Editing Franklin County, Illinois (section)

=== Coal mining ===
Coal was mined in Franklin County as early as 1889, at the King Coal Mine, located at Township 5 South, Range 3 East.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hinton-gen.com/coal/franklin_mines.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005191308/http://hinton-gen.com/coal/franklin_mines.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 5, 2018|title=Illinois Coal & Coal Mining, History & Genealogy - Coal Mines of Franklin County, Illinois|last=Hinton|first=Wayne|website=Wayne's World of History & Genealogy|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref>

The high levels of gas found in Franklin County's coal deposits have resulted in mining disasters and explosions over the years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://isgs.illinois.edu/sites/isgs/files/maps/coal-maps/topo-mines/west-frankfort.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229091131/http://isgs.illinois.edu/sites/isgs/files/maps/coal-maps/topo-mines/west-frankfort.pdf |archive-date=December 29, 2015 |url-status=live|title=Directory of Coal Mines in Illinois, 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Series, West Frankfort Quadrangle, Franklin County|last=Chenowith|first=Cheri|last2=Myers|first2=Alan R|year=2014|publisher=Illinois State Geological Survey}}</ref> Between 1905 and 1968, there were eleven mine disasters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/Mine_Disasters/search_all_county.asp?COUNTY=Franklin+County,+IL|title=Mine Disasters in the United States - By County - Franklin County, IL|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|access-date=June 25, 2018}}</ref> In 1905, the Zeigler No. 1 mine, located in [[Zeigler, Illinois|Zeigler]], had an explosion that killed about fifty people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/zeigler_news_only.htm|title=Ziegler Mine Explosion|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref> In 1917, an explosion in Old Ben Mine No. 11, located in [[Christopher, Illinois|Christopher]], killed 17.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/old_ben_1917.htm|title=Old Ben No. 11 Mine Explosion|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref> The worst explosion occurred in 1951, in the Orient No. 2 Mine in [[West Frankfort, Illinois|West Frankfort]], in which 119 people died.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/orient.htm|title=Orient No. 2 Mine Explosion - West Frankfort, Illinois|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|language=en|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref>

The [[West Frankfort, Illinois|West Frankfort]] quadrangle of Franklin County is home to 17 [[Coal mining in the United States|coal mines]], according to a 2004 report.<ref name=":0" />