Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-24
Scrubbed Pages Of Simple
Diary Tell of Doomed Mems
Effort to Pfolong Life in Gas
Checked Hole.
ALL HOPE OF SAVING MEN
Ar CHERRY ABANDONED
Fresh Fall of Rock Blocks
Path Of Rescue PartyiI
Bodies of Many May Never
Recovered.


Cherry, H., Nov 2S.--Hope that
there might still be alive some of the
1s9 men known to be entombed in the
St Paul mine was practically aban-
doned today. An exploration into
what is known as the second vein,
where it was thought probable many
miners had barricaded themselves and
had managed to exist on oats and
corn provided for the mules, showed
that great portions OF the tunnels had
collapsed.
It is believed that many men were
buried under the debris and if the OBJ
struction is not soon cleared at least
100 bodies may never be dug up. Fire
was still raging in these tunnels, and
the back portions where imprisoned
miners could have found retreat
were said to be full of the fatal black
damp.
What little hope we had was
given up when we penetrated to what
is known as the overcast said w. W..
Taylor, general manager of the mine
In that elaeo pure air would have
been found If 1t could have been
found anywhere, and the miners likely
would have retired there. When we
got into that place we found it empty
both of bodies and of live men. We
listened in vain to detect signal or
any other sign of life"
Cherry continues to be a village OF
mourning. The death today of one
Of the Survivors brought to the. sur
face last Saturday reduced the total
number of those saved out of the $40
lost in the disaster to nineteen. AL
most all the forty-two bodies taken
out yesterday were identified. Res
cuers met with great obstacles In
one instance fire broke out in tun-
mel temporarily cutting off the escape
of twenty-five men who had ventured
400 feet from the hoisting shaft. The
smell of smoke gave the warning
above and the rescuers were reached
and brought TO safety by another res
cue party.
Following a telegram sent to Gov
ernor Deneen by the executive board
of the miners organization. asking
that someone be designated by the
state to take charge of the mine,
Mine Inspector Hector McAlister was
placed in charge.
Despite the fire and the falling in
Of the tunnels the rescue work VIII
be pushed night and day.
Grim Story of Death Struggle.
4 diary was found today in the
clothing of one of the bodies taken
from the mine yesterday. 1t was be-
gun on the day of the disaster, and
was written by Samuel D. Howard, II
years old. 1t describes the slow
death of the men by the encroaching
black damp and refers to Samuers ef-
forts to save his brother Alfred. l6
years old, who died by his side. The
diary follows:
Alive at 1890 O'Clock yet. 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 losing myself If | am
dead give my diamond ring to Mamie
Robson. The ring is coming at the
postoffice. 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.
Il tried my best to get out, but
could not. / saw Jim Jameson and
Steve Timke lying along the road and
could not stand it any longer 1t is
i've minutes past IL o'clock and the
air is fine, but sometimes it is so bad
II almost puts fellows light out. II
Is something fierce to see men and
mules lying down all over like that
To keep me from thinking
thought l would write these few lines.
There is rock falling all over. We
nave our buckets full of water sump
water. and we drink it and battle our
heads with Il.
Ten to IL o'clock. Z after 1 o'clock,
o'clock, 3 o'clock and poor air and
black damp. 4:15 O'Clock change OF
place. One man tried to get out and
could not get back. $50 o'clock tired.
hungry and sleepy, but ] could stand
quite a bit OF this If could get out
% this hole. $50 in the morning.
ms is sunday. There is no air We
tanned ourselves with the lids OF our
buckets. 20 after 3 o'clock and black
oamp coming both ways 25 after 10
Clock we gave up all hopes We
nave done all we could. The fan had
better start pretty soon from above.
. after 10 Sunday. We are still
shNe. The only hope is the fan.
1 think | won't have strength 10