The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-12-12
COEF|AS PILED At
MOUTH Of PIT
ESTIMATE EXPLO
SION MADE Sc WIDOWS
AND 1876 ORPHANS.
~BIack Damp is Believed to Have
Been Cause of Death - Insurance
Actuary Estimates Value of Lives
Lest at $1,5oo,ooo.

-
Briceville, Tenn, Dec. 11.-Seven-
teen men had been brought forth dead
from the Cross Mountain mine up to
noon today. Only one additional body
has been discovered since midnight.
1t is estimated that there are still
more than 100 men in the mine md
there is not one chance in thousand
that one of them will be brought out
alive. The rescue work is necessarily
slow and tedious as brattices or work
partitions must be erected at frequent
intervals through the mine to assist
the circulation of fresh air that IS
being pumped in constantly.
All of the bodies recovered have
been identified and turned over to the
grief-stricken families. AS most of
them We're in a badly mutilated con-
dition, speedy interment has been ie-
quired. They rest in a little church
yard or a hillock in the heart of tile
Village
The prospective destitution of the
Families of the victims has resulted
in an organized appeal throughout the
state for financial relief The Knox
Willie Sentinel and the Knoxville Jour-
nal and Tribune have been desigAa-
ted to receive money for the widows
aGd orphans.
%'Dr. ]. A. Holmes of the United
States bureau of mines, arrived to-
day to assist in the work of rescue.
This morning J. E. Logan of the
Red Cross, with headquarters in At
lanta, began plans for the organiza-
tion of local Red Cross camp to
relieve suffering. 1t is now estima-
ted that there are fifty-six widows
and 1874 orphans as a result of Sat-
urday's explosion, and later recover
les of bodies may increase these fig
ares.
Lives Worth $1,50o,ooo.
The lives of the men in the mine
are estimated to have been worth 81,
100000 provided not more than 100
Were killed. These figures are sup
piled by an insurance actuary. The
average age of the miner is estimated
at thirty years, and at that age a
mans life is valued at $4,000 in earn
ing power, says the authority.
Rain began falling here early this
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 at dawn,
fh0
tinuously, all hoping against hope that
some sign of life would come from
the death chamber.
GreWsome Scenes at Mine.
The morning of the second day fol
lowing the fatal explosion in Gre
Mountain mine brought little change
from the scenes of last night. The
list of known dead then stood at six
teen, eight bodies having been found
by The night workers of the volun-
teer rescue corps. This find came
shortly before midnight, when eight
bodies were discovered, either in or
near entry No. "a. Three of the dead
men were sitting upright in mine
car while the bodies of five others
were lying on the ground in various
positions in the entry, with the ex-
ception of that of John White, which
was found in the main entry. The
bodies showed that the men had met
instant death when the explosion
came. None had died from suffoca-
ton.
Secret Orders Heavy Losers.
Secret orders, with which many min
ers are allied, are heavy losers in
the catastrophe. Living members ara;
helping to care for the widows and
orphans of deceased brothers and
are aiding in the rescue work, the
recovery of bodies and the burial of
their dead.
The membership of Stone Slate
lodge, Knights of Pythias, is almost
completely wiped out. 1t lost seven
teen members, including all but one
officer Two Masons were killed, one
Red Man and twelve Odd Fellows.
In the work of rescue, members of
these fraternities were among the
first to volunteer. They were quick
to examine bodies as they were
brought out searching for lodge pins