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December 1910. Coal Creek, Tennessee. "Hard work and dangerous for such a young boy. James O'Dell, a greaser and coupler on the tipple of the Cross Mountain Mine, Knoxville Iron Co., in the vicinity of Coal Creek. James has been there four months. Helps push these heavily loaded cars. Appears to be about 12 or 13 years old." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size.
Coal Creek has been the site of mine explosions and the infamous Coal Creek War. That was a battle between union workers over bringing prison labor in to work the mines during a strike.
Coal Creek is now called Lake City Tennessee.
More on Cross Mountain Mine
http://www.coalcreekaml.com/CrossMtnTourResultsOct2005.htm
I grew up in nearby Oak Ridge (built of course much later)
December 9 1911
84 miners died in an exposion at the mine. Excellent details are available with pictures at the following site.
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