The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-21
He Was Blown from the
Mines Mouth
SCORES OR BODIES RECOVERED
The Rescuing Party Find the Mine
One Vast Tomb. The Scenes at the
Mouth of the Mine Where Throngs
of the Victims Relatives Are
Gathered Are Agenlzing Beyond the
Power of Word to Porrrays
'ower of Word to Portray S
(By the Associated Press.)

Coal Creek, Tenn, May 1.-the worst
disaster in the history of Tennessee
mining occurred at 7:30 o'clock this
morning when between 175 and 225 men
and boys met instant death at the
Frateryille coal mine. two miles west
of this town, as a result of an explosion.
out of the large number of men and
boys who went to work this morning,
that only one is alive. and he is so
badly injured that he cannot live. This
man was William Morgan. an aged
Englishman, who was a road man in the
mine, and was blown out of the entrance
by the force of the explosion. One hun
dred and seventy-five miners We're check
ed in for work this morning by the mine
boss. In addition to these were boys
who acted as helpers, and drivers. road
men and others to the number of per-
haps fifty.
Fraterville mine is the oldest mine
in the Coal Greek district, aving been
opened in 1870 1t is. fully three miles
from the mines opening to the point
where the men were at work. They had
not been at work long before the ter
rible explosion occurred There was a
fearful roar and then flames shot from
the entrance and the air 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
Thistle mine, which adjons. and in
which no men were at work The Thistle
party was unable to make any Roadway.
rs the gas stifed the workers. The
Fratervlle party went fully two miles
under the earth, until a heavy fall of
slate was encountered. At this barrier
men worked like demons, hoping against
hope that those beyond might be safe.
The scenes at the mouth of the mine,
while the workers were within, were be-
yorJ description. Business had been sus-
pended in Coal Creek and all its mines,
as soon as the news of the disaster be-
came known, and men, women, and chill
dren gathered around the Fraterville en-
trance Women whose husbands and
sons were within We're wild with grief.
All day long the rescuers toiled at the
slate Instructions and not until D clock
this evening did they force an entrance
through 1t.
Up to that hour only five dead bodies
had been recovered and hope was still
high that many within were safe. The
hopes of the living were doomed, how
ever, for when once the rescuers could
enter and proceeded they walked through
"A continuous tomb of death. There was
not a sign of life. Every man had per-
ished. they believed. although it will be
tomorrow morning before all the rooms
can be entered.
Eight dead bodies were first recovered
and these were sent to Coal Creek.
Twenty-six more were soon found They
were not disfgured beyond identification
and each corpse as it was borne from
the mouth of the gigantic tomb. was
surrounded by eager crowds OF relatives
of the men who were entombed. The
mine was not on fire, except in remote
portions. and all bodies perhaps, may
be reached before daylight
a partial list of the victims, scarcely
one third, is as follows: George Aikens,
mine foreman, head blown OFF; James
Hightower. Robert Smith, Robert Price,
James Slower William Price, Roscoe
Bradley. William Bradley, Thornton Nc
Ghee. Charles Vandegrift, w. }. Evans
Charles Evans Charles Brooks, oscar
Murray. William Murray, Marion Wilson.
Railey Wilson, Handy Weber, carr