification work. Many of the
bodies had lost the company badge
numbers or the slip Of paper attached
TO potion OF their clothing when
the hotaes ware Being Identified b.
relatives.
Brothers side ny side
Many touching scenes occurred on
the outside OF the morgue. where
crowds thronged long before day
break to obtain word OF members
of their families who had not been
located by them.
Through the hand OF fate. the
bodies of two brothers. Tom and
Hershell wornick, both of whom
were only recently married, were
Identified laying side by side. The
disfigured from burns, as were prac-
tically every one of the bodies. al
though physicians said that their
death resulted from poisonous gases
forming as an aftermath of the ex-
plosion.
In the negro section OF the morgue.
two separate rooms were filled with
bodies, each laid out in an orderly
manner. A giant black, an employee,
who later gave his name as Frank
Dixon, appeared in the room with
others 10 expedite the Identification
work As he moved down the second
row OF bodies. he paused suddenly.
He had found the body of his
younger brother. Cornelius Dixon.
whom he supposed was at home. As
the grief-stricllen man was being led
away from the scene, he passed the
last row of bodies. one among whom
he identified as a second and last
brother, John Dixon.
Many other such scenes TRANSFERRED
which necessitated that the door he
locked to the morgue room until the
Identification work be completed and
the bodies prepared for burial.
Bessemer police authorities later APP
neared on the scene and stayed the
crowd.
Families Watch
Al the mines and during the time
the bodies were being brought out
of the mouth OF the mine. memt efs
Of the families OF the victims lined
the railroad tracks bordering the
mine yards. eagerly scanning the up
turned faces and peering under
blankets to see II the quiet form be-
meath was the one for whom they
we're searching
A great work was accomplished by
the women Of the mining settlements
affiliated with local charitable or
eanizations in preparing and furnish
ing hot coffee and sandwiches TO the
rescue workers Officials Of the COM
pany were loud in their praise of the
services rendered by the women, de-
ciarlng that they aided greatly in
keeping UP the morale Of the rescue
forces during the bitter cold hours
of the early morning.
state. federal and company author
tiles conducting an Investigation into
The accident. determined that the
cause Of the explosion was from
three skip cars breaking loose at
the top Of the 25-degFee slope ami
going back down the tracks at
terrific rate of speed. stirring up
great clouds Of coal dust in their
race back down. the slope,
Firemen mt Work
The wheels OF the cars evidently
came in contact With a live wire or
cable. causing sparks to ignite tho
combustible- coal dust. flames FROM
which explosion made their exl
through the mouth OF the mine am
to the tipple house, which was par
TALLY ruined from the flames. Gall
liant work on the part OF the Bes-
semsr fire department. which re-
snon led e. an urgent call saved the
tipple hotse from complete destgue-
ton with consequent delay in tha
rescue work
Company authorities said Thursday
that the less. including insurance
policies 10 be paid. and the loss sus-
Jared to the mine would reach over
sse9.eoe.
These IN ckar ge OF the mine rescue
work ann, .nced that they were con-
fidsnt that the mine had been cleared
sof all hod.es although searching par
ties were in the mines Throughout
Thursday searching for others in the
event that they had become lost or