The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-11-23
Coal Mine
W rocked by
One Hundred and - Men
Rescued Following Alabama
Disaster Fifty Are Re-
ported Injured.
Fire flinders Rescuers

Birmingham. Ala. Nov 22-tRy A
rt-sixty miners are known 10 be
Gend and the fate " 2i5 others cn
tomhed In M. mine Of the wood.
ward Iron company M Dolomite was
regarded as uncertain by rescue
crews. who early tonight We're aug.
menting their forces for exploration
of all entries of the pit
One hundred and twenty iye men
of total Of 400. IN the mine when
il was partly wrecked by q dust TX.
plosion at 2:40 this afternoon we're
removed late in the day from the pit
by means Of manway connecting
mines 2 and 3 Of the Woodward com.
pany. Fifty OF the men were report.
ed injured. a few seriously
Rescue workers reported that the
number Of dead would probably run
high, It being believed that many II
the remaining 2l5 uuaccounted for
would be found dead or injured.
Fire flinders Rescue Work.
Fire. which followed the explosion
hindsred the work Of rescue, and was
believed 10 have been responsible for
many deaths. The injured among the
fra. men rescued were removed "a
Ressemer hospitals
Half OF the men are white.
AS the work Of rescue progressed
reports TO the surface grew less hope
ful. One squad Of workers reported
seeing bodies "strewn all along the
main passageway."
As darkness came, women and chill
dren crowded closer about the mine,
anxiously waiting in common horror.
word from the pit The injured were
being removed by rescue crews, while
undertakers assistants We're prepar-
lkg, for removal Of the dead found in
the entries nearest the manway
Red Cross Sends Nurses.
No attempt at Identification Of the
dead or seriously injured had been
attempted, the work Of emergency re-
lief claiming first attention. All the
doctors and nurses in the community
had been narshalled to care for the
wounded.
The American Red Cross sent u
corps of nurses and assistants 10 the
scene CT the disaster. Ambulance
companies armed with lung motora
Joined the rescue crews. whose opera
tons were directed by Ed Flynn. head
Of the Tennesses Coal, Iron and Rail-
road company's safety department.
and Frank Fl. Crockard. president Of
the Woodward company.
Officials of the company directed
that every effort should be made 10
Identify the dead and injured in order
to relieve the suspense OF the hun
dreds Of families in the camp.
At the company's office Il was
7 stated that Of AIS men who checked
in for work today 400 We're under
ground when the explosion occurred
Militia Ordered to Mine.
1 According to mine officials. a broken
electric circuit caused by the runaway
Of a train OF trip cars. was respon-
sible for ignition Of the dust.
1 A detail Of Alabama National guard
I on duty in the railroad strike area
in Birmingham. with capt r. r.
Thomas. medical officer. commanded
! by Capt. Harry E. Smith and Lieut.
Walter j Hanna were ordered to the
mine
Military headquarters announced
that an additional force Of s5 men
would be dispatched to the mine
Thursday morning 70 aid in the gem
! eral rescue work and for guard duty
at the mine
! Assistant supt. T VI Trew and
four men were injured when they
We're trapped in the top house fol-
lowing the explosion while endeavor.
I ing to sound the alarm In the pit when
they discovered the trip train "run-
/ ming Wild
I polomito IL nine miles southeesl ot
/ Birmingham
The United States bureau II mines
has ordered rescue car from tbs
Kentucky mine field ID vas au.
uouueed at the local station. Daniel
Harrington u Denver Is directing the
work ~ the local station The Ken
iuckv ear viii include fiili rsscus
F crews and equipment. u was stated