Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-23
FIRE BLOCKS RESCUE
Additional Horrors in Cherry,
ILL.,, Mine Disaster.
BLAZE IN SECOND GALLERY
Blockade May Cause Imprisoned
Survivors to Starve.
VAIN SEARCH FOR THE LIVING
David Hollofchek, Taken From Pit
Saturday Last, Dies Of Gen.
eral Exhaustion.

CHERRY. H.. November 23.-Fire in
the second gallery of the St Paul mine
resulted today in heavy cavings of earth.
blocking rescue work to the east. In
this section will be the best chance OF
finding survivors.
This passage is so badly blocked that 1t
will be impossible for many days to make
an entrance. Meanwhile, men now alive
may starve. The news spread gloom
throught t the village. relieved only by
improvements in prospects Of exploring
the go foot, or bottom, shaft.
1t Is said the blockade In the entry to
the east is near the main shaft. AS one
caving is followed by another. endanger-
ing the lives of the workers, attempts to
remove the debris were halted and an
attempt will be made to hew a new pas
sage through solid earth around the fire
and piles of earth. According to Duncan
Mcdonald, president of the United Mine
Workers of Illinois, this will take several
days.
Faint Hope of Other Rescues.
Does that not mean that practically
all hope of reaching imprisoned men in
the east workings has been abandoned,
or practically so?" was asked.
The union official looked very gloomy
and did not answer the question directly.
I'VE have hope Of rescues in the 500
foot level" he said.
Cherry and it's residents rested for a
brief period early today before the be-
ginning of the crucial struggle to rescue
the living or carry the dead from the 900
foot level of the ST. Paul coal mine. AT
midnight yesterday boy miners had forced
their way into the third vein. preparing
= he fo~ ,,l, 49, l,a{r Iao 70,
the same vein today. They declared the
air in the gallery stagnant. but capable
of sustaining life, the water but few
inches deep and all indications favorable
to the prolonging of life to those i'm
prisoned In the depths.
Threatens Main Shaft.
The youths, Robert McFadden and Bar
ney Dougherty. had scarcely emerged
from the shaft when tidings were spread
that the fire in the second vein had
broken out anew. All preparations for
the further exploration Of the vein were
halted while Chicago firemen attacked
the blaze. which now threatened the
main shaft
several hours during which the rescuers
threw themselves on cots, blankets or the
floor Of the boiler house, to be awakened
when all was ready for them to descend.
That scores of men are alive In the
lower level was the almost unanimous
assertion of miners who listened to the
story of McFadden and Dougherty. No
miners, living or dead, were seen, and
the one object indicating their occupancy
Of the vein was a dead mule that had
been tethered near the escape shaft,
through which the rescuers entered.
The two penetrated 120 feet into the
vein and shouted, but no response came.
Then they hurried back to the cage.
There is no reason why they shouldn't
be alive said Dougherty
After learning that the lower shaft con-
tanned air which was not too impure to
sustain life, the hope of those above was
increased in mighty measure. Many rea-
sons were advanced to show that the
men still may be alive.
View Of a Survivor.
There is plenty of water there" said
William A. Smith, one of the few miners
in the vein to escape after the fire, 1.-The
air is endurable and there was plenty OF
corn in the mule stables. They have some
of the shrewdest and nerviest miners in
the country down there. Well find them
barricaded and ready for another weeks
wait when we reach them"
The optimism of the miners was not
shared by company officials.
I'VE failed to find living men in the
place where 1t was most certain of find
ing Them said Supt. Taylor. They
may be alive still. but / am afraid they
are not
The place meant by Supt. Taylor was
the overcast an opening high above
the floor level, into which it was believed
that neither water nor black damp would
be found. The overcast was empty.
One Way Of Escape.
"They couldn't wall the overcast in.
but they could go back to the escape
shaft and block in the escape rum" 1t
was said.
The run is a chamber about eighty feet
long and about twelve feet high and wide.
From it a door enters into the escape
shaft, the other entrance being from the
third vein.
After experiencing all the terrors Of his
long Imprisonment and the joy of being
brought to the surface alive, David
Hollofchek, one Of the twenty survivors
rescued Saturday, died today Of general
exhaustion.