Norwich bulletin., 1909-11-16

more miners who were entombed in the St. Paul coal mine by last Saturdays fire are dead. Some of the bodies lie buried beneath thousands of tons of earth which caved in upon them and 1t is doubtful whether many of the bodies can ever be recovered.
 This was the opinion expressed to- night. when rescue work was tempo rarily abandoned. Fire in the mine, which broke out with renewed fierce ness early today. made further de- scents by rescuers impossible.
 Fans employed in an effort to carry fresh air and life down to the i'm prisoned men only served to enliven some embers which sprang into flames. Soon the heat and smoke became so dense that it was necessary again to seal the mouth of the hoisting shaft, and tonight the men down there, whatever their condition, are locked in as effectually as in a dungeon.
 Attempts to Take Out Bodies May Be
 Made Today.
 Whether attempts to take out the bodies will be made tomorrow depends on the condition of the internal fire It Is possible that ccarbonic acid gas will be forced to the bottom of the mine tomorrow to choke the flames.
 It was said tonight that 300 collins have been ordered. Half of them will arrive tomorrow and half the following day. Meantime several score nurses who were rushed here look forward to no prospect of heroic work in reviving injured men. It is believed that no one will be brought out of the mine alive.
 Reseuers Find No Miners, Either Dead
 or Alive.
 Hope rose and fell frequently today. Before the fire broke out again res- cuers descended four times into the shaft. Then the rumor circulated quickly through the crowds that the men below ground had been reached and that the reason they were not brought up immediately was that they were exhausted by lack of food, and the smoke.
 But the truth was far different. The rescuers did, on one occasion, go down 300 feet to the bottom of the hoisting shaft. Then. groping their way with electric lamps and kept alive by oxy- gen carried with them. they penetrated 150 feet into the bottom gallery. But none of the miners. either dead or alive. was found
 Hey, are you there?" cried the res- cuers, but nothing was heard in re- sponse.
 It was conjectured the miners had crawled for safety into the recesses. remotest from the fire but to those parts the rescuers were unable to go without reascending. Before they could redescend the fire had broken out again. Gradually the crowd about the mouth of the shaft began to thin as hope seemed to wane
 Pathetic Spectacle.
 The spectacle about the mouth of the wrecked mine at dusk was pathetic. A tall skeleton framework of Iron reaching skyward. surrounded by a group of low wooden buildings which a few days ago had been the scene Of industry, suggested by their desola- ton that hope had been abandoned Only a half dozen guards patrolled the premises. In the distance. scattered over the field. few women wrapped sequence of the disaster there are in silence of the disaster there are in this town of only a few hundred in- habitants, at least 1000 orphans and 200 widows. These are the figures Of Duncan Mcdonald. president of Dis trict' No. 12, United Mine Workers who instituted a rollcall of the families of the entombed miners
 Determined Effort to Release the Men.
 The morning dawned hopefully. At| an early hour the main shaft which had been sealed since Saturday, was opened and a determined effort was begun by the experts and volunteers to release the living miners. or drag the bodies from the wreckage. ' Before o'clock the crowd assem- bled around the roped enclosure and workmen broke down the seal of the shaft. There was little smoke and this gave the investigators hope that fire had been smothered and that they would at least be enabled to enter the mine
 Mine Examiner James Taylor. R. Y. Williams James Webb and others ap- peared in their oxygen outfits and hel nets. ready to descend.
 Automobile horns were carried by them also. to give signals. The case was lowered until the bottom was reached and then the signals called for ascent
 Several thousand persons leaned for ward eagerly as the experts emerged rom the shaft. A report that bodies had been found was denied by the in vestigators.
 A few moments later the cages was lowered again. This time the horns footed signals frequently to the men above. The cage was raised and low cred alternately until eventually the bottom of the shaft was reached for the second time.
 fDLctn minutes DdSStu. I ltn DlbSL ] of the horn signalling the ascent | echoed through the shaft.
 Found Nc Living Man or Corpse.
 The explorers reported that they | walked in a vein of the mine for 150 l feet from the base of the shaft. and | that they found no living man or corpse. The atmosphere in this vein l was considerably better than they had | expected. Withe the aid of their elec- l tric lanterns they were able to see plainly.
 In other veins leading from the shaft | much smoke was encountered and | nothing could be seen. A consultation | followed and it was determined 10 i start the ventilating fan at the oppo- | site side of the mine This was to l clear the galleries of the smoke. Some | believed that the draft might arouse | a slumbering fire Others felt assured | that the fire had been smothered and | that ventilation would clear the gall | leries and make them passable for the | searchers.
 Fire Had Broken Out Afresh.
 In half an hour the fan was sudden | ly ordered stopped. Smoke began to | pour from the main shaft and the ex- perts were lowered again to investigate l because the fumes naturally should | have been drawn down and out through exhaust.
 Suddenly loud blast came from the depths and the experts were jerk | ed to the surface. They reported the fire had broken out afr~-h rt--->~-'