The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-24
ALL DOUBT GONE.
Rescuers Find 1853 Bodies i'm the
st. Paul Mine.
Leaving Only 81 Men Now I'm
accounted For.
FIRE is STILL RAGING
Mute Evidences of a Desperate
Struggle for Life.
A Diary Is Discovered i'm the
Pocket of One.

Cherry. ILL.,, Nov. 24-One hundred
and sixty-eight bodies were found early
today in the lower vein of the ST. Paul
mine. The rescuing party found fans
which the imprisoned men had made
from tool boxes and messages which
had been written on pieces of slate.
There remain 81 miners unaccounted
for.
More collapsed tunnels and fire still
raging were the obstacles faced early
today by the rescuers who entered the
mine and they were opposed by dangers
as grave as any since the fatal fire be-
gan II days ago.
Before remote tunnels can be pene-
trated in the search for bodies, fires
which have been smouldering for days,
must be extinguished; fallen walls must
be braced up by timbers and the whole
place cleared of the black damp. How
long this will take now is considered
problematicaL 1t Is even thought some
of the bodies will never be recovered.
Meantime government experts and
mine inspectors are working day and
night to clear the mine and bring 20
the surface the victims of the tragedy.
George S. Rice of Pittsburg, the United
States geological survey expert. has
made many scientific tests relative tt
black and white damp, which it is be-
in rescue work in future mine disasters.
The bodies found this morning were
in a tangled mass, completely blocking
the staircase leading from the third to
the second vein and also were scattered
along the vein where they had dropted
before reaching the stairway.
Black damp was the cause of death.
all means of escape having been block
ed by debris falling and covering \ae
top of the staircase. The men had died
~ trio fo thrn1IpI oh
structions, or in waiting vainly for
rescuers. Death evidently did not come
to many for hours If not days. Two
rude wooden ventilating fans, fashional
after the same manner as those found
two days ago, were affixed to the wall
and stairway. The men had turned
these by hand in their frantic struggle
for air and the hopeless effort to brush
back the black damp. The hands OF
one miner were found firmly gripped
about the fan.
A Diary Is Found
A diary scrbbled on loose leaves torn
from an account book. was found in the
clothing of one of the bodies taken
from the mine. The diary was begun
on November 13, the day of the dis
Howard, 21 years old. 1t described tie
slow death of the men by the encroach-
ing black damp and refers tenderly to
SamuePs efforts to save his brother,
Alfred, 16 years old, who died by his
side. The diary follows:
ALIVE at 10:30 o'clock yet. By Sam
D. Howard. Brother Alfred is with me
yet. A good many dead men and
mules. I tried to save some but came
almost losing myself. If I am dead
son. The ring is coming at the post
office. Henry can have the ring I have
in my good clothes. The only thing
I regret is that my brother could help
my mother out after I am dead and
gone.
Il tried my best to get out but could
not.
IT saw Jim Jameson and Steve Timke
lying along the road and could not
stand it any longer
'It is minutes past II o'clock and
the air is fine, but sometimes It is so
bad it almost puts fellows light out.
1t is something fierce to see men and
mules lying down all over like that.
To Keep From Thinking.
ITO keep me from thinking thought
I would write these few lines. There is
rock falling all over. We have our
buckets full of water and we drink it
and bathe our heads with it; 10 to Il
O'Clock, Z after o'clock. 2 o'clock. 8
O'Clock and poor air and black damp
AIS o'clock. change of place, men
tried to get out and could not get back
81 o'clock. Tired. hungry and sleepy,
if 1 could get out of this hole.
''7:50 in the morning. This is Sun
day. There is no air. We famed our
selves with the lids of our buckets. 20
after and black damp coming both
ways. % after 10 we gave up all hopes
We have done all We could. The fan
had better start above soon. 25 after 10
a. m. Sunday, we are still alive. The
only hope is the fan.
Il think won't have strength to
write pretty soon. Is after II p. III.
they can't give US air we
will make fans ourselves.
I'VE take our turn at the fan. We
have three OF them going q to Sc m.
and the black damp is coming on U.S.
Only for the fans we would be dead
IL to p m. dying for the want of
air. We have six fans moving, one fan
after another IL feet apart. % after
10 D. M, Sunday evening, we all had
to come back. We can't move front or
backward.
1--WE can stand it with our fans until
Monday.
"Sick ard everything else. Alfred
Howard is still alive. 9:15 a. M, Mon
cay morning, sill breathing. Some
thing better turn uD or We will soon
be gone.
"11:15 a. M. still alive at this time
16 to 1 Monday Lives are going out.
1 think this is our last We are get
ting weak Alfred Howard as well as
all of u.s."
FINDING THE BODIES.