The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-11-18

titution and the suspense of the woM-
en- whose sons, husbands ard brothers
are buried 500 feet In the earth Is
more in evidence than any physical
want.
Nurses on the Ground.
A party of nurses from Chicago, who
arrived last night, today turned into
comforters OF the families probably be-
reft. Throughout the little hamlet
We're scattered cottages In various
stages OF completion. Families OF men
entombed are living in small houses
still needing glass for all the windows.
tages never will be finished.
Undertakers from nearby towns
have been notified to be in readiness,
1t Is said. for the removal of the nu-
merous hodies. President Earring, OF
the Chicago. Milwaukee & st. Paul
of the more needy families at least,
and offers Of aid have come from the
more prosperous inhabitants OF
Cherry.
If we had been here Saturday we
would have prevented the death OF the
as 1t turned out, futilely. went down
the shaft in al effort to save the min
ers," declared President Newsam to-
day. Il and the other members OF the
state mining commission would have
known a rescue under the circum-
stances was impossible and hat 1t
would have been a most needless risk
Of life to attempt 1t.
Our object in sealing the entrance
OF the mine asst night was to end the
fire, thus making it possible for a party
to enter the mine and pierce the lower
levels practically assured of safety"
The party selected to make the first
descent TODAY inr111a1 ToroS To,10r
state mine inspector; r. Y. Williams,
OF the United States rescue station at
Urbana, and James Han and Henry
Smith, both Of whom We're anon the
men who escaped Saturday.
Neither the miners nor officials think
there is a chance the men below are
alive. Rumors that a shot was heard
beneath the surface n that rapping
on pipes had been used to indicate
the entombed miners were living were
declared absurd.
]. P. Buck, chief clerk of the ST. Paul
Coay company, employed about the
mine for 80 years, asserted 10 revolver
shot could have been heard or felt at
the surface. Other officials declared
that h explosion of a stick of dyna-
mite would be unlikely anyway and
that it would serve, If it occurred, to
lessen the chances OF the mems surviv-
ing.
bpNNVO w uNoo0utuCs
The resumption Of the coroner's III.
quest is an important event scheduled
for today. Brought out by States At
torney Eckcrt, of Bureau county, and
David Ross, secretary Of the state labor
commissioner, further evidence regard
ing the alleged fatal obedience to orders
of Shaft Engineer Cowley is expected
to come out.
The state officials here are taking a
deep interest in the inquest, but their
guarded statements make it apparent
they do not expect a decision which will
blame any particular person for the
fire in the mine.
men Of the rescuing party who died
Saturday-the only persons, In fact,
known to be dead. Therefore the primal
cause OF h disaster has not been en-
tered into and the state officers so far
have been more interested in getting
into the mine. rescutng the miners or
bringing out their bodies and saving as
much as possible of the property.
Governor Deneen at Springfield. has
kept In constant touch with the situa-
ton. Last night after receiving re-
ports from his representatives here he
communicated by telephone early today
with President Earring, Of the st. Paul
road. The nature of the messages be-
tween h governor and Mr.. Earring
were not given out, but 1t is said it con-
cerned the possibility Of saving the lives
Of h entombed miners. Mr.. Earring
is said to have assured the governor,
he. as well as the other mine officials
and the state officers. would do every
thing possible to ave the men.
AS proof Of the lack of hope held by
Mr.. Earring, seven special funeral cars
were brought to Cherry at $3.50 this
morning. These cars were backed up
near the mine. Early today relatives Of
the buried men. miners and villagers,
gathered around the hosting shaft.
In the soreness Of their hearts many
of the supposedly bereaved have cor
demned the action Of the officials in
closing the only openings of the mine,
but it seems that the officials took the
only course open to them.
Though tests yesterday seemed t o in
dictate that the fire had burned out,
smoke continued last night to issue
from the air shaft until it was sealed
and as 1t found vent, smoke poured out
of the hosting shaft this morning as
the covering was removed.
GOVERNOR MAY