The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-11-24
81 Killed in
Coal Mine
Explosion 9
H',;' s,. Ts;&ssy !. ring g.. Of
Elec;a' - by Skip
~ .%' ming Wild
~ L Trapped.
Sixty Persons Are Injured

Birmingham, Ala. Nov 23.--Elgh.
ty'four lives were lost and go per.
Sons were injured an a result OF an
nccideaI and explosion yesterday In
Dolemitc No. . coal mine II the Wood.
ward Iron company, according TO
statement issued mt noon today by
Frank ". Cfockard. president of the
company. OF the Injured, 35 were 10
moved 90 their homes. 25 were In
hospitals. Work Of Identification has
not been completed, but II was be.
lleyod there were IS white dead and
70 while injured.
The accident and blast came almost
simultaneously. Ike two flashes OF
lightning, cntropping AT men. Weary
hours had passed before 1913 Of these
workers had escaped by means Of two
nanways into adjoining mines and by
the main entry.
According to company officials. the
explosion occurred simultaneously
with the crash Of three Skip" cars,
which ran wild" down tbs slope 10
the mine yards" approximately LOO
feet from the entrance. These cars,
breaking the cable, while they were
being hauled up the slope TO the en-.
trance. crashed downward, severing
an electric circuit. This caused a
spark and as the cars crashed into
the yards" which were In the In.
terror Of the mine, where loaded coal
cars were assembled before being
hauled to the surface. the explosion
occurred.
Scenes OF PathOs.
Scenes of pathos about the mine
mouth, during the night and early
morning hours. continued az relatives
and families OF miners known TO have
been In the mine when the blast oc.
CURED, waited expectantly for news
Of their loved ones.
Many of these men. II was believed.
bad reached the surface safely
through the runway connecting the
mine with mine No. 2. and had re-
entered the workings to belp In res.
cue work without communication
with company officials or relatives.
Joyous reunions occasionally re-
lieyed the sorrowfui scenes. One
small girl gave a cry Of delight as a
grimy miner emerged, his face smoke
blackened and his clothing torn. The
little girl threw herself into his arms
and the pair hurried away. An aged
woman IL said to have collapsed as
she greeted two sons, after several |
hours Of sanxious waiting at the en-.
trance. The boys, meeting rescuers
In the mine as they were making
their way out and learning that the
were safe again from
poisonous gases had instantly turned |
back TO aid IN the search for other
men, thus keeping their mother In
suspense until they finally reached !
the surface.
Stories OF IIerojsm.
Stories Of heroism, common in coal |
mine disasters, began 10 irickle out |
this morning as begrimed rescuers |
came 10 the surface after long hours
Of work IN the mine.
One rescuer told Of an unidentified /
nine foreman who assembled about |
him 30 workers and soon after the !
blast took place ordered all TO remain
with him ard work on fixing up
brattices with stones and canvas TO
shut off the dreaded after-damp gas
that he felt sure was to follow the
explosion. According to the rescuer.
worker. one miner objected to remain.
ng with the rest of the men and be-
gan TO fight his way outward. The
rest stayed behind and completed the
5rattice q stones and canvas. When
he fans were started and the air
cleared sufficiently TO make it safe TO
ear down the temporary wall and
he foreman led his men out. the body
If the man who refused to stick with
he rest was found only few feet
lway from the temporary brattice. a
victim Of the gas.
Many OF the more seriously injured
nay succumb, il was said at the hos
1ital in ,Bessemer, where they were
aiken after they were rescued.
II was after midnight before the
,tate militia at the scene OF the dis
ister was able 10 clear the district
bout the mine entrance OF the hun
lrcds of curious who came to watch
he rescue work.
The force OF the explosion was felt
n Birmingham. nine miles distant.