The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-16
FOUR TIMES RESCUE PARTY GOES DOWN BUT
 BODIES ARt MISSING
After the Fruitless Attempts to Find the Men Fire Breaks Out Again and Drives the
 Rescuers Back to
 the Top.

 In the St. Paul coal mine by last Sat urdays disaster are dead, and that their bodies lie buried beneath thousands of tons of earth and may never be recovered was the opinion expressed tonight when rescue work carried on night and day for 4S hours was temporarily suspended.
 Fires in the mine, which broke out with renewed fierceness early in the day, made further descents by rescuers impossible Fans employed in attempt to carry fresh air down to the entombed men served only to enliven some sparks, which sprang into flame. Soon the heat and smoke became so dense that it was neces- sary again to seal up the mouth of the hoisting shaft and tonight the men down there, whatever their condition, are locked in as effectively as In a dungeon
 Whether the bodies will be taken out depend upon the condition of the internal fire. It is possible that steam and chem icals producing a carbonic acid gas will he passed through pipes to the bottom of the mine tomorrow. These will have a tendency to choke out the flames.
 Collins Are Ordered.
 It was learned that 300 coffins have been ordered, half of them to arrive to- morrow, and half the following day. feantime the several score of nurses who enave been rushed here look forward to no prospect of heroic work in reviving in- l l..Ia fdently believed there will be no one brought out of the mine alive.
 Hope swung frequently in the balance today. Before the fire broke out again rescuers descended four times. Then the rumor circulated quickly through the been reached and that the reason they were not brought up immediately was that they were exhausted by lack of food and smoke.
 They're alive; They're alve!" cried hopeful mothers and wives They'll be brought up pretty soon."
 But the truth was far different. The rescuers did on one occasion go down 300 feet to the bottom of the hoisting shaft. Then groping their way with electric lamps and kept alive by oxygen stored in their helmets, they penetrated 15O feet into the bottom gallery. But none of the miners, either dead or alive, were found.
 Hey, are you theres" cried the rescuers cheerily. but nothing was heard in re- sponse.
 Remote from Fire.
 It was conjectured the miners had crawled for safety into the recesses re- mote from the fire, but to these parts the rescuers were unable to go with out re-ascending. Gradually the crowd about the mouth of the shaft be- gan to thin out as hope seemed to wane.
 The morning dawned hopefully. At an early hour the main shaft, which had been sealed since Saturday, was opened and a determined effort begun by the experts and volunteers to re- lease the living miners or drag the bodies from the wreckage.
 Before o'clock the crowd assem- bled around the roped enclosure sur rounding the mine buildings and the workmen broke the seal of the shaft. There was little smoke In evidence and this gave hope to the investigators that the smoke had been smothered and that they would at least be en abled to enter the mine.
 A. R. Newsam, president of the state mining board, conferred with Mine Examiner James Taylor, R. Y. Will Hams and others who appeared in their oxygen outfits and helmets ready to descend.
 More Deputy Sheriffs.
 Just before the signal was given the authorities swore in an extra force of deputy sheriffs. They believed that within a few hours would begin the rescue of the dead. They felt the grs1esome sight would arouse the feel inns of the surviving relatives and that grtsat difficulty would be encountered in preventing disorder.
 "A re the signals understood?" asked NevSsam of his assistants. who nodded assent. The automobile horns carried bv the explorers, which was to give the signals, were tested.
 oIlet her go," shouted Newsam. and the Sage was lowered. Down deep 1t went until the bottom was reached In a mo ment signals from the horns called for an ascent.
 several thousand people leaned for ward eagerly as the experts emerged from the shaft A conference with the offciaks and the report was spread that bodies had been found. This later was denied by the investigators.
 few minutes later the cage was lowered again. This time the horns footed signals frequently to the men aboye. The cage was raised and low ered alternately until eventually the bottom of the shaft was reached
 Intense Anxiety.
 The prolonged anxiety was intense No signal came It was apparent that something impdrtant had been dis covered. F1ftem minutes passed and