Mine Site Photos Page Two

Mine Site Photos Page Two

More exclusive pictures from the Cherry Mine Disaster

A FAMILY REUNITED

The Joy in the Children's hearts.

Family Reunited
After the terrible ordeal down in the mine, this man was a survivor and one of the lucky ones to be reunited with his wife and children.
The story behind this picture is that the man did not want to have his picture taken, but the photographer pleaded with the man and he said yes. But the miner charged the photographer!

Hi Ray

My name is Richard Clelland and I am a direct descendant of one of the families that you have on your web site in regards to the Cherry mine disaster. On page 2 of the pics there is a man holding a boy and a girl on his lap and his wife is to his left. The man is my grandfather William H. Clelland and his wifes name is Ellen(Boyce)Clelland And the boy is my father William C. Clelland. The young girl is my Aunt and her name is Francis B. Clelland. My grandfather died in the 1950's and my Grandmother died in the early 1980's. I can narrow it down to the exact date if need be. My father died on Nov. the 12th 1975 at 10:25 pm and that was just 95 minutes short of the 66th Anniversary of the disaster. My aunt died around 1983. I have more family in formation if you want it.

One other tidbit of information that you may find interesting: I was born on Nov. 13th 1936 exactly 27 years to the day of the disaster.

The Wisconsin Historical society has a picture similar to the one that you have and it tells who the man in the picture is. Do you have any more picture of my family and if you do are copies available for purchase. No one in our family had ever seen a picture or seen our Grandfather in person before finding it on your web site and the Wisconsin web site. I have first hand stories from my GrandMother in regards to this era and disaster.

Thank you and Best Regards

Richard L. Clelland

They are alive! They're Alive!

The moment when the men who were trapped for eight days were discovered.

They are alive! They're alive!

These were the shouts of those who gathered under the tipple at the main shaft. Miners below found alive! After eight days how could anyone survive under such deadly circumstances? No food, no water, little oxygen and in darkness, and the poisonous gas called black damp seeked all living souls down below to strangle the life right out of them. It was the smart thinking of a few of the miners who encouraged others to go back into the far recesses of the mine and build earth walls around them to barricade themselves in to protect them from the deadly poisonous gases and smoke. When discovered after eight days the excited crowd was hoping all the miners would be found alive but there were only twenty-one fortunate souls. These men were called the "Eight Day Men."

History of the cherry coal Mine

Fan made by endangered miners

This fan pictured below was made by the coal miners who were trapped below. When the fan above was turned off they needed a way to create air movement and to keep away the deadly black damp gases that threatened the life of the miners.

Miners built makeshift fan for a little air.

When the Fanhouse was destroyed by the fire there was no airflow below.

Mine cars brought up from below.

Read caption below

CHERRYMINE (looking east)

After the disaster the pitcars (narrow-gauge mine cars) were brought up from below. The cars were 6x3 with two axles and had a section of the car that opened up to "tip" the contents where desired.

Notice the various structures that surround the imposing tipple. There is a carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, miners oil storage bldg., mule barn, engine house, and boiler house to name a few. Each building had an important function here at the mine site.

The miners who worked below would fill the cars and then connect them together with others. The mules pulled the mine cars to the mainshaft where the cages were. Only two could fit upon the main cage at a time. It was the job of the cager to take the empties from the main cage and put the loads on.

See Terminology page for descriptions on various job positions at the coal mine and other related terms.