The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-11-15
HOPE IS OFFERED TO
RELATIVES OF VICTIkS
Farmers Tell II Signals Frsm
Earth.
Nearly -Four Hsaarea Me. ana s.ys
known to BE IN Gas FsIisa
Tube--Mine Experts Make
Three Attempts IT
Expistasie..

Cherry. Ill. Nov. 1l.--Nearly zoe hui
man beings. men and boys. 1t II now
believed. are dead. or perishiug, In the
st. Paul mine here. though experts
who succeeded I'm penetrating the
smoke filled air shaft to depth OF 400
feet late today. returned with ray
Of hope for the grief-stricken rela-
tives OF the entombed victims.
That the fire has been extinguished
was the conclusion OF mining experts
and inspectors sent here by Governor
Deneen to investigate the calamity and
For more than thirty hours the prfs-
oners have been subjected to smoke
filled veins. That life could exist un-
der the terrible conditions apparent, 10
doubted by many. but because no trace
of high temperature was found In the
depths OF the mine today. friends OF
the miners and even cfiiciais OF ths
company have hope that the victims
may have found safety in some recess
of the mine.
A. J. Earring. president of the Chi
cago. Milwaukee and ST. Paul Rail-
road Company. who has not slept since
arriving on the scene OF the catastro-
phe. received an encouraging report af-
ter heroic efforts had been made to-
day TO open the mine for the release
OF ln0 entDIuDe0 men, OF tHG 4OtSctNEIX
of the much feared mass of dead.
vfcfsm's SON Hears Signals.
From the son Of one OF the missing
miners. John Reid. the railroad pres
ident heard that conclusion of the
earth had been felt by farmers half
q mile south OF. the main shaft.
i've heard signals from the men,
young Reid said excftediy.
Farmers whose land II soyer the
southern end OF the mine also felt
several conclusions OF the earth this
afternoon. There were several sliocl<s
and the men who felt them are cons
WINGED that they were shots fired by
the imprisoned miners TO signal TO tho
people above that they still live
'sDo they mean that or that tire min<
ers have decided to end their agony7~
asked the railroad president. Il have
heard OF cases where miners had end
ed their torture In such manner. sun
II would not be possible, were those
men alive. that they would resort to
such q thing so soon !"
This giimmer OF light to the dark
ened homes In Cherry tonight follow
ed other encouraging. though doubtful.
theories OF some OF the experts. that
the entombed hundreds may not have
been sufyoeated. and that oxygen
enough remains in the veins to keep
them alive until the shafts may be re-
opened. the draft fans put In operation
and rescuing parties sent into the dark
recesses OF the earth.
Prepares fer Explore lions.
After the third attempt to explore
the conditions late today. r.. Y. Wiz
iiams Of Urbana, H.. OF the United
States Geological Survey. who superin-
tended the work OF volunteer explore
ers. protected with oxygen caps and
apparatus. teiegraphed to urbana for
more Of the apparatus.
This is expected to arrive on an early
train tomorrow and a score OF men
have volunteered TO accompany the ex-
perts ana mine inspectors into the air
shaft. which was opened late today.
Three times Williams and Henry Smith.
two OF the volunteers. were lowered
into the mine I'm q bucket. Each time
they succeeded in penetrating deeper
into the mysterious cavern. Each time
they were assured that the tempera-
ture WAS bearable.
Though II was Impossible to open the
sealed main shaft and exit OF the mine
today. the State inspectors here an
nounced to Mine superintendent Steele
that they felt assured deinito results
could be secured tomorrow.
When explorations were abandoned
1t was announced that the men
fitted with the oxygen would resume
operations as early as possible. The
list of the missing men was compiled
today In the Offices OF the mining COM
pany and 1t reached the total OF 3s5,
including the dead. whose bodies were
taken from the burning cages Saturday
afternoon. 1t was decided to be prob
able that this list might be Increased.
One hundred and seventy men who en-
tered the mines Saturday morning have
been accounted for. Tonight the ON.
Gals admitted that the number OF men
imprisoned was greater than they first
had believed TO be possible
Many Victims are Americans.
Among the missing are many Amer
leans. Though the majority Of the
miners are foreign born, yet all had
their homes here. or in the surrounding
towns and villages.
Cherry today was the mecca for
thousands OF persons and before noon
the st. Paul mine was surrounded by
an almost uncomfortable mob.
Officials early In the day swore In
a number OF deputies to handle the
crowd. All incoming trains were
packed with people. some attracted by
curiosity and others by a craving for
news from some loved ones. Fathers.
whose sons were in the mine. wept as
escorted them from the en-
frances to the shafts where prepare
tions were being made with all pos
sible haste to rescue the entombed
men.
When the experts had drilled hole
the concrete at the top OF the
second vein air shaft and all prepara-
lions made TO lower Williams and his
volunteer explorers pinto the depths,
the scene at the mine was dramatic.
Four men appeared like mail-coated
knights OF old. their oxygen bags ON
their shoulders. the steel and glass
covered hoods covering their faces and
heads. They were. beside Mr.. will
liams Of Urbana. his assistant. James
NJ. Webb, OF the University OF Illinois;
James Hand. OF Spring Valley. Ill.,. ana
Henry Smith, OF Peru. Later. Mine In
spector James Taylor. of Peoria. also
ionned the gas penetrating regalia
A score OF men were ready TO assist
them.
Two Men Lowered.
A system of signals had been ure-
pared Two of the men were stationed
At the top OF the shaft. Williams and
smith. the first men 20 enter the mlna
since the tragedy OF tho day before.
was slowly lowered. The thronx