Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-12-13
SCORES BURIED IN COAL NINE.
There Is Little Hope for Victims OF
| Tennessee Disaster.

-
explosion, according to the count
made tonight by an official Of the
United Mine Workers OF America.
They had entered to begin the days
work when q terrific explosion wreck
ed the workings.
Three only have come out alive.
They had entered lateral off the
main shaft and succeeded in getting
Into the open before the flames and
smoke caught them. The body of
Lee Holston, operator of the mines
fan plant, was found buried and
mangled under the cave-in in the
main shaft.
Cause Not Determined.
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-
plosiYes, and the third is that the eX-
plosion was caused by poor tamping
Of a drill.
Relatives Wait in Vain.
Briceville, Tenn, Dec. 10.-Some-
where In the depths Of Cross Noun
tain coal mine probably 100 men lie
dead tonight, while their sorrow
stricken families keep vigil at the
mouth Of their tomb, hoping against
hope that their loved ones may be
alive when rescuers reach them.
Eight orn and mangled bodies had
been brought forth at nightfall, when
search was abandoned for the day
Outside Of the immediate families
Of the entombed men no one in this
little mountain village believes that
any living thing in the mine yester-
day morning survived the terrific ex-
plosion Of coal dust that wrecked
the workings.
Heroic Work of Rcscuers.
For more than thirty-six hours
every surviving miner in this region
had toiled with no thought Of food,
sleep or pay to remove the debris and
recesses Of the mine. They practi-
cally have penetrated to the main
entry head nearly three miles in. To-
morrow they expect to be ready to
work the cross entries, in which the
other bodies have undoubtedly been
cast by the force of the blast.
Black damp developed to-day and
retarded progress, but the silent force
pushed dauntlessly on, some OF them
till they were carried out, overcome
by the noXious gases.
Caused by "Dust Explosion"
Up to o'clock tonight no official
or sem-official opinion had been
given out as to the cause Of the dis
aster. President r. !. Stephenson, Of
the Knoxville Iron Company, and
others interested had nothing to say
in answer to this inquiry. 1t is gen
orally believed, however, that the
disaster was due to "dust eXplo-
sion,' which 1T is claimed is occasion
ed '"om the presence Of an excess of
fine coal and mine dust upon the
floor Of the mine.
The mine had passed official in
spections within the past few weeks.
and was thought to be perfectly safe.
Investigations are now being made
with view to definitely determine
The cause Of the accident, If such is
possible.
Mine officials also continue to de-
cline to give out any positive infor-
nation as to the number Of men who
went to work In the mine Saturday,
but 1t is thought the number was be-
tween one and two hundred.
Four Found Alive.
Knoxville, Tenn, Dec 11.-FOur
miners have been found alive in the
Cross Mountain mine. This news was
telephoned to Knoxville by President
T. ]. Stephenson, who owns the Cross
Mountain mine. The men were found
In the main entry. President Stephen
son Is hopeful that others will be
found alive within a few hours. The
men who were rescued had been en-
tombed for sixty hours.
Miners Crazcd by Horror.
Briceville, Tenn, Dec. ia
ghostly chase with DEATH" Is the de-
scription Of an experience the rescue
party in the Cross Mountain mine had
last night and to-day, according to
the statement Of one Of the members.
TWO miners, thought to be John
Duff and John Smith, have been on a
wild run In the farthest recesses of
the mine since / o'clock last night
and at o'clock this morning the
rescue party had been unable to cap
ture them, despite the fact they had
been on their trail for several hours.
The men have been running franti.
cally up and down the main channel,
now and then entering cross entries
that have not been bratticed uD, and
thus they escape the rescuers.
The stiffness Of the dark recesses
Is only broken by the wild screams Of
the men who have apparently lost
mental control of themselves, and are
wandering helplessly in the channel
unable to find their way to it's exit.
Upon the rescue Of five living men
from the Inflated mine last night, T..
|. Stephenson, president of the com
pany, announced to the families Of
the rescued party, that the men could
be removed to any hospital In the
United States for care during their
convalescence and that the company
stood ready to bear all expenses. Mr..
Stephenson spent the entire night at
the mine.
Seven additional dead bodies were