The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-12-13
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION
OF COAL DUST
over Two Hundred Men are Penned
up In Coal Mine and Probably all Of
Them Lost Their Lives.

Them Lost Their Lives.
Briceville, Tenn, Dec. 1.-TWO
hundred and seven men, living or
dead, is the probable number of men
entombed here tonight as they have
been all day, in the Great Cross
Mountain coal mine of the Knoxville
Iron company, according TO the count
made this afternoon by an official OF
the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. They had entered to begin the
days work when terrific explo-
sion wrecked the workings.
Three only have come out alive.
They had entered a laternal off the
main shaft and succeeded in getting
into the open before the flames and
smoke caught them. The body of Lee
Bolston, operator of the mines fan
plant was found buried and man
gled under the cave-in in main shaft
Rescue workers are making
scarcely any headway The govern
ment's rescue car and force is on
hand as are many rescuers and en-
gineers from all over the district.
The shafts extend more than two
miles into the bowels OF the noun
tain Accoi ding to President T. T.
Stephenson of the iron company, the
men, IL they had reached their posts
were in laternaf shafts when the ex-
plosion, which blocked the main
shafts, occurred. This encourages
those on the surface to hope that
many may be living
Late this afternoon there was lit
tie prospect of an early rescue.
Workers have encountered dense
and compact deposits of slate. earth.
rock and coal in the main shaft of
the mine, and also in an abandoned
entry which has bee usedn for an
air shaft. About the mouth of a
certical vetilator, leading to the top
OF the mountain, fires have been
Quilt to create a circulation of air
from within the mine, If possible. Res
cuers are engaged in digging the de-
oris from the shafts and this must
be removed about one miles to the
mouth of the mine.
Theories as to Cause,
1t is not yet possible to determine
whether this blockading of entry is
swallow or whether it extends hun
dreds of feet or a mile or more. Wood
posts and trusses in the shaft have
been blown outward and this, min
ers state, is indicative of a serious
now being constructed by means of
which air is being forced into the
channel as fast as it is possible to
remove the debris.
There are three theories as to the
cause of the explosion. One is that
in some manner powder or dust ex-
ploded; the second is that an cleo
trio wire came in contact with ex-
plosiVe and the third is that the ex
plosion was caused by poor tamping
of a drill
The mine was thoroughly inspect
ed Friday OF last week by j. F.. Hat.
maker who has been inspector of
the mine for eight years. He re-
mained In the mine nearly all of
Friday night. He said there was no
trace OF gases when he emerged.
\ Scene OF Mourning.
Briceville tonight is a scene of
mourning The wives and children
OF the miners now fear that not a
single man lives in the il-fated Cross
Mountain mine. In scores of homes
the pitiful walls of women and chill
uren are heard by the passersby, while
at the mouth of the mine, fully fifty
women, some with babes at their
breasts, and others with children pull
ing at their skirts, still battle brave
ly to keep up their spirits and hone
against hope.