The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-11-16
MINERS PERISH
CIR Hundred Of Them Killed by an Ez-
plosion in a Coal Mine
THE ENTRANCE CLOSED

lhE ENlKANCE ULUSED
W'orkmen Trapped in a Gas Choked
Shaft-Only Twelve Bodies Taken
Out Of the Depths-Five of the
Men Met Heroic Deaths Trying to
Save Others.
A dispatch from Cherry. ILL.,, says
mine officials or the st. Paul Coal
Company mine, where an explosion
occurred a few days ago, say that
400 men are dead in the mine.
Twelve bodies have been taken out.
Six of these were men employed in
the futile effort to save the imprison-
ed workers.
Mine Superintendent James Steele
declared five hours after the ex-
plosion that it was almost impossible
that any of the miners still imprls-
oned could escape death.
The mine had a day shift Of 4S4
men. Of these SO left the mine at
noon. twenty-five or more escaped
after the fire broke out. The others
are believed to be dead.
The entrance to the mine has been
sealed up in the hope of choking
the flames. The building above the
pit entrance was blown up to per-
nit this.
The fire causing the explosion
which may prove one Of the greatesE
tragedies in the list of mine hor-
rors had an origin almost trivial. A
pile of hay allowed to shoulder too
long finally ignited the timbers OF
the mine and before the workers
realized their danger the mine was
filled with smoke, gases and flames
and all exit was impossible.
Heroism such as is rarely exhib-
tied was shown by officials of the
mine and residents Of the town OF
Cherry. These men, who were OUT
side the mine when the fire origi-
mated, contributed five to the list OF
II known dead.
Alexander Nerberg, a pit man,
gave his life unhesitatingly in a fu-
tile effort to save those of his COM
rades, who risked their lives with
him. Standing at the bottom of the
shaft he carried the bodies of four
men into the cage, the onry way OF
escape. AS the last was carried In
he fell across the bodies. He was
dead. as were all his companions,
when the cage was lifted to the top.
Those who had gone in to the pit
with him were John Bundy, the
mine superintendent. John Flood,
and Isaac Lewis, merchant OF Cher
ry, and John Fermento.
DR.. w. Howe, a physician Of the
city. who had sought to go with
them, was thrust out by Bundy, who
exclaimed, They will need you at
the top if we get any one out. Nc
risking your life down here
The physician vainly sought to
resuscitate the men when they were
carried to him few minutes later.
He said they had died Of suffoca-
rion.
At the entrance of the shaft
scene was enacted such as is seen
only at a disaster of this kind. Hun
dreds of screaming women, weeping
children and frantic but helpless
men crowded about the scene:
A few survivors were surrounded
by groups of the women anu the
answers of these men to the loudly
shrieked inquiries only added to the
terror of the women. Almost to a
man the survivors, declared that
there was no hope for those Still!
in the mine. Almost 200 of the men
imprisoned, they declared, were In
the third vein, the only entrance to
which was from the second vein,
nearly 500 feet from the main shaft
of the pit.
That those of the men who were
able had retreated to the furthermost
ends of the veins was the statement
of the miners on the surface. There
they might huddle together, breath
ing what little oxygen remained IN
the sealed and burning mine anu
praying that the rescuers might reach
them before it was exhausted. The
most hopeful doubt that more than
a few score will be found alive when
that aid comes.
The only men to escape were those
near the main shaft when the fire
started. They declared that care
less miner had thrown a torch on
bundle of hay used to feed the
mules stationed in the mine. No
attention was given the smoulderlns
hav for few minutes. Then two
miners threw the burning mass on
cart and started toward the main
shaft about $50 feet away.
Before it was reached small ex-
nlosion occurred and in few mo-
ments the entrance to the vein from
the shaft was filled with smoke and
flames.
Those nearest to the cages hur-
iad IN them and were hOiStpd to the