The Washington herald., 1909-11-14
Hundreds of Women and
Children Become Frantic
at Mouth of Pit and Are
ChOked by Gas Fumes.

Spring Valley, H., Nov. 49,
There are more than four hundred
miners dead in the mine at Cherry,
a village On the Chicago, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul Railway, seven
miles north of this city.
This morning 484 miners were
lowered to their work, and Of this
number only twenty-four are
known to have escaped.
The fire originated in a stable in
the second level, in the mule barns,
and was discovered by miner
named James Hanpey, who gave
the alarm.
But little notice was taken of the
warning until near 5 O'Clock, when
q general alarm was given. Then
it was too late, and the biggest
mine disaster in the State went on
record.
Besides the men dead in the mine,
a band of twelve rescuers volun-
teered to go down, and they, too.
lost their lives, bringing the sum
total of lives lost.to Az.
MEN IN RESCUE PARTY.
The rescue party was composed Of Alex
aader Norburg and John Bundy, pit
bosses; John Flood. a Cherry store
keeper. Ike Lewis. merchant Of Ladd: !:
Domiuick Formenti. Cherry store
keeper, and several others
These men were lowered to their DEATH
but went down bravely At the bottom
they scattered and returned in pairs or
threes. and were sent UP by Aleck Nor
burg,
They passed through The fiery section
or the mine on the return, when because
en- upcast instead OF downcast they
stepped out. and the men were roasted
TO death before they reached the top
The main shaft and the escape shaft
were sealed up at o'clock tonight, and
all hope OF rescuing the entombed men
was abandoned. Miners say # will be
many weeks before the dead can be
reached.
The mine is owned by the ST. Paul Coal
Company. and was sunk six years ago.
when the new town was placed on the
map.
Twelve Bodies Removed.
Twelve bodies were taken from the
ground before the mouth Of the shaft was
closed at O'clock TO check the flames.
OF these, six were heroes, who gave up
their lives in the futile attempt to carry
succor to those who lay IN the galleries
mass Of suffocating humanity.
The building above the pit entrance was
dynamited TO permit OF the boxing up OF
the shaft
Distant explosions In the bowels Of the
mine have killed all hope now that 200 OF
the men. 500 feet from the main shaft.
may have escaped the smoke and gas.
Mine officials declare there is no chance
Of a single human being Of the many who
We're caught underground having escaped.
The story OF the suffering and fight for
life Of the men imprisoned I'm the mine
must await revelation until the fire is
checked. Not for twenty-four hours. at
the least, will entrance to the shaft be
possible.
Those who escaped were hauled to the
surface within a minute after the first ex-
plosion. Details Of the tragedy must
now be told by the silent bodies when
they are carried from the darkness.
Scenes Of Grief.
Heartreuding scenes OF grief and suffer
ing were enacted about the mouth Of the
shaft Scores or frantic women and chill
dren stin are lowering about the mouth
Of the death pit, praying for those that
they realize are lost to them.
Deeds OF true heroism. too. we're called
forth by the disaster. Six men gave up
their lives, and many more were willing
20 brave death TO carry aid 10 comrades.
until Chief Mine Superintendent ". w.
Taylor declared that all hope had gone.
The holocaust snufIed out the lives OF
almost half the male population OF the
mining village.
John Bundy. one Of the mine super
intendents, led the forlorn hope In the
fight with death. and FIVE minutes later
he. with the five men who had gone down
IN the cage with him, were hauled to the
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