Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-14
Smoke Pouring in Dense VOL
umes From Shaft DESTROYS
All Hope of Rescue for Un-
fortunate Prisoners,
FIVE BRAVE MEN GIVE
LIVES IN FUTILE ATTEMPT
Grief Crazed Relatives of Vic
Tins Surround Pit Mouth
Hoping Against Hope That
Husbands and Fathers May
Emerge Alive,


Cherry, Ills. Nov. 13-At least 400
men were killed today by an explosion
in the St Paul Coal company mine
here This estimate was made to-
night by the mine officials after a
careful calculation of the disaster.
Only twelve bodies have been re-
covered up to a late hour.
Eight bodies had been taken out of
the mine of the st. Paul Coal cont
pany at 1880 where more than $50
men are imprisoned, and probably
scores dead The bodies were brought
out while fire was burning fiercely
in the interior and smoke pouring
in dense volumes from the mouth Of
the pitt
The entrance was boarded over in
an effort to check the flames raging
in the interior This ended all hope
OF escape by the imprisoned miners.
In THE three veins, one 500 feet below
the Surface, the miners We're impris-
oneti and their only chance for life
was to retreat back to the ends of the
veins In the hope there might be
air enough to preserve their lives un-
I'll help came.
The first explosion occurred shortly
after O'Clock 1t communicated to
other sections of the mine and in less
than ten minutes all hope of escape
seemed shut off from the miners,
while smoke and even jets of flames
went up through the entrance OF the
cage which carried the miners to their
work on former trips. The first loads
were miners. who escaped with no
worse than burns or bruises received
10 the rush for safety.
Tho last trip was made when the
bodies of the mine superintendent
and his assistants were brought out.
A half hour after the explsion occur
red the mouth of the shaft was sur
rounded by hundreds OF frantic won-
en-, children aud men. Many tried TO
enter the mine but gave up after the
first effort, or were carried away
unconscious from the smoke and e5-
Gaping fumes. For almost two hours
officials of the mine and residents
of Cherry tried to devise means TO
help the imprisoned miners.
At last it was decided the only way
to check the flames was to board over
the entrance. The opening was close
~ sealed and it was decided the Gov
ering would not be removed until the
flames had been smothored out,
Mine Superintendent James steer
declared five hours after the explo-
sion that 1t was almost impossible that
any of the miners could escape Inc
mine has day shift of 4s4 men. vi
these a few left the mine at noon
twenty-five are known to have es-
capped after the fire broke out, ana
the others are doubtless dead. The
entrance TO the mine was sealed up
in the hone of checking the flames.
Despite the efforts of the officials ana
the scores of volunteer assistants, IL
seemed assured that only bodies OF
the dead would be taken from the
mine. Until tomorrow, when the COW
cring will be removed and rescuefs
endeavor to penetrate the smoke ana
gas ehoked shaft and veins, no Ger
tainty as to the fate OF the inmates
can be learned.
The fire causing the explosion
which may prove one of the greatest
tragedies in the list of mine horrors
had an origin almost trivial. A pie
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 win
smoke. gas and flames and all exit
was impossible.
Great heroism was shown by ofh-
eials of the mine and residents OF
cherry. These men, who were out
side the mine when the fire started.
contributed five to the list of twelve
known dead by rushing into the mine
and trying to save the men.
Alexander Norberg. a pit man. gave
mis- life unhesitatingly in a futile effort
To save those of his comrades who
risked their lives with him. Standing
az the bottom OF the shaft. he carried
the bodies of four men into the cage,
'ne only way of escape. AS the last
was carried in he fell unconscious
across the body. He was dead. as