Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-22
LIVE RATS DISCOVERED
Believed That Men Also May Have
Escaped Death.
RELIANCE ON THE SCOTCHMEN
Rumors of Delay in Exploration
Caused by a Conflict in
Authority Denied.

Ing parties III tHe 81 raul mlne To-Day
found indications which led them to be-
lieve that there are a large number of
living men still in the last workings
Rescuers coming to the surface at noon
reported that live rats had been dis
covered in a newly explored portion OF
the mine. This increased the hope that
the rats came from remote sections Of the
cavern where comparatively pure air re-
mained and that if the rats could live
there, men also could.
The noise of the rats scurryng over
the loose dirt at first was thought to be
men behind WALL, said one of the res
cue gang. I'VE stopped to listen. 1t sound
ed like scratching and our hearts stood
still for moment, for we thought we
were about to come upon another crowd
of live men. We listened long enough to
convince ourselves that it was only rats,
however.
1.-The significance Of this is that dread
black damp does not lie along the floor OF
great part of the mine. The men whom
we are trying to reach on the suppoSition
that they are still alive are practical min
ers, and If they heard rats they quickly
got to that part of the mine.''
Tldlngs of the discovery were relayed
rapidly to those waiting in the chilling
rain and snow about the shaft top, and
hope, which had receded to the lowest
ebo, was revived.
Faith in the Scotchmen.
The wife of one Of the men brought out
alive Saturday evening, whose brother
still is one of the missing. placed her arms
about one of the pathetic, shawl-draped
women, whose watch about the pit mouth
has begun each day hours before the ris-
ing Of the sun and ended long after mid
night.
Cheer up, DEAR she whispered
Didn't 1 tell you John would come up?
There are Scotchmen down there. They
Will take care of them When the men
get to the ends they will find them wall
ed in. ready for another week of it,
Faith in the Scotch miners and their
ability TO care not only for themselves,
nut their companions. is now held by the
mine officials as we'll as the relatives of
those still down in the mine. .s-t
The traditions and stories of the Scots,
which once had caused derisive smiles
and comments from their fellows of other
races, are now the inspiration and hope
OF the watchers. Their often-told tales
of how their ancestors or prototypes in
Scotland fought off death in the mines
by walling themselves in and providing
for the long. dreary wait for succor are
repeated scores of times daily as mes
sages of hope for the watchers in Cherry.
An official of the mine declared that
IL iliy IHoIe illel were DTOuSnt alive
the work would have to be done within
twenty-four hours as the men must
necessarily be almost starved. Rats, he
said, would be able to live longer be-
cause of their ability to find crumbs
and scraps of food scattered about from
the mems lunches.
Searchers Hard at Work.
The searchers at am. were able to
pass far into the galleries, and, where
they expected to find large number
of dead, none were found. Nearly 200
men are still unaccounted for.
If men still live imprisoned in the depths
of the st. Paul mine they are probably in
too weakened condition to aid in their
own escape. 1t was nine days ago that
the fire occurred, and for that time any
possible survivors have been without food
and with very little If any water. Their
one hope is the rescue party which is
working frantically to remove the tim
bers, dead animals and earth falls which
block the way to the east workings. But
it is slow work.
Rain fell all night. Four of the score of
bodies seen lying in the black damp were
hoisted. The gas made it impossible to
reach the others, although they were In
plain view.
Rumors of hearing the voices or sig
nails of living miners from the east gal
IeTy winch spread ABOUT town today
were dscredited by mine officials
Daybreak today came in with rain and
snow and chilling winds that banished
many of the morbidly curious from the Dit
mouth.
Scenes Near the Mine.
Close to the dimly outlined shaft struc-
ture women huddled together. as if seek
ing consolation in community. The un-
varying garb of coarse shawls wrapped
closely about the wearers left a view
only of peering eyes and unkempt whisps
of hair.
Three times the one hearse of the town
made slow trips past the mine entrance,
over half-fOrmed trails of clay and mud
leading outside the town to the field
which has become its cemetery.
No vehicles accompanied the hearse.
twice knot of mourners numbering
less than dozen stumbled along behind
IT. and about the hastily opened, but half
water-flled, graves they knelt while the
bodies were lowered into them.
No church services have attended any
of the funerals held in the town during
the last few days. the coroner's edicts
preventing the entry Of the bodies into
homes or churches.
Rumored Conflict Of Authority.
Reports that the work of attempting
to reach miners who still may be alive
was being retarded by diffusion Of
authority among leaders of he coal
company forces and those of the state
of Illinois resulted in a serious confer
ence last night.
The delay in bringing out the dead
whose bodies were seen in the black
damp yesterday caused rumors of un-
due caution on the part of those upon
whom hundreds of women and children
depend for the rescue OF the members
of their families. dead or alive.
Last night Capt. +. w. Latimer of Com
pany C. 9Th Regiment. I. N. c., and Lieut..
G. p. Garrison, brought their pointed in
terrogations to w. w. Taylor, manager
of the mine. They did not declare that
work was being delayed by factional
strife. but did state that if reports that
work was being hampered by conflict
of authority were true. Gov. Deneen
would be asked to appoint a supreme au-
thority at the mine.
Manager Taylor assured the militia
officers that the only conflicts that had
occurred were of technical nature and
that the course adopted was now .gener-
ally believed to be most promising of
| rescue to any who still may be alive in
| the mine. - -