The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-11-22
Black Damp and Stencil Of
Decayins Bodies Make the
Work Difficult...Eisht Hour
Shifts Engaged All Night.

Cherry, H.. Nov. 22.-Volunteers
are working in the west tunnel of the
second Lowell.
A huge barrlcade caused by cave
in OF earth separates them from an
other section of the tunnel, where 20
or so are supposed to be alive. All
yesterday and last night miners work
ing in eight hour shifts attacked the
barrier. many working until they fell
exhausted. Hundreds OF tons of earth
still remain to be removed.
This Is the ninth day OF their i'm
prisonment. II is impossible to tell
whether any are living yet. Many
rescuers reported they are sure they
heard signals from behind the earth
barricade last night, others saying
they were feeble voices. II is be-
lieved IL they are not taken out to-
day they certainly will be dead.
The stencil OF decaying bodies,
added TO the black damp, makes II
difficult Tor the rescuers to breathe.
A Drcary sunday.
What had promised to be Cherry's
real day OF thanksgiving ended in a
night OF hope deferred or despair. At
The end OF II no living man or boy
had been added TO the list OF the 20
rescued Saturday. At nightfall the
toll stood 90 saved, 90 known dead
and 1913 missing.
All day long the tolling of church
bells resounded In Cherry and Spring
Valley. Eighteen bodies were inter
red In a field south OF the town. At
the mine collins of dozen victims
awaited removal while score of
caskets were piled nearby for those
who are to come.
Services for the dead were held
outside the churches. into which Cor
oner Malm deemed Il inadvisable /e
bodies be taken. At the yet uncover
cd graves in which the Roman Cath
toiic dead Mere placed two priests
waited 20 administer the last rites
for the living. should their services
be needed
Reaction Sets In.
The fret ecstacy of JOY in Cherry
gave way to a strong reaction as sue
coeding hours added no one TO the
list OF saved
Mayor Connolly had hurried a tele-
gram TO President Taft at Washing
ton last night notifying him that 81
men had been rescued and that there
were believed 150 20 be alive. The
reply from the president came when
hope was al a low ebb. Each hour
that passes now Is looked upon by
the watchers as making the chance
Of escape pitifully less.
"The men they brought up could
no. have lived more than a few hours
longer" said one despalring woman.
III they don't come up today they
will come up dead"
The rescuers worked as II this was
their belief. The fire in the second
level was forced back and early In
the afternoon the workers could pass
Il. but the black damp in the east
gallery was an obstacle that proved
lnsurmountable.
Can See 81 Bodies.
Through IL the bodies of 81 men
could be seen. Preparations for TAX
ing ont these 81 were rushed when
the morbid throng about the mine
had thlnned.
That the bodies might have been
taken up earlier was admitted by
those in charge of the work, but they
thought OF the scenes that would
have followed
A crowd numbering thousands
frankly seeking sensation, careless Of
the grief about them and apparently
thoroughly enjoying the scene about
the pit. pressed against the rope bar
ricade until dusk.
Here and there in the chatterlnI
groups could be seen a few whos'
memory of the scene would endure
with life. Their silent. tense watch
ing and eager inquiries of the guard
/ when any unwonted stir occurred
about the shaft house indicated with
I out question their relation to thos
| down there"
In the mine level the work of tn
/ rescuers went or increasingly. Re
lays of eager miners succeeded thos
whose strength failed. Those VIII
staggered from the pits mouth wer
surrounded instantly and a babel O
? questions hurled at them.