Cherry Mine Disaster

           In 1904 the St. Paul Coal Co. discovered a mine site 90 miles southwest of Chicago, in Bureau County IL, not too far away from where I 39 and I 80 cross, 100 miles west of Chicago. In 1909, there was a mining disaster in a place called Cherry, Illinois. A total of  259 men and boys died from fire and smoke. There were many tales of suffering and endurance. One group of miners, that were 500 feet underground, had built a wall of mud, rocks, and logs to block  the poisonous gasses from coming in. They were in total darkness with only a pool of water leaking from a coal seam to drink. But did anyone know that this site would be a part of a huge disaster that would take many lives?

The tragedy took place on November 13th, 1909. A carload of hay that was bound for the mule stables was pushed into a corner where a kerosene lantern was hanging directly above and dripped kerosene on the hay, enough to be saturated. A spark hit the hay and caught fire. Many died because the escape shaft was very smoky and on fire.

 

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Picture courtesy of-http://guitarjourney.tripod.com/cherrycoalminedisaster/id35.html

Picture courtesy of- http://guitarjourney.tripod.com/cherrycoalminedisaster/id35.html