The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-23
MINE BLAST
DEATH TOLL
REACHES "a
Sixty Persons Injured
Men Trapped
CBy Associated Press)

Nby Associated HToSSJ
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Nov. %
Eighty-four lives we're lost and so per
sons were injured as the result of an
accident and explosion late yesterday
in Dolomite No. 8, coal mine of the
Woodward Iron company. according to
a statement issued at noon today by
Frank H. Crockard, president Of the
company.
OF the injured 35 were removed to
their homes, 25 were in hospitals. Work
of Identification at that hour had not
been completed but it was believed
there were 3S white dead and 25 in
jured.
Frantically battling against after
damp for three ana one-half hours so
miners pocketed in the forty-second
west entry of the mine were rescued
after they had been given up for lost
The so men working in the entry lead
ing directly from the yard were COM
pletely shut off from escape following
the blast. Failing to penetrate the
shaft all the imprisoned men waited
patiently for developments. AS min
utes ran into hours the after-damp be-
gan to effect the trapped men. A pro.
tecting wall of coal dust was then piled
up to shut off the bad air. The in
sidious gas soon penetrated the tenn
porary bulk-head and another was con-
structed. When members of the res
cue team arrived with oxygen helmets
and other safety equipment they found
oI f6n ekf1 80
group was conveyed to the surface in
state of nervous exhaustion.
35 White Men.
OF the dead SO were white men, of
the injured so per cent are negroes.
according to company officials. AT
least so men who are listed in the cas-
ualties were either killed or injured
when train of trip cars, running
wild from the tipple, crashed into the
mine yard in the main entry. This ac-
cident caused the swapping of an elec-
trio cable, which in turn set off the
dust which resulted in the explosion.
The concussion rocked the earth for
miles around and occurred SO nearly
simultaneously with the accident
which produced it that victims we're
not aware what was happening.
At dawn the weary watchers about
the pit appeared to renew hope that
the missing might be found. despite
announcement that 1al1 the I'VE per-
sons had been removed White and
black huddled in the biting cold about
the pit Many children refused to be
comforted. They stood through the
long night watching every crew that
emerged. Joy occasionally rewarded
women and children by workers turn
ing up throughout the night following
the escape from two other exits. The
other exits were miles from the main
entrance, and this caused families to
be separated from those rescued for
several hours in some instances.
Physician Drops
! Despite the fact he was feeling the
| effects of the dread black damp, DR.
Ed Right, member Of the first volun,
| teer rescue crew to enter No. 8
battled desperately throughout the
hours OF the night and did not cease
administering to the dying until he
| himself had fallen unconscious by
their side. Shortly after the first res
cue teams were organized last nigh
the physician offered his service. En-
terfng the mine without an oxyger
mask which members of the ]. G. /
mine rescue teams, DR.. Right did mo-
leave the cold dark passageway unit
he was carried out on a, stretcher.
One of the officials announced thii
morning that all bodies had been re
moved from the pit and that at tha
hour check was being made to de
termine the exact Hst~of fatalities.