Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-24
BELIEF MINERS
MAY Be ALIVE
lSABANDONED
PORTIONS OF TUNNELS CAVE
IN AND BURY MEN
RESCUE WORK HINDERED BY
REklNDLED FIRES
Deadly Black Damp Does Its Crew.
some Work-General Manager
Taylor Says No Man Could
Have Survived
IAssocIated Pressl


N HERRY, ILL.,, Nov 2S.-Hope that
there might still be alive some Of
~ the men known to be entombed in
the st Paul coal mine was virtually
abandoned today.
An exploration into what is known
ss the second veip, where it was
thought probable many miners had
harricaded themselves and had man
agCd to exist on oats and corn pro-
vlded for the mules, showed that large
portions of the tunnels had collapsed
1t is believed many men were buried
under the debris, and If the obstruc-
ton is not soon cleared at least 100
bodies may never be dug up.
Fire was still raging in these tun-
nels and the back portions, where inn
prisoned miners could have found d
retreat were said to be full of the
fatal black damp.
what little hope We had was given
up when we penetrated to what is
known as the overcast" said w. W.
Taylor, general manager of the mine.
I'm that place pure air would have
been found, If it could have been found
anywhere, and the miners, aware of 1t,
would have retreated there. When we
got into that place we found 1t empty,
both of bodies and of live men. We
listened in vain to detect a signal or
any other sign of life"
Cherry continues to be a village OF
mourning. The death today of one of
the survivors brought to the surface
last Saturday reduced the total num-
ber of those saved out of the $40 lost
in the disaster to 19. Almost all the AZ
bodies taken out yesterday were iden-
tilted.
Meet with Obstacles
Rescuers met with great obstacles.
In one instance fire broke out in
tunnel, temporarily cutting off the es-
cape of twenty-five men who had Ven-
tured 400 feet from the hosting shaft.
The smell of smoke gave the warning
above and the rescuers were reached
and brought to safety by another res
cue party.
Following a telegram sent to Gov
ernor Deneen by the executive board
of the miners union, asking that some
one be designated by the state to take
charge of the mine, Inspector Hector
McAllister was placed in charge.
! Despite the fire and the falling in OF
the tunnels, the rescue work will be
pushed night and day.
A diary was found today In the
clothing of one of the bodies taken
from the mine yesterday. 1t was be-
gun on the day of the disaster and
was written by Samuel d. Howard, Il
years old, 1t describes the slow death
of the men by encroaching black damp
and refers to Samuers efforts to save
his brother Alfred, 16 years old, who
died by his side The diary follows:
"Alive at 10:30 o'clock yet. BY Sam
d. Howard Brother Alfred is with
me yet. good many dead mules and
men. tried to save some. but came
almost losing myself. If / am dead
.i,,n 20 To Fo1fa
inson. The ring is coming at the post
office. Henry can have the ring have
in my good clothes. The only thing
l regret is that my brother could not
help my mother out after l am dead
and gone.
Tries to Get Out
81 tried my best to get out but
could not l saw Jim Jameson and
Steve Timke lying along the road and
could not stand 1t any longer. IL is
five minutes past IL o'clock and the air
is fine, but sometimes it is so bad 1t
almost puts a fellows light out. 1t is.
something fierce to see men and mules
lying down all over like that.
ITO keep me from thinging thought
I would write these few lines. There is
rock falling all over. We have our
buckets full of water, sump water, and
we drink it and battle our heads with 1t.
Ten to 12 o'clock, after l o'clock, 2
O'Clock, 8 o'clock, poor air and black
damp; AIS o'clock, change of place.
One man tried to get out and could not
get back; 1850 o'clock, tired, hungry and
sleepy, but l could stand quite bit of
this If could get out of this hole.
"7:50 o'clock in the morning. This is
Sunday There is no air. We famed
ourselves with the lids of our buckets;
25 after 8, and black damp coming both
ways; 25, after 10, we gave up all hopes
We have done all we could. The fan
had better start above soon; 25 after
10 a. m, Sunday. We are still alive.
The only hope is the fan.