Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-11-19
MOUTH OF NINE
STILL Is SEALED;
FIRE Is RAGING
HEAT IN CHERRY HILL SHAFT so
INTENSE THAT NO ONE CAN
SEARCH FOR BODIES.
FLAMES NOW IN COAL VEINS
Chicago Chief on the Ground to Direct
Work of Fighting Blaze Below
the Ground
VICTIMS OF DISASTER BURIED.

CHERRY, ILL.,, Nov. 16.-Further eff
forts to enter the st. Paul coal mine,
where 300 men are entOmbed were aban-
doned at l o'clock this afternoon. George
S. Rice, chief of the field work of the
United States geological survey, an
nounced this decision after an inspection
of the mouth. The sand over the seal
was at a temperature of no degrees, in
dicating the heat in the interior was in
tense 1t is believed that some of the
coal deposits have caught fire, and the
flames are burning out the timbers OF
many Of the galleries. s
President Earring, who is determined
to fight the fire with ali possible speed,
ordered that the water spray be lowered
at once into the shaft. The spray was
quickly turned on in the hope of cooling
the mine. If this is successful the in
vestigators will enter the mine later in
the day The temperature at the sur
face at noon was 40 degrees,
A struggling line, for the most part
women, tramped the muddy streets be-
tween the mine office and the bank
where the pay checks for the miners
were cashed.
At the bank Mayor Connolly, who was
appointed by President Earring, chair
man of the local relief committee, en-
deavored to ascertain the needs of each
family. The funds thus distributed will
keep the people from immediate want
as nearly $4,000 will be paid out, it
is said, by tomorrow night.
There was more evidence of grief to-
day than there has been since the first
news of the disaster. The sealing of the
mine has caused the abandonment of all
although a few still express belief that
some of them may yet be alive:
Disappointment was keen to the mine
officials and investigators who had made
all preparations for fighting the fire.
The preparations included a special train
paratus and under the direction of
James Koran. chief Of the Chicago fire
department. Twenty thousand gallons
of water are waiting at the mine and
more is on the way. Patent eXtlngulsh-
ers have been procured, and as soon as
the shaft can be opened, the fight to ex-
tingush the flames will be undertaken.
Until this is accomplished, all rescue and
exploration work must be abandoned
Judging from the heat on the surface
of the shaft, Mine Inspector James Tay-
lor declared that the heat at the bottom
of the shaft must be intense. AS there is
nothing to burn in the shaft itself, the
heat comes from within the mine, 300
feet below the surface. The smell of
gas is apparent near the shaft, and seems
q certain indication that the flames have
spread from the stables to the coal veins.
1--WE hope to open the mine if possible
today" said President Earling, who is
on the ground, intently watching every
move of the experts.
'1f we can open the shaft, a desperate
effort will be made TO fight that fire.
No Shortage of Water.
Il want to emphaticaly contradict
statements that there has been a short
age of water at any time since the dis
aSter."
The attention of the populace here
was taken from the operations at the
mine today to the homes of the victims
whose bodies were recovered last Sat
urday. One of the funerals was that
of Ike Lewis, a liveryman who lost his
life in an attempt to rescue the miners.
H., for burial.
AS mark of respect and appreciation
of his heroic sacrifice, surviving miners
attended the funeral in a body. They
also attended the funeral of their former
mine boss Alex Norberg, who died i'll
the same sacriicial manner Norberg's
! body was taken to Peru.
| At o'clock this afternoon a meet
| ing of miners will be held with the char
liable agents and an effort made to learn
| the condition of want in the town. Erl-
| est P Bicknell of the National Red
| Cross and Sherman G.. Kingsley of the
United Charities will have charge of the
| investigation.
Women Still Hopeful.
| Despite the belief expressed by the
| state and government officials that there
! is little or no possibility of any of the
men ever being brought to the surface
alive. scores of grief-stricken wives early
/ today gathered about the mouth of the
hosting shaft which late Monday had
! to be closed down and sealed hermetical-
| " because of the renewal of fire in the
| interior.
Haggard and almost worn into exhaus-
| ton by the terror of three sleepless
nights, the women approached the Off
Gals, imploring for some glimmer of
! hope.
There is still chance, amt there,
mister? pleaded dozens of women:
Don't say they are dead for certain"
| With the smoke drifting into the re-
| hottest galleries of the mine for almost
| three days, the men must certainly have
| been suffocated, according to Presiden
| Duncan Mcdonald, of District II. Unit
| ed Mine Workers of America. He de-
| cared also that the fire had burned out
many of the timber supports and some
of the men undoubtedly had been burned
| in the caving in of walls and roofs of
| the passageWayS.
| Not only would the men have been
! without food, but with no means of light
| ing. they must have CROPPED three days
| through interminable passage ways in