The Washington Penna, Reporter
Tuesday Evening, December 17, 1907
SEVENTY-FIVE DIED
IN MINE EXPLOSION
Forty Bodies Recovered From
Debris of the Yolande Workings
DUST WAS RESPONSIBLE
United Press Dispatch.
Yolande, Ala., Dec. 17.—Estimates at noon are that from 72 to 75 are
dead as a result of yesterday’s explosion.
Forty bodies have now been recovered. The remainder will be brought
out by night.
The explosion was below the second right sub-entry. The mines go
down about 1,500 feet. The force of the explosion was made known out-side by
the dust and timbers blown out in great quantities, destroying small buildings
nearby and landing some distance away. There was terrific heat near the
shaft after the explosion.
Officers of the mining company immediately took steps to start a rescue
party to get to the men on the inside. The fans were started and other means
employed to eliminate the bad air.
Within an hour 14 men had crawled out of the mine, and their description
of the interior conditions was terrible. Several of these men were severely
burned.
For two hours after the explosion it was impossible to venture even
near the mouth of the mine, so hot was the air that rushed out.