Swap Blog

The current mine situation in TALLMANSVILLE, West VA (story here) reminds me of two things -
Updated West VA mining Story here - hope is decreasing
Second Update Tallsmanville West Virgina mining story here - little hope left,less conservative approach now

1) The need and power of prayer. Regardless of the state of the miners we need to be praying for them, their families, the rescue workers, and all involved. God is working and God is there, regardless of the outcome. God loves all involved, and He has a plan in all of this even if we do not understand it. We all need to life up these people and this community in prayer.

2) This also reminds me of the Fratersville Mine accident that occurred in Briceville, TN in 1902 when 240 men died in a mine explosion. The explosion occurred due to faulty and insufficent ventlation, and virtually destoryed the entire community as only adult three men from the community lived. I mention this to show that mine accidents are not new and God can handle all that is involved here. Lives can be rebuilt, and God does restore, even if there is short term devastation. So weather it is a mine accident, a car accident, a job issue, a school issue, a marriage issue, or anything else, there is hope in Christ.
Fratersville Link #1
Fratersville Link #2
Fratersville Link #3

When The Mine’s Grew Still - By John Rice Irwin - March 1970

In the early twilight of the morning chill,
Came 200 men dozen to Fratersville;
Into the mouth proudly they strode,
And deep in the mines on the track they rode.

But at 7:32 the mountains shrilled,
And the mine grew still in Fratersville.

Now everyone knew, in the countryside,
That a lot of good miners had surely died;
All 200 men were sealed in that room,
They all realized it would be their tomb.

Women wept and children wailed
When the mines grew still in Fratersville.

It was dark and hot and there was little light
But the miner, Jacob Vowell, did manage to write;
“We’re all buried in and we’re going fast
The air is foul and we can’t long last.”

There were hundreds of children whose fathers were killed
When the mines grew still in Fratersville.

Jacob Vowell wrote as he neared his death,
“Dear Ellen, I pray, for just one good breath.
Our little son Elbert, who mined by my side
Has just passed on, but never once cried.”

“Do the best that you can, with the children dear;
For the doors of heaven are drawing near;
Pay what we owe with the money we’ve saved
And bury us together in a common grave.”

Powell Harmon said, in his very last line,
“My boys, don’t work in a dark coal mine;
For some of the miners lying dead in this coal
Are just young lads, not 12 years old.”

John Hendren wrote at half past one,
“It does look like that my race is run;
Dress me in black if it be your will
And bury me, dear, at Pleasant Hill.”

By mid-afternoon underneath that hill
Not a sound was heard in Fratersville;
The last line was written at 2:35;
There was not one man who was left alive,

And the church bells tolled for the men who were killed
When the mine grew still at Fratersville.
And the Church bells tolled for the men who were killed
When the mine grew still at Fratersville.

Five hundred people at the head of the mine,
The brave young widows were softly crying
They waited eight whole days and through the long night chill
When the mines grew still at Fratersville.

An old ex miner does still reside
In view of the place where his buddies died;
Though its been seventy years, he never will
Forget that day at Fratersville,
When the mines grew still at Fratersville

When the mines grew still at Fratersville.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2006 at 8:38 am and is filed under Current / General, History, Local, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.