New-York tribune., 1909-11-15

incapacitated for work. Visions of hun
ger and cold add 10 the sorrow and de-
spsir of the women and children, but
these wants will be promptly relieved.
THE MAN WHO CAME BACK.
Standing out above all the others is
the story Of DR. l. q. Howe, the man
who came back" the only one Of the
heroic fourteen who survives 20 tell what
happened. Seven times before the other
rescuers began 10 go into the burning
shaft he descended alone in lift. and
each time brought TO the surface his
Quota OF saved. Twenty-Five miners owe
their lives TO him.
His hands are badly burned, but he
shows no other scars. When asked 20
describe his experiences he merely
shrugged his broad shoulders and said:
Il couldn't have done anything else
than ] did. II is not worth talking
about Besides. an too busy 10 talk
to-day"
The disaster brought 10 light many
unnamed heroes. Among these was
miner who. while fighting his way
through the binding smoke. stumbled
across the body of a little 'trapper' boy,
who had been overcome at his post OF
duty At one of the trap doors that con-
troll the air supply.
STOPPING. the miner felt the boys
heart. Finding that life stin existed. ne
took the unconscious form on his shoul-
ders and staggered on until he met one
Of the rescuers. Both the miner and the
boy reached the surface in safety
A SURVIVORS STORY.
William Wicker who was az work at
the face of the coal mine. was one OF the
few that came out alive. For more than
two hundred yards he crawled IN the
dark on hands and knees. using the rail
as q guide 10 the bottom Of the shaft.
At one point, he says. he met about
sixty-five miners sitting in row along
the road. They had given up the
struggls and were waiting resignedly for
death.
Il and my buddy we're az work on the
second vein level when the alarm OF FIRE
was sounded said Vickers. I'VE
started for the bottom, but had gone
only a few feet when our lights went out.
The entry was fast filing with smoke,
which hned our eyes and made US gasp
for breath.
Several times We attempted 70 light
our lamps without success. All about
US We could hear the SHOUTS OF our COM
rades i'm adjoining rooms. They, like
ourselves, had been left in the dark.
Calling 20 my buddy. warned him 20
get close TO the roadbed, and 1 dropped
20 my hands and knses and began
TO crawl along the rails. shouting at
intervals 20 my buddy to let him know
were I was
When within one hundred feet OF the
mine mouth 7 began TO grow faint from
the effects Of the smoke and exhaustion.
The atmosphere was growing more dense
every foot progressed. and my courage
was fast ebbing pulled my coat closely
about my face and. bending closely 90
the rail struggled on.
Il escaped death by Just three min
utes. When I arrived at the bottom OF
the shaft the last cage was about TO
ascend ! shouted as the signal bell was
ringing. Two men broke their way 20
me aud dragged me TO the cage. i then
lost consciousness. When I came 10 I
Was safely on top.
Ny buddy had followed closely all the
way and. encouraged by the light held
by the cage man. managed to reach the
shaft and he was carried with me TO
safety"
a tobacco l,ouch was the means Of
saving the lives of John Phillips and
ho"ano Surrock. miners in the second
VEN Phillips. on his way 10 the shaft.
found surrock lying on the track in the
main entryWay. lie dragged his COM
rsde until he himself was almost over
come by The smoke that filled his lungs
with every breath.