Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-05-20
One Bmploye Survives, but His Injuries Are
Said TO Be Fatal,
He IS BLOWN FROM MOUTH OF THE MINE
Three Miles from Entrance to Point Where
the Men Were at Work.
REscUERs FIND SOLID COLUMN OF DEAD
Distracted women and Children
ThrOnE Opening of shaft 90 Iden"
tify MauEIed Bodies of Hus-
bands and. Fathers.

COAL CREEK, Tenn, May 1e.-The worst
disaster in the history OF Tennessee min
ing occurred at 1880 this morning when
between IT'S and 225 men and boys met
instant death at the Fraterville coal mine,
located two miles west OF this town. gas
explosion was the cause of the disaster.
Out Of the large number Of men and
boys who went to work this morning only
one is alive and he Is so badly injured that
he cannot live This man is William Nor
gan, an aged Engilshmen, who was road
man in the mine. lie was blown out OF
the entrance by the force OF the explosion.
One hundred and seventy-five miners were
checked In for work this morning by the
mine boss. In addition to these there were
boys who acted as helpers and drivers and
roadmen. and others to the number OF per-
haps fifty.
Fraterville mine is the oldest mine IN
the Coal Creek district, having been opened
In 1870. 1t is fully three miles from the
opening OF the mine to the point where the
men were at work. They had not been at
work long before the terrible explosion oc-
cured
Flames Follow Explosion.
There was a fearful roar and then flames
shot from the entrance and the air shafts.
As soon as order could be brought out OF
chaos, two rescuing parties were started in,
one at the main entrance, the other through
Thistle mine, which adjoins It, and In
which no men we're at work. The Thistle
party was unable to make any headway
as the gas stihed the workers. The Fra
tervllle 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 news Of the disaster spread quickly
and the scene at the mouth OF the mine
while the workers were within were be-
yond description. Business was suspended
in Coal Creek and all its mines as soon
as the news became known, and men. wo-
men and children gathered around the Fra
tervilie entrance. Women whose husbands
and sons were within we're wild with
}srie. ete
All Day Long Rescuers Toll.
All day long the rescuers toiied at the
slate obstruction and not until o'clock
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 we're doomed, however, for when
once the reseuers could enter and proceed
they walked along one continuous tomb of
death. There was not a sign Of life. Every
man had perished, they believed, although
1t will be early in the morning before all
the rooms can be entered.
Eight bodies were recovered and these
were sent to Coal Greek. Twenty-six were
soon found. They were not disngured be-
yond Identification and each corpse as II
was borne from the mouth Of the great
tomb was surrounded by eager crowds OF
relatives Of the men, who had been stricken
down. The mine was not on FIRE. except IN
remote portions and all bodies perhaps will
be reached before daylight.
A partial list Of the victims. scarcely one.
third, is as follows.