"THE FLAMES CAUGHT US" 1909

[hawk]

"THE FLAMES CAUGHT US"
Cherry Mine 1909

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library will open a major exhibit "The Flames Caught Us" Cherry Mine 1909 on November 1, 2009 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cherry Mine Disaster. On November 13, 1909, a fire broke out at the St. Paul Coal mine in Cherry, Illinois that claimed the lives of 259 men and boys. The exhibit will be free to the public running through March 31, 2010 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

www.alplm.org/events/cherry_mine.html

[bluejay201]

Orphans Picture
The girl sitting second from right was not an orphan, she was Mary Ann, dau. of Joe and Paraska Mazak. It was her uncle, who died in the disaster.
Later in life, she felt bad about being in that picture, since her father survived.
"The Flames Caught Us"....I don't think that many died from the flames, but rather from the fumes from the burning coal.

[bluejay201]

There were so many stories out the this disaster.
This was the "lady in black" who visited the mine every morning.
She was Mrs. Susan Kissack and can view her tombstone at...
www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22283947

...from Streator Daily Free Press
November, 1909, page 01
WOMAN DIES OF GRIEF.
Mrs. George McMullen, whose husband, a Cherry mine victim, was buried her Sunday, as stated yesterday, was called back to Cherry the the death of her relative, Mrs. Susan Kasack, whose death is supposed to have been directly due to grieving over her son-in-law, Andrew Dovan, and his son, John, both victims of the mine disaster.
Mrs. Kasack visited the mouth of the shaft soon after daybreak yesterday and, as had been her custom for a week, knelt down and prayed. Later she wandered over the field toward her home, where she died shortly after from grief.
Mrs. McMullen's husband lost his life through his turning back in an effort to save his father-in-law. McMullen's brother, Hugh, from who he parted to save the elder Dovan, was among those who escaped from the mine. McMullen was buried Sunday in a grave dug for his sister's husband, John Lorimar, who was one of the Eddy party of survivors.
The body of Mrs. Kasack will be brought to Streator tonight and the funeral held from the Slavish Catholic church tomorrow at 3:30 p. m. Mrs. Kasack was a former resident of this city and was 90 years old.

[bluejay201]

Looking for Wives..
The Catholic priest also received several letters requesting he find a good Catholic woman for the sender.


WIDOWS SOUGHT AS WIVES.
---------------
Cherry, Ill., Nov. 23---Since the news of the Cherry mine horror has been flashed across the country various persons in an official capacity, or semi-official capacity here have received letters from men desiring to marry women widowed by the fire.
Duncan McDonald, state president of the United Mine Workers, has a letter from an western man, a machinist, who desire Mr. McDonald to select a wife for him. Enclosed in the letter are photographs of the machinist and his machine shop. Mr. McDonald refuses to disclose the sender's name or address.
The city marshal yesterday received the following letter:
Another Letter.
"Oneida, Kan., Nov. 17.---To Mr. Marshal of Cherry, Ill.:
"If you will pick out a widow with two or three children, that are good looking and smart children and their mother is an American and she can sing so as her children can be learned to sing and play, I would take them if she will do the work, as I haven't any family and love children. I have good house and 160 acres farm, and if she will do what is right I'll send the children to school and clothe her and the children, treat them all just like they were my own and love her, too. I want her for companionship and help me do the work. We own our farm and would give a deserving woman a good home. I am not particular about the ages of the children, only would like for one to be 10 or 12 years old, so they could milk two or three cows. We only milk one now, but with that much family we would have to have more milk and butter. So give one of them a chance for a good home. We have an eight room house; the dining room is 14 by 20. So we would get along fine. I hope to get a favorable reply. From
"H. Sanford"

[bluejay201]

Can you imagine the joy that was in the hearts of these women.....and the jealousy they must have faced from those who were not so lucky

Dr. L. D. Howe visited all the rest of the survivors who were taken from the mine Saturday and reported them gradually working toward recovery, although he had been unable to accede to the wishes of their women folks that hey be fed more bounteously.
It is still considered inadvisable to give the patients other than the lightest food. This is a great disappointment to the women, who had dreamed of showing their affection in the form of repasts which would recompense the men for their seven days' hunger.
Joanie

[bluejay201]

I heard that a few altar boys stayed outside with the remains, and how cold it was....Does anyone remember hearing this story from father, grandfather???
"local band" the union bands would lead the cortege for a union member.

Please let me know. Thanks, Joan...from November 24, 1909
Hold Triple Funeral.
The triple funeral of Mike Halko, George Elko and John Danko, three Slavish victims of the cherry mine disaster, was held this morning at the Slavish Catholic church.
The bodies of the victims, sealed in metallic caskets, were taken from the Solon undertaking rooms to the church but were not taken into the edifice because of a state health law. With the three caskets resting outside in the dead wagon the friends and relatives filled the church and listened to the funeral discourse of Father Biskupski.
A long cortege followed the remains to the slavish cemetery where the burial was made.
Members of the St. Stephen's Society and a local band marched in the funeral line.