Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster
by Karen Tintori
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A gripping account of the worst coal mine fire in US history--the 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster that claimed the lives of 259 men. "Drawing on diaries, letters, written accounts of survivors and testimony from the coroner's inquest...Tintori's engaging prose keeps readers on the edge" (Publishers Weekly). Inspired by a refrain of her girlhood--"Your grandfather survived the Cherry Mine disaster"--Karen Tintori began a search for her family's role in the harrowing tragedy of 1909. She uncovered show more the stories of victims, survivors, widows, orphans, townspeople, firefighters, reporters, and mine owners, and wove them together to pen Trapped, a riveting account of the tragic day that would inspire America's first worker's compensation laws and hasten much-needed child labor reform. On a Saturday morning in November of 1909, four hundred and eighty men went down into the mines as they had countless times before. But a fire erupted in the mineshaft that day and soon burned out of control. By nightfall, more than half the men would either be dead or trapped as officials sealed the mine in an attempt to contain the blaze. Miraculously, twenty men would emerge one week later, but not before the Cherry Mine disaster went down in history as the worst ever coal mine fire in the US--and not before all the treachery and heroism of mankind were revealed. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This book tells the story of the 1909 fire at the Cherry mine in northern Illinois. The author decided to investigate a family story that her grandfather had survived this mine disaster. It did not turn out quite that way - he actually stayed home with a hangover, so one could say that he averted the disaster rather than survived it - but several other family members were inside the mine when the fire started. The story is told from diaries maintained by men who were trapped inside the mine, from the subsequent investigation, and from family stories related by descendants, many of whom still live in the area.
The mine was fairly new, and was considered "fireproof" because the structures above ground were made of concrete and steel, but show more the fire revealed deficiencies in design and in emergency response planning. I would have liked more photos, and more detailed maps of the mine layout, but the story is compelling and worth reading. show less
The mine was fairly new, and was considered "fireproof" because the structures above ground were made of concrete and steel, but show more the fire revealed deficiencies in design and in emergency response planning. I would have liked more photos, and more detailed maps of the mine layout, but the story is compelling and worth reading. show less
Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster by Karen Tinori
An emotioannly charged thought provoking, tragic story of one of the worst Coal Mine Disasters in the United States.
Well researched, with indepth details from the few surviors, families of those lost, public records and acrchives. Photos and testimonies from (those) involved added to this compelling story.
Overall I found Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster informative and heartbreaking. I feel this books should be read by those in the (Illinois) area as well as nation wide.
This is a story that should not be forgotten, in honor of those who lost their lives and the families it affected. It left an imprint in my heart and one that will last forever.
An emotioannly charged thought provoking, tragic story of one of the worst Coal Mine Disasters in the United States.
Well researched, with indepth details from the few surviors, families of those lost, public records and acrchives. Photos and testimonies from (those) involved added to this compelling story.
Overall I found Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster informative and heartbreaking. I feel this books should be read by those in the (Illinois) area as well as nation wide.
This is a story that should not be forgotten, in honor of those who lost their lives and the families it affected. It left an imprint in my heart and one that will last forever.
A very good description of the 1909 fire in the Cherry coal mine. This book really brought the dangers of coal mining at the turn of the twentieth century to life. The courage and tenacity of the miners and the horrors they faced are strongly, but not melodramatically, portrayed. I would have liked more pictures and a map of the mine would have been helpful, but the writing was clear and vivid.
A good read, worth owning.
A good read, worth owning.
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Author Information
4+ Works 603 Members
Karen Tintori lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
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- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
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- Languages
- English
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- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
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