1901 — May 27, New Richland Coal Mine Dust Explosion, Dayton, TN –20-21

–22-35  Syracuse Evening Herald (NY). “Thirty-Five Are Dead.” 5-28-1901.

—     21  Coggins. Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological, and Societal… 2011, p. 286.

—     21  Publishers’ Press. “Richland Mine Horror.” New Castle News, PA, 5-29-1901, p7.

—     20  NIOSH. Coal Mining Disasters: 1839 to Present. 1-3-2013 update.

 

Narrative Information

 

Coggins: “May 27, 1901. Coal mine disaster — Richland Mine Disaster…Twenty-one men were killed and nine injured in a double explosion inside the Richland Mine near Dayton (Rhea County). (Coggins. Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological, and Societal… 2011, p. 286.)

 

Newspapers

 

May 28: “Chattanooga, Tenn., May 28. — In an explosion yesterday afternoon at the New Richland mine of the Dayton Coal & Iron company, at Dayton, Tenn., probably thirty-five people were killed. Twenty-two bodies were taken from the mines soon after the explosion and eight miners were taken from near the mouth of the mine badly burned, the most of them fatally.
“The explosion occurred shortly after the men started to leave the mine for the day. Gas dust always accumulates in the mine at a point where there is a dip and the explosion occurred when the men reached this place. It is supposed that is was caused by a lighted torch carried by one of the miners.

”The explosion loosened the slate in the roof of the mine and hundreds of tons fell into the passageway and it will be several days before it can be cleared away. The bodies of the miners recovered are mutilated almost beyond recognition, some of them being without legs and arms.
All the miners are men of family and as soon as the explosion was heard women and children rushed to the mine and begged for information about husbands and sons. The miners found near the entrance to the mine had nearly all their clothing burned off and their flesh was baked from head to foot. It is not thought that they can recover.

”The Richland mine is a companion of the Nelson mine belonging to the same company in which thirty-two miners lost their lives by an explosion in 1805.  The rescuing party hope by daylight to reach the rest of the bodies.” (Syracuse Evening Herald. “Thirty-Five Are Dead.” May 28, 1901)

 

May 28: “Chattanooga, Tenn., May 28.–As far as known this morning the number killed in the explosion at Richland coal mines near Dayton, Tenn., is 21. There were 33 men in the mine at the time of the explosion, and everyone was either killed or wounded. Rev. Wm. Hale, who was seriously burned, may recover. One unidentified body is believed to be that of Wm. Ross. At least five are so badly injured that they will die. Coffins for 21 bodies have been ordered from Chattanooga….” (Publishers’ Press Dispatch. “Richland Mine Horror.” New Castle News, PA, 5-29-1901, p. 7.)

 

Sources

 

Coggins, Allen R. Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological and Societal Disasters in the Volunteer State. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2011.  Google digital preview accessed 11-12-2017 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=SfK6aBuqohQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Fay, Albert H. (Compiler).  Coal Mine Fatalities in the United States 1870-1914 (Bulletin 115).  Washington, DC:  Bureau of Mines, Department of the Interior, 1916.  Digitized by Google.  Accessed at:  https://books.google.com/books?id=R38fAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Coal Mining Disasters: 1839 to Present. Atlanta, GA: NIOSH, CDC, 1-3-2013 update. Accessed 11-12-2017 at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/content/coaldisasters.html

 

Publishers’ Press Dispatch. “Richland Mine Horror.” New Castle News, PA, 5-29-1901, p. 7. Accessed 11-12-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-castle-news-may-29-1901-p-7/

 

Syracuse Evening Herald, NY. “Thirty-Five Are Dead.” 5-28-1901. Accessed at:  http://www3.gendisasters.com/tennessee/6021/dayton-tn-dust-explosion-coal-mine-may-1901