Italians Caught by Gas Explosion in a West Virginia Coal Mine
The Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Ohio
July 6, 1905
Bluefield, W. Va., July 6. -- By an explosion in the Tidewater mine at Vivian, 20 miles west of this city, nine miners, all of whom were Italians, were injured, and two of them died later in the day, while three more are in a precarious condition with slight chances of recovery. All of the men were burned badly.
The dead are:
Lee Mozzille
Antonio Bupitomio
The men had just begun entering the mine, and those injured represent all that were in the mine at the time of the explosion. They were rescued with but little difficulty, and sent to the miners hospital at Welch, six miles distant, by special trains.
The Tidewater mine is located about two miles from Vivian, W. V., about 30 miles from Bluefield, and is owned and operated by the Tidewater Coal and Coke Company. F. L. Schow is the president. The mine employs 200 men and is one of the largest in that section.
