The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-06-04
KILLED IN NINE EXPLOSION
FrateryilIe, Tenn, the Scene Of an
Appalling Disaster.
NOT AN ENTOMBED MAN ESCAPED

tory Of Tennesseo-kescue Party Found
the Tunnel. strewn with Dead Work.
men-Pitiful Grief OF Relatives Of Vic.
tims-Bad Conditions In Mine Known,
Coal Greek. Tenn.-The worst disas
ter in the history Of Tennessee mining
occurred when between 115 and 10
men and boys met instant death at the
Fraterville coal mine. two miles west
of this town. as a result Of gas ex-
plosion.
Out of the large number Of men and
boys who went to work in the morn
ing developments showed that only
one was alive, and he was SO badly In.
tured that he could not live. This man
was William Morgan, an aged English
man, who was q roadman in the mine,
and who was blown out Of the en-
trance by the force Of the explosion.
One hundred and seventy-fve miners
were checked for work In the morning
by the mine boss. In addition to these
were boys who acted as helpers. and
drivers, roadmen and others to the
number Of perhaps fifty.
Fraterville mine is the oldest mine
In the Coal Greek district, having been
opened in 1870. 1t Is fully three miles
from the mines opening to the point
where the men We're at work. They
had not been at work long before the
terrible explosion occurred. There was
q fearful roar and then flames shot
from the entrance and the mir shafts.
News of the disaster spread like wild
fire, but as soon as possible two rescu-
ing parties were started In, one at the
main entrance, the other through This
tie mine, which adiOins and In which
No men were ut work.
The Thistle party was unable to
make any headway, as the gas stifled
the workers. The Fraterville party
went fully two miles under the earth.
until q heavy fall Of slate was enc0un.
tered. At this barrier men worked
like demons. hoping against hope that
those beyond might be safe.
The scenes ut the mouth Of the mine
while the workers We're within were
beyond description. Business had
been suspended in Coal Creek and all
its mines as soon as the news Of the
disaster became known. and men.
women and children gathered around
the Fraterville entrance. Women
whose husbands and SONS were within
were wild with grief.
All day long the rescuers toiled ut
the slate obstruction. and not until 5
o'clock in the evening did they force
an entrance through 1t. Up to that
hour only five dead bodies had been re.
covered and hope was still high that
many within were safe. The hopes Of
the living were doomed. however. for
when once the rescuers could enter and
proceeded they walked through con.
tinuous tomb Of death. There was not
n sign Of life. Every man had per-
ished:
Eight dead bodies were first recov.
cred. and these were sent to Coal
Creek. Twenty-six more were soon
found. They were not disfgured be-
yOnd Identification. and each corpse, as
1t was borne from the mouth Of the
gigantic tomb. was surrounded by
eager crowds Of relatives Of the men
who were entombed.
The Fraterville Mine Is owned by
the Coal Creek Coal Company of which
Major e. c. Camp Is President. He
was In Cincinnati and hurried to the
scene Of the disaster. In 1901. after
inspecting Fraterville mine. State Com
missioner Of Labor X. A. Shi1ett re-
ported that the ventilation was not up
to requirements; that the furnace was
inadequate to ventilate the mine. and
that the air ways were choked In
places. Commissioner Shiflett found
that 1G4 men were at work on the day
Of his visit. requiring by statute 49,
200 cubic feet Of air per minute. The
volume Of air entering the mine. be
said, was only cubic feet per mip-
ute.