Imperial Valley press., 1922-11-23
EICHTY-FIVE DIE
in HUGE ALABAMA
Mine EXPLOSION
Disaster Caused by Racing
Mine Cars Breaking
Electric Wires
Hundreds of Men EntOmbed
in Greatest Disaster
Alabama Ever Had
United Press Leased Wire


Eiehtv-five miners lost their lives III
an explosion in the Dolomite mine late
yesterday, officials of the Woodward
Iron Company announced today.
The victims, included % whites.
Seventy-tive workers were injured Sc
verev and scores slightly burned.
Bodies of eighty-two victims of the
explosion which entombed 475 workers,
had been brought to the surface at an
early hour today.
The other miners entOmbed by the
explosion of mine dust yesterday were
huddled together safely when found by
rescue crews.
Crowds of relatives and friends jam
med about the mine mouth became so
frantic and hysterical as the bodies
were brought to the surface and stack
ed in heaps awaiting undertakers that
militia was called to control the stu
alton.
The armed 'guardsmen presented
barrier between the dead and fear
'crazed relatives, anxious to learn the
fate of their loved ones
Relatives Gather at Mouth
The first load of dead was brought
The bodies were placed in temporary
structures while awaiting stretchers
and collins from Birmingham.
+ Screaming women and children stood
at the flaming entrance of the long
slope shaft watching i'll agony the work
of rescue.
The rescue workers were still cx-
ploring the most distant recesses of
the mine, while handful of the thou
sands of relatives and curious spccta-
tors, who jammed about the mine
mouth as load after load of dead was
stacked on the cold ground, still milled
around the charrcd and smoking tipple,
awaiting possible news of additional
victims.
The explosion was caused by an elec
tric spark igniting mine dust. Sheets
of flame swept the mine and spouted
from the tipple, blocking the entrance.
The first of the ent0mbed men, %
blackened workers came out of the
shaft after the blast and within two
hours many others, with terrified faces,
appeared. After that IL steady stream
of uninjured and injured and dead was
brought out.
Crowds gathered at the entrance as
the word of the disaster swept through
the little settlement
Fan Saves Many
The fact that the fan system was not
destroyed probably saved many lives,
as it was possible to constantly pump
fresh air into the mine.
The breaking loose of three ears on
the tipple caused the explosion. The
cars raced back into the mine and
broke electric light wires, causing
sparks to fly, which set off the dust
tremendous explosion swept the first
level, about 1900 feet long, carrying
with it rush of air, the conclusion
following.
A sheet of flame rolled along the
level to the mouth of the mine and
great tognue of fire leapcd to the
tipple, about 800 feet from the mouth
of the mine,
Rescue squads found the first surviv-
ors shortly after they entered the mine.
Struggling into the air, these survivors
told of passing dozens of bodies lying
in the main level.
Families of the miners gathered
quickly. Wierd scenes were presented
in the valley into which the mine
opens. Watching the rescue~work, by
the half-light of the burning tipple,
screaming women and children were
massed ON the hillside watching the
tragic scene below as their relatives
were piled on the ground.
Bring out the living first, . rescue
workers were told, Until nearly II
o clock the survivors were brought out,
then the first load of dead appeared at
the mine smouth. Stretchers, shutters,
boards and other improyised slabs
poured from the interior A fleet of
ambulances dashed about, removing
bodies to morgues as fast as they
were brought up.