The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-11-19
Rescuers Fought the Flames in
the Dismal Depths With
49, Success
BODIES BROUGHT TO THE
SURFACE EARLY THIS MORNING
Heart Rending Scenes at the Morgue
as Dead Are Recognized--WOmc
Become Historically Insane When
They Realize Their Loss.

1
They Realize Their Loss.
Cherry, Ill.,. Nov. 19-The st. Paul
mine has almost been conquered. The
mine inspectors and geological ex-
perts succeeded, after an all day and
night battle. in clearing the shafts of
the burning mine and early today the
Chicago tiremen and group of min
ers penetrated the dismal depths of
the galleries and for two hours and
a half fought the smouldering fire
in the coal veins without trouble.
At o'clock the second group of
miners and railroad men entered the
mine. All of them were working with
out oxygen helmets or apparatus and
they suffered no i'll effects from the
noXious case sor smoke. Three
bodies, the first recovered through
the E'"'n shaft, were brought to the
surface at s o'clock. pile of others
were in sight but the passage to them
for the time being was hampered by
fire.
How soon these bodies can be recov-
cred is uncertain, because the east
portion of the gallery in which the
fire originated is badly caved in and
Ithe debris will have to be taken out
and timbers erected to insure the
safety of the workmen.
Four other bodies were brought up
ion the next trip of the cage, one of
them boy. The ambulance, guarded
by the militia, was followed by crowds
to the town hall, which was turn?
ed into a temporary morgue. Here
scores of women sought to identify
the dead as their own. but the condi-
tions of the bodies made this diff
cult
II Grief stricken men. women and
children, formed a great circle around
the place. but many turned away. un-
able to endure the sobs and cries of
those seeking their relatives. Two
of the bodies were quickly identified,
but not until scores of women had
gazed on the blackened, sweat-smear-
ed features and turned away, shaking
with sobs to await the next dread load
from the depths of the mine. The
body of the boy taken from the mine
was identified as Dickie buckles, a
stable boy.
Although there were many women
in the anxious crowd. there were
more children who pushed their way
to where the bodies lay. AS one aft
|er another of the children and women
turned away. sCme were weeping, but
others were past the relief Of tears
Many of the women scattered about
the yards and switch tracks to be
alone, with their wondering children
clinging to their skirts
Il was at Messina after the earth
quake, but the horror of that catas-
trophe was no worse than this" said
Ernest P. Bicknell. today. Bicknell
is here as the representative of the
national society of the Red Cross.
When the two cOrpses had been
identified. the undertakers removed
them to the temporary morgue and
the bodies were dressed in burial garb
and placed in coffins. The next body
to be identified was George AIcMullen.
His check number 200 was found in
the pocket of his coat Word was sent
to one of his brothers who fastened
to the scene.
Yes. that's George, Mr.. Coroner"
said the brother.
But don't take the body to the
house. There are two more to come
| have two more brothers in that aw-
full hole
Mrs. McNIullen, wife of the recov-
cred victim. reached the temporary
morgue just as the body of her hus-
band was being carried in.
oh! my God" she screamed, my
George. my George" and she collapsed
into the arms of her brother-in-law
In a moment she revived and became
as a woman. insane, her cries sending
shivers into the hearts of the hun
dreds who stood about her. The poor
woman struggled to break into the
morgue. but her husbands brother
and two others held her back and
with main force dragged her from
the spot. The woman's screams as she
was taken away. fighting at every
step, could be heard for blocks.
William Redmond, Chicago fire.
man. who aided in dragging McMul-
LENS body from the mine, told the
story of the discovery. after he had
seen the grief-stricken wife carried
away.
rs that little boy in there his son ?"
asked Redmond of McMullen's brother.
mo, he had no son." was the reply.
well, he had that little boy clasped
In his arms when we found him." said
Redmond.
"The boys arms were around his
neck. and the man clasped the boy
| to his heart. The man had on a black
sweater and this he had pulled over
his face as though he had tried to pro-
l tect himself from suffocation. The