The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-26

Man Who Perished in illinois
Mine Noted Sensations.
DIED FOR Want OF AIR
Diary Was Written BY Young Man and
Realistically Describes Battle Against
Deadly Black Damp.

Cherry, lII.-I1ope that there might
still be alive some Of the 189 men
known to be entombed in the st.
Paul coal mine has been abandoned.
An exploration into what is known
as the second vein, where it was
thought probable miners had barri-
caded themselves and managed to
exist on oats and corn kept there for
mules, showed that great portions Of
the tunnel had collapsed.
1t Is thought that many men were
buried under the debris and that IL
the obstruction is not soon cleared
away at least 100 bodies may never
be recovered. Fire is still raging in
these tunnels, and those portions Of
the mine in which imprisoned miners
might have found retreat, are said
to be full Of the fatal black damp.
Kept Tab on Approach Of Death.
A diary was found on the clothing
taken from one of the thirty-eight
bodies found an pocket Of the mine.
The diary was begun on November
10, and was written by Samuel ID.
Howard, 21 years old. 1t describes
the slow death of the men by the en-
croaching black damp, and refers ten
Derby to Samuel's efforts to save his
brother, Alfred, 16 years old, who
died by his side. The diary follows:
'Alive at 1920 o'clock yet. AT
1915; II sharp. BY Sam ID. Howard
\ Brother Alfred is with me yet. a
good many dead mules and men.
tried to save some, but came almost
losing myself ! am dead. Give my
diamond ring to Mamie Robinson.
The ring is coming at the postofice.
Henry can have the ring / have in
my good clothes. The only thing |
regret is that my brother could not
help my mother out after am dead
and gone.
II tried my best to get out, but
could not. / saw Jim Jameson and
Steven Timke lying along the road,
and could not stand it any longer. 1t
Is Ave minutes past II o'clock, and
the air Is fine, but sometimes It is so
bad it almost puts fellow to sleep.
It is something fierce to see men and
mules lying down all over like that.
Trying to Keep From Thinking.
"To keep me from thinking, !
thought would write these Few ines.
There is rock falling all over. We
have our buckets full Of water-sump
water, and we drink 1t and battle our
heads with it. 10 to IL o'clock; AFTER
/ O'Clock: 2, 8 o'clock; and poor air
and black damp. 4:15 o'clock,
change Of place No. men tried TO
get out, and could not get back. 1850
O'Clock, tired, hungry and sleepy, but
/ could stand quite a bit OF this II !
could get out Of THIS hole.
1880 o'clock in the morning. This
ie Sunday. There is no air. We
famed ourselves with the lids Of our
buckets. 25 after 9 and black damp
coming both ways. Is after 10. We
gave up all hope. We have done all
we could. The fan had better start
above soon. rs after 10 O. M. Sunday.
We are still alive. The only hope Is
the fan.
q think | won't have strength to
write pretty soon.
s'15 after IL p. m. Sunday. If they
can't get us air we will make fans
ourselves We take our turn at the
fans We have three of them going.
pyinu for the Want OF Air.
"27 to 8 D. m. and the black damp
is coming in on us. Only for the
fans we would be dead.
I'll to 4 D. m. dying for the want
Of air. We have six fans moving.
one fan after another 10 feet apart.
"25 after 10 p. m. Sunday evening.
We all had to come back. We cant
move front or backwards. We can
stand it with our fans until Monday
morning.
.'15 after 2 a. n. Monday morning.
Am still lalive. We are cold, hun
CRY. weak. sick and everything else
Alfred Howard is still alive. 9:15
i. m. Monday morning, still breath
ing. Something better turn up or
we will soon be gone. 11:15 a. m.
still alive at this time. 16 to l p.
M Monday. The lives are going out.
/ think this is our last. We are get
ting weak. Alfred Howard as well
as the rest Of us"
The men were evidently all killed
by black damp forty-eight hours af-
! ter the fire broke out in the mine.
The death of one Of the survivors
brought to the surface last Saturday
reduced to nineteen the total num-
Der of those saved out Of the $40 Ell
tombed by the fire a week ago Satur-
day.
CONGRESSMAN BURNED TO DEATH.