The Sentinel=record., 1909-11-18
MINES AND PRIVATE CARS, USED AS SLEEPING CARS BY FIX.
 PERTs, ARE GUARDED.
Aged Miner Argues With the People, Telling Them That Their Com rades Are Buried Alive
 by Officials.
by Officials.

Cherry, H., Nov. 17.-For the first time since Sunday, two daring men to- night took their lives in their hands and descended the ventilating shaft of the i'll fated St. Paul Mine In the blocked and fiery galleries of which more than 300 men and bOys lie dead.
 The exploit was successfully car- ried through by Thomas Morris and k. Y. Williams, both of the United States Georlogical Survey. They were nearly exhausted when hauled to the top, but quickly revived under the administering of stinulants.
 From what they discovered it is thought the fire has moved back from the main shaft and that it may be'pos- sible to enter soon.
 Williams, much the lighter man. de. seconded to the second gallery, where the fire started The shaft was com raratiyely cool There was consider able steam, but much less smoke than on Sunday Theebuckets in which the descent was made were small and made closer scrutiny impossible. The buckets were large enough only to stand on and tho effort of holding the rope, carrying their oxygen apparatus on their back at the same time, wore both men out.
 Were nN in were Morris first words, as his head. hid in "a metallic cap, like that of diver, appeared above the pit.
 The two men were lowered after several hours of preparation The mouth of the shaft, ili-lit and muddy. was surrounded for hours by crowd of iiremen, newspaper men. miners and officials, who waited patiently in spite of the biting cold
 First a test was made for black damp which was discovered by the means of safety lamp, lowered at tbe end of line. There were those Nlp argued against the risk of any more lives, but the opportunities of Surviving miners that 9 last desperate chance be taken to seek some way of reaching. the imprisoned bodies pre-. vailed A numerous faction contend ed all day that the mine should be sealed, for months if necessary. for weeks in any event, until further ex- ploratton could be made in safety
 This faction included the majority of the experts here from all over the country But the cry of the men who lost their comrades and of the women who dig their nails into the earth calling for their lnved ones, was too strong. and Morris and Williams de- termined upon attempt. The buck cts were carefully lowered and re- doisted before the experts started
 | w Paul of Pittsbuag, of the gov efnment mine rescue service, stoid at the mouth of che shaft The crowd spoke in whispers. but Paul urged them to gather quietly, that mo signal mihgt be missed. With the masks over their heads and their bodies half in the pit, suspended by single rope. the scene in the flickering light was gruesomely suggestive of the gallows
 A few feet down and Williams sig nailed with automobile horn which he carried for stop. nstantaneously Paul cried whoa" and in ahe engine house the hpisting machine was sil- enced. Half a dozen times this for mula was carried out.
 The crowd by this time was silent as if at funeral and when, after what seemed an interminable wait, the signal to hoist was given every neck was strained to catch the firsr glimpse Of the daring explorers.
 "Be fore we can do anything effect ively,' reported Morris, Eve musr have bucket so big that we can sit on it's rim or we must have float With the present arrangements we have all we can dlo ao take care of oursveles'