Pray for the dead
and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Monday August 20, 1917
Clay, Kentucky – Town in Mourning for Lost Miners
A town in western Kentucky continues to mourn its dead as the reported death toll now stands at 64.
From Hopkinsville Kentuckian of Aug 16, 1917:
Total of 64 Dead.
—–
—–
Clay, Ky., Aug. 15.-The West Kentucky mine, the scene of the greatest mining disaster that has occurred in a west Kentucky coal mine was cleared of the dead today, when the last dead bodies were brought out. A total of 63 dead bodies have been removed.
———-
[Photograph added.]
From The West Virginian of Aug 4, 1917:
The Virginian was one of the first newspapers to report the terrible news.
—–
CLAY, Ky., Aug 4.-Two hundred miners are entombed in mine Number 7 of the West Kentucky Coal Company here as a result of an explosion of gas at 7:30 this morning.
Three men have been rescued.
Smoke is emerging from the mine. The explosion it was said, occurred in the south end of the mines, where negroes were employed largely.
Debris, it was stated chocked the passage to the north end where the remainder of the force including 40 white men were at work.
—–
MADISONVILLE, Ky., Aug. 4.-Reports which reached here several hours after a gas explosion in mine number 7 of the West Kentucky Coal Company at Clay, said that 31 men, all negroes, had been rescued. Many was said were badly burned.
Employes of the Company and soldiers of Company C., First Regiment, Kentucky National Guard are working desperately to save the others. Superintendent Jenkins in charge of the 10 mines owned by the West Kentucky Coal Company in this section is directing the rescue work and has asked that a relief car from the mine rescue station at Evansville, Ind., be sent here.
The soldiers who had been on guard duty during the strike troubles here have assumed charge of the situation and are allowing no one not directly connected with the rescue operations to approach the workings. The explosion is assented by those in authority to be not connected with the strike troubles.
——
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4,-Bureau of Mine officials said their car No. 3 with experts aboard had left Evansville, Ind., for the Clay mine.
———-
SOURCES
Hopkinsville Kentuckian
(Hopkinsville, Kentucky)
-Aug 16, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/93121344/
The West Virginian
(Fairmont, West Virginia)
-Aug 4, 1917
(Also source for image of text within article.)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1917-08-04/ed-1/seq-1/
IMAGE
Clay KY MnDs, 3 Brothers, Louisville Cr Jr, Aug 9, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/119376065/
See also:
African-American Coal Miners
Note: this article is about West Virginia, I could not find information, specifically about Kentucky.
https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/25
The United Mine Workers of America organized African-America Coal Miners from the founding in 1890. One of the best and bravest organizers was Richard L. Davis, who, in 1896, was elected to the UMWA Executive Board. He is one of our unsung labor heros.
(search: “richard l davis”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=zEWsZ81Bd3YC
Note: Official number killed is 62.
Aug. 4, 1917
Clay, Kentucky
West Kentucky Coal Company
West Kentucky No.7 Mine Explosion
http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/west_kentucky7.htm
Search at Chronicling America
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/pages/results/?dateFilterType=range&date1=08%2F01%2F1917&date2=08%2F19%2F1917&language=&ortext=&andtext=clay+kentucky+mine+explosion&phrasetext=&proxtext=&proxdistance=5&rows=50&searchType=advanced&sort=date