Splashdam Portal No. 6 Traditional Cache
YetAnotherReviewer: There has been no response from the CO. Without recent communication on future cache availability, we can't hold this area for you any longer and so we are archiving this cache. Please pick up any remaining cache bits as soon as possible.
Thanks for your understanding,
Thanks,
YetAnotherReviewer
Volunteer Geocaching.com Reviewer
Known Virginia Geocaching Guidelines
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
On the outskirts of Haysi, VA on past the Kiwana's park/Regional Jail turn off.
June 13, 1932 was to be a typical spring day, or so it seemed. It was Monday, warm and sunny. A man stood with his mother at the edge of their garden on the lower end of Big Ridge overlooking the coal mining town of Splashdam. Suddenly the ground raised and lowered beneath their feet, this heaving of the earth being accompanied by a muffled roar. A thick cloud of smoke rolled up from one of the mine entries. Then it became apparent what had happened - an explosion at the mine, Splashdam No. 6.
The Splashdam Coal Corporation No. 6 mine had been closed several days. It was during the midst of the Great Depression and temporary closings were not uncommon. This mine was down the day of the explosion, with only a few men doing what was termed dead work and building brattice.
When the smoke cleared and the mine was safe to enter, the bodies of 10 men were found: Roy Sproles who was building brattice with Drew Wallace. Roy Garett and Elmer Null, both motormen. Delbert Willis. Clyde Matney. Nick Honaker, pump operator. Dave Adams. Cecil Stump. Oscar Dawdles fireboss. Dawdles, a large man of about 250 lbs took the brunt of the explosion, being thrown against a mine timber. Dawdles' boot was placed on a ledge beside the track where it remained for many years.
Most of the other men were taken by afterdamp (oxygen depleted air containing carbon monoxide) which follows mine explosions. Matney, Garrett, and Honaker were a good distance away from the explosion but encountered afterdamp when attempting to escape the mine. They were found lying together. The miners were taken to Splashdam School.
Probable cause of the explosion was an accumulation of firedamp (methane gas) during the period the mine was closed. The fans had not been in operation enough to ventilate the mine. When the methane exploded coal dust in the mine was picked up which also combusted.
Story by Dennis Reedy, Mountain People and Places Volume One 1988
For safety's sake I placed the cache across from the portal on the other side of the stream that seperates the two hillsides.
Cache is a 35mm film cannister. BYOP
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
V jbhyqa'g tb cnfg GUVF gerr.