1922 — June 27, Holston marble quarry explosives det., Straw Plains (~Knoxville), TN–     9

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-17-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–9  INS. “Bodies of Victims in Quarry Disaster are Blown to Bits…” Albany-Decatur Daily, AL. 6-28-1922, p. 1.

–9  United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Holston Marble.

Narrative Information

July 28: “(By International News Service.)

“Straw Plains,[1] Tenn., June 28 – Nine known dead and ten seriously wounded was the toll today from a premature explosion of dynamite at the workings of the Holston quarry company yesterday afternoon. Everything in a radius of 200 yards of the mammoth quarry was demolished. Buildings, trees, derricks and frame work about the quarry were completely wrecked. Windows were broken and pictures fell from the walls two miles from the scene of the disaster. The bodies of the men killed were literally blown to bits, some of whom were not fully identified.

“Superintendent Cecil C. Smyre, Henry C. Lawson, Sam Smith, John Sproles, Amos Campbell and George Stinnett…were identified and taken to the Knoxville morgue. Three negroes probably identified, also were taken there.

“The blast was heard and felt for miles and within a very few minutes hundreds gathered at the scene.

“No cause for the accident had been established early today.

“R. Hendrix, an employee of the company said the men in charge of Superintendent Emre were tamping in preparation for blowing out great quantities of marble. The man said the gang had completed four of seven holes and were at work on the fifth, when like a thunderclap from a clear sky, came the explosion” (INS (International News Service). “Bodies of Victims in Quarry Disaster are Blown to Bits; Buildings Wrecked.” Albany-Decatur Daily, AL. 6-28-1922, p. 1.)

Sources

INS (International News Service). “Bodies of Victims in Quarry Disaster are Blown to Bits; Buildings Wrecked.” Albany-Decatur Daily, AL. 6-28-1922, p. 1. Accessed 4-17-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/decatur-daily-jun-28-1922-p-1/

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Holston Marble, Holston Quarry Explosives Detonation, Strawplains, Sevier County, Tennessee, June 27, 1922, No. Killed – 9.” Accessed 4-17-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/holston_news_only.htm

[1] Reporting at the time had the name of the locale as Straw Plains. Today (2025) a search for Straw Plains brings up Strawberry Plains.