Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-03-26
MINERS.
Recovery Of the Bodies from the
Flooded Mine near Barid-
wood, Ill.
Thousands of Excited People
Flock to the Scene of
the Disaster.
Several Bodies Brought to tho Sur
face in n Horrible Condition.
A Horrible Grave.

A Horrible Grave.
Special Dispatch to Tns BKE.
CHICAGO, March 25.-A Braidwood
special says early Saturday morning
the boss of the diamond mine
descended to tho bottom, and after
exploring for short distance In
different directions, finding several
places where the mine oaved In from
the effect of soaking by water aud
discovering black damp plentiful, he
went into the south working, which
wos found In better condition than the
others. About five steps from the
starting point he discovered the
body of one of the drowned
miners, water soak ID and bloated
beyond recognition, and q little
further on another In the same condi-
tion. Without proceeding further he
returned to the surface and on con-
sultation II was decided to keep the
matter qdiet for fear of large crowds
assembling before the regular search
party entered. The secret leaked out
to The Tribune correspondent, how
ever, and the story was told In that
paper to-day.
BRAIDwooD, ILL., March 35.-There
are marks of the destroying angel
plainly visible In the little town of
Diamond, where at midnight tonight,
were brought to the surface the bodies
of the miners who lost their lives by
the terrible catastrope Of Feb. 16.
Frsm the earliest hour of the morn.
Ing, up to the time OF the recovery of
the bodies, the roads leading to the
scene of the awful disaster were
blocked with excited people. Last
night II was announced the bodies
which had been found by the OK.
ploring party would be brought
to the surface and placed
In the morgue, By 10 o'clock a. m.
1000 people had gathered about the
shaft, discussing the probability of
Identification of the bodies. The
water was virtually out at midnight
last night, enough 40 as to permit
party of workers to carry on the prep
arations of removing the soapstone and
debris that had fallen in the PASSAGE
way. When first entrance was made
to the main shaft, 1t was asoertained
the roof had oaved to a slight extent.
This caused great excitement among
those above. 1t was then determined
1t would be iniudicious to bring up the
bodies In the morning, as 1t was first
proposed. During the day private
search was instituted and thorough
examination made. While In the
south workings of the mine the party
oame across the trap door, which was
partly embedded In the caved roofs.
Burvting open the door the party
made an extrance into the passage In
spite Of the black damp that almost
choked them, and discovered, not far
ahead, two bodies, both lying
upon their face. Proceeding
further two more bodies, and still fur
ther two more. Upon two Of them were
huge piles Of soap store. Without
removing or In way touching them the
party retreated before the black damp
that was coming upon them faster and
faster. At 8 O'Clock this evening a
searching party secretly prepared for
the journey to the depths below.
Without attracting attention they
were lowered to the cage plates at the
bottom, where stood nine inches OF
water. Proceeding to where the bod
les lay, they were placed upon canvas
stretchers and borne to the
mouth Of the main shaft, where
they were to remain until
midnight when they were to be en-
cssed In wooden boxes and hoisted to
the surface. Special trains that were
running during the day have been
heavily laden With passengers curious
to gaze upon the discolored features
that it was expected would be brought
to the surface, At midnight two great
soft coal torches were. lighted and the
party below instructed to send up the
FIRST body. A slight puffiug Of the
engine, . gentle glide Of the cage up
from the gloomy shaft, and q
body was at the surface ready
for removal. A party of willing
hands seized the box and 1t was borna
tto ths morgue where 1t was placet
4 upon TIE floor and crowd allowed I,
pass around and view the dead Il
hopes thst some one would identif,
the corpse. Nearly half the crowl
had passed, when small boy loolinl
into the boz recognized the feature
OF his father, and cried ont, st
my father" The childish identifica
tion proved correct. 1t was ths bod,
Of Paddy WALL The face was In
terrible condition, the flesh be
ing red and white ana tn
scalp badly bruised. Other bodie
were then raised and two. of then
identified as being William. johnson
and Jno. Huber. Developments ar
expected tomorrow. Two shifts will
be at work all day, working thei
way through the immense piles o
soapstone that has fallen from tn,
roof and blocked the passages. Th'
searchsrs, though in great danger o
their own lives, 30 far have met will
no accidents. Largo crowds and grea
excitement will be Witnessed here 10
morrow.