The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-22
FIVE MEN SMOTHFR[D TO DEATH
in COAL MINES OF ISSAQUAH.
Brush Fire IgniteS TimberS of Air Shaft and
Spreads to Lower Workings.
Three Imprisoned Miners Perish Beyond Reach of Aid
Two Heroes Give Their Lives in Vain Effort to
Save Others-foremans Narrow Escape.

81 can't go any further he said: 1
must go back.
''He staggered as he spoke. and I real
lied that only by instant retreat could we
get out alive.
Come, Lind, we must 60 back I
shouted. He turned and followed me back
along the gangway. Laws went ahead of
me. An instant later Lind cried out I'm
gone; can't go step further.
Laws and l picked him up from the
ground and dragged him along. but his
weight, $50 pounds. made it a wel-nigh
impossible task for us, in our weakened
condition.
"Its no use' he said. Leave me here
'.Giddy and sick with the black damp,
we dropped him face downward on the
ground to die and struggled on. few
hundred feet further. at breast lS9, Laws
stumbled and fell
I'm DONE he moaned. Brace up!' 1
shouted in his ear. at the same time try
ing to raise him TO his feet We were now
in total darkness. My lamp had long ago
gone out. and Laws had been sxtin-
guished when he fell.
Save yourself. Beisell.' he said to me.
God bless you, and good-by.'
Almost unconscious and fast losing
my Senses obeyed him. and left him to
his fate. Two hundred yards further /
saw a light, and then knew that there
was still hope. / shouted feebly for help,
and William Lewis who had gone for
ward as far as breast l22, came to my
assistance.
'' i can't walk any farther alone, Bill
ly.' / cried. and grasped his arm. Half
carrying. half dragging me. he hurried
me toward the bottom. At last we found
an empty car on the track. Into this he
bundled me and pushed me down the
track Soon we met Michael SiIes He
III ~. l..- oil. I-rA,t.
this point on the grade was downward,
and we made rapid progress. At about
breast 30 a rescuing party met us, and
placing Lewis and Slles In the car with
me, pushed us out into the fresh air at
the bottom of the main shaft.
brought ont the bodies.
Here. living on the ground in cur
rent OF fresh air. revived sufficiently
to give directions 20 the men for saving
Laws and Lind. Ten brave fellows went
down the gangway with a mule cart.
''At about breast i2o they found the
dead body of Laws. lie had revived after
l left him. and CROPPED his way more than
100 yards toward safety. Then he had
fallen and died. They found him at one
side of the track. his face In a pool of
water. suffocated or drowned. They
brought his body out. and others having
joined the rescue party. they returned
for Lind. They found him lying on his
face where he had fallen at breast l54,
aud brought his dead body back
"The air in the gangway was now cir
cnlating freely. and little black damp was
found even as far as breast i5i, but I'm
spite of this fact. ! strongly urged that
no attempt should be made TO reach the
Cassassas boys and Vowel until the ex-
tent of the Ere had been ascertained and
good ventilation restored.
THE body OF Laws was brought nut al
about II o'clock. l.inds body was found
just after noon. Tho fire had broken out
shortly before 10 O'clock IL is my theory
that the death OF the five men was caused
by a momentary stoppage OF the current
in the air shaft Probably the tiuabars
ped the air unul they burned away. This
gave the damp chance 10 settle down,
and its fatal work was done"
Beiseil. after ordering that no attempt
be made TO reach the bodies still IN the
mine, went home dcathly III from the of-
fects OF the poisonous gas.
But his men did not abandon their at
tempt TO recover tho bodies. a third res
cue party was formed. and At o'clock
all the bodies were at the surface The
ian was stopped and tho great draft
caused by the hre in the air shaft soon
drew the black damp out Of tho mine
through tho air shaft Then tho rescuars
entered the mine in safety.
The CassaSsas brothers were found ly-
Ing dead together on the gaugway near
breast fs6 whore they worked Vowel
iay dead az the foot of Ma. 1ss The three
men had been carrying their coats. hats
and dinner pals and one had pick. II
Is thought they had either rot received
or had not needed the warning given BY
their companions.
Four Were Married.
or the dead men. four wers married
Laws leaves a widow and seven children.
the eldest sixteen years ~ age Vawell
leaves q widow ana two grown sons
The Cassassas brothers leave Widows
Continued on Page Three