The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-11-24

CHERRY, III +, Nov. 24.-Practically
all of the bodies of those that perished
in the Cherry disaster were found to-
day on staircase at the mouth of the
I Ird or lower level. One hundred and
sxty eight bodies were found, leaving
about a score to be accounted for.
Many bodies were in a tangled mass,
completely blocking the staircase lead
ing from the third to the second vein
and were scattered along the vein,
where they had dropped before reach
ing the stairway. Black damp was the
cause OF death, all means of escape
> having been blocked by debris falling
and covering the top of the staircase.
The men had died as they tried to
push through the distractions or IN
waiting vainly for rescuers.
DsaAh~-evidently did not come to
many for hours, if not days. Two rude
wooden ventilating fans, fashioned
after the same manner as those found
two days ago in the second gallery,
were affixed to the shaft wall ana
stairway. The men had turned these
bv. hand in their frantic struggle for
air and in the hopeless effort to brush
back the black damp The hands OF
one miner were found firmly gripped
about the fan.
diary was found in the clothing OF
Samuel D. Howard, q years old, whose
body was found in pocket OF the NINE.
The diary was begun on November ID,
the day the fire started, and covers
period of two days. The diary follows:
"Alive at 1920 o'clock yet. BY Sam
ID Howard. Brother Alfred is with
me- vet. A good many dead mules and
men tried to save some, but came
almost losing myself. The only tmng
regret is that my brother (Alfred, 1t
wears old) could help my mother out
after am dead and gone.
.'I tried my best to get him out, but
could not. I saw Jim Davidson and
steve Thinks lying along the road and
could not stand 1t any longer.
'It Is five minutes past il O'CLOCK
and the air is fine, but sometimes II IS
so bad it almost puts fellows lignt
out. To keep from thinking / thought
T would write these few lines. There
is rock falling all over. We have our
buckets full of water, sump water and
we drink it and battle our heads with It.
..4:15 o'clock, change of place-Num-
ber of men tried to get out ana couio
not get back. 7.50 o'clock, tired, hungry
and sleepy, but could stand quite bit
of this if 1 could get out of this hole.
1850 o'clock in the morning-This is
sunday. There is no air. We famed
ourselves with the lids of our buckets.
% after 8, and black damp coming Doth
ways.
twenty-five after 10-We gave up
al, hone. We have done all we could
The fan had better start above soon.
We are still alive. The only hope Is
the fan. think I won't have strength
to write pretty soon.
"Fifteen after IL p. IN. Sunday-If
they can't give us air we will make
fans ourselves We take our turn at
the fan. We have three of them poing.
.1Twenty- to p. m. and the
black damp is coming in on us. ohiy
for the fans we would be dead.
'sEleven to p. m.-Dying for the
want of air We have six fans moving.
one fan after another, fifteen feet
apart
"Fifteen after a. M Monday morn
ing--Am still alive. We are cold'
hungry weak, sick and everything else.
Alfred Howard is still alive.
"915 a. m. Monday morning-Still
breathing Something better turn up
or we will soon be gone.
"Sixteen to p. m Monday-The lives
are going out. think this is our last.
we are getting weak. Alfred Howard
as well as all OF U.S."
The men evidently were all killed by
black damp late Monday afternoon.