Blast at Old Ben

DISASTER

In the crowded southern Illinois coal fields, the Old Ben Coal Corp.'s No. 8 mine had a good record of safety. State mine inspectors had checked and okayed it on May 29. The night of July 23, the large, 37-year-old mine had as usual been rock-dusted to localize possible gas explosions. But the next afternoon, while a full shift of 264 miners worked underground, a crushing blast shook one of No. 8's 500-ft.-deep galleries. Near the source of the explosion, 27 miners died, five were injured. The cause: "Ignition of methane gas."

Illinois' Governor Dwight H. Green, interrupting a vacation to visit the scene, reported that all state mine-safety laws had been complied with. John L. Lewis, interrupting a visit to his mother in Springfield, Ill., was greeted at Old Ben's tipple by his younger brother, 54-year-old, publicity-shy Howard Lewis.* Underground superintendent for No. 8, Howard had luckily not been below when the blast occurred.

John Lewis, who had ordered a spectacular "memorial" strike in all the soft-coal mines after the Centralia disaster in March, had little to say this time. He said morosely: "I'm here to facilitate payment of benefits to the dependents."

*Also hardly noticed in the shadow of oldest brother John are three other Lewises: Dennie, 59, an aide to 67-year-old John; Raymond, 47, an officer of District 17 of the U.M.W.; Thomas, 64, a retired Government employee.

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