FME Newspaper Stories (1/12)

Inez'Version BlackHeroVersion taken from previous news artlcles. Hewey Miller and Joe Hatfield had dropped off the mantrip men at their stations and were ready to bring out a load of coal (cars filled and left over from the past Friday) when an arc from the generator in the head of 6 left was engaged and a spark set of the explosion. They tried to walk out but were overcome by black damp about 500 feet from where Nath and Hobe were found. they returned to the area of 5 left when they found five more who had tried to go back to 6 left where most of the other miners were and were stopped for the same reason. they found a bit of breathablel air in 5left and so decided to bradish themselves in. Joe Hatfield had some chalk because he marked track & ties for the repair crews. do not believe there was anyone else who even knew how to read and write. Joe had his lunch box in his motor and so it was brought into where they were, but everything had turned green and the water had scum on top so they were afraid to eat any. Mr. Bennett tried to eat an apple but it made him sick. There were no such things as sandwiches because only cornbread and biscuits were used by everyone. even the families of miners were not familiar with "light bread" as it was not available to purchase. Joe Hatfield lived 45 years after the explosion and from his statements over the years, plus having the official report of this disaster from MSHA which contradicts these articles which were written for sensationalism in newspapers throughout America.