Dola Mine Memorial
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
At 10:57 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, 1963 an explosion at Clinchfield Coal Company's Compass No. 2 Mine in Dola, West Virginia took the lives of 22 miners. All the men were married and left behind combined of 59 children behind. Although mining in nature is a very dangerous job, we need to work hard to raise the safety standards for miners. Through the efforts of family members and friends a memorial has been constructed to honor them. On September 3, 2006 this memorial was dedicated on the site of the explosion.
Officials of the Clinchfield Coal Co. identified the men killed by an explosion deep in the No. 2 mine here. They and their dependents were:
- Adam Aldridge, 53, Smithfield, wife, two children
- Gunther Bardarrek, 33, Clarksburg, wife, three children
- William Bullough, 34, Clarksburg, wife
- Kenneth Burnside, 35, Salem, wife, one child
- Ralph Cabo, 46, Clarksburg, wife, two children
- Delbert Chapman, 38, Clarksburg, wife, one child
- Carsie Crayton, 47, Shinnston, wife
- Dorsey Fincham, 56, Clarksburg, wife, four children
- William Fowler, 40, of Flemington, wife, four children
- George Grogg, 49, Lumberport, wife, two children
- Roy R. Hanna, 51, Brown, wife, three children
- Glenn Haught, 35, Lumberport, wife, two children
- Harold Haught, 45, Lumberport, wife
- Denzel Hawkenberry, 47, Mt. Clare, wife, two children
- Roy Kerns, 45, Lumberport, wife
- James Lester, 50, Owings, (foreman), wife, two children
- Jim Maxwell, 55, Galloway, wife, two children
- Ralph McCloy, 46, Rosemont, wife, two children
- John Reed, 40, Wilsonburg, wife, four children
- Ralph Smith, 59, Center Point, wife, one child
- Raymond Swiger, 50, Wallace, wife, two children
- Robert Welch, 47, Flemington, wife
The two Haughts were brothers and Chapman was the brother of mine superintendent Harry Chapman.
For more information contact: info@dolaminememorial.com
Level paved parking lot provides handicapped accessibility. Free Admission. Hours: 8AM-Dusk
Directions: From I 79 take exit 119, take US 50 West to the exit that says, West Pike St., US Rt. 19 North. Get on US19 North and go to Rt. 18 toward Lumberport. Then in Lumberport take WV 20 North approximately 5 miles and the Dola Memorial should be on the left side of the road.
Sources
https://wvtourism.com/company/dola-mine-memorial/
https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/compass_news_only.htm