The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-15

James Hand of Spring Valley. H., and Henry Smith of Peru. Later Mine ln- spector James Taylor of Peoria also donned the gas penetrating regalia
 A score of men were ready to assist them.
 System of Signals.
 A system of signals had been prepared. Two of the men were stationed at the top of the shaft Williams and Smith, the first men to enter the mine since the tragedy of the day before were slowly lowered The throng stood almost mo- tionless, silent, expectant, yet fearful It was for a brief time only. When 60 feet down the signal came to raise and the helmet covered explorers soon reap peared. They reported that the bucket needed to be re-balanced.
 This work required some time Mean while Williams and Smith explained that the shaft was filled with smoke and thai their powerful electric lanterns would not penetrate the gloom. When repairs were made an hour later, with Hand, Wepb and Taylor at the wheel. the explorers descended again. For 300 feet into the uncertain depths the bucket with It's hu- man load went down. Then suddenly the signal for ascent. When the men reap peared, Williams said:
 We struck an obstruction at 300 feet. We found we might get by 1t, but if we signalled to come up that we would un- doubtedly strike 1t coming up. We want ed to notify the men above of the condl- ton so they would understand and our lives would not be endangered.
 After a rest. just at dusk. Smith and Inspector Taylor descended for the third time. They were gone for perhaps 10 min utes.
 No Trace of Men.
 We got to the base of the second vein,' said Inspector Taylor and though we could see little, we found no excessive temperature. It wasA apparent that the fire had not penetrated deeply into the mine, and we could see no sign of flames. If the tempera ture throughout the second vein is no more excessive than at the point we reached, then, in the deeper and farther recesses of the mine, it is probable that there may be oxygen enough to keep the men alive. We saw no trace of men, either dead or alive. Tomorrow I think we can proceed further into the mine with safety"
 Lete tonight it was decided to open the main shaft in the morning and to send the explorers into the mine in the reg ular cage.
 This plan was adopted because the bucket system was found impracticable insofar as the movements of the men be- low are concerned They could not get out of the bucket. So it was determined to seal up the air shaft tonight. The seals of the main shaft will be opened and the experts believe conditions will be safe for them to walk in the veins before many hodrs.
 Mine Well Constructed.
 w. M. Taylor, general superintendent of mines of the St. Paul company, is pa- thetic figure at the scene of the catastro- phe Though he struggled to control his emotiops. tears dimmed his eyes. He asked>the men of the press to interview the mining inspectors when their work is completed. "I believe that they will tell you that this was the safest built coal mine in the country" he said. T have built many mines and I know that it was safe
 "A catastrophe could have happened here in no other way than Just as it did. The fire need not have been disastrous. The men at work in the stables were ex- cited The burning hay could have been shut off from the rest of the mine without the least difficulty and the fire extin- gushed with little trouble.
 This is an awful thing Some of the
 
 best men who ever lived lost their lives all through carelessness. Bundy and Nos berg died like heroes They were on the surface. They went down to save their fellows
 Arrangements are being made to bring relief to the suffering families of the vic tins. Not home here but has been dealt a terrific blow. The bread winners in hun dreds of homes undoubtedly are dead. The afflicted women, though hoping against hope, feel assured that the men have per ished and visions of hunger and want add to their sorrow and despair.
 Coroner Malm will resume tomorrow the inquest begun today into the tragedy which developed some important testi- mony.
 Cause of Deaths.
 Implicit obedience by Engineer John Cowley to orders of his superior may have caused tho death of the rsscninx