The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-27


The fate of fourteen men still
grimy and weary from the fight to
mine, said chances we're less than a
One more body was found late
Monday night when the north entry
of the coal mine was unsealed. The
body was not identified.
Searchers came upon twenty
seven bodies Christmas day and
carried them to the surface Six
teen were in one sector, eleven in
another Twelve bodies previously
had been recovered.
ReScuers penetrated only slight
distance in the shaft. No fire was
found in this passage. For a 100
feet or more, a heavy fall of shale
and rock blocked the chamber. Sew
eral missing men were believed
buried under this mass.
300 Dependents Left
The ventilating system started to
pour fresh aid into the Apasageway.
Rescue work was halted until 10 a
m. today when fumes were expelled
sufficiently to allow crews to re-
enter the blocked shaft.
The shock of the tragedy hung
heavy over the little coal mining
community of 400 persons today.
One out of every five of the one
story frame houses that struggle
back from the hard road which
bisects the town has been bereft of
its wage Garner.
1t was in these homes that forces
of the disaster struck heaviest.
More than 800 persons we're left
as dependents" f1fty-four min
ers. Most of them will be forced to
rely on charity.
In these houses Christmas trees
stood unlighted, unnoticed. Gifts,
already wrapped when the explosion
occurred the morning before Christ
mas. lay untouched
There was no Christmas Joy in
Moweaqua Several churches cam
celed services.
Christmas Is Abandoned
Jolly Tom Jackson who had been
cast in the role of Santa Claus for
the community celebration, was
among those trapped in the mine.
The idea of substitute entered
the mind of none.
Mothers dropped their holiday
baking when news of the blast
sent them to the mine head to wait
with waning hope that some men
might have survived.
Christmas turkeys we're left in
cold ovens through the long hours
of hysterical vigil. Children waited,
solemn and fearful, beside their
mothers. They had no eye for toys
that had been bought to add JOY
to the holiday.
Across the street from the morgue
where ambulances brought body
after body stood the community
Christmas tree, garish with tinsel
ornaments.
Morale Is Reviving
The community celebration was
omitted without need of formal an
nouncement Every effort was be-
ing bent toward what then seemed
a possible rescue of some of the
blast victims
Today the shattered morale of the
community was reviving Leaders
were seeking aid to prevent other
wise certain suffering among the
families whose wage earners we're
killed in the mine. A trust fund
Of $4,000 was set as a goal to pro-
vide for the survivors.
A call was prepared for submits
sion to Governor Louis L. Emmer-
son asking that the state contribute
$4,000. Representative Charles Ad-
kins was asked to seek $4,000 from
congress. Aid was requested from
the Red Gross.
Most of the miners who died left
large families. One had as many as
fourteen children, others had as
many as dozen.
May Sink New Shafts
The victims had been able to put
aside little toward a rainy day.
Though the mine had been work
ing with fair regularity for four
months, wages were little more than
enough to feed the many children.
Almost half the mines normal force
of l20 men was wiped out
Glenn Shafer, the mine owner,
said it would be several months be-
fore operations could be resumed.
The shafts are badly filed with
debris. Many of the galleries must
be retimbered.
One plan was advanced to aban-
don the ruined galleries. buy new
coal rights nearby and sink new
shafts.
The mine, located on the out
skirts of the village, is the only in
dustry. If digging can not be re-
sumed until spring. the families of
miners who survive. as well as those
directly hit by the tragedy, will face