"SHINBRIER" ALMOST HEAVEN by "dizzy" harris. 

McDOWELL COUNTY, WV - PHOTO COLLECTION

This is a terrific collection of photos from the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. They are a part of the AMERICAN MEMORY COLLECTION covering the years 1935 to 1945. Most McDowell County photos are from the late 1930's. Unfortunately, most photo subjects are either poorly identified or unidentified. COAL MINING and the lives of COAL MINERS are the primary subject.

Thank GOD for the struggle these COAL MINING FOREFATHERS of ours waged that their descendants would not have to endure the hardships they suffered. To the young men and women of today I say honor and appreciate your FOREFATHERS for the much improved world their sacrifices gave you. LIVE YOUR LIVES IN A POSITIVE MANNER......YOU ARE SO LUCKY, DON'T BLOW IT!
 

VIVIAN, W.VA. DISASTER - Nov. 4, 1905

On Nov. 4, 1905 the Tidewater Coal & Coke Company's Tidewater Mine at Vivian, McDowell County, W. VA. suffered a powder and gas explosion that claimed seven lives.

Only four months previous, July 5th, this mine had suffered a similar explosion resulting in five fatalities.

THOSE WHO PERISHED NOV. 4, 1905

John Bratton - ? - Negro - Married
Louis Brown - 23 - Negro - Single
June Carter - 22 - Negro - Single
Harden Devin - 34 - Negro - Single
Thomas P. Hunley - 19 - Negro - Single
Howard McGhee - ? - Negro - Single
Robert Starling - 19 - Negro - Single

REST IN PEACE

ALGOMA, WEST VIRGINIA DISASTER 1902

In the morning of September 15, 1902 an explosion struck the Algoma Coal and Coke Number 7 Mine at Algoma, McDowell County, West Virginia. This resulted in the loss of seventeen lives. Cause of the explosion was an accumulation of methane gas over the weekend. The part of the mine where the explosion occurred was about a mile and a quarter from the drift mouth. The mine dips here to safely pass under Buzzard Creek. The gases accumulated in the area of this dip.

THOSE LOST

MARTIN CHILDERS - NEGRO
SAM WALDON - NEGRO
JESSE WADE - NEGRO
DAN GRAVELY - NEGRO
CLEM JONES - NEGRO
CHARLES MULLINS - NEGRO
BOWDEN SANDERS - NEGRO
ENOS STOVALL - NEGRO (1)
HENRY WOODIE - NEGRO
PHIL JONES - NEGRO (2)
HARRY WARREN - NEGRO (3)
TOM WALTERS - NEGRO (4)
HENRY CLARK - NEGRO
ALEX CRYDER - NEGRO
CLAYTON CRYDER - NEGRO (5)
JOHN ROXIE - HUNGARIAN (6)
JIM LUSTER - WHITE - MINE FOREMAN

1 - May be ENNIS STOVALL
2 - May be BILL JONES
3 - May be HENRY WARREN
4 - May be TOM WALDRON
5 - May be PEYTON CRYDER
6 - May be JOHN ROCKIE

All but one were newcomers to the area and their bodies were shipped back to their homes in Virginia and North Carolina. John Roxie was taken to Pocahontas, Virginia for burial.

NOW MINING FOR GOD

ALGOMA DISASTER EARLY REPORTS

GAS EXPLOSION IN WEST VIRGINIA MINE IMPRISONS 17 WORKMEN WITH LITTLE HOPE OF REACHING THEM ALIVE

North Fork, W. Va., Sept. 15. -- A gas and powder explosion occurred in the Big Four mine of the Algoma Coal and Coke company here this morning about 8 o'clock, as the result of which JAMES LESTER, and engineer, JOHN RECCKLE, a Hungarian miner, and 15 colored miners are known to be imprisoned in the mine. There is hardly one chance for the men to be recovered alive. The gas and smoke is so thick that all rescuing parties have been driven back. H. F. FRANKENFELD, a mine boss, and GEO. GASPIE, a Hungarian miner, succeeded in crawling over fallen coal and slate after the explosion to the lights of the rescuing party and were taken out alive although burned and nearly suffocated by the gas and smoke inhaled. The explosion is said to have been caused by an accumulation of gas catching on fire from the lamp of a miner who was going to work, and this in turn fired six kegs of blasting powder that had been stored back of the mine. The explosion knocked down all of the brattices for a mile back toward the mine entrance, thus cutting out all of the air from the men imprisoned behind the debris. There had been a small gas escape in the mine Sunday last and Mine Superintendent A. J. STUART had personally cautioned the men who worked in the mine not to attempt to work again until the air had been tested by a safety lamp.
It is now learned that the coal is burning and there is no hope of extinguishing the flames until a new air passage can be built to the point of the explosion. There is a large force of men at work and will make a second attempt to reach the imprisoned men this evening.
The last one of the seventeen miners killed by the explosion of the Algoma mine this morning was brought out of the mine at 11 o'clock to-night.
Bluefields, W. Va., Sept. 15. -- A heavy explosion of gas occurred in the Algoma coal mines on the North Fork branch at 11 o'clock this morning. Fifteen men are reported dead.
Bluefields, W. Va., Sept. 15. -- 11:30 p.m. -- A telephone message just received from Algoma says eleven bodies have been recovered from the mines and that six more bodies are to be taken out. So far all but one of those recovered are colored miners.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Indiana 1902-09-16

BISHOP, WEST VIRGINIA DISASTER ~ OCT. 27, 1958

Bishop is located in McDowell County and borders Tazewell County, Virginia. Bishop, West Virginia and Bishop, Virginia are separated by the state border and the Bishop mining complex had entries from each side.

On February 4, 1957 a gas explosion rocked the Bishop, West Virginia mine, owned by the Pocahontas Fuel Company, and resulted in the loss of thirty-seven lives.

On October 27, 1958 this same mine suffered another gas explosion with the loss of twenty-two lives.
 

OCTOBER 27, 1958 VICTIMS

Calvin Blankenship
Arthur Hill
Jack Garland
James Neely
Ulysses D. Spradlin
Holliday Sutherland
Tony Vilacha
Albert Wilfong
Neel Rutherford
Alex Addington
Fred Earl Bandy
Bandy Beavers
Harold Dangerfield
Louis A. Ferguson
John Gates
Sam Gillespie
William D. Johnson
M. D. McKinney
Kenneth G. Sexton
Norris Stiltner
Colosso Willson
Robert Winningham

AT HOME WITH GOD

BISHOP, VA PHOTOS

These Bishop photos are brought to you courtesy the Library of Virginia and are part of the Tazewell County, VA Collection. Bishop was once known as SHRADERS.