Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-17
Small Guard Will Prevent Any III
Advised Move by Miners.
FIRE IS GROWING HOTTER
Spread of Blaze Prevents Further
Effort at Rescue.
ALL MEN BELOW ARE DEAD
IL VIII BE Several Days Before Any
Bodies Can he Recovered--super-
intendent Taylor Talks of
Conditions I'm Mine.

CHERRY. H., Nov 16-Troops have
been called for TO prevent any untoward
demonstration at the St. Paul coal mine
when the bodies Of the 800 men, entombod
by last Saturdays disaster are brought to
the surface
Sheriff Skoglund Of Bureau county, with
authority from States Attorney Eclhart
telegraphod to Springfield Ill, late today,
asking Governor Deneen to send several
companies Of state militia. So far there
; has been no violence displayed as a result
of the C'saster and States Attorney Eek
hart hopes by the presence Of a small
guard to prevent any il-advised move on
the part OF the, miners, whose feelings have
: been wrought up by the loss Of their com
rades.
I'VE want the troops at once; that's all
there is about It. We will take no chances"
declared the states attorney.
When the bodies will be brought to the
surface is doubtful None Of the officials
believe any OF the 300 entombed men are
alive.
Fire Grows Hotter.
Fire in the mine today was even more
intense than It was when the men were
entrapped three days ago and no efforts
could be made TO enter it. Fire Chief
Horan OF Chicago arrived with assistance
and supply OF hose and chemical fire ex-
tinguishers. The lid, or seal, over the
mouth of the shaft was perforated and It
was intended to force water and chemicals
down through pipes, A thermometer
plunged into the sand scattered on the
top Of the seal showed a temperature OF
ITO degrees, indicating that the heat in
the Interior of the mine must have been
intense.
Chief Horan inspected the condition and
shook his head.
Its no use" he said, ''to lift the lid to.
day would mean that the whole mine would
blaze up aud there would be no possibility
of recovering the bodies. The coal de-
posita would take fire the timber supports
would crumble in and it is terrible to pic
tur what would happen. Perhaps another
shaft would have to be dug to recover
the remains Of the men,"
George S. Rice OF Pittsburg, chief of tn,
field work Of the United States geological
survey also was positive that the re-enter
ing OF the mine would have to be post
poned.
Orphan Born Since Disaster.
In making the rounds Of the miners
homes, Duncan Mcdonald, president of Dis
trict 12, United Mine Workers, discovered
that new baby had arrived at a hom
which lost a father and son. The mothe
was kept ignorant of the disaster Eighty
six of the homes visited were, with the ex
ception of children, without male mem
bers.
Only the most frantic of the women VIII
lost husbands ventured to visit the shat
and these crying for lost ones, had to b
- NN.N.. II
v puff Of smoke issued from a crevice /
the cover over the shaft. This was take
as an evidence of the fire raging within
Outdoors the mourners experienced tn
intensest cold. an icy wind sweeping owe
q the praires and about the superstructuT
Of the mine with the fury of a gale.
Probable Location of Bodies.
Speculation was rife as to the location c
the bodies In the mine. Upon this will b
determined the immediate cause of tn
mems death-whether it was fire. suffoca
tlon by smoke, or the falling in of part
of the mine, II is the opinion of vetera
N mine workers that in time of danger
miner win remain near the hoIsting shat
until driven to remoter parts in search
air
II the bodies are found near the shat
Il was declared 1t will indicate the me
RcAAoANA ~ AAits II NNeN are LuQnQ
the more distant galleries the opinion wa
held that suffocauon by smoke or ga
was the cause. The repeated sealing u
OF the mouth of the mine, necessary
stop draught and smother the fire, IL
held, was sufficient to generate enoug
gas to kill tho men in any part Of n
mine.
The location Of the bodies win indlea
about when the men died. Tor the noxiol
gases in the mine did not become fatal
dense until some time after the first III
was considerably subdued.
Two hundred and fifty pine boxes
which are to be buried such of the bodi
as are recovered, arrived IN a cover,
train and were stored near the mine, a
though the fact Of the presence was car
fully kept from the afflicted families.
Funerals OF eight OF the miners wi
were killed Saturday wehe held toda
Two died while earring on rescue wor
Part OF the squad OF miners on duty
the shaft left their work to follow q
professions TO the cemetery and the
y hurriediy returned in hope of helping
recover other bodies.
All Men Below Are Dead.
The belief was expressed by Mine Ma
ager Taylor that the men in the mi
were dead soon after the disaster on Sa
urday.
Taylor has repeatedly risked his life
get into the mine aud yesterday was ,
but sacrificed when he wandered 200 fe
from the main shaft and returned ju
ia time TO see the reklndled flames es
ing their way toward the cage which W
his only means OF escape.
every man IN that mine was put
sleep on the day OF the fire" said Ia
lor. There Is no reason In the wor
why anyone should try 90 arouse fal
hopes In the minds OF these poor people
The men IN the mine are dad Tn
cannot be alive. To make these poor p,
pie think that when the mine Is oper
their loved ones Will be found in some
mote portion OF the mine is cruel
3 a mistaken idea that the entomt
niisEfs could have FASTENED far ont in