The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-12

pany, which owns the mine, said today 1t probably had been caused by a windy shot" which is a sort of flare back of powder inserted in hole bored in the coal to be dislodged This powder might have ignited gases accumulated In one of the many "rooms' in the mine or might have set off the coal dust on the floor of the room. The floors are supposed to be kept sprinkled and MT. Stephenson said they were, in proof of which he cited a statement of one of the first rescuers on the scene that they had used some of the dust as putty to stop holes in the brattices, or partitions, into which the main has to be divided to assist the cir culaton of fresh air
 Cross Mountain mine is more than % years old and contains some of the rich est coal deposits in this region. It has an average output of 600 tons a day Never before in it's history has 1t had d serious accident.
 The coal company is supplying the i'm mediate needs of the stricken families but later there will be need of funds to care for the widows and orphans Indica- tions are that there will be more than 50 of the former and ahput l6O of the latter. A Knoxville baker distributed 600 loaves of bread among the families to- day and there was no shortage of food
 The Knoxville, newspapers have been designated to receive moneys. Dr. J. A. Holmes of the United States bureau of mines arrived this morning to assist in the work of rescue.
 Red Cross Camp
 Monday morning J. E. Logan of the Red Cross, with headquarters in At lanta, began plans for the organization of a local Red Cross camp to relieve the suffering. It is now estimated that ther are 56 widows and 1S4 orphans as a result of Saturdays explosion, and later recoveries of bodies may increase these figures.
 Rain began to fall here early Monday morning This condition adds to the gloom and sorrow.
 In spite of the elements, however, men, women and children thronged about the mouth of the mine and these crowds were augmented continuously by many hoping that some news would be received from the dead chamber.
 Mayor Thomas Watts, executive of ficer of Coal Creek mines, five miles from Bricevlle, issued an appeal to mayors of all cities for financial air for the mine sufferers.
 List of Dead
 The known list of dead now is: w. A. Farmer, aged 40, assistant mine fore man, who leaves a widow and two chill dren; Len Woods, IS, coal digger, single; Le Pouton, 30, a spragger, leaves widow and two children; Pearly Rolin, 21, a mo- torman, unmarried; Charles l<ess, 2S, married, leaves widow; James Foust, 40, leaves widow and four children; Taylor Ault, 21, single; Herman Sharp, r, trap per, single; John White, 27 leaves widow and two children; George Stover, John Allen, Noah White, Charles White, Isaac Duncan, Edward Oliver, Luther Woods and Andrew Johnson, all white.
 The men in the Cross mountain entry were reached by the helmet men Of the government rescue crew, who were able to proceed that distance, considerably be- yond where the first rescue party could go.
 It seems the victims were overtaken by wave of after damp after the ex- plosion. The body of John White, like those of all the others found in the main entry, was terribly mangled and burned.
 Crowds Gather
 Daylight had hardly come this morn- ing when crowds again began to gather around the mouth of the shaft. The news has spread through the little mining town that bodies had been found during the night.
 The finding of the men meant that the day would be prolific of further finds and of heartrending scenes when the living meet their dead as they are brought forth by the workers.
 Secret orders with which many min CTS are allied are heavy losers in the catastrophe. Living members are help ing to care for the widows and or phans of deceased brothers and arc aiding in the rescue work, the recovery of bodies and the burial of their dead Communications from state and na- tional headquarters have been received by some of the local lodges. The mem bership of Stone Slate lodge, Knights of Pythias, is almost completely deci- all but one officer. Two Masons were killed, one Red Man and 12 Odd Eel lows.
 In the work of rescue, members of these fraternities were among the first to volunteer. They were quick to ex- anime bodies as they were brought out, searching for lodge pins and emblems as means of identification.
 One of the miners killed was found at the telephone, back in the mine, by the rescuing crew. Evidently he had been trying to telephone the news of the concussion to the office of the mines when he was struck by falling debris. His name was Charles Kester- son. His skull was badly mashed and his body was cut. On his person was found a key with a number, 50, at tached it 1t. His body was taken to the little school house near by, which was impressed into service as a morgue where it was prepared for burial
 Taft Acts