———-
Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 13, 1910
Palos, Alabama – Heartrending Scenes after Mine Explodes in Fire
From The Birmingham News of May 6, 1910:
From The Birmingham News of May 7, 1910:
—–
Special to The Birmingham News.
PALOS, Ala., May 7.-Two families suffered hard in the explosion, the Penningtons and the Etansburys [Stansbury]. J. S. Pennington and three of his sons, Cliff, aged 24; Albert, 16, and Clarence, 15, were in the mines at the time of the explosion, while four Stanbury brothers were also among those who gave up their lives, Earl, Robert, C. H. and Fred.
[Said James Stansbury, the father:]
It is pretty hard to lose four fine sons in the mines, but I guess I will have to bear the awful burden. In a twinkling of an eye, four fine fellows are called to the beyond,
and the old man walked away, his heart sobbing and his eyes filled with tears.
For two days now the wife of J. S. Pennington and her eight children, some of them her step-children, have been sitting around near the improvised morgue near the trestle to the mines. She has been moaning off and on,
Mr. Pennington was a good man. He was a kind husband and a good father And the boys who met the same fate were all good boys. My grief is something terrible. We had such a fine family and the Penningtons have always been respected around here.
———-
FINDS HIS BROTHER DEAD
—–“My God, it is my brother!”
Elbert Milligan demanded admittance late Friday night to the engine room where the bodies of the white men were laid out after being brought from the ill-fated mines. He walked up to the form which bore a little slip of paper on which was written “John Milligan” and slipped back the piece of heavy duck that covered the face.
Then his hands rushed to his head and he stepped back with the statement made.
I can’t say where we will bury him. Father will arrange for that. I heard they had brought out his body. Nobody could stop me. Nobody tried I wanted to see him. I had to see him. My God, he was a good boy and had to go so fast. But, I guess it was fate.
———-
MAIL CARRIER IS BURIED
The remains of Samuel Goolby [Goolsby], the Justice of the peace and rural free delivery carrier, who was killed by the flames that dashed out of the mines at the explosion here Thursday, have been taken to Village Falls for burial. Coroner Brasher has summoned a jury to make a full investigation into his death and will meet in the coroner’s office in the courthouse this morning. Goolsby leaves a family of a widow and ten children. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and was well known in this section of the country.
———-
LOSES HER FATHER.
—–Miss Pearl McCain, the pretty young postmistress of Palos, is receiving the sympathy of many friends on the loss of her father and brother in the explosion Thursday. The brave little woman is bearing up under the awful strain. Her work in the postoffice is being looked after for a few days by J. M. Brown. She will resume her work after the bodies [have been buried.(?)]
Note: Emphasis added throughout.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote from Palos AL Mine Disaster Song by TJ Reid re May 5 1910
https://cdm17336.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17336coll5/id/401
The Birmingham News
(Birmingham, Alabama)
-May 6, 1910
https://www.newspapers.com/image/605983116/
-May 7, 1910
https://www.newspapers.com/image/605983160/
See also:
re May 5 Palos AL Mine Disaster
-from Birmingham News of May 6, 1910
May 5, 1910 – Palos No. 3 Mine Explosion
Palos Coal and Coke Company
Palos, Jefferson County, Alabama
No. Killed-84
https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/palos_no3.htm
April 20, 1910 – Mulga Mine Explosion
Birmingham Coal and Iron Company
Mulga, Jefferson County, Alabama
No. Killed–40
https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/mulga1_news_only.htm
Alabama Mine Disasters
https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/Mine_Disasters/search_all_state.asp?ACC_STATE_NAME=Alabama
For more on Mulga and Palos Mine Disasters
-Note: The towns are about 15 miles apart.
People and Things from the Walker County, Alabama
Jasper Mountain Eagle (1910 – 1913)
-ed by Robin Sterling
Lulu, 2013
(search separately: mulga; palos)
https://books.google.com/books?id=hgbFCwAAQBAJ
“Palos Mine Disaster Song”
-Lyrics by T. J. Reid, Ex-Miner
-Music by Wm. Glass
Bessemer AL, 1910
https://cdm17336.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17336coll5/id/401
Death Date May 5, 1910 at
West Jefferson Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery
-all miners mentioned above can be found buried there:
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2141161/memorial-search?firstname=&middlename=&lastname=&birthyear=&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=1910&deathyearfilter=&memorialid=&mcid=&linkedToName=&datefilter=&orderby=&partialLastName=true
Samuel Z. Goolsby
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18794324/samuel-z_-goolsby
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Mannington Mine Disaster – Hazel Dickens