New-York tribune., 1911-12-10
Three Escape Alive, Two Bodies
Found, in Disaster at BriCe-
vile, Tenn. Follow
ing Explosion.
CAVE-IN HALTS RESCUERS
Small Hope That Any OF the
Imprisoned Men May Be
Saved When Debris Is
Removed - Mine
Cars to Rescue.

Briceville, Tenn, Dec. 9.-One hundred
and fifty-six men, living or dead, are
imprisoned here tonight. as they have
been all day, in the Cross Mountain coal
mine Of the Knoxville Iron Company.
The men had entered to begin the days
work, when a terrific explosion wrecked
the workings.
Three only have come out alive They
had entered a lateral gangway OF the
main shaft, and succeeded i'm getting
into the open before the flames and
smoke caught them. The body Of Lee
Polston operator Of the mines fan plant,
was found ,buried and mangled under
| the cave-in in the main shaft \ widow
and two children survive him.
Rescue workers are making scarcely
any headway. The government rescue
ca and force are on hand, as are many
rescuers and engineers from all over the
district The shafts extend over two
miles into the mountain.
At nine o'clock tonight the body OF
Pearlie Rolen also was found.
According to T. l. Stephenson, presi-
dent of the iron company, the men, II
| they had reached their posts, were IN
lateral shafts when the explosion, when
blocked the main shafts. occurred. THIS
encourages those on the surface 10 hope
! that many may be living.
Little Chance for Rescue.
! Late this evening there was little
prospect of an early rescue Workers
have encountered dense and compact de.
posits of slate, earth, rock and coal ir
the main shaft of the mine. and also ir
an abandoned entry which has been used
| for an airshaft. About the mouth OF
vertical ventilator leading TO the top OF
the mountain fires have been built tc
make a circulation of air from within
the mine. If possible. Rescuers are en-.
gagged in digging the debris from the
shafts. and this must be removed about
one mile to the mouth of the mine.
II is not yet possible to determine
whether this bockading of the entry Is
shallow or whether it extends hundreds
of feet or a mile or more. Wood posts
and trusses in the shaft have beer
blown outward, and this, miners state
is indicative of a serious explosion be.
yond Brattices are being constructed
by means of which air is being forced
into the channel as fast as 1t is possible
TO remove the debris.
At 10 o'clock tonight little hope wal
entertained that the entombed mer
could be reached before Sunday morn
ing. and few there are who entertain the
belief that there is a man alive among
the entire number. The condition OF the
bodies of the two miners recovered, Lee
Polstm and Pearlie Rolen, show that the
force Of the explosion must have beer
terrific. Polston, whose body was fount
this afternoon near the ventilatng fan
was mangled almost beyond recognition
even his shoes and clothing having beer
blown off. Rolens body. recovered TO.
night about o'clock, is in little better
condition.
Fans Aid Rescuers in Work.
\ large crew Of rescuers was still al
work at 10 O'Clock and a new fan was
being installed in the main entrance
of the mine to force fresh air into the
shaft. while a suction fan was being
placed in Z passageway Of the Beachey
mine on the opposite side of the noun
tain. which connects with the Cross
Mountain mine. BY ths means 1t was
houed to draw out the gases and permit
the rescuers To enter.
Members of nearly half the families ir
nf hundred
persons are included among those caugh'
in the mine. Tonight nearly two thou
sand persons are gathered around the
month of the mine The glare from the
torches used by the workers and from
the fires which have been built To fur'
nish light and heat illumines the anN-
ions faces of crying men. women and
children.
The rescue work Is under the direction
Of the superintendent, p. +. Lynch, oi
the mine: II. l. Stephenson. president OF
the operating company, and two crews
from the Mine Rescue Service OF the
federal government. one OF the latter Is
under the direction of Edgar ;. sutton
foreman miner in charge of the Knox
vnle rescue station. and the other
under William Burkes. engineer ir
charge Of mine rescue ear No. ., which
reached Briceyille at J:3O o'clock this
afternoon from Artemus.
There are three theories as TO the
cause Of the explosion. one is that pow
der or dust exploded. the second Is that
an electric wire came in contact with
explosives and the third is that the ex'
plosion was caused by poor tamping OF
a drill
Mine inspected Recently.
The mine was thoroughly inspected on
Friday of last week by J. +. Hatmaker,