Norwich bulletin., 1909-11-15

nunureQ men ana DOyS, IL lS DtlitNtu tonight, are dead or perishing in the St Paul mine as a result of yesterdays fire though experts who penetrated the smoke filled afN shaft to depth of 300 feet early tonight returned with ray of hope for the grief-stricken rela- lives of the entombed miners.
 Fire Believed to Be Distinguished.
 That the fire is extinguished is the report of mining experts sent by Gov ernor Deneen to investigate the calam- ity and it's cause. For more than thir- ty hours the entombed men had been cut off from fresh air before the shaft was entered tonight and they undoubt- edly have been subjected to smoke and gases.
 That life could exist under such ter rible conditions is doubted by many; but because no trace of high tempera- ture was found in the depths of the mine tonight friends of the miners and even officers of the company renewed some of their failing hope.
 Signals from the Entombed.
 A J. Earling, president of the Chi cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad company, which owns the mine, re- ceived an encouraging report after heroic efforts had been made today to open the mine for the recovery of the unfortunate men.
 From John Reid. sone of one of the missing miners Mir. Earling heard that a concussion of the earth had been felt by farmers half a mile south of the main shaft. This report was sent first to Henry Burke an officer of the min ing company Burke rushed to Presi- dent Earling and said:
 I've heard signals from the men. John Reid's boy says that he and farmers whose land is over the south- ern end of the mine felt several con- cussions of the earth this afternoon. There were several shocks mad the men who felt them are convinced that they were shots fired by the imprison- ed miners to signal to the people above that they still live"
 Would the shots mean that, or that the miners had committed Euicide to end their agony?" asked the railroad president. .
 "The men report" replied Burke. that the signals were distinct and that they were meant for an assurance that at least some of them live" .
 "Oh, I hope so." said MT. Earring. That is at least encouraging"
 Third Attempt to Explore Shaft.
 This glimmer of hope in the dark ened homes in Cherry tonight followed
 
 theories of some of the experts that the entombed hundreds may not have been suffocated because of extinguish- ment of the flames. started yesterday in the hay in the lower mine stables. If the fire went out soon oxygen enough remains in the veins to keep the men alive until the shafts may be reopened.
 After the third attempt to explore the shaft today R. Y. Williams of the United States geological survey. who superintended the work of the volun- teer explorers, telegraphed for more oxygen caps and other apparatus. This apparatus is expected early tomorrow. and a score Of men will accompany the experts into the air shaft, which was opened late today.
 Three times MT. Williams and Henry Smith. a volunteer. were lowered into penetrated deeper. The temperature was bearable. but the atmosphere was intolerable.
 List of Missing May Be Increased.
 The list of the missing miners was completed today and it reached the total of 1885. including the dead whose charred bodies were taken from the burning cages Saturday. It was de- clared to be probable that this list might be increased.
 One hundred and seventy men who entered the mine Saturday morning have been accounted for. The com pany had scores of tracers at work to- day rounding up the employees, and at nightfall the company officers said that a reasonably complete roster of the men had been obtained
 Among the missing are many Ameri- cans who have lived for years in the mining fields of Illinois. However, most of those entomhed are foreign born. Nearly all the miners had homes in Cherry or in the surrounding towns and most of the men had families.
 Thousands of persons came focking to Cherry today, Scores of wives whose husbands are believed to have been buried alive and hundreds of chfl- dren who may be fatherless roamed mournfully about the mine.
 Officers early in the day swore in deputies to handle the crowd. Scores of trains from Mendota. Streator. Ladd, Spring Valley, La Sale, Otta- wa and other mining towns were run into Cherry. Each train was packed with men and women attracted by cu- riosity or by craving of news from a loved one.
 Slow Rescue Work.
 Work of the expert rescuers pro- ceeded slowly. They first drilled hole through the concrete at the ton of the second level shaft and made preparations to lower Mir. Williams and his volunteer experts into the mine.
 These actions took place within a circular wall of humanity. Stout ropes and policemen kept the excited and almost hysterical throng away from the men at work
 With oxygen bags on their should CTS and steeb and glass hoods over their faces and heads. MT. Williams James E. Webb of the university of Illinois. James Hand of Spring Val ley. Ill.,; Henry Smith of Peru and Mine Inspector James Taylor of Pe- Horia stood ready to undertake the perilous adventure.
 A score of men acted as surface as- sistants. Inspector Taylor drilled the explorers in a system of signals.
 Engineer Cowley ran the hoist that controlled the iron bucket In which Williams and Smith first descended alone. They were the first men to en- ter the St. Paul mine since the trag- edy of yesterday.
 The throng stood almost notion less. expectant, yet fearful. After the men signalled to be raised and the helmeted explorers soon re-appeared at the surface.
 The bucket is not hung right. " said Williams. Tt strikes and bounds in the shaft. It must be rebalanced.' z
 Tho work neQzired an hour. WILL