The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-18
Smoke Is Too Heavy For the
RescueTs So They Give
Up the Attempt
NO BODIES FOUND ON
ANY OF THE LEVELS
Fire Is Dying Down In the Mine But
Heat and Smoke Drive Pucky
Men Back Up Shaft to the
Open Air.

Cherry, ILL.,, November 17.-For the first
time since Sunday two daring men to-
night took their lives in their hands and
descended the ventilating shaft of the
ill-fated st. Paul mine In the blocked
and fiery galleries of which more than
800 men and boys lie dead.
The exploit was successfully carried
through by Thomas Morris and R. Y
Williams, both of the United States geo.
logical survey. They were nearly ex-
hausted when hauled to the top, but
quickly revived under the administering
of stimulants.
From what they discovered it is thought
the fire has moved back from the main
shaft and that 1t may be possible to en-
ter SOON
Williams, the much lighter man, de-
seended to the second gallery, where the
fire started. The shaft was eompara-
lively cool. There was considerable
steam, but much less smoke than on
Sunday.
The buckets in which the descent was
made were small and closer scrutiny of
the gallery was impossible. The buckets
were large enough only to stand on and
the effort of holding the rope and carry
ing their oxygen apparatus on their backs
at the same time wore out both men.
We're all Ia" were Morris first
ruras as his head, hidden In metallic
cap like that Of a diver appeared above
the pit.
The Two Men Lowered.
The two men were lowered after sew
eral hours of preparation. The mouth
Of the shaft, rl-lit and muddy, was sur
rounded for hours by a crowd of fire.
men, newspaper men, miners and officials
who waited patiently in spite of the Bit
ing cold.
First a test was made for black damp,
which was discovered by means of a
safety lamp, lowered at the end of line
It's flame was extingushed at 100 feet
There were those who argued against
the risk of any more lives, but the
opportunities of surviving miners that
a last desperate chance be taken to seek
some way of reaching the imprisoned
bodies prevailed. A numerous faction
contended all day that the mine should
be sealed for months, IL necessary for
weeks in any event, until further ex-
ploratfon could be made with safety. This
faction included the majority of the ex-
perts here from all over the country.
But the cry Of the men who have lost
their comrades and of the women who
dig their nails into the earth, calling for
their loved ones was too strong and Nor
ris and Williams determined upon the
attempt. The buckets were carefully
lowered and re-hoisted before the two
experts started.
Waiting For Signal.
]. W. Paul of Pittsburg, of the gov
ernment mine rescue service, stood at
the mouth of the shaft. The crowd spoke
in whispers, but Paul urged them to
greater quiet that not a signal might
be missed. With the masks over their
heads and their bodies half In the pit
suspended by single rope, the scene in
the fiickering light was gruesomely sug-
gestive of the gallows.
A few feet down and williams sig
nailed with the automobile IN which
he carried for stop. L -ntaneously
Paul cried Whoa" and IN the engine
house the hoisting machine was silenced.
Half dozen times this formula was car
ried out.
The crowd by this time was as silent
as If at funeral and when, after what
seemed an interminable wait, the sig
nal to hoist was given, every neck was
strained to catch the first glimpse of
the daring explorers.
Before we do anything effective.
ly." reported Morris, I'VE must have a
bucket SO big that we can sit on its
rim, we must have a float With
the present arrangements we have all
we can do to take care of ourselves
Report From Experts.
Morris and Williams, after a few min
utes' rest, delivered their report to the
experts, who had waited their return
in the company's office. The scene in the
pit was weird, said Williams.
"All about us the steam seemed to
whrl and toss There was very lit
tie smoke and much less heat than during
the descent l made last Sunday
II was filled with anxiety when l gave
two sQueezes on the automobile horn
as the signal to lower. Slowly we went
down, the dense steam wrapping over
the walls of the shaft in an uncertain
haze. For the first so feet down |
noticed the timber supports were con-
siderably scorched but lower down this
was less noticeable. AS slowly descend
ed | gave the signal frequently to stop,
hopjnes when | reached that depth to
look into the galleries. But the steam
was too dense. did not see any bodies.
When 1 reached the lower level at $40
feet my hands and feet began to be
SO numb I seemed to have lost the
sense of feeling. I gave the signal to
ascend. Before I got to the top / felt
rather queer and shouted up, I'm pret-
ty near all in,' but the fresh air soon
revived me-"
+ r.