In the midwest and south, many people have had family members who worked in mines. The Mining operations were the lifeblood which helped spawn prosperity in what would otherwise be desolate little towns. When we drove through the town of Briceville, we noted the small town feel, the little school only steps from the mining operations. These little coal towns died out, as the veins of coal ran dry, and slowly the hustle bustle disappeared, but not before killing hundreds in mining disasters. Mining operations began at the Cross Mountain Mine/ Briceville, Tn in 1888. It was here that a railroad spur line was extended up to the Coal Creek Valley and into Slatestone Hollow. Over the years, large amounts of coal dust had accumulated in the mine's shafts. On the cold morning of December 9, 1911, around 7:30am they say a roof collapse occurred near one of the mine's entrances, which released methane gas into the air. The gas and coal dust may have ignited when a miner approached the roof with an open flame. The explosion killed the 89 miners who had gone into the mine that morning. 84 had perished with only 5 being rescued. A crowd consisting of miners' families and onlookers quickly gathered at the Briceville Mine as miners and engineers immediately initiated a rescue operation. A ventilation fan was brought from a nearby mine and used to expel the volatile gases and force fresh air into the mine shafts. A rescue crew from the Bureau of Mines, which had been created the previous year, arrived in the afternoon equipped with gas masks and oxygen tanks. This team was the first mine rescue team to use caged canaries to detect dangerous changes in air quality well within the mine. If the birds didn't come back to them and died they knew not to enter. Water was piped into the mine from a nearby brook to help with the fire efforts. Around midnight, the first three bodies were brought out of the mine. and another two bodies were recovered the following day. On Monday, rescue workers followed miners' inscriptions to an area where five miners had barricaded themselves with several tubs of drinking water. Two of the miners were burned, and two had left the barricaded area to find a way out, although all five were found alive. On December 19, the last two mine Alonzo Wood and Eugene Ault were found dead behind another barricade. Before suffocating, Ault, and Wood managed to inscribe "farewell" messages to their families and loved ones on the mine wall. These inscriptions are also found on the face of their graves. The Cross Mountain Mine operation was one of the first major rescue efforts carried out by the Bureau of Mines and also an unfortunate learning lesson paid for in miners lives. Although only 5 of the 89 miners trapped by the explosion were rescued, the bureau collected invaluable information that aided later mine rescue efforts. The rescue effort also helped the bureau's public image, and ensured continued funding in the future.
The 84 miners killed as a result of the explosion were buried in several cemeteries in the Briceville-Fraterville area. At least 22 were buried in a circular memorial which became known as the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle. This circle is located at the south end of Briceville off Walden Ridge. Shortly after the disaster, the United Mine Workers of America placed a marble obelisk in the middle of the Cross Mountain Miners' Circle containing the names of all 84 miners killed in the Cross Mountain/Briceville Mine disaster. This memorial, around which a large cemetery has developed, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Others were buried at the Briceville Community Church cemetery, among them Eugene Ault, whose monument is inscribed with the "farewell message" he wrote on the wall of the mine as he lay dying.
2 Comments
kevin
12/9/2021 10:15:42 am
Is the actual mine shaft still visible?
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8/15/2023 05:21:16 am
This article on coal minerals is a true gem! The comprehensive insights provided have enriched my understanding of this vital resource. Kudos to the author for their informative and engaging work!
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