After many years of research I happened to stumble upon a recently published photograph of a sawmill explosion in the Tennessee State Historical Library and Archives. I had often wondered why I never found any more photographs of this event, then it became clear why. This photograph immediately came to my attention as the metadata seemed very much similar to this event of 1905. So I began discussions with their archivists to have the metadata reviewed, as I believe it may be have been given to them with incorrect subject identification. I want to add that since I have been communicating with the staff at the Tennessee State Historical Library and Archives, I have found them to be extremely helpful and really care about accuracy in their historical data.

Following are the reasons why Image 6655 should reflect the actual event of August 7, 1905 at the T.J. Salts Lumber Company. The current metadata states the following: Image ID: 6655, Subject: Mills; Lumber industry: Explosions Place: Claiborne County (Tenn.), Description: Cedar Mill, Combs, where the cedar was dressed from nearby sawmill and shipped out on the railroad. This picture was taken after the boiler exploded and the mill blew up, Collection: Looking back at Tennessee, Date: 1915 August 15.

NOTE: I would like to point out that in the effort of collecting historic images like this, sometimes the information that is gathered with the photograph may only be someone’s best recollection at that time. Many years ago not all photographs were noted on the backs as to their subject matter.

Supporting facts to change metadata on Image ID 6655 Mills, Lumber Industry, Explosions, Claiborne County (Tenn).

1.) Extensive research on Newspapers.com on all newspapers in the state of Tennessee during the full year of 1915 only resulted in two small farm boiler explosions dated in March and May. Both incidents were described as small-farm-type sawmill explosions and nothing to compare to the photograph of a large lumber company. No mention anywhere of an incident of an explosion in Claiborne County nor Cedar Mills.

In contrast, my research of T.J. Salts Lumber Company explosion was in 1905. It would appear that the year 1915 was a typographical error on the existing metadata. Both the photograph and my research do support an incident that occurred in the month of August.  Item (1) is enough to prove the metadata is in error. It does, however, prove a boiler explosion of a sawmill did occur in Tennessee in August.

2.) In the image 6655, it is clear the topography has a hill in the background suggesting that it is in the mountains, possibly in a “holler" type setting with steep banks. 

In contrast, our family has found the actual site of the T.J. Salts Lumber company explosion and it is in the same setting and topography as seen in the photo 6655. The location is on private land in the Dry Fork area just outside of Del Rio, Tennessee.

3.) No research shows any type of boiler explosion in Claiborne County , Tennessee, in a few years back, including 1916, 1915, 1914, 1913.

In contrast, it is interesting that the actual county where the T.J. Salts Lumber explosion took place is a county starting with the letter (c) which is Cocke County. Cocke County and Claiborne County are only 67 miles apart. I believe whoever translated the initial information on this image 6655 possibly made assumptions as to the actual county. 

4.) When viewing the image 6655, it is clear this was a large-size lumber company with a boiler building on the left and a large hole in the center where the boiler stood and a water tank on the right side.

In contrast, the supporting news articles in my research speak of a building or boiler room where the 15 lumbermen and workers sought shelter from a fierce storm. 

5.) On the left side of the image 6655 there appears to be a wall of an office structure with a window. Planks are nailed to the building vertically. 

In contrast, our family has a photo of William Harmon Teaster after his body was recovered from underneath the boiler. We have chosen not to publish this photograph out of respect. Harmon was placed leaning against a wooden wall which appears to be the same area as described just behind the second person on the left of image 6655.

Note: As of January 2023, the wonderful staff at the Tennessee State Historical Library and Archives are in agreement with this analysis of Image 6655 and will be changing it soon. My personal thanks to everyone there who took my many phone calls and emails.