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Barbour Coal and Coke Company
Barbour No. 3 Mine Explosion

Catoosa, Morgan County, Tennessee
December 20, 1917
No. Killed - 11

Nashville Banner News Article  (5.2 Mb)  PDF Format
From the Google News Archives:  External Link
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(From Bureau of Mines Report, by E. B. Sutton)

The explosion, at shooting time, 4:00 p.m., was caused by a blown-out shot in the first cross entry off the third right entry.

Dust was ignited, and, as the explosion spread, several kegs of black powder were touched off, giving additional force.  All shooting was done on the solid, using black powder.  There was little violence but intense heat.  Trees outside the pit mouth were covered with soot and dust.

Twenty men were in the mine; 11 were killed by violence or burns; 3 escaped through an outcrop opening, and 6 came out a short way through afterdamp and escaped unassisted.

The mine was free of gas and was ventilated by a furnace.  The dust was moist, but the mine was not wet.

The deceased:
  • W. A. Bryan
  • Joe Smith
  • A. J. Bukner
  • Max Hester
  • Joe Hester
  • Ed East
  • Charles Monday
  • Alex Stone
  • Max Mullen
  • Will Carter
  • Walter Shelton




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