Evening journal., 1902-05-22
PATHRTIC LRTTHRS
Oh FATRD MINERS
Written While They We're
Waiting for Death
Terrible Fate Of Victims OF Tennessee
Wine Explosion Shown by Notes
Found on Their Bodies

Knoxville, Tenn. May 22.--The lat
est estimates as to loss of life in the
Fraterville coal mine disaster. at Coal
Greek Is 226. including contractors day Il
laborers and boy helpers. The last
find reported was that of l3 bodies in
an entry. Five of them had written
letters before life became extinct. One |
of these letters gave the time Of day |
it was written as 2.30 o'clock Monday |
afternoon, thus indicating that these
and perhaps other entombed men lived |
many hours after the terrible explo-
sion, which occuWed Monday at 7.30 |
o'clock. One piteously read:
1--WE are shut up in the head Of the
entry, with a little air, and bad air
coming on us fast. II is now about -
o'clock Dear Ellen, / have to leave
you in bad condition. Now dear wife,
put your trust in the Lord to help you
and my little children. Ellen, take
care of my little darling LILLY. Little
Elbert said that he had trusted ia the
Lord. Charles Woods says that he is
safe in Heaven and II he never sees the
outside again he will meet his mother
in Heaven. We are not hurt. but only
perished for the want of air. There
are but a few of us here and / don't
know where the other men are. Elbert
This SOM said for you all to meet him
in Heaven. Toll all the children to
meet with us both.
"Do the best you can with the chill
dren. We are all praying for air to
support us but Il is getting bad. How
ard, Elbert said for you 10 wear his
shoes and clothing. Ellen, want you
to live right and come to Heaven.
Raise the children the best you can.
Oh, how ] wish to be with yOui Good
by, good-by. Bury me and Elbert in
the same grave. MY little Eddie, good
by; Jimmy, good-by; good-by, Horace.
It is % minutes after 2. There are a
few OF us alive yet. Oh, God, for one
more BREATH Ellen, remember me as
long as you live. Good-by, darling.
(Signed) -. J.. VOWEL"
Dear Wife and Baby want TO go
back home and kiss the baby but
cannot; 30 good-by. ] am going to
Heaven. Meet me there.
(Signed) JAMES A. BROOKS"
ITO George Hudson's Wife-lf l
don't see you any more. bury me with
the clothing l have. want you to
meet me in Heaven. Good-by. DO as
you wish
(Signed) GEORGE HUDSON"
Dear Darling Mother and Sister,
am going TO Heaven. / want you all
TO meet me IN Heaven. Tell all your
friends TO meet me there. and tell the
church l have gone to Heaven. Tell
my friends not TO worry about me. for
am in sight OF Heaven. Oh, dear
stay at home, or at your fathers, and
pay all debts. if possible, and bury me
at Pleasant Hill. il it suits you all
Bury me in black. 1t is now about 1886
o'clock. Good-by, dear father mother
brother and friends. have not suf-
fereS mush. Your boy, your friend,
(Signed) JOHN HENDON."
These letters had been scribbled OF
odd pieces of paper with stumps of leat
pencil, and told a mute story Of TRACED,
that has revived the grief felt in thi.
community to a keener degree thar
ever. The bodies were found huddlet
behind brattice they had built will
their own hands. Here they live,
from about q. m. to D. m. Monday
torn with hopes and fears and anguish
for their loved ones who were alread,
mourning them as dead.