Article by Carla Powell, Heritage Interpreteur and Archivist at the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site outside Drumheller, Alberta, Canada
The dangers of the underground coal mining have been brought out into the light recently by the Sago Mine disaster in West Virginia, which took the lives of 11 miners by asphyxiation. Historically, a mine disaster is defined as the loss of life of 4 or more individuals in one event. The Drumheller Valley had its own disaster on June 24, 1941.
There is a certain sense of awe surrounding coal mining. The thought of men tunneling under the earth in the cool, black, silence of a mine seam has an eerie, mysterious quality to it, especially for those of us who have never been underground. Perhaps more evocative are the risks men took on a daily basis for their chosen work.
The mines in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada were considered relatively safe, due to level seams and low concentrations of methane gas.This is why, when an explosion occurred late one afternoon at the new Monarch Mine, there was a sense of shock. The explosion was heard by a miner’s wife, who ran to the neighbouring Atlas Mine to get help. The mine manager at the Atlas was Harry Crowder, a 54-year-old father of four, who had been working in the mines since 1928. He immediately responded to the call by phoning other mines in an effort to throw together an ad hoc rescue team. The main valley rescue team was alerted and on their way.
Harry and his ad hoc crew donned gas masks and entered the Monarch Mine, not knowing what they would find. They returned to the surface shortly and decided to wait for the valley rescue team, which was bringing a canary. A canary is sensitive to carbon monoxide, a deadly byproduct of methane explosions. Harry was anxious to find out if anyone was alive, so he ventured into the mine on his own. Harry Crowder never returned.
When valley rescue finally arrived, they found Harry approximately 650 ft from the entrance, dead. He appeared to have tripped on the bumper of a coal car, dislodging his mask, and allowing deadly gas to seep in. Shortly beyond, they found Christopher Buzenus, age 49; John Waters, age 39 and Robert Taylor, age 70, all dead from an explosion. A pipe belonging to one of the men was found lying on the ground, close to the coal face.
Never before had a mine tragedy of this magnitude happened in Drumheller. Although deaths and injuries were not uncommon, four men killed in one event turned the valley on its heels. Almost everyone had a friend or relative that worked in the mines. No one was untouched by this wake up call.
The recommendation which followed the inquiry was that mines in the area switch from open flame cap lamps to battery cap lamps. The complete transition to battery lamps took about 15 years.
If you talk to a miner, they will tell of how there is a sort of “pull” toward the mine. There is a reason why the men return every day and do so for 40 or 50 years. It’s their world and they understand its nuances. They are also aware that they are not alone and share the space with an invisible threat…and yet, they still go under.
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Copyright 2006 Drumheller Community Futures and the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site